A plasma CVD apparatus capable of preventing unnecessary deposition on a supplying portion of a source gas so as to suppress generation of flakes, and thereby depositing a CVD coating excellent in quality is provided. This plasma CVD apparatus includes a vacuum chamber, a vacuum pump system for vacuuming an interior of the vacuum chamber, a deposition roller around which a substrate is wound, the deposition roller being provided in the vacuum chamber, a gas supplying portion for supplying the source gas to the interior of the vacuum chamber, and a plasma power supply for forming a plasma generating region in the vicinity of a surface of the deposition roller and thereby depositing a coating on the substrate. The gas supplying portion is provided in a plasma non-generating region positioned on the opposite side of the plasma generating region with respect to the deposition roller.

In recent years, a plastic film used for packaging food is strongly required to have a vapor and oxygen-proof characteristic (barrier property). In order to provide a high barrier property to a sheet material such as a plastic film, there is a need for coating the sheet material with a transparent film of SiOx, Al2O3, or the like. Conventionally, as a coating technique of a SiOx film, there are physical vapor deposition methods (PVD methods) such as a vacuum vapor deposition method and a sputtering method. However, in recent years, a plasma CVD method superior in terms of deposition speed and deposition of a high barrier coating in comparison to the above techniques is used.
As a plasma CVD apparatus used in this plasma CVD method, for example there are known apparatuses shown in Patent Documents 1 to 3.
A plasma CVD apparatus described in Patent Document 1 utilizes Penning discharge, and includes a vacuum chamber and a pair of deposition rollers provided in an interior of this vacuum chamber. These deposition rollers convey a substrate in a state that the substrate is wound between the deposition rollers. One pole of a high-frequency AC power supply is connected to these deposition rollers in such a manner that the deposition rollers have the same polarity. Meanwhile, an anti-pole of an annular electrode is disposed separately from the deposition rollers at a position which is away from a center of a space between the deposition rollers (hereinafter, referred to as the inter-roll space) by a substantially equal distance to each other. The other pole of the high-frequency power supply is connected to this anti-pole.
In this plasma CVD apparatus, by supplying high-frequency power of tens of or hundreds of kHz between the deposition rollers and the anti-pole, a magnetic field is generated so as to range between the deposition rollers, and discharge (Penning discharge) is generated in the inter-roll space. This discharge ionizes a source gas in the vacuum chamber and generates plasma so as to realize plasma CVD. That is, a coating is deposited on a surface of the substrate wound between the deposition rollers.
However, in this apparatus of Patent Document 1, there is a possibility of a trouble caused by deposition on the anti-pole. That is, in this apparatus, the annular electrode is used as the anti-pole in addition to the deposition rollers, and the power is supplied to this anti-pole from the high-frequency power supply. Thus, there is a fear that plasma is also generated and a coating is deposited on a surface of the anti-pole. There is a possibility that the coating deposited on the anti-pole in such a way is peeled off and mixed into the original CVD coating as flakes, so that quality of the CVD coating is lowered.
Patent Document 2 discloses a plasma CVD apparatus which is different from the apparatus described in Patent Document 1 in which the anti-pole is provided in addition to the deposition rollers and the power supply is connected between these, the plasma CVD apparatus including first and second deposition rollers provided in line in the horizontal direction, capable of generating plasma with one of the deposition rollers serving as an acting pole and the other deposition roller serving as an anti-pole. Specifically, an anode and a cathode of a plasma power supply are respectively connected to the first and second deposition rollers, and thereby, both the deposition rollers are alternately used as the acting pole and the anti-pole. A substrate is wound around surfaces of the deposition rollers. Thus, even when a CVD coating is deposited on the substrate, due to the deposition rollers serving as the only anti-pole, generation of flakes due to the deposition is suppressed.
Particularly, in this plasma CVD apparatus described in Patent Document 2, a space between both the deposition rollers is physically isolated from other spaces so as to form a discharge chamber, and plasma is generated and a coating is deposited mainly inside this discharge chamber. Thus, the generation of the flakes on the outside of the discharge chamber is prevented. Specifically, partition walls surrounding the discharge chamber are opened toward the sides of the deposition rollers. The openings of the discharge chamber are closed by the deposition rollers, and a vacuum degree in the discharge chamber is maintained at a pressure suitable for generation of plasma by supplying a source gas, so that the deposition is performed. Thereby, discharge is performed only in the discharge chamber. Thus, the generation of the flakes on the outside of the discharge chamber is prevented.
However, in the deposition apparatus described in Patent Document 2, although the flakes are not generated on the outside of the discharge chamber, the coating is easily attached to wall surfaces surrounding the discharge chamber, and there is a fear that the flakes generated on the wall surfaces are mixed into the CVD coating, so that quality of the coating is lowered. Further, in order to perform the deposition in this apparatus, there is a need for supplying the source gas into the discharge chamber so as to lower the vacuum degree in the discharge chamber. Therefore, there is a need for maintaining a gap between the partition walls surrounding the discharge chamber and the deposition rollers to be small so as to retain airtightness of the discharge chamber. However, when the coating is accumulated in the vicinity of this gap and size of the gap is changed, the airtightness of the discharge chamber is not easily retained and stability of the deposition is deteriorated. Thus, there is a fear that the quality of the CVD coating is lowered.
Patent Document 3 discloses an apparatus including a pair of hollow deposition rollers and magnetic field generating means provided inside the deposition rollers for generating a magnetic field, wherein plasma is generated only in a magnetic field region formed by the magnetic field generating means. Each of the magnetic field generating means has an N-pole magnet and an S-pole magnet. These magnets are spaced from each other so as to protrude toward a space between the deposition rollers, and form a magnetic field having a magnetic line coming from one magnetic pole in the deposition roller to an exterior of the deposition roller and returning again to the other magnetic pole in the deposition roller. Plasma is generated only in a region along the magnetic field.
With this deposition apparatus described in Patent Document 3, the region where plasma is generated can be limited to part of surfaces of the deposition rollers where the magnetic field is generated. However, the plasma reaches to a supplying portion of a source gas and is accumulated in the vicinity of the supplying portion so as to be flakes, and the flakes are dropped and mixed into a CVD coating. Thus, there is a possibility that quality of the coating is adversely influenced.


