An adjustable wake setting device for modifying a wake produced by a watercraft traveling through water. The system has a mounting member dimensioned and configured for attachment to the watercraft, a foil dimensioned and configured for movement between a stowed position adjacent the mounting member, out of the water, and an active area below the mounting member, in the water, such that the foil adjusts a relative position of the watercraft in the water thereby modifying the wake produced by the water craft traveling through the water, a linkage movably securing the foil to the mount, the linkage being dimensioned and configured for adjustably positioning the foil in the stowed position and the active area, an actuator mounted on the mounting member and connected to the linkage for moving the linkage such that the foil moves between the stowed position and the active area, and a controller for selectively actuating the actuator thereby selectively moving the foil between the stowed position and the active area. A method of using the adjustable wake setting device is also disclosed.

In water sports, a typical tow boat is operated at speeds in excess of 15 mph. At these speeds, the boat hull creates a trailing wake with a low, turbulent middle developing near the stern of the boat. The outer edge of the wake forms a V-shaped lip with water outside the middle of the wake.
As a boat travels through the water, the stern of the boat hull lowers in the water and the bow rises at an angle of attack to oncoming water. The stern of the boat hull displaces water, which effectively creates the wake behind the boat. A heavier boat lying lower in the water will create a larger wake due to the greater water displacement. The shape of the hull also affects the wake shape and size.
While often referred to generically as "waterskiing" and "wake boarding", water sports utilizing a tow boat generally encompass many different sports using skis, skates, boards, water foils, and even bare feet. With the advent of wakeboarding and trick skiing, the wake shape has become a more prominent component of the water-ski sports and tow boats. Many of these sports, especially wakeboarding, primarily focus on use of the wake to perform aerial maneuvers.
Typical wakeboards have a wide and flat form for sliding over the water surface. In comparison to water skiing or hydrofoil water sports, a wakeboarder is pulled through the water at a lower speed, typically in the range of 15–25 mph.
Wakeboarding and trick skiing enthusiasts, in particular, use the wake repetitively as a "ramp" by jumping over the wake. As such, the size of the wake is of primary concern for wakeboarders. As the sport has matured, wakeboard enthusiasts have developed increasingly complex tricks like spins, grabs, and flips. A larger wake allows wakeboarders to get more "air" when crossing over the wake, meaning that the rider can jump higher over the wake.
In order to increase the wake size, enthusiasts and boat designers have employed various techniques for lowering the stern of the boat and increasing wake size. One simple method is to place weights in the stern of the boat. Some tow boats have been designed specifically with additional weight in the transom for this purpose. The additional weight lowers the stern of the boat during towing and increases the size of the wake, however, there are several disadvantages to this method. The lowered floating position of the boat translates into slower cruising speeds. This is disadvantageous when the boat is used for cruising rather than skier towing. It can also be disadvantageous when one desires to use the same boat for pulling wakeboarders at slower speeds with a larger wake and skiers at high speeds with a small wake. One cannot increase or decrease the wake size and maintain a top cruising speed without stopping ashore to load or unload the weights.
Furthermore, the additional weight poses a safety risk. Every boat has a maximum load capacity, and the additional weight lowers the margin of safety. Typical weight additions can be from 800–1200 pounds. In a smaller boat, this additional weight combined to the passenger weight can be close to the maximum rated load-capacity.
Another class of boats has been developed to adjust the wake. These tow boats, known generally as "tournament boats," have been developed for competitive skiing. The hull section of these boats are relatively flat such that minimal wake is produced at speed. The smaller wake is suitable for high-speed skiing and slalom competitions requiring precise turning patterns. Because these boats do not employ a deep V-shaped hull, they have lower top speeds typically under 50 mph. These boats are said to run "wet," meaning that they have high drag from the added area contacting the water surface. Tournament boats also employ control devices for changing the size of the wake. Several devices have been employed to balance the need for less drag with a smoother wake. An example of such a control device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,549,071. Generally, these devices and designs minimize the wake size, which is not desirable for wakeboarding and trick skiing.
In contrast to tournament boats with smooth wakes, some boats have a hull designed with a deep deadrise. A deep deadrise creates a larger wake preferable for trick skiing. However, all the hull designs require a tradeoffs between speed and wake size.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,915,048 to Stanford discloses a submerged hydrofoil device for adjusting the trim and stability of a tow boat. The hydrofoil is also integral to the boat design and cannot be retracted for cruising. Norwegian patent no. 86,945 to Troenge is directed to a retractable stern-mounted foil. However, similar to the Stanford patent, Troenge is directed to improved stability and not adjustment of the wake size. Both patents are directed to adjusting and balancing the pitch and yaw forces and angle of attack of the tow boat.
Some submerged hydrofoil devices have been employed specifically to increase wake size. These hydrofoil devices increase downforce on the boat hull and in turn increase the wake size. Fixed hydrofoil devices are limited in that they do not allow for adjustment of the wake size; the single position of the hydrofoil allows for only a single wake size at a particular speed. In particular, known hydrofoil devices either require manual removal of the hydrofoil at cruising speed or they cannot be removed at all. If removable, these devices require manually removing the hydrofoil. If the hydrofoil is not retracted, it decreases the top speed of the boat. Thus, known hydrofoil devices are fixed or cannot be easily adjusted between cruising and towing conditions.
Newer methods have been devised which allow for increasing the wake size at tow speed without sacrificing cruising speed. One such method uses of an inflatable bladder. When towing riders, the bladder can be filled with water to increase weight in the stern of the boat. At cruising speeds, the water in the bladder can be excreted out of the boat. This device has the limitation of requiring users to wait for the bladder to be filled and emptied and also has limited adjustability. Moreover, the increased weight of the bladder also lowers the loading margin of safety as discussed.
What is needed is a method and apparatus that allows adjustable wake modification while overcoming the above-mentioned disadvantages.


In the process for producing a rubber for manufacturing a tire:                a calender forms a ply with a mixture of ingredients of the rubber while a conveyor moves the ply in a first direction,        a mass of product other than the rubber is deposited on the ply, and        the conveyor displaces the ply in a second direction, such that the mass is arranged between two faces of the ply extending one against the other.

1. Field
The invention relates to the production of a rubber for manufacturing a tire.
2. Description of Related Art
It is known that the production of a rubber for a tire for the wheels of a vehicle involves successive mixing steps. Firstly, elastomeric materials are mixed with a charge of carbon black or silica. This mixing process takes place in the tank of a mixer and results in a rise of the temperature of the mixture, which may reach 170° C. for example. This mixture is then transferred to a station where it continues to be worked whilst being cooled. This working takes place by circulating the mixture between two cylinders so as to form it into a ply. The cooling means of the station lower the temperature to approximately 80° C.
It is known to add to the rubber a product that promotes vulcanization of the rubber during its subsequent baking. So as not to risk premature partial vulcanization of the rubber, the vulcanizing product is not incorporated at the same time as the other ingredients. It is therefore only once the above-mentioned steps have been carried out that the mixture is transferred to a finishing station, where the vulcanizing product is added to the mixture and is mixed therewith.
An arrangement of this type is described for example in document DE-11 2005 002546 T5.
But the properties of the rubber during the vulcanization process are very sensitive to the proportions of the ingredients forming the mixture. Thus, if the quantity of vulcanizing product is not added to the mixture in the correct proportions, vulcanization may therefore be either too quick, or insufficient, which in either case compromises the qualities of the rubber and those of the finished tire.

Process and equipment for producing a rubber for a tire comprising a kneading step

COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN


The present invention relates to a chemical feeder that includes a support plate that is positioned within the housing chamber of the chemical feeder, in which one or more extensions extend upward from an upper surface of the base plate of the support plate. The extensions can, with some embodiments, be in the form of peg extensions, arcuate extensions that can together define an impeller pattern, or a spiral extension. A distributor head having a plurality of distributor head apertures and at least one dome hole extends up through a support plate aperture in the base plate of the support plate, and distributes liquid horizontally and vertically relative to the base plate. The horizontally and vertically distributed liquid contacts a solid chemical material that is supported above the support plate, so as to form a treated liquid that includes dissolved chemical material.

Chemical feeders can be used to produce various mixtures, such as aqueous solutions of water treating agents that can be used for the disinfection of effluent from sewage treatment plants, for the chlorination of water in swimming pools and hot tubs, and for the delivery of other water soluble chemicals to aqueous streams and water systems. In some instances, a solid treatment chemical is placed within the chemical feeder, where it comes into contact with a liquid, such as water, introduced therein so as to form a treated liquid composition, such as a treated aqueous composition. It is typically desirable that the chemical feeder produce treated liquid compositions that contain a controllable and reproducible level of treatment chemical therein. Variability in the rate at which a solid treatment chemical dissolves in the liquid that is introduced into the chemical feeder can result in an undesirable variation in the concentration of treatment chemical in the treated liquid that is removed from the chemical feeder during operation thereof. In the case of sanitizing treatment chemicals, for example, such variability in the concentration of the sanitizing chemical(s) can result in reduced sanitizing properties, when the concentration drops below a minimum threshold, or toxicity, when the concentration rises above a maximum threshold.
It would be desirable to develop new chemical feeders, such as but not limited to erosion chemical feeders and flow-through chemical feeders, that can be used to produce treated liquid compositions from solid treatment chemicals. It would be further desirable that such newly developed chemical feeders provide a controllable, reliable, and reproducible level of treatment chemical in the treated liquid compositions that are removed from the chemical feeder.