In a Josephson junction device comprises two superconducting electrodes formed of an oxide superconductor and connected through a Josephson junction, a temperature dependent noise of the Josephson junction becomes the minimum at a liquid nitrogen temperature.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a Josephson junction device of an oxide superconductor having low noise level at liquid nitrogen temperature, and more specifically to a Josephson junction device of an oxide superconductor having a weak link of a Josephson junction consisting of a grain boundary between two single crystal oxide superconductor regions having low noise level at liquid nitrogen temperature.
2. Description of Related Art
A Josephson junction device is one of superconducting devices comprising two superconducting electrode connected through a Josephson junction. The Josephson junction device can be realized in various structures. Among the various structures, the most preferable structure in practice is a tunnel type Josephson junction device realized by a thin non-superconductor layer sandwiched between a pair of superconducting electrodes. However, a point contact type Josephson junction device, a micro bridge type Josephson junction device and a variable thickness bridge type Josephson junction device composed of a pair of superconductor electrodes which are weakly linked to each other also exhibit Josephson effect.
The Josephson junction device is expected to be applied to a high speed switching element and a high sensitive sensor due to its characteristics. In particular, by using high critical temperature oxide superconductors, recently advanced in study, for superconducting electrodes, it is possible to manufacture Josephson junction devices which operate under liquid nitrogen cooling.
These Josephson junction devices have fine structures so that fine processings are necessary to manufacture the Josephson junction devices. For example, in order to manufacture a tunnel type Josephson junction device, a first superconductor thin film, a non-superconductor thin film and a second superconductor thin film are stacked on a substrate in the named order.
The thickness of the non-superconductor layer of the tunnel type Josephson junction device is determined by the coherence length of the superconductor. In general, the thickness of the non-superconductor layer of the tunnel type Josephson junction device must be within a few times of the coherence length of the superconductor. In case of using an oxide superconductor for the superconducting electrodes, a thickness of a non-superconductor layer must be about a few nanometers, because oxide superconductor materials have very short coherence length.
However, the superconductor layers and the non-superconductor layer of the tunnel type Josephson junction device must be highly crystallized for favorable properties. It is difficult to stack an extremely thin and high crystalline non-superconductor layer on an oxide superconductor layer. Additionally, it is very difficult to stack a high crystalline oxide superconductor layer on the non-superconductor layer stacked on an oxide superconductor layer. Though the stacked structure including a first oxide superconductor layer, a non-superconductor layer and a second oxide superconductor layer is fabricated, the interfaces between the oxide superconductor layers and the non-superconductor layer are not in good condition so that the tunnel type Josephson junction device does not function in good order.
In the point contact type Josephson junction device, the micro bridge type Josephson junction device and the variable thickness bridge type Josephson junction device, two superconducting electrodes are contact with each other through an extremely small contact area so as to realize a weak link of a Josephson junction. Therefore, very fine processings are also necessary to manufacture the point contact type Josephson junction device, the micro bridge type Josephson junction device and the variable thickness bridge type Josephson junction device. It is very difficult to conduct the fine processings of oxide superconductors with good repeatability.
In order to resolve the above mentioned problems, so-called grain boundary weak link type Josephson junction devices are proposed in a prior art. A Josephson junction device of this type comprises a substrate having a principal surface and an oxide superconductor thin film formed on the principal surface of the substrate. The oxide superconductor thin film has two single crystal regions and a grain boundary between them, which form a weak link of a Josephson junction. Each of the single crystal regions of the oxide superconductor thin film constitutes a superconducting electrode. Thus, the above oxide superconductor thin film constitute a Josephson junction device.
The above grain boundary weak link type Josephson junction device can be manufacture by depositing an oxide superconductor thin film on a bicrystal substrate, a substrate having a proper seed layer on a portion of its principal surface or a substrate having a step on a portion of its principal surface.
No fine processing which is required to manufacture a point contact type Josephson junction device, a micro bridge type Josephson junction device or a variable thickness bridge type Josephson junction device is necessary to manufacture the grain boundary weak link type Josephson junction device.
In case of applying a Josephson junction device to a sensor, a problem of noise arises. When a Josephson junction device is used as a sensor, a power is supplied so that current flows through its Josephson junction and voltage changes between its two superconducting electrodes are measured.
However, there are noises in this voltage change and it can be easily understood that sensitivities of the sensors using Josephson junction devices can be improved by reducing noise level. In particular, the noises are noticeable in Josephson junction devices utilizing oxide superconductors at frequency lower than on the order of 100 Hz.
The noises at low frequency of the Josephson junction devices utilizing oxide superconductor thin films are primarily the sum of one caused by critical current fluctuations and one caused by flux motion and are dependent on 1/f (f: frequency). These are also temperature dependent so that their levels change as temperature of the Josephson junction devices change.
The critical current fluctuation noise becomes larger at a lower temperature and the flux noise has a peak near the critical temperature of the oxide superconductor. Hence, the noises of the Josephson junction devices utilizing oxide superconductor thin films become the minimum at temperatures little lower than the critical temperatures of the oxide superconductors.
H. K. Olsson et al. reported about the 1/f noise of dc SQUID utilized Y.sub.1 Ba.sub.2 Cu.sub.3 O.sub.7-x oxide superconductor in Appl. Phys. Letter vol. 61, No. 7, pp. 861-863, Aug. 17, 1992.
For example, the critical temperature of Y.sub.1 Ba.sub.2 Cu.sub.3 O.sub.7-x oxide superconductor is higher than 85K and a temperature at which a Josephson junction device utilizing Y.sub.1 Ba.sub.2 Cu.sub.3 O.sub.7-x oxide superconductor has the minimum noise is on the order of 80K. Therefore, the Josephson junction device has a higher noise level at a liquid nitrogen temperature. In order to use the Josephson junction device at the temperature of the minimum noise, its temperature should be controlled by liquid helium cooling with heating by heater. Namely, the highest performance of the Josephson junction device can not be obtained under simple liquid nitrogen cooling.
The same is true for Josephson junction devices utilizing Bi--Sr--Ca--Cu--O type oxide superconductors and Tl--Ba--Ca--Cu--O type oxide superconductors. Since, the Bi--Sr--Ca--Cu--O type oxide superconductors and Tl--Ba--Ca--Cu--O type oxide superconductors have critical temperatures higher than 90K.