The present invention relates to an optical treatment apparatus and an operating method thereof. The present invention provides an optical treatment apparatus and an operating method thereof, the optical treatment apparatus comprising: a treatment beam generation unit for generating a treatment beam; a beam delivery unit for forming a path through which the treatment beam generated from the treatment beam generation unit travels to a treatment area located in a fundus; a monitoring unit for irradiating a detecting beam along the path through which the treatment beam travels, and detecting state information on the treatment area on the basis of speckle change information of the detecting beam scattered and reflected from the treatment area; and a control unit for controlling the driving of the treatment beam generation unit on the basis of the state information on the treatment area detected by the monitoring unit.

Recently, technology for changing a state of tissue in such a way that energy is transferred by light irradiation to the human body tissue has been widely applied. Particularly, a treatment apparatus using a laser is widely used for various lesions such as skin diseases, eye diseases, neurological diseases, joint diseases, gynecological diseases, etc. A treatment apparatus using a laser is widely used for various lesions such as skin diseases, eye diseases, neurological diseases, joint diseases, gynecological diseases, etc. Such a treatment apparatus is disclosed in various documents, including Korean patent laid-open publication No. 10-2014-0009846.
At this point, in order to confirm whether or not the treatment is proceeding properly and prevent damage from occurring in the target and its adjacent locations due to irradiation of excessive light it is necessary to continuously monitor the state of the treatment region. However, in the case an optical sensor such as a charged coupled device (CCD) or a complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS), ultrasound, or etc. is used as in the conventional art, it is impossible to monitor the internal state of the treatment region or there is a limitation in sensing a minute change in the tissue.

Optical treatment apparatus and control method therefor


An automatic program-correction device includes: a clearance detecting unit that detects an amount of clearance between a robot and a peripheral device in an operation program; a near-miss detecting unit that detects a near-miss section; a closest-point detecting unit that detects a pair of closest points, in the near-miss section; and a program updating unit that generates a new operation program having an intermediate teaching point to which the closest points have been moved, along a straight line passing through the detected pair of closest points, until the amount of clearance becomes greater than a minimum amount of clearance and equal to or less than the threshold. While gradually reducing, from the threshold, the amount of clearance at the intermediate teaching point, the program updating unit obtains an intermediate teaching point that provides a maximum amount of clearance at which a new near-miss section is not detected.

In the related art, there is a known operation-program generation method for detecting a near miss between a robot and a peripheral object and for moving, if a near miss has occurred, a motion path of the robot to a position where a near miss does not occur (for example, see Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, Publication No. 2006-190228).

Automatic program-correction device, automatic program-correction method, and automatic path-generation device


A conception cap comprising a thin, form-assuming, flexible dome, an annular rim, and thin, gripping fingers along the inner surface of the rim that make up a notched indentation to effectively position and secure the cap over the cervix for the concentration of sperm on the cervical Os to effect fertilization independently or with the aid of biologically active agents. The conception cap is also included as a component in a conception kit, allowing a woman to conduct the steps of the method of conception using the kit in the privacy of her home.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a conception kit used to concentrate sperm and effect fertilization, and to a method of conception utilizing the kit. More particularly, the present invention encompasses a conception cap used to deliver increased concentrations of sperm to the cervical Os.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Devices which are intended to be inserted into the vagina are known for use as contraceptive barriers. One particular contraceptive device, the cervical cap, is placed over the cervix to prevent semen from entering the cervical canal and is held in place by a suction grip or surface viscosity on the moist cervical surface. Some of these previous cervical caps are made of latex. However, since latex causes sperm damage, possibly resulting in deformed or abnormal children, the latex cap cannot be used for delivery of sperm. In addition, all of these devices are geared only towards the prevention of pregnancy.
Currently, however, there are parts of the population that are experiencing a decline in fertility and would benefit from an invention that increases the likelihood of conception. Some of the primary factors contributing to a decline in fertility are low sperm counts, problems with sperm motility, and a hostile vaginal environment due to infection or other chronic conditions. A method used to overcome these problems is sperm concentration at the cervical Os, which is the area connecting the uterus and the vaginal cavity. Sperm concentration significantly increases the probability of conception, as fewer sperm are needed to effect fertilization since a higher number reach the uterus intact. Since these sperm travel a shorter distance, a higher proportion remain viable upon reaching the uterus. In cases of low sperm counts or poor motility, this is particularly effective. In addition, a potentially hostile vaginal environment is bypassed.
Methods in use today to address fertility issues are administered only by medical professionals and are very costly. As an example, administration of sperm using a pipet that is inserted through the Os damages fragile cervical tissue and can cause extensive bleeding. In addition, the medical procedure is painful and involves considerable investments of time and money.
Modern technology allows for a woman to reliably predict ovulation, and assess her ability to become pregnant. In addition, sperm can be easily collected in a condom and thereby be mechanically confined to a small volume. Pregnancy tests are available and allow the woman to monitor her success. There is a need, therefore, for an inexpensive vaginal device that can be inserted by a woman and remain in place for an extended period of time. There is also a need for a kit that would provide a woman with all of the materials needed to successfully carry out a sperm concentration procedure at the appropriate biological time and monitor her success.
The present invention provides an improved method and conception cap for concentrating sperm and successfully effecting fertilization, overcoming the aforementioned problems. The conception cap of the present invention is made of a silicone-based material and can be positioned and secured over the cervix while containing sperm to facilitate conception. Moreover, all of the materials to allow a woman to effect this multi-day procedure and monitor its efficacy at a biologically appropriate time in an inexpensive and expedient manner are provided in a conception kit.


A high-Q micromechanical device such as a capacitor and method of tuning same by electrostatically moving the capacitor""s dielectric are provided. The high-Q, tunable, micromechanical capacitor is realized using an IC-compatible, electroplated-metal, surface-micromachining technology and demonstrates quality (Qxe2x88x92) factors in excess of 290xe2x80x94the highest reported to date for on-chip tunable capacitors at frequencies near 1 GHz. When combined with on-chip (or off-chip) high-Q inductors, these tunable capacitors are expected to be useful for not only low-phase noise integrated VCO applications, but also for tunable, low-loss, RF filters and tunable matching networks, both key functions capable of enhancing the multi-band programmability of wireless communication handsets. The key feature in this design that makes possible such high on-chip Q is the method for capacitive tuning, which is based on moving the dielectric between the capacitor plates, rather than moving the plates themselves, as done in previous designs. One version of the design achieves a measured Q of 291 at 1 GHz (C=1.2l pF) with a tuning range of 7.7% over 10 V of control voltage, and an expected self-resonant frequency (SRF) of 19 GHz. In another version of the design, with a wider tuning range of 40% over 10 V, a Q of 218 is achieved at 1 GHz (C=1.14 pF).

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to high-Q micromechanical devices such as capacitors and capacitive switches and methods of tuning same.
2. Background Art
Micromechanical tunable capacitors constructed using MEMS technology have previously been demonstrated with Q""s on the order of 60xe2x80x94a value that greatly exceeds those achievable by semiconductor diode counterparts fabricated via conventional IC technology. Such micromechanical capacitors often consist of suspended top metal plates that can be electrostatically displaced (via applied voltages) over bottom metal plates to vary the capacitance between the plates. Because these capacitors can be constructed in low resistivity metal materials, they exhibit much larger Q""s that their semiconductor diode counterparts, which suffer from greater losses due to excessive semiconductor series resistance. To date, micromechanical capacitors have been successfully applied toward the implementation of on-chip, high-Q LC tanks for use in low-phase noise, communications-grade voltage-controlled oscillators (VCO""s).
Recent advances in micromechanical tunable capacitor technology, however, are beginning to extend the application range of such devices beyond the initial focus on LC tanks for VCO""s, toward the new challenge of tunable preselect filters for multi-band reconfigurable wireless communication handsets. For this application, much higher Q""s are required, on the order of 200 or more. Despite the use of metal in their construction, the Q of micromechanical capacitors to date is still limited by losses arising from the finite resistivity of their metal suspension beams, which often must be made long to attain stiffness values low enough to insure sufficiently low actuation voltages. In effect, traditional micromechanical capacitor designs clearly exhibit a Q versus actuation voltage trade-off.
The U.S. patent to Bauhahn, 5,696,662, discloses an electrostatically-operated micromechanical capacitor which is tunable by moving pairs of plates linearly relative to each other through the application of a voltage to the plates.
The U.S. patents to Chang et al., U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,959,516 and 6,094,102, disclose a high-Q MEMS capacitor wherein a central voltage applied to a master or central capacitor sets the capacitance of a slave or signal capacitor.
An object of the present invention is to provide a high-Q micromechanical device such as a capacitor and method of tuning same which break the above trade-off by eliminating the need for lengthy top plate suspension beams. Specifically, rather than implement tunability using a movable top plate, the top plate is made stationary, and the dielectric between the metal plates is made movable. In effect, capacitive tuning is attained via a tunable-dielectric, realized via a movable dielectric plate suspended by dielectric beams that do not impact the Q of the device, and hence, allow Q""s of up to 290 and above.
In carrying out the above object and other objects of the present invention, a high-Q micromechanical device such as a capacitor is provided. The capacitor includes a substrate, a pair of conductive layers supported on the substrate and having a capacitive gap therebetween, and a dielectric disposed in the gap between the conductive layers. The capacitor also includes means for displacing the dielectric within the gap between the conductive layers to tune the capacitor over a tuning range.
The means for displacing may electrostatically displace the dielectric in the gap.
The capacitor may further include at least one spring element coupled to the dielectric to move the dielectric between the layers.
The at least one spring element may include a lateral or vertical spring element supported on the substrate.
One of the conductive layers may form at least a portion of a top plate and the other conductive layer may form at least a portion of a bottom plate wherein both of the top and bottom plates are fixed to the substrate.
Each of the conductive layers may be a conductive metal.
The substrate may be a semiconductor substrate.
The tuning range may be based on a ratio of thickness of the dielectric to thickness of the gap between the conductive layers.
A Q factor of the capacitor may be greater than 50, or 200 or even 290.
The device may be a capacitive switch.
Further in carrying out the above object and other objects of the present invention, a method for tuning a micromechanical device such as a capacitor is provided. The method includes providing a pair of conductive layers supported on a substrate and having a capacitive gap therebetween, and providing a dielectric in the gap between the conductive layers. The method further includes applying a voltage bias to the conductive layers to electrostatically displace the dielectric between the conductive layers.
The method may further include moving the dielectric between the layers.
The above object and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention are readily apparent from the following detailed description of the best mode for carrying out the invention when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