Josephson junction device of oxide superconductor having low noise level at liquid nitrogen temperature


The invention relates to octahydro-pyrrolo[3,4-b]pyrrole N-oxides as prodrugs of CNS-active compounds, compositions comprising such compounds, methods for making the compounds, salts, and polymorphs, and methods of treating conditions and disorders using such compounds and compositions. Octahydro-pyrrolo[3,4-b]pyrrole N-oxides of formula (I) are prodrugs of histamine-3 antagonists, and are useful in treating conditions or disorders prevented by or ameliorated by histamine-3 receptor ligands. Octahydro-pyrrolo[3,4-b]pyrrole N-oxide compounds, methods for using such compounds, compositions for making them, and processes for preparing such compounds are disclosed herein.

1. Technical Field
The invention relates to octahydro-pyrrolo[3,4-b]pyrrole N-oxides, compositions comprising such compounds, methods for making the compounds, salts, and polymorphs, and methods of using said compounds as prodrugs for treating conditions and disorders where modulation of histamine-3 (H3) receptor activity is of therapeutic benefit.
2. Description of Related Technology
Histamine is a well-known modulator of neuronal activity. At least four types of histamine receptors have been reported in the literature, typically referred to as histamine-1, histamine-2, histamine-3, and histamine-4. The class of histamine receptor known as the histamine-3 receptor (also sometimes called the histamine H3 receptor or the H3 receptor) is believed to play a role in neurotransmission in the central nervous system.
The histamine-3 (H3) receptor was first pharmacologically characterized on histaminergic nerve terminals (Arrang et al, "Auto-inhibition of Brain Histamine Release Mediated by a Novel Class (H3) of Histamine Receptor", Nature, Vol. 302, pp. 832-837 (1983)). The histamine-3 receptor is able to regulate the release of neurotransmitters in the central nervous system and peripheral nervous system, and also in peripheral organs such as the gastrointestinal tract. Histamine-3 ligands have been shown to be able to modulate the release of histamine, dopamine, serotonin, acetylcholine, and other neurotransmitters. The existence of histamine-3 receptors and their established role in modulating neurotransmitter release activity in animal models of disease indicate the utility of histamine-3 ligands for the treatment of disease. This has motivated a search for, and the development of, selective histamine-3 receptor agonists and antagonists (Leurs et al., Nature Reviews Drug Discovery, Vol. 4, pp. 107-120 (2005); Arrang et al. "Highly potent and selective ligands for histamine H3-receptors," Nature, Vol. 327, pp. 117-123 (1987); Leurs and Timmerman, ed. "The History of H3 Receptor: A Target for New Drugs," Elsevier (1998)).
The activity of histamine-3 receptors can be modified or regulated by the administration of histamine-3 receptor ligands. The ligands can demonstrate antagonist, inverse agonist, or partial agonist activity. Histamine-3 receptors have been linked to conditions and disorders related to the central nervous system involving memory, cognition, attention, and other neurological processes, wakefulness, obesity, and also peripheral and systemic activities, such as those involved in asthma and allergic rhinitis. Although various classes of compounds demonstrating histamine-3 receptor-modulating activity exist, it would be beneficial to provide additional compounds that can be incorporated into pharmaceutical compositions useful for therapeutic methods.
Prodrugs are a suitable manner for providing therapeutic compounds. Approximately 5-7% of all commercial drugs worldwide are prodrugs (Stella, Expert Opinion on Therapeutic Patents, Vol. 14, pp. 277-280 (2004)). Prodrugs distinguish themselves in one or more significant ways. They are structurally different from the active daughter compound, and they may have distinct physicochemical properties. Prodrugs can therefore be used, for example, to solve drug delivery problems, and in general to overcome some barriers to the utility of the parent drug molecule, for example, they can help bypassing of drug efflux mechanisms, extend and delay drug absorption to extend the period of drug action, and generally improve bioavailability and biodistribution.
The invention relates to octahydro-pyrrolo[3,4-b]pyrrole N-oxides as prodrugs of histamine-3 receptor ligands. As such, the prodrugs of the invention can be useful to treat disorders where modulation of histamine-3 receptor activity is of therapeutic benefit.