High-Q micromechanical device and method of tuning same

The Regents of the University of Michigan


A waterproof connector includes a housing that is formed of an insulating resin, and at least one contact that is integrally formed in the housing. The contact has at least one housing fixing unit that is disposed in a middle portion in the longitudinal direction of the contact and is embedded in the housing and fixed thereto, and a pair of overhanging portions that are respectively disposed at both ends of the housing fixing unit and overhang in a direction vertical to a longitudinal direction of the housing fixing unit. A portion of the housing that is in contact with the housing fixing unit is fitted between the pair of overhanging portions.

In recent years, there is a strong demand for waterproof function in various electronic devices and accordingly, waterproof connectors having waterproof property have been under development for the purpose of use in connection with an external device.
One example of such waterproof connectors is a connector in which a housing made of insulating resin is formed to be integral with a conductive contact to contain the same therein by, for example, insert molding. Owing to the integral molding, a surface of the contact adheres at the portion embedded in the housing to the insulating resin making up the housing and this prevents water from entering the inside of the connector from the outside of the connector through a boundary portion between the housing and the contact.
In general, however, a metal material making up the contact and a resin material making up the housing are different in thermal expansion coefficient from each other and therefore, when the connector is exposed to a high temperature environment during a soldering process in mounting the connector onto a circuit board of an electronic device for example, owing to the different expansion amount between the contact and the insulating resin, the insulating resin adhering to the surface of the contact may be separated therefrom. Once the insulating resin is separated, a gap is generated between the surface of the contact and the insulating resin and water may disadvantageously enter the inside of the connector through the gap even after the temperature falls to ambient temperature.
Aside from that, when a counter connector is fitted to a connector in which a contact and a housing are formed integrally with each other, the counter connector may be forcibly fitted in a direction oblique to the fitting axis, which is so-called "ill fitting," and a high stress may be applied to the portion between the housing and the contact. In this case, again, insulating resin making up the housing may be separated from a surface of the contact, which damages waterproof property of the connector.
To cope with it, for instance, Patent Literature 1 discloses a waterproof connector in which a tiny gap generated between a housing 1 and a contact 2 that are formed integrally with each other is filled with a waterproof sealant 3 to thereby improve waterproof property, as shown in FIG. 23.

JAPAN AVIATION ELECTRONICS INDUSTRY, LIMITED


The invention provides methods, systems and computer program products for implementing pre-authorized payment transactions. In an embodiment, the invention comprises at a point-of-sale (POS) terminal (i) receiving a payment initiation request, (ii) receiving payment account information associated with a payment account associated with a payor, and (iii) receiving a first input identifying the payment transaction as a payment transaction that has been pre-authorized, (iv) responsive to receiving the first input identifying the payment transaction as a payment transaction that has been pre-authorized, generating a transaction payment request based on a pre-defined request message format, wherein a personal identification number (PIN) data element within the transaction payment request is populated independent of any PIN value input at the POS terminal, and (v) routing the generated transaction payment request to a transaction authorization server that is communicably coupled to the pre-authorized transaction database.

Electronic payment transactions involving payments from payors to merchants, retailers or service providers for goods or services received are increasingly common. A popular type of electronic payment transaction involves initiating payment based on a token that identifies the source of funding (i.e. the payor's payment instrument and other payment details)—and inputting the transaction amount and payor authentication information (for example a personal identification number, or password) at a point-of-sale (POS) terminal. The transaction amount and payor authentication information is electronically forwarded to an issuer associated with the payor's payment account (for example through a centralized payment network)—whereafter the issuer decides whether to authorize the transaction based on a determination that the transaction amount is less than with an available balance associated with the payor's payment account, and based on authentication of the payor's identity using the received authentication information.
It has been found that the process steps involving input of authentication information and/or transaction amount information at the POS terminal is generally considered inconvenient and interferes with the overall payment experience. Additionally, the time involved in transaction authorization at the issuer backend is a further inconvenience which payors are faced with from time to time.
There is accordingly a need for a solution that enables pre-authorization of payment transactions in a manner that improves the user experience.

Methods, systems and computer program products for implementing pre-authorized payment transactions


A system and method for constructing a graphical user interface for an application being accessed by a user are provided. The method includes measuring the user's current work rate, deriving a threshold from the user's current work rate, determining the user's current activity within the application, assigning a value to the user's current activity, accessing a model for the application, the model defining links between activities within the application, assigning values to activities linked within the accessed model to the user's current activity, and displaying a control element in a graphical user interface for each activity with a value above the derived threshold.

Embodiments of the present invention relate to constructing a graphical user interface, and in particular, to constructing a graphical user interface for an application being accessed by a user.
User devices such as computers and mobiles phones run applications with which a user can interact via a graphical user interface. When using such an interface it is common for there to be large amounts of superfluous control elements available to the user. A control element is any button, window, icon, or other distinguishable element of the user interface. These extra control elements take up valuable screen space and direct attention away from the task the user is currently performing. Although the user may wish to access all of the control elements at different times, it is very unlikely that they need constant access to all of the different control elements that can be presented to the user.
Existing solutions to these problems include task oriented user interfaces. One such solution is 'perspectives' in the Eclipse IDE. This capability allows the user to manually switch the user interface to display only the elements of interest in the current task that the user is performing. However, the user must manually change the perspective to match the task they are about to perform. Moreover, the process of adding and/or removing elements to and from the user interface based on their specific requirements can be time consuming and complicated.
Another solution to the problem of excessive numbers of control elements in a user interface is to hide those user interface elements which are not commonly used. A feature like this can be seen in some versions of Microsoft Office products (Microsoft, Windows, Windows NT and the Windows logo are trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States, other countries or both) whereby menu items are hidden if they are not often used. When a user accesses a menu, they are not shown all of the available options, only a subset is actually presented to the user. However, if a user does require one of the hidden UI elements, the specific control element can be hard to locate and they will always require further user actions to locate the specific desired control element.

International Business Machines Corporation


A filter element, for use filtering liquids such as fuel, includes a first section of filter media, an optional layer of coalescer media, and a section of barrier media. The first section and optional coalescer filter media are held between opposite first and second end caps. The second end cap is integrated with the barrier filter media. The barrier media extends at least part way into an interior of the first section and can be conical in shape.

Fuel filter systems commonly use a disposable filter cartridge which is replaced at pre-established intervals of filter usage. The filter element may be used to filter a fluid comprising liquid and impurities. For example, the filter is often used to remove water from a liquid fuel to avoid damage to moisture-sensitive components, such as fuel injection equipment. Improvements over the prior art of such liquid filter systems, especially fuel systems are desirable.


An electrophoretic separation apparatus includes a capillary tube having a length, a cross section, an inlet and an outlet. A first reservoir containing a solvent and, upon injection, a solute is in fluid-flow communication with the inlet and a second reservoir containing at least a solvent is also in fluid flow communication with the outlet, the capillary thereby being filled at least with the solvent. A first power supply means applies a separation potential between the first and second reservoirs and along the length of the capillary to thereby establish an electrophoretic flow of the solute therethrough. An electrically isolated plate is juxtaposed to an external surface of the capillary tube and is connected to a second power supply. An electrostatic field is thereby applied across the cross section of the capillary tube to control the electroosmotic flow therein. The electrical isolation of the plate prevents current flow between the power supply and the plate. The plate achieves effective electroosmotic flow control even though it extends only over a small portion of the length of the capillary tube.