A method of forming an organosilicate layer is disclosed. The organosilicate layer is formed by reacting a gas mixture comprising a phenyl-based alkoxysilane compound. The gas mixture may be reacted by applying an electric field thereto. The gas mixture may optionally include an organosilane compound as well as an oxidizing gas. The organosilicate layer is compatible with integrated circuit fabrication processes. In one integrated circuit fabrication process, the organosilicate layer is used as an anti-reflective coating (ARC). In another integrated circuit fabrication process, the organosilicate layer is used as a hardmask. In yet another integrated circuit fabrication process, the organosilicate layer is incorporated into a damascene structure.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to organosilicate layers, their use in integrated circuit fabrication, and a method for forming an organosilicate layer.
2. Description of the Background Art
Integrated circuits have evolved into complex devices that can include millions of components (e.g., transistors, capacitors and resistors) on a single chip.
The evolution of chip designs continually requires faster circuitry and greater circuit density. The demands for greater circuit density necessitate a reduction in the dimensions of the integrated circuit components.
As the dimensions of the integrated circuit components are reduced (e. g., sub-micron dimensions), the materials used to fabricate such components contribute to their electrical performance. For example, low resistivity metal interconnects (e. g., copper and aluminum) provide conductive paths between the components on integrated circuits. Typically, the metal interconnects are electrically isolated from each other by an insulating material. When the distance between adjacent metal interconnects and/or the thickness of the insulating material has sub-micron dimensions, capacitive coupling potentially occurs between such interconnects. Capacitive coupling between adjacent metal interconnects may cause cross talk and/or resistance-capacitance (RC) delay which degrades the overall performance of the integrated circuit. In order to prevent capacitive coupling between adjacent metal interconnects, low dielectric constant (low k) insulating materials (e. g., dielectric constants less than about 4.5) are needed.
The demands for greater integrated circuit densities also impose demands on the process sequences used for integrated circuit manufacture. For example, in process sequences using conventional lithographic techniques, a layer of energy sensitive resist is formed over a stack of material layers on a substrate. Many of these underlying material layers are reflective to ultraviolet light. Such reflections can distort the dimensions of features such as lines and vias that are formed in the energy sensitive resist material.
One technique proposed to minimize reflections from an underlying material layer uses an anti-reflective coating (ARC). The ARC is formed over the reflective material layer prior to resist patterning. The ARC suppresses the reflections off the underlying material layer during resist imaging, providing accurate pattern replication in the layer of energy sensitive resist.
Thereafter, the patterns formed in the energy-sensitive resist material are typically transferred into the underlying material layers. A hardmask layer is often used between the energy-sensitive resist layer and the underlying material layers to facilitate pattern transfer into the underlying material layers.
Therefore, a need exists in the art for low dielectric constant materials suitable for integrated circuit fabrication. Particularly desirable would be a low dielectric constant material that is also suitable as an ARC, and/or a hardmask.
A method of forming an organosilicate layer for use in integrated circuit fabrication is provided. In one embodiment, the organosilicate layer is formed by reacting a gas mixture comprising a phenyl-based alkoxysilane compound. The gas mixture comprising the phenyl-based alkoxysilane compound may be reacted by applying an electric field thereto. The gas mixture may optionally include an organosilane compound, an oxidizing gas, and/or an inert gas.
The organosilicate layer is compatible with integrated circuit fabrication processes. In one integrated circuit fabrication sequence, the organosilicate layer is used as an anti-reflective coating (ARC) for DUV lithography. For such an embodiment, a preferred process sequence includes forming the organosilicate layer on a substrate. The organosilicate layer has a refractive index (n) in a range of about 1.20 to about 1.70 and an absorption coefficient (xcexa) in a range of about 0.1 to about 0.7 at wavelengths less than about 250 nm. The refractive index (n) and the absorption coefficient (xcexa) of the organosilicate layer are tunable, in that they can be varied in the desired range as a function of the deposition temperature as well as the gas composition used during layer formation. After the organosilicate layer is formed on the substrate, a layer of energy sensitive resist material is formed thereon. A pattern is defined in the energy sensitive resist at a wavelength less than about 250 nm. Thereafter, the pattern defined in the energy sensitive resist material is transferred into the organosilicate layer. After the organosilicate layer is patterned, such pattern is optionally transferred into the substrate using the organosilicate ARC layer as a hardmask.
In another integrated circuit fabrication process, the organosilicate layer is incorporated into a damascene structure. For such an embodiment, a preferred process sequence includes depositing a first dielectric layer on a substrate. An organosilicate layer is then formed on the first dielectric layer. Thereafter, the organosilicate layer is patterned and etched to define contacts/vias therethrough. After the organosilicate layer is patterned and etched, a second dielectric layer is deposited thereover. The second dielectric layer is then patterned and etched to define interconnects therethrough. The interconnects formed in the second dielectric layer are positioned over the contacts/vias formed in the organosilicate layer. After the interconnects are formed the contacts/vias defined in the organosilicate layer are etched through the first dielectric layer to the substrate surface using the organosilicate layer as a hardmask. Thereafter, the damascene structure is completed by filling the interconnects and contacts/vias with a conductive material.

Method of depositing organosilicate layers


Heat engines employing fluid bearing assemblies hermetically sealed with a closed flowpath for a working fluid are generally disclosed. For example, the heat engine includes a rotating drivetrain and a fluid bearing assembly. The rotating drivetrain includes a compressor section, an expander section, and a heat exchanger. The compressor section and expander section together define at least in part a closed flowpath for the flow of a working fluid. The heat exchanger is thermally coupled to the closed flowpath for adding heat to the working fluid. The fluid bearing assembly is configured to utilize the working fluid to support the rotating drivetrain. Further, the fluid bearing assembly is hermetically sealed with the closed flowpath.

Heat engines are used generally in many different systems for the conversion of heat to electricity. For example, in certain embodiments, a heat exchanger of the heat engine may be thermally coupled to an exhaust of a gas turbine engine. In such a manner, the heat engine may capture waste heat from the gas turbine engine and convert such heat to electrical power. In another embodiment, the heat exchanger of a heat engine may be coupled to the heat generation from concentrated solar power systems. In such manner, the heat engine captures solar heat energy and converts such heat to electrical power.
A heat engine generally includes, in serial flow order, a compressor section, a heat exchange section, and an expander section. In operation, the working fluid is provided to the compressor section where one or more compressors progressively compress the fluid until it reaches the heat exchange section. Heat energy is added to the working fluid in the heat exchange section. The working fluid is routed from the heat exchange section to the expander section. The flow of the compressed, heated working fluid through the expander extracts energy from the fluid, driving the expander (which may, in turn, drive the compressor section). The expander is further coupled to an electric generator in order to convert the mechanical energy into electrical energy. The expander is often coupled to the electric generator through the drivetrain or an output shaft. Additionally, the heat engine may generally be a closed heat engine where the working fluid is routed from the expander section back to the compressor section.
A rotating drivetrain of the heat engine (e.g., the compressor section and turbine section) may generally be supported by an oil-lubricated bearing assembly. However, such requires additional pumps, sumps, and dedicated flowpaths, which may increase cost and/or weight of the heat engine. Additionally, the oil-lubricated bearing assembly generates undesired heat at the oil-film clearance due to fluid shear.
Accordingly, a heat engine having a lubrication system utilizing the working fluid as lubrication would be useful. More particularly, a sealing and lubricating system that utilizes a hermetically sealed working fluid for both energy production and lubrication would be welcome in the art.


The fibre fuse effect, also termed self propelled self focusing (SPSF) is a catastrophic damage mechanism resulting from a runaway thermal affect which can melt optical fibres. A method and apparatus for limiting the damage caused by a fibre fuse is provided by utilising a detector external to the fibre for monitoring the condition of the fibre.

The present invention relates to the phenomenon known as a fibre fuse, and in particular a method and apparatus for limiting the damage caused by a fibre fuse.
Optical power levels in optical transmission systems are generally increasing. This is due to a number of factors.
For instance, optical transmission systems, including optical fibres and other optical devices such as polarisation mode dispersion compensation mechanisms and photonic switches, all have attenuation characteristics. Increasing the power of an optical signal provides a better signal to background noise ratio, and allows the signal to be transmitted longer distances over the optical transmission system before optical amplification is required. Advances in laser technology have ensured that higher powered layers are now more readily and cheaply available, thus allowing a cost effective implementation of high optical power signal generation.
Typical optical transmission systems simultaneously transmit data using a multitude of different wavelengths, each transmission channel having a separate wavelength of light for transmission of the respective optical signal. Increasingly, channels are becoming more closely packed together with regard to wavelength e.g. DWDM (Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexed) systems. Increasing the number of simultaneous optical transmissions at different wavelengths will pro rata increase the average optical power being carried by the transmission system.
Many optical systems utilise optical amplifiers comprising optical fibre. An example of this is a Raman amplifier i.e. an amplifier that utilises the Raman effect. Optical amplifiers of this type normally use relatively high power pump lasers for providing the optical power that is utilised to amplify the optical signal power. Current trends indicate it is increasingly likely that Raman amplifiers will be utilised in future telecommunications systems.
Experiments have indicated that high power optical signals propagating through fibres can induce an effect referred to as a xe2x80x9cfibre fusexe2x80x9d. The fibre fuse effect, also termed selfxe2x80x94propelled selfxe2x80x94focusing (SPSF), is a catastrophic damage mechanism. Electronics letters, Jan. 7, 1988, Vol. 24, No. 1, pages 47-48 by R Kashyap and K J Blow and Electronics letters Jan. 5, 1989, Vol. 25, No. 1, Pages 33-34 by D P Hand and T A Birks describe this phenomena in some detail and describe a fibre fuse damage circuitxe2x80x94breaker, and are incorporated herein by reference.
The fibre fuse effect is believed to be initiated by local heating of the fibre. This can lead to a runway thermal effect which, provided the laser power is sufficient, continues until the fibre core melts. A thermal shock wave is created (visible as a bright spot of sidexe2x80x94scattered light) that propagates back along the fibre towards the optical power source. This results in the fibre being permanently damaged and unable to guide light.
Propagation velocity is believed to be of the order of tens of meters per second. A fibre fuse occurring in a telecommunications system could be extremely damaging. The sidexe2x80x94scattered light could be dangerous to any onlookers. Additionally, in systems where optical fibre spans (i.e. typically the length between optical fibre amplifiers) are of the order of 80 kilometers, it will be appreciated that if the fibre fuse is not contained, it has the capacity to damage large lengths of optical fibre. This would require replacement of the damaged fibre. Further, fibre fuses could damage additional components attached to the optical fibre e.g. amplifiers, pump lasers.
It is therefore desirable to limit the damage caused by fire fuses.
The ITU (International Telecommunications Union) document G.664, xe2x80x9coptical safety procedures and requirements for optical transport systemsxe2x80x9d provides guidelines and requirements to provide optically safe working conditions. In particular, it describes an automatic laser shutdown procedure in the event of a cable (optical fibre) break, and requires that the optical power be reduced to a Hazard Level 3A within 3 seconds of the break. Such a time period will clearly allow several tens of meters of optical fibre and related ancillary components to suffer damage.
It is an object of the invention to provide an improved apparatus and method for limiting the damage caused by a fibre fuse.