This patent application is related to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/077,214, filed on even date and having a common title herewith.
Zone electrophoresis in capillaries is widely used to accomplish liquid-phase separations of various solutes. Capillary electrophoresis has been used for separation of small and large molecules, various amino acids, alkylamines and various proteins. In brief, a zone capillary electrophoresis device includes a buffer filled capillary tube that is placed between two buffer reservoirs. A potential field is applied across the length of the capillary tube and ionic solutes in one buffer reservoir then differentially migrate through the capillary into the other reservoir. Small diameter silica based tubes are employed as the capillaries in capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) instruments.
A distinguishing property of flow through a capillary is electroosmotic flow. Immediately adjacent to the solid-liquid interface at the interior of the silica-based capillary wall, a stagnant double layer of solute/solvent is found. Under normal aqueous conditions, the silica capillary wall surface has an excess of charge resulting from an ionization of surface functional groups. Thus, SiOH groups are ionized leaving SiO.sup.- at the wall surface and H.sup.+ ions in the solution and in the stagnant double layer adjacent to the capillary wall. This action creates a potential across the layers which is termed the zeta potential. The zeta potential is dependent upon the viscosity of the fluid, the dielectric constant of the solution and the coefficient of electroosmotic flow of the solution. The cationic counter ions (H.sup.+) in the diffuse solvent/solute layer migrate towards the cathode and because these ions are solvated, they drag solvent with them. The extent of the potential drop across the double layer governs the rate of flow. It is known that control of electroosmotic flow is effective in improving electrophoretic resolution and efficiency and is a controlling factor in obtaining reproducible results in CZE apparatus.
The prior art evidences a number of ways to alter electroosmotic flow. Hjerten indicates that inner surfaces of a capillary can be derivatized by coating them with a mono-molecular layer of non-cross-linked polyacrylamide. This coating encourages the osmotic effect and discourages adsorption of solutes onto the inside of the capillary. See "High Performance Electrophoresis, Elimination of Electroendosmosis and Solute Adsorption", Hjerten, Journal of Chromatography, 347 (1985), pp. 191-198. Others have taught that electroosmotic flow may be altered by altering the buffer pH, the concentration of the buffer, the addition of surface-active species such as surfactants, glycerol, etc. or various organic modifiers to the buffer solution.
For additional details regarding capillary electrophoresis instrumentation and methods of control of electrophoretic separation, the following papers provide a useful oversight of the field: "Capillary Electrophoresis", Ewing et al., Analytical Chemistry, 1989, Volume 61, 292A and "Capillary Electrophoresis", Kuhr, Analytical Chemistry, 1990, Volume 62, 403R-414R.
Independent control of electroosmotic flow (i.e., not related to changes in the buffer or inner capillary structures) have been accomplished by application of external electric fields. As indicated above, it is known that separation resolution can be enhanced and protein adsorption prevented by dynamically controlling the polarity and magnitude of the zeta potential at the boundary between the aqueous fluid and the capillary wall. Lee et al. in "Direct Control of the Electroosmosis in Capillary Zone Electrophoresis by Using an External Electric Field", Analytical Chemistry, 1990, Volume 62, pp. 1550-1552, employ an additional electric field from outside the capillary to enable external control of the zeta potential. Lee et al. mounted a capillary tube inside another tube, filled the annular space therebetween with a potassium phosphate buffer and applied high voltage across the annular space to achieve an electric field along the entire length of the capillary. A pump was used to provide fluid flow of the potassium phosphate buffer to enhance transfer of the heat created by current flow through the buffer. It was determined that by varying the electric field, changes in both the direction and flow rate of electroosmosis in the inner capillary could be achieved. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,151,164, to Blanchard and Lee, the concepts disclosed in the aforementioned Lee et al. article are expanded to include a non-aqueous conductive member surrounding capillary along its entire length.
Hayes et al., "Analytical Chem.", Vol. 64, (1992) pp. 512-516, have achieved a similar control of electroosmotic flow by the application of a radial voltage field about the length of the capillary, but avoided the necessity for an annular fluid flow region as taught by Lee et al. Hayes et al. coated the exterior surface of a capillary with a flexible conductive polymer sheath and then applied a voltage thereacross to achieve a radial field effect within the capillary. Both Hayes et al. and Lee et al. teach the control of electroosmotic flow via an applied radial voltage field and depend upon an application of a radial voltage to all or nearly all of the length of the electrophoresis capillary. Furthermore, all employ a current flow in the material surrounding the capillary to achieve the radial electric field. Such current flows create additional Joule heating within the capillary which adds to the Joule heating that occurs as a result of current flow through the buffer (caused by the voltage applied across the capillary to achieve electrophoretic flow). As is also apparent from the prior art, all flow control fields taught in the prior art were of the electrodynamic variety wherein the fields were created by a current flow in a conductive media adjacent the capillary.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved system for controlling electroosmotic flow in CZE apparatus.
It is another object of this invention to provide an electroosmosis control structure for a CZE apparatus which is readily manufacturable.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide an electroosmotic flow control system for CZE apparatus which avoids creation of unnecessary Joule heating of the capillary.

Capillary electrophoresis apparatus with improved electroosmotic flow control


An angularity enhancement layer in a liquid crystal display, which display comprises a liquid crystal cell, wherein the angularity enhancement layer includes a negative birefringent polyimide layer comprising a plurality of structural units having pendant fluorene groups, said angularity enhancement layer being disposed on at least one surface of said liquid crystal cell. A liquid crystal display can comprise an angularity enhancement construction of the invention which comprises a polyimide layer.

Negative birefringent films greatly enhance the image quality of liquid crystal displays viewed at off-normal angles by compensating for image degradation due to "natural" net positive birefringence of the liquid crystal materials. Typically, negative birefringent films have been prepared by precision stretching of polymer films or by precisely controlled vapor deposition of thin ceramic layers. However, practicioners have found that precise control of film stretching in order to exactly control the resulting birefringence is difficult, and that ceramic films can be unstable and are not practical for large surface areas.
Non-stretched negative birefringent polyimide films are known. U.S. Pat. No. 5,344,916 describes polyimide films prepared from benzene dianhydrides and/or bis(benzene)dianhydrides and monoaromatic and/or polyaromatic diamines. While the polyimides are generally soluble, some polyimides are soluble only in solvents that are incompatible with certain useful liquid crystal polymeric substrates onto which the polyimides could be coated. The monoaromatic and/or polyaromatic diamines are linked benzeneamine compounds (benzidine derivatives, bis(4-aminophenyl)methane derivatives, 2,2-bis(4-aminophenyl)propane derivatives, and the like) rather than polyaromatic diamines such as 9,9-bis(4-aminophenyl)fluorenes. Many linked benzeneamines must be handled with care due to their suspected human toxicity.
Homopolymers of 9,9-bis(4-aminophenyl)fluorenes and aromatic dicarboxylic acid dianhydrides are known. U.S. Pat. No. 4,897,092 describes the preparation and properties of polyimide membranes prepared from the homopolymers, the membranes being useful for gas separations. The membranes are described as being approximately ten times the thickness of layers useful in liquid crystal displays, and optical properties of the membranes are not elucidated. No copolymers of 9,9-bis(4-aminophenyl)fluorenes and aromatic dicarboxylic acid dianhydrides with a non-fluorenyl aromatic diamines are described. French patent application number 2,650,829 discloses a number of possible uses for homopolymers of 9,9-bis(4-aminophenyl)fluorenes and aromatic dicarboxylic acid dianhydrides, including alignment films for liquid crystal displays. No copolymers with additional non-fluorenyl aromatic diamines are described, and no indication of optical compensation properties of the films is presented. Copolymers of 9,9-bis(4-aminophenyl)fluorenes with two or more aromatic dicarboxylic acid dianhydrides are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,845,185 and in Japanese patent application number 62292836 (Derwent abstract). Polyimides described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,845,185 are shown to be solvent soluble and to have high heat resistance, but are only moderately light transmissive. Copolymers of 9,9-bis(4-aminophenyl)flourenes an aromatic tetracarboxylic acid dianhydride and an aliphatic diamine are disclosed in Japanese patent application number JP 63295633. Polyimides described therein are said to have good thermal resistance and workability, and find use as electric or electronic materials (Derwent abstract), but no optical properties are described.
Japanese patent application 5-31341 discloses a polyimide gas separation membrane which is a copolymer of 9,9-bis(4-aminophenyl)fluorene and aromatic dicarboxylic acid dianhydride with a non-fluorenyl polycyclic fused ring aromatic diamine. No optical properties of these copolymers are disclosed.


Systems and methods for duplicating transponder keys and managing key information thereof are provided. In some embodiments, the system comprises: a kiosk comprising: an antenna; and at least one hardware processor is programmed to: determine that the transponder key is to be scanned; receive information related to the transponder key; retrieve signal properties for the transponder key based on the received information related to the transponder key; cause the antenna to emit a first signal; detect a second signal; receive location information; cause information encoded in the second signal to be used to create the duplicate transponder key; and cause the duplicate transponder key to be delivered based on the location information.

Keys that include a transponder are often used for limiting access to and/or the use of places (e.g., homes, places of business, storage, etc.) and other types of property (e.g., vehicles, etc.) to a person in possession of a key that can operate the lock/ignition and/or that includes a transponder that sends a signal that is accepted by the lock/ignition. A problem arises when a person who would normally be authorized to enter or use the property protected by the lock/ignition does not have physical access to the appropriate key. For example, if a user locks themselves out of their home with the key inside, they cannot gain access to the home because they do not have access to the key. As another example, if a user loses a key to a car, the user cannot use the car. One way that users solve the problem is by ordering a new key from a manufacturer of the lock/ignition and/or property that includes the lock/ignition. However, replacement keys from the manufacturer are often very expensive and may be inconvenient to procure. For example, in the case of a car key, the user may have to call or visit a dealership, which may have to order a new key from the manufacturer. Another way that users solve the problem is by using a locksmith with the proper equipment to create a spare key based on an existing key. However, locksmiths are expensive and may not be readily available when the user is in need. The locksmith also often requires a physical copy of the key, especially in the case of automobile keys, which tend to be more complicated than many other types of keys.
Therefore, there is a need for mechanisms for duplicating keys that do not require the services of a skilled locksmith or ordering a replacement from the manufacturer and are secure, among other things.


This invention relates to a heterogeneous copolymer composition of polyvinylidene fluoride with one or more perfluoroalkyl ethers. These copolymers have excellent low temperature impact properties, while maintaining a high melting point.

Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) is a chemically resistant engineering plastic. The PVDF becomes increasingly brittle as its glass transition temperature is approached and loses impact resistance. Impact resistance is especially important for pipes, hoses and other melt-processed articles used in cold climates.
Copolymers of PVDF and perfluoroalkyl vinyl ether (PAVE) have been synthesized as curable elastomers (U.S. Pat. No. 3,136,745) showing good low-temperature properties when the PAVE content was between 17 and 75 mole percent. Terpolymers incorporating PAVE also showed good low temperature properties (U.S. Pat. No. 3,235,537).
The problem with the processes used to produce the PVDF/PAVE copolymers in the art is that they produce homogeneous copolymers with lower melting points, which can adversely effect the temperature usage range of the final articles. For Example the PVDF/perfluoromethylvinyl ether (PMVE) copolymers described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,630,271 of between 1.9 and 4.8 mole % PMVE have melting points of 134-153° C.
Heterogeneous copolymers of PVDF and hexafluoropropylene have been produced by a process in which the copolymer is introduced only in the latter stages of the polymerization. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,093,427).
It is desired to improve the impact resistance of PVDF by copolymerization with PAVE without any significant decrease in polymer melting point.
It has been found that heterogeneous copolymers of polyvinylidene fluoride with one or more perfluoroalkyl vinyl ethers have both excellent low temperature impact properties, and also maintain high melting temperatures.

Vinylidene fluoride copolymer composition with improved low-temperature impact properties


The invention relates to Streptococcus suis infection in pigs, vaccines directed against those infections and tests for diagnosing Streptococcus suis infections. The invention provides an isolated or recombinant nucleic acid encoding a capsular gene cluster of Streptococcus suis or a gene or gene fragment derivated thereof. The invention further provides a nucleic acid probe or primer allowing species or serotype-specific detection of Streptococcus suis. The invention also provides a Streptococcus suis antigen and vaccine derived thereof.

Streptococcus species, of which a large variety cause infections in domestic animals and man, are often grouped according to Lancefield's groups. Typing according to Lancefield occurs on the basis of serological determinants or antigens that are, among others, present in the capsule of the bacterium, and allows for only an approximate determination. Often, bacteria from different groups show cross-reactivity with each other, while other Streptococci cannot be assigned a group-determinant at all. Within groups, further differentiation is often possible on the basis of serotyping. These serotypes further contribute to the large antigenic variability of Streptococci, a fact that creates an array of difficulties within diagnosis of and vaccination against Streptococcal infections.
Lancefield group A Streptococcus species (Group A streptococci "GAS", Streptococcus pyogenes) are common in children, causing nasopharyngeal infections and complications thereof. Among animals, cattle are especially susceptible to GAS, and the resulting mastitis.
Group A streptococci are the etiologic agents of streptococcal pharyngitis and impetigo, two of the most common bacterial infections in children, as well as a variety of less common, but potentially life-threatening, infections including soft tissue infections, bacteremia, and pneumonia. In addition, GAS are uniquely associated with the post-infectious autoimmune syndromes of acute rheumatic fever and post streptococcal glomerulonephritis.
Several recent reports suggest that the incidence of both serious infections due to GAS and acute rheumatic fever has increased during the past decade, focusing renewed interest on defining the attributes or virulence factors of the organism that may play a role in the pathogenesis of these diseases.
GAS produce several surface components and extracellular products that may be important in virulence. The major surface protein, M protein, has been studied in the most detail and has been convincingly shown to play a role in both virulence and immunity. Isolates rich in M protein are able to grow in human blood, a property thought to reflect the capacity of M protein to interfere with phagocytosis, and these isolates tend to be virulent in experimental animals.
Lancefield group B Streptococcus ("GBS") are most often seen in cattle, causing mastitis; however, human infants are susceptible as well, often with fatal consequences. Group B streptococci (GBS) constitute a major cause of bacterial sepsis and meningitis among human neonates born in the United States and Western Europe and are emerging as significant neonatal pathogens in developing countries as well.
It is estimated that GBS strains are responsible for 10,000 to 15,000 cases of invasive infection in neonates in the United States alone. Despite advances in early diagnosis and treatment, neonatal sepsis due to GBS continues to carry a mortality rate of 15 to 20%. In addition, survivors of GBS meningitis have 30 to 50% incidence of long-term neurologic sequelae. Over the past two decades, increasing recognition of GBS as an important pathogen for human infants has generated renewed interest in defining the bacterial and host factors important in virulence of GBS and in the immune response to GBS infection.
Particular attention has focused on the capsular polysaccharide as the predominant surface antigen of the organisms. In a modification of the system originally developed by Rebecca Lancefield, GBS strains are serotyped on the basis of antigenic differences in their capsular polysaccharides and the presence or absence of serologically defined C proteins. While GBS isolated from nonhuman sources often lack a serologically detectable capsule, a large majority of strains associated with neonatal infection belong to one of four major capsular serotypes, 1a, 1b, II or III. The capsular polysaccharide forms the outermost layer around the exterior of the bacterial cell, superficial to the cell wall. The capsule is distinct from the cell wall-associated group B carbohydrate. It has been suggested that the presence of sialic acid, in the capsule of bacteria that causes meningitis, is important for allowing these bacteria to breach the blood-brain barrier. Indeed, in S. agalactiae, sialic acid has been shown to be critical for the virulence function of the type III capsule. The capsule of S. suis serotype is composed of glucose, galactose, N-acetylglucosamine, rhamnose and sialic acid.
The group B polysaccharide, in contrast to the type-specific capsule, is present on all GBS strains and is the basis for serogrouping the organisms into Lancefield's group B. Early studies by Lancefield and co-workers showed that antibodies raised in rabbits against whole GBS organisms protected mice against challenge with strains of homologous capsular type, demonstrating the central role of the capsular polysaccharide as a protective antigen. Studies in the 1970s by Baker and Kasper demonstrated that cord blood of human infants with type III GBS sepsis uniformly had low or undetectable levels of antibodies directed against the type III capsule, suggesting that a deficiency of anticapsular antibody was a key factor in susceptibility of human neonates to GBS disease.
Lancefield group C infections, such as those with S. equi, S. zooepidemicus, S. dysgalactiae, and others, are mainly seen in horses, cattle and pigs, but can also cross the species barrier to humans. Lancefield group D (S. bovis) infections are found in all mammals and some birds, sometimes resulting in endocarditis or septicemia.
Lancefield groups E, G, L, P, U and V (S. porcinus, S. canis, S. dysgalactiae) are found in various hosts, causing neonatal infections, nasopharyngeal infections or mastitis.
Within Lancefield groups R, S, and T (and with ungrouped types), Streptococcus suis is an important cause of meningitis, septicemia, arthritis and sudden death in young pigs (4, 46). Incidentally, it can also cause meningitis in man (1). S. suis strains are usually identified and classified by their morphological, biochemical and serological characteristics (58, 59, 46). Serological classification is based on the presence of specific antigenic polysaccharides. So far, 35 different serotypes have been described (9, 56, 14). In several European countries, S. suis serotype 2 is the most prevalent type isolated from diseased pigs, followed by serotypes 9 and 1. Serological typing of S. suis is performed using different types of agglutination tests. In these tests, isolated and biochemically characterized S. suis cells are agglutinated with a panel of 35 specific sera. These methods are very laborious and time-consuming.
Little is known about the pathogenesis of the disease caused by S. suis, let alone about its various serotypes such as type 2. Various bacterial components, such as extracellular and cell-membrane associated proteins, fimbriae, hemagglutinins, and hemolysin have been suggested as virulence factors (9, 10, 11, 15, 16, 47, 49). However, the precise role of these protein components in the pathogenesis of the disease remains unclear (37). It is well known that the polysaccharide capsule of various Streptococci and other Gram-positive bacteria plays an important role in pathogenesis (3, 6, 35, 51, 52). The capsule enables these microorganisms to resist phagocytosis and is therefore regarded as an important virulence factor. Recently, a role of the capsule of S. suis in the pathogenesis was suggested as well (5). However, the structure, organization and function of the genes responsible for capsule polysaccharide synthesis ("cps") in S. suis is unknown. Within S. suis, serotype 1 and 2, strains can differ in virulence for pigs (41, 45, 49). Some type 1 and 2 strains are virulent, other strains are not. Because both virulent and nonvirulent strains of serotype 1 and 2 strains are fully encapsulated, it may even be that the capsule is not a relevant factor required for virulence.
Attempts to control S. suis infections or disease are still hampered by the lack of knowledge about the epidemiology of the disease and the lack of effective vaccines and sensitive diagnostics. It is well known and generally accepted that the polysaccharide capsule of various Streptococci and other gram-positive bacteria plays an important role in pathogenesis. The capsule enables these microorganisms to resist phagocytosis and is therefore regarded as an important virulence factor.
Compared to encapsulated S. suis strains, non-encapsulated S. suis strains are phagocytosed by murine polymorphonuclear leucocytes to a greater degree. Moreover, an increase in thickness of capsule was noted for in vivo grown virulent strains while no increase was observed for avirulent strains. Therefore, these data again demonstrate the role of the capsule in the pathogenesis for S. suis as well.
Ungrouped Streptoccus species, such as S. mutans, causing caries in humans, S. uberis.causing mastitis in cattle, and S. pneumonia, causing major infections in humans, and Enterococcus faecilalis and E. faecium, further contribute to the large group of Streptococci.
Streptococcus pneumoniae (the pneumococcus) is a human pathogen causing invasive diseases, such as pneumonia, bacteremia, and meningitis. Despite the availability of antibiotics, pneumococcal infections remain common and can still be fatal, especially in high-risk groups, such as young children and elderly people. Particularly in developing countries, many children under the age of five years die each year from pneumococcal pneumonia. S. pneumoniae is also the leading cause of otitis media and sinusitis. These infections are less serious, but nevertheless incur substantial medical costs, especially when leading to complications, such as permanent deafness. The normal ecological niche of the pneumococcus is the nasopharynx of man. The entire human population is colonized by the pneumococcus at one time or another, and at a given time, up to 60% of individuals may be carriers. Nasopharyngeal carriage of pneumococci by man is often accompanied by the development of protection against infection by the same serotype. Most infections do not occur after prolonged carriage but follow exposure to recently acquired strains. Many bacteria contain surface polysaccharides that act as a protective layer against the environment. Surface polysaccharides of pathogenic bacteria usually make the bacteria resistant to the defense mechanisms of the host, for example, the lytic action of serum or phagocytosis. In this respect, the serotype-specific capsular polysaccharide ("CP") of Streptococcus pneumoniae, is an important virulence factor. Unencapsulated strains are avirulent, and antibodies directed against the CP are protective. Protection is serotype specific; each serotype has its own, specific CP structure. Ninety different capsular serotypes have been identified. Currently, CPs of 23 serotypes are included in a vaccine.
Vaccines directed against Streptococcus infections typically aim to utilize an immune response directed against the polysaccharide capsule of the various Streptococcus species, especially since the capsule is considered a primary virulence factor for these bacteria. During infection, the capsule provides resistance against phagocytosis and thus protects the bacteria from the immune system of the host, and from elimination by macrophages and neutrophils.
The capsule particularly confers the bacterium resistance to complement-mediated opsonophagocytosis. In addition, some bacteria express capsular polysaccharides (CPs) that mimic host molecules, thereby avoiding the immune system of the host. Also, even when the bacteria have been phagocytosed, intracellular killing is hampered by the presence of a capsule.
It is generally thought that the bacterium will be recognized by the immune system through the anticapsular-antibodies or serum-factors bound to its capsule, and will, through opsonization, be phagocytosed and killed only when the host has antibodies or other serum factors directed against capsule antigens.
However, these antibodies are serotype-specific, and will often only confer protection against only one of the many serotypes known within a group of Streptococci.
For example, current commercially available S. suis vaccines, which are generally based on whole-cell-bacterial preparations, or on capsule-enriched fractions of S. suis, confer only limited protection against heterologous strains. Also, the current pneumococcal vaccine, which was licensed in the United states in 1983, consists of purified CPs of 23 pneumococcal serotypes whereas at least 90 CP types exist.
The composition of this pneumococcal vaccine was based on the frequency of the occurrence of disease isolates in the US and cross-reactivity between various serotypes. Although this vaccine protects healthy adults against infections caused by serotypes included in the vaccine, it fails to raise a protective immune response in infants younger than 18 months and it is less effective in elderly people. In addition, the vaccine confers only limited protection in patients with immunodeficiencies and hematology malignancies.
Thus, improved vaccines are needed against Streptococcus infections. Much attention is directed toward producing CP vaccines by producing the relevant polysaccharides via chemical or recombinant means. However, chemical synthesis of polysaccharides is costly, and capsular polysaccharide synthesis by recombinant means necessitates knowledge about the relevant genes, which is not always available, and needs to be determined for every relevant serotype.