In a first aspect, the present invention provides method of protecting an optical system from a fibre fuse comprising the steps of; detecting a predetermined signal external to the fibre core, said signal being indicative of the fibre condition; providing a control signal indicative of said detected fibre condition. Fibre fuses are known to damage the optical fibre. By detecting eh condition of the fibre it is hence possible to detect if an event such as a fibre fuse has occurred. If a fibre condition indicative of a potential fibre fuse having occurred is detected, then a control signal may be provided to the system in order that further action can be taken to limit the damage. Such a control signal could be a continuous signal indicative that the fibre condition has not changed until a fibre fuse occurs, or alternatively a signal that only occurs once a condition indicative of a fibre fuse has occurred.
Preferably, the predetermined signal comprises a temperature measurement. Increases in temperature are associated with fibre fuses, and this temperature increase could be detected directly e.g. by a thermocouple or other heat measurement device.
The predetermined signal can be radiation emitted due to the fibre fuse process. It has been observed that a fibre fuse propagating along an optical fibre can be seen as a very bright white spot travelling along the fibre. This bright spot is thought to be caused by heating of the fibre e.g. a thermal glow. Measurement of this light can thus provide an indication of a fibre fuse.
Alternatively, the predetermined signal is at least a fraction of the signal transmitted along the fibre under normal operating conditions. In normal operation, an optical signal typically propagates longitudinally along the fibre. This signal can comprise any one or more of pump light, data signal(s) or other wavelengths. A fibre fuse will scatter this light, which can then be detected.
Preferably, the method further comprising the step of transmitting said predetermined signal so as to be incident upon the fibre.
Preferably, the predetermined signal is detected after at least one of a selection from the group of reflection from, refraction through, and transmission through the fibre. Reflection from, refraction through or transmission through the fibre can each be utilised to provide a signal indicative of the fibre condition.
Preferably, the incident signal is modulated.
Preferably, the incident signal comprises electro magnetic radiation. Alternatively, other types of signal could be utilised e.g. a beam of electrons or ions.
Preferably, the electro magnetic radiation is light.
Preferably, said predetermined signal is detected external to the fibre. For example, the signal can be detected radiating from the outer cladding of an optical fibre.
Preferably, the method further comprising the step of limiting the optical power output of a component to a level sufficient to quench a fibre fuse if said control signal in indicative of a fibre fuse.
Preferably, the method is performed in less than 3 seconds.
In a further aspect, the present invention provides a method of protecting an optical system from a fibre fuse comprising the steps of providing a length of fibre incorporating a beam expander arranged to quench a fibre fuse.
Preferably, the beam expander is a selection from a group of GRIN (Graded Refractive Index) lens, a ball lens, a bioconical taper, a selfloc lens and a thermally expanded fibre core.
In another aspect, the present invention provides an apparatus for protecting an optical system from a fibre fuse comprising a detector suitable for location external to an optical fibre core and arranged for detecting a predetermined signal indicative of the fibre condition.
Preferably, said signal is radiation emitted due to the fibre fuse process.
Alternatively, the signal is at least a portion of the signal normally transmitted along the fibre.
Preferably, the apparatus further comprising a transmitter arranged to transmit said predetermined signal so as to be incident upon the fibre.
Preferably, said detector is located external to the fibre.
Preferably, the apparatus further comprising a control means arranged to provide a control signal indicative of the detected fibre condition.
In a further aspect, the present invention provides a telecommunications system comprising an optical fibre and an apparatus for protecting the system from a fibre fuse comprising a detector located external to the optical fibre, said detector being arranged for detecting a predetermined signal indicative of the fibre condition.
Preferably, the said optical fibre includes a beam expander arranged to quench a fibre fuse.