Stichting Dienst Landbouwkundig Onderzoek


A continuous measurement of the level of contents in a container is effected by a level measuring device functioning in accordance with the transit time principle by means of waves transmitted from a position located above the highest possible contents level onto the surface of the material in the container. A measuring circuit determines the contents level from the transit time of the useful echo reflected from the material surface. In addition, one or more limit sensors are located at the container, each of which furnishes a signal indicating whether the contents level is above or below a level to be monitored by the limit sensor and which is situated between the minimum and maximum contents levels of the container. The measuring circuit receives the output signals of all limit sensors and uses these output signals to check and eventually to correct the contents level measured value determined by the level measuring device. In particular, the measuring result furnished by the level measuring device can be compared with an exact contents level value every time the contents level reaches the level monitored by a limit sensor whereby the level indication of the limit sensor changes its status. In certain cases, a single limit sensor is sufficient for this purpose, which monitors a contents level which is regularly exceeded or undershot in the normal use of the container.

When measuring contents levels a difference is made between devices measuring the contents level continuously, which can give a measured value at all times of the current contents level in the container, and limit sensors, which only display whether the contents level in the container is above or below a predefined level to be monitored by the limit sensor. Such limit sensors are especially used for monitoring a maximum or minimum contents level in order to prevent overfilling or underfilling of the container. Different types of limit sensors are known, for example capacitive or resistive limit sensors, which respond to the electrical properties of the material in the container, limit sensors with oscillating elements, such as membranes or vibrating rods, whose vibrations are damped by the material in the container or whose self-resonant frequency is modified by the material in the container, etc. The selection of the limit sensor used depends on the properties of the material in the container and on the application conditions. In each case, a limit sensor gives an electrical signal which has a first signal value when the contents level is below the level to be monitored, and which has a different second signal value when the contents level is above the level to be monitored. The signal changes its signal value at exactly the moment the contents level passes the level to be monitored through addition of material to or removal of material from the container. With several types of limit sensors the signal value depends on whether the limit sensor is in contact with the material in the container or not; with such limit sensors the predefined level of contents monitored by the limit sensor corresponds to the level of installation of the limit sensor.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Arrangement for measuring the level of contents in a container


In a processor, an operating unit executes an instruction within an instruction set, and a second operating unit executes other custom instructions. The second operating unit consists of a plurality of AND circuits, OR circuits, adders, selectors, and multiplexers. The information about which circuit should be combined with which circuit when the instruction is input is held in advance as structure information in a configuration memory. One piece of structure information corresponds to one custom instruction. The second operating unit in an optimum circuit structure determined based on this structure information executes the instruction. With this arrangement, it is possible to increase the processing speed than when the operating unit executes the processing.

1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for information processing having a processor and a method of information processing.
2) Description of the Related Art
As the technology of semiconductor fine pattern processing advances, since each component in a circuit becomes smaller, the circuits mounted on Large Scale Integrated (LSI) chips became larger in scale. Moreover, development of a system (that is, a system LSI) in which a processor (that is, a central processing unit (CPU)) and custom made circuits are mounted on a chip has been conventionally carried out.
There are two types of methods for developing a system LSI suitable for a user's application: (1) a method of mounting circuit blocks according to the application independent of the processor, and (2) a method of correcting the processor itself according to the application.
The above (1) is a developing method to realize general system LSIs on a chip. The above (2) is a method of developing a configurable processor and is employed in Tensilca Inc. and ARC International. According to this method (2), an exclusive instruction suitable for a user's application (that is, a custom instruction) is added to the instruction set, and at the same time, a functional unit that executes the instruction is added to the processor.
However, as the processes become finer, the processing cost including the cost of masks increases considerably. Only some of the system LSIs, that is, the system LSIs that are produced in a very large quantity, are profitable, while most of the others are not. In other words, the above methods (1) and (2) are suitable for a mass production of the system LSIs and do not suit for manufacturing of the system LSIs in a small quantity.
On the other hand, in recent years, a mixed mounting of a processor and a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) on a chip has been employed as a method (3), and products are actually available based on this method. According to this method, it is possible to realize various kinds of circuits corresponding to the user's applications, by using FPGA blocks. However, the area efficiency of the FPGA is as low as one-tenth to one-twentieth of that of the normal circuit, and therefore, the FPGA blocks are expensive. Further, it is not possible to obtain high operating frequency in the FPGA portion, and in order to obtain high performance, it is necessary to set these portions in a parallel layout. This results in the increase in the circuit scale.

Information processing apparatus with configurable processor


A variable ratio, blood-additive solution, mixing device and delivery system that permits the varying of the ratio of blood to solution from either all blood to pure solution and any ratio of the two, either continuously or intermittently, prior to or during cardiovascular and cardiac perfusion procedures, particularly warm or cold cardioplegia procedures for open heart surgery.

The present invention relates to a device and system for delivering on command any ratio of blood to blood-additive solution of a blood/solution mixture during cardio vascular and cardiac perfusion procedures and more particularly to intermittently and/or continuously delivering on command any ratio of blood to cardioplegia solution of a blood/cardioplegia mixture during cardiac or "open heart" surgery.
Generally, cardioplegia is used in conjunction with hypothermia. This technique is commonly called cold cardioplegia. Based on the preference of the cardiac surgical team, a crystalloid chemical solution or some mixture of the solution and blood mixture is intermittently or continuously perfused to arrest the heart. For example, using cold cardioplegia, the heart is reperfused approximately every twenty minutes to keep the heart arrested.
Recently, open heart surgeons are utilizing a new technique called warm continuous blood cardioplegia. This technique does not use hypothermia, rather, it continually uses a cardioplegia mixture of warm (approximately 37 degrees centigrade) oxygenated blood and solution mixture throughout the cardiac surgery. See The Perfusionist's Perspective of Warm Continuous Blood Cardioplegia: A New Technique of Myocardial Protection, A. Karim Jabr, C.P., and Antony Panos, M.D., Proceeding of the American Academy of Cardiovascular Perfusion, Vol. 10, Aug. 1989. This technique appears to be safe and effective in prolonging high risk procedures, prolonging operative time, substantially eliminating the period of ischemia, limiting the period and injury of reperfusion, attaining exceptional myocardial preservation, and abolishing the detrimental effects of hypothermia.
Generically, these methods fall under the general category of myocardial protection techniques. Whether the blood cardioplegia is warm or cold blood, or intermittently and continuous, the blood and solution mixture is predetermined, typically in a 4 to 1 ratio, blood to solution. Presently, the ratio of blood to solution is pre-operatively fixed by the diameter of the tubing transferring the blood (typically 1/4 inch diameter tubing) and the solution (typically 1/16 or 1/8 inch diameter tubing). Thus, the ratio is fixed throughout the operation. This manner of delivering the blood and solution can cause certain complications during the operation. In addition, the fixed ratio may cause certain complications on a patient by patient basis, during the operation.
For instance, simultaneously using tubings of different diameter in the same pump head can unfortunately cause bunching of the tubing or inappropriate occlusion of both the 1/4-inch and the 1/16-inch line. Obviously, bunching of the tubing could lead to adverse consequences for the patient as a result of the time that it takes the perfusionist or physician to correct the problem. In addition, changing the bunched tubing during the operation increases the chance of line contamination or air getting into the system. Hence, a single tube is desirable.
Further, the typically used ratios of blood to solution, e.g. 4:1 and 2:1, that are pre-operatively fixed, may not necessarily be the optimal ratio for the patient, either when initially perfusing the heart or reperfusing the heart to keep it arrested during the operation. In addition, delivering a fixed ratio of blood/solution mixture with warm cardioplegia, the heart is continually perfused with solution that is mostly composed of water, causing tissue cells to swell. When the heart is revived, non-blood fluids in the tissue or lungs cause the heart to work harder, thereby straining the heart and prolonging recovery. Moreover, some heart surgery teams do not use a blood/solution mixture rather they perfuse the heart with pure solution. Whatever the preference may be, increasing the solution delivered to the heart using the present systems increases the total volume of fluid delivered to the heart and correspondingly varies the pressure on the aortic valve. Variation of the pressure on the aortic valve may affect the competency of the valve and may cause distension. Thus, it is desirable to control the amount of solution and/or vary the blood/solution ratio to customize the blood/solution mixture for each patient and to adjust this ratio during the operation or, if preferred, to intermittently deliver pure solution as necessary.
It would be highly advantageous therefore, to remedy the foregoing and other deficiencies and inherent limitations associated with the delivery of a blood/blood-additive solution mixture of a pre-determined ratio during cardio vascular and cardiac perfusion procedures.
Accordingly, it is a principal object of the device and system of the present invention to provide a device and system to selectively vary the ratio of blood to blood-additive solution from either all blood to pure solution and any ratio of the two, either continuously or intermittently, throughout the cardio vascular and cardiac perfusion procedure or surgery.
It is a object of the device and system of the present invention to provide a device and system that requires a single tube blood-additive solution pumping arrangement to deliver the blood and/or solution to the perfusion site.
It is a further object of the device and system of the present invention to vary the ratio of blood to solution without changing the total volume and maintaining a consistent pump flow rate and aortic pressure.
It is an advantage of device and system of the present invention to be utilized in either warm or cold cardioplegia.
It is a further advantage of the device and system of the present invention to permit the perfusionist to use either a single tube or double tube, blood-additive solution pumping arrangement.
It is a further advantage of the device and system of the present invention to permit the perfusionist to use the device and system for all types of adult and pediatric cardiac surgery, including, coronary artery bypass surgery, valvular surgery, and other vascular valve surgery requiring cardioplegia.
It is a further advantage of the device and system of the present invention to minimize the delivery of excess solution whereby less water, or other non-blood fluids, is absorbed by the tissues and lungs, reducing post-operative heart strain, thereby shortening the recovery period.
It is a further advantage of the device and system of the present invention to instantaneously select a desired ratio of blood to solution without changing the tubing of certain diameters to tubing different diameter.
The foregoing and more specific objects advantages and features of the present invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment thereof taken in conjunction with the drawings.

Variable ratio blood-additive solution device and delivery system


A CardBus PC Card type wireless transmitting/receiving device performs a wireless data transmission/reception operation between a plurality of notebook PCs and an MB-OFDM (Multiband Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing) UWB (Ultra Wide Band) type piconet coordinator. The device includes a wireless 1394 device, built in the notebook PC in the form of a CardBus PC Card, for converting a CardBus PC Card access signal of the notebook PC into an MB-OFDM UWB signal to transmit the converted MB-OFDM UWB signal, and inversely converting a received MB-OFDM UWB signal into a CardBus PC Card access signal of the notebook PC. The device can easily be built in a notebook PC, has a simple structure with a low cost, has a very high wireless transmission speed of 55 to 480 Mbps in comparison to the existing IEEE 802.11b type wireless 1394 bridge device in the form of an external IEEE 1394 adapter, and guarantees the QoS (Quality of Service) using the IEEE802.15.3 type MAC to provide a high-quality service to users.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a CardBus PC Card type wireless transmitting/receiving device, and more particularly, to a CardBus PC Card type wireless transmitting/receiving device which is built in a notebook PC in the home or office, and converts data of the notebook PC into an MB-OFDM (Multiband Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing) UWB (Ultra Wide Band) signal, of which the quality of service (QoS) is guaranteed, to transmit by wireless the MB-OFDM UWB signal at a transmission speed of 55 to 480 Mbps in the band of 3.1 to 10.6 GHz, or inversely converts the MB-OFDM UWB signal into the data of the notebook PC.
2. Background of the Related Art
As is well known, a conventional wireless transmitting/receiving device developed for a notebook PC is the IEEE802.11b type wireless 1394 bridge device in the form of an external IEEE1394 adaptor. However, the conventional IEEE802.11b type wireless 1394 bridge device in the form of the external IEEE1394 adaptor has the problem that it is difficult for a user to purchase and install the IEEE802.11b type wireless 1394 bridge device. Also, because the IEEE802.1 b type wireless 1394 bridge device has a built-in IEEE 394 chip, its structure is complicated to cause a high manufacturing cost.
Additionally, the conventional IEEE802.11b type wireless 1394 bridge device in the form of the external IEEE1394 adaptor has a fatal drawback in that audio/video data cannot be transmitted in real time because it has a very low wireless transmission speed of 11 Mbps at maximum and it is difficult to guarantee the QoS.