A character input apparatus for use with an optical disk recording or reproducing apparatus includes a memory, an input unit, and a controller. The memory stores different kinds of character data. The input unit selects character data, one character at a time, from the memory and determines and inputs the selected character data. The controller reads out the character data from the memory based on the character data selected by the input unit and holds this character data as determined data. The controller automatically reads out a first character data from a group of character data of the same kind to which the determined character data belongs when the input unit selects and determines the inputted character data after the input unit has inputted the determined character data.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a character input apparatus and an apparatus for recording and/or reproducing a recording medium, and particularly to a character input apparatus for inputting a plurality of kinds of character data and an apparatus for recording and/or reproducing a recording medium to which a plurality of kinds of character data can be inputted.
2. Background of the Invention
Character input apparatus capable of inputting character information are mounted on a variety of devices.
A recording and reproducing apparatus capable of recording and/or reproducing audio data on and/or from a magneto-optical disk serving as a recording medium has a character input apparatus for inputting character information such as the title of a piece of music and is able to record the inputted character information on a disk.
In a recording and reproducing apparatus using a magneto-optical disk, for example, a user can not only record audio data such as music on the magneto-optical disk and reproduce recorded audio data from the magneto-optical disk, but also record character information such as the title of the disk (title of album) and the title of the tune (track). Upon reproduction, the disk title, the title of the music, the name of the artist, etc., are displayed on a display unit of the apparatus.
A known character input apparatus includes a keyboard having a plurality of keys corresponding to characters that can be entered and is able to enter characters like a computer and a word processor. However, a character input apparatus for a small device or the above-mentioned recording and reproducing apparatus having keys for recording and reproducing mainly sounds, uses only a dial or up/down key as the operation means for selecting characters when character data are entered.
In such a case, the user has to turn the dial or operate the up/down key, i.e., operate the up/down key in the incremental or decremental direction, whereby respective characters can be sequentially selected accordingly.
However, according to the above-mentioned system, when there are many characters that can be entered, such as symbols, capital letters of an alphabet, small letters of an alphabet, numerals or katakana, the user has to endure a tedious effort and a lot of time for selecting characters that should be entered. Therefore, the above-mentioned character input apparatus is not convenient to use. Specifically, it is unavoidable that an amount in which the dial is rotated for selecting desired characters and the number of times in which the keys are pressed is increased.
The arrangement of characters should be set in order to enable characters to be selected by increment/decrement operation.
When capital letters of an alphabet, small letters of an alphabet, numerals, symbols and katakana can be entered, the arrangement order of characters should be set in such a way as in "A", "B", "C", . . . , "Z", "a", "b", "c", . . . , "z", "0", "1", "2", . . . , "9", "|", """, . . . , "#", "", "", "", . . . , "" (sonant mark)", " (semi-voiced sound mark)".
However, if characters are selected sequentially from "A" by increment operation each time one character is selected, the number of increment operation becomes extremely large. Even though the increment operation is carried out by turning a jog dial, for example, when the katakana characters of "" are inputted, characters are selected sequentially from "A" by increment operation in order to select "". Then, at the time "" is selected, the enter operation (input determination) is carried out. Then, characters are sequentially selected from "A" again by increment operation in order to select " (sonant mark)". At the time " (sonant mark)" is selected, the enter operation (input determination) is carried out. Further, characters are selected sequentially from "A" again by increment operation in order to select "". Then, at the time "", "" is selected, the enter operation (input determination) is carried out. Katakana characters "", "" are obtained in a similar manner.
As described above, the operation for selecting and entering characters becomes very complicated and takes a significant amount of time. Therefore, the above-mentioned input apparatus is not convenient to use.

Character input apparatus and apparatus for recording and/or reproducing a recording medium


In a power control unit for controlling a power supply to a load connected to an AC power source by switching on half cycles, following three modes are carried out in the order of presented: a first control mode for continuously supplying a power which is composed of a plurality of half cycle switching waveforms of a first polarity to said load; a second control mode for continuously supplying a power which is composed of a plurality of half cycle switching waveforms of a second polarity to said load, said second polarity being different from said first polarity; and a third control mode for supplying a power of a half cycle of said first polarity and a power of a half cycle of said second polarity to said load in turn. This arrangement can attain an effect that both the harmonic noises and the flickers caused by a rush current are reduced.

For example, in an image forming apparatus, such as an electrophotographic copying machine, a printer, and a facsimile machine, an image on an original document is converted into an electric image signal in accordance with a density of image information, based on which an electrostatic latent image is formed on a photosensitive body using a laser beam or the like. Then, the electrostatic latent image is developed into a developer image and transferred onto a sheet, after which the developer image is fused with heat generated by a heater of a thermal fuser to be fixed thereon. The heater (hereinafter, referred to as fusing heater) of the thermal fuser is provided as a load. A heater lamp, such as a halogen lamp, is used as the fusing heater, and a heating resistor or the like is used as a heat source. The fusing heater is provided inside a pair of fusing rollers for nipping and transporting a sheet on which the developer image is to be fused. More specifically, one or more than one fusing heater each having a power ranging from some hundreds Watts to approximately two thousands Watts is provided inside either or both of the pair of fusing rollers. In case of a high-speed image forming apparatus, a fusing heater having a larger capacity is used. Further, the pair of fusing rollers are kept at a predetermined temperature by controlling a power supplied to the fusing heater using a fusing heater's ON/OFF signal which is generated based on a detection result of a temperature sensor provided in such a manner to touch the surface of the pair of fusing rollers.
When the image forming apparatus has a large load to which a power is supplied under control, a large rush current passes through the load at the moment the power supply begins. In the following, how the power source voltage drops as a large current passes through the load will be explained using a halogen heater of the fuser as an example and with reference to FIG. 15. As indicated by a curve (a), when a heater signal comes ON state, a power is supplied to the halogen heater from a commercial power source. Since a resistance value of the halogen heater varies with its own temperature, if a current has not been supplied to the same, the halogen heater has quite a small resistance value, generally 1/10 of a resistance value when heated. When a power is supplied to the halogen heater having a small resistance value, a rush