CardBus PC card type wireless transmitting/receiving device

Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute


Chromaticity difference is decreased, which is caused by the difference of transmissivity when a light passes through a transparent conductive film to constitute pixels. Optical film thickness of each of transparent conductive films PXR, PXG, and PXB to constitute pixels (a product “nd” of refractive index “n” and film thickness “d”) is varied for each of color filters RF, GF, and BF for each pixel. The transparent conductive film is prepared by coating an ink (produced by dispersing fine particles of a transparent conductive film material such as ITO in a binder) via nozzle of an ink jet device, and then, by baking. Film thickness is controlled by the coating amount of the ink, and refractive index is controlled by volume ratio of the fine particles of conductive material to the binder contained in the transparent conductive film in consideration of those refractive indices.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a display device. In particular, the invention relates to a display device with color reproducibility of high fidelity by reducing chromaticity difference in white color display caused by difference in optical property for each pixel.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In an active type flat panel type display device for performing on-off control for each pixel, a display panel is combined with the surrounding circuits and with the structural members as required. It is generally practiced that the display panel is provided by arranging a switching element represented by a thin-film transistor (TFT) and a multiple of pixels with pixel electrodes driven by TFT arranged in rows and columns in matrix form on an insulating substrate.
A plurality of gate lines to supply scan signals to select a multiple of TFTs arranged in matrix form for each row and a plurality of data lines to supply display data to TFT connected to the selected gate lines are arranged in crossover arrangement in matrix form to match the rows and columns. These lines are the so-called thin-film lines. Each pixel is arranged at an intersection of the thin-film lines (gate lines and data lines). In addition to the gate lines and data lines, some of the display devices have thin-film lines necessary to match the display method of the display device. The following description can also be applied to such type of thin-film lines.
A typical example of this type of display provided with pixel electrode for each pixel is a liquid crystal display device. In addition, an organic EL display device is also known. Description will be given below by taking an example on the liquid crystal display device. FIG. 17 is a schematical cross-sectional view of a panel to explain a conventional type liquid crystal display device. This can also be applied to the organic EL display device in a view-point of transparent electrodes being used.
The liquid crystal display device is provided by placing a liquid crystal LC between a first substrate SUB1 and a second substrate SUB2, each made of an insulating plate, for which glass is used as a suitable material. On inner surface of the first substrate SUB1, data signal line, scan signal line, thin-film transistor TFT, etc. are formed (not shown). The pixel electrodes PXR, PXG, and PXB of three colors (red, green, and blue) under on-off control by thin-film transistor are provided, and on an upper layer of these, a first orientation film ORI1 is formed. The first substrate SUB1 is also called a thin-film transistor substrate (TFT substrate).
On the other hand, on inner surface of the second substrate SUB2, color filters RF, GF, and BF of three colors (red, green, and blue) are formed to match the pixel electrodes PXR, PXG, and PXB of the first substrate SUB1 respectively. A counter electrode (common electrode) AT is formed by all over deposition to cover the color filters RF, GF, and BF, and a second orientation film ORI2 is formed on it. This second substrate SUB2 is also called a color filter substrate (CF substrate).
The pixel electrodes PXR, PXG, and PXB and the counter electrode (common electrode) AT are made of transparent conductive films, for which ITO is used as a suitable material. Refractive index and film thickness of each of the pixel electrodes PXR, PXG, and PXB and the counter electrode AT are the same regardless of the pixel. For instance, in case of ITO, when refractive index is 2.0 and film thickness is 130 nm, transmissivity is 94.98%. To standard white color on CIE 1931 xy chromaticity coordinates, chromaticity difference is 0.00441. FIG. 18 shows CIE 1931 xy chromaticity coordinates.
The chromaticity difference as described above is defined as "a distance on coordinates to standard color of CIE 1931 xy chromaticity coordinates". Standard white color indicates chromaticity coordinates (xw, yw)=(0.333, 0.333) obtained from spectrum, which has 100% transmissivity in all-wavelength range. Chromaticity difference of a certain point (xy) on FIG. 18 is expressed by the distance ΔL from the coordinates (xw, yw). That is, ΔL={(x−xw)2+(y−yw)2}1/2.
As a general theory on chromaticity difference, the following facts are known. Specifically, when chromaticity difference is 0.004 or more, color difference is recognizable. However, the recognition of the color difference is dull in the direction of blue (B) (color difference is difficult to recognize even when chromaticity difference exceeds 0.004), and recognition is sharp in the direction of yellow (Y) (color difference is easily recognized even when chromaticity difference is less than 0.004).
The Patent Document 1 discloses a liquid crystal display device, in which poor brightness uniformity in display caused by the difference of interference spectrum at peak wavelength of the light source is suppressed by controlling refractive index and film thickness of transparent electrode, which constitutes the pixels.
[Patent Document 1] JP-A-4-166915

Display device for reducing chromaticity difference in white color and method for manufacturing the same


Disclosed is a method for monitoring an edge bead removal process for a copper metal interconnection. The method includes the steps of (a) forming a copper metal layer on a semiconductor wafer, (b) performing the edge bead removal (EBR) process of removing the copper metal layer formed in an edge area of the semiconductor wafer, and (c) determining whether copper residues exist by measuring a reflection coefficient Rc of the copper metal layer formed in a center area of the semiconductor wafer and a reflection coefficient (Rb) in the edge area of the semiconductor wafer which is subject to the edge bead removal (EBR) process.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for forming a metal interconnection in a semiconductor device. More particularly, the present invention relates to an edge bead removal process for a copper metal interconnection.
2. Description of the Related Art
Semiconductor manufacturing processes are mainly classified into a front end of the line (FEOL) process for forming a transistor on a silicon substrate, and a back end of the line (BEOL) process for forming metal interconnections. The BEOL process refers to a process of forming power supply and signal transfer paths on a silicon substrate to connect transistors to each other so as to constitute integrated circuits.
Copper (Cu), which is a material having high EM (Electro-migration) tolerance, has been mainly used for such a BEOL process. However, since the copper (Cu) is not easily etched, but is oxidized during the interconnection process, it is difficult to pattern the copper (Cu) by employing a typical photo process technology.
In order to form a copper metal interconnection, a dual damascene process technology has been developed as an alternative plane of the photo technology. The dual damascene process is to form a via and a trench in an inter-layer dielectric layer formed on a semiconductor substrate, fill the via and trench with copper (Cu) through an electro-chemical plating (ECP) scheme, and then planarize the upper surface of a semiconductor substrate through a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) process.
Meanwhile, if an edge part of a wafer is not properly treated during the BEOL process in which a metal process and an insulating layer forming process are repeated, defects may occur on the wafer in following processes. Accordingly, after performing the ECP process, an edge bead removal (EBR) process is performed to remove a copper plating layer formed in the edge part of the wafer by using a predetermined chemical agent. If the wafer is not subject to the EBR process, an unnecessary copper plating layer formed in the edge part of the wafer (an edge part, in which a pattern is not formed, is generally called a bevel area) may be released during the following process. In addition, since the released copper residue deteriorates equipment for following processes, the yield rate and the performance of the semiconductor device may be degraded.
However, since there is no special tester capable of determining whether the EBR process is normally performed, the next process is directly performed without a special test after performing the EBR process. Accordingly, if the density of the chemical agent used in the EBR process is abnormal, or if the EBR process is not normally performed due to the fail of the equipment or the mistake of a worker, a portion of the unnecessary copper layer may remain in the edge part of the wafer. Accordingly, since the following processes are performed with respect to the wafer having a defect, the yield rate and the performance of a semiconductor device may be degraded.

Method for monitoring edge bead removal process of copper metal interconnection


A resource obtaining method, apparatus, and system, wherein the method includes: when a first edge node receives a first resource obtaining request sent by a second edge node, and a first target resource is not locally cached, the first edge node may determine, using shared popularity information of the first target resource, whether the first target resource needs to be cached. The shared popularity information of the first target resource is determined by a quantity of obtaining requests for the first target resource that are received by the first edge node from the first edge node and another edge node. Therefore, it is determined, using the shared popularity information, whether the first target resource needs to be cached.

With development of wireless communications technologies, a terminal increasingly needs to obtain a resource using a mobile communications network. The mobile communications network mainly includes two parts: a radio access network and a core network. The radio access network mainly includes at least one base station, and the core network mainly includes a gateway device. A Long-Term Evolution (LTE) network architecture is used as an example, the at least one base station may communicate with the gateway device using an S1 interface, and any two base stations in the at least one base station may communicate with each other using an X2 interface. When the terminal is to obtain a resource using the mobile communications network, the terminal needs to send a resource obtaining request to a base station that covers an area in which the terminal is located, such that the base station forwards the resource obtaining request to the gateway device using the S1 interface. After receiving the resource obtaining request, the gateway device may forward the resource obtaining request to a source site of the to-be-obtained resource, to obtain the resource from the source site.
Each time the base station receives a resource obtaining request, the base station needs to forward the resource obtaining request to the gateway device. Consequently, bandwidth consumption of the S1 interface is caused. In addition, when the terminal is to obtain a resource from a source site, a round trip time (RTT) for transmitting a resource obtaining request to the source site and waiting for the source site to respond to the resource obtaining request is relatively long. Therefore, to shorten the RTT for message transmission and reduce bandwidth consumption of the S1 interface when the terminal obtains the resource, referring to FIG. 1A, an edge node may be usually deployed for each base station in a bypass or series manner, and a central node is deployed for the gateway device in a bypass or series manner. When being to obtain a resource, the terminal may send a resource obtaining request to an edge node deployed on the base station that covers the area in which the terminal is located. The resource obtaining request carries an identifier of the requested resource. When receiving the resource obtaining request, the edge node may search a local cache for a resource corresponding to the identifier. If the resource corresponding to the identifier exists in the local cache of the edge node, the edge node may send the resource to the terminal. If the resource corresponding to the identifier does not exist in the local cache of the edge node, the edge node may request the central node or the source site to obtain the resource corresponding to the identifier, and increase popularity information such as a quantity of requests for the resource corresponding to the identifier. If increased popularity information of the resource corresponding to the identifier meets a preset cache condition, for example, a quantity of requests for the resource corresponding to the identifier is greater than a preset quantity threshold, after the edge node obtains the resource from the central node or the source site, the edge node can not only send the obtained resource to the terminal, but also store the obtained resource in the local cache.
According to the foregoing method, each edge node collects statistics about popularity information for requesting a same resource, and locally caches the resource only when the popularity information of the resource meets the preset cache condition. Therefore, although the popularity information for requesting the same resource that is sent to the central node or the source site using the gateway device meets the preset cache condition, for a specific edge node, the popularity information of the same resource that is obtained through statistics collection may not meet the preset cache condition. In this case, the edge node does not locally cache the resource. Therefore, when the terminal sends a resource obtaining request to the edge node, the edge node still needs to continuously obtain the resource from the central node or the source site using the S1 interface. Consequently, bandwidth consumption of the S1 interface is not reduced.

Resource obtaining method, apparatus, and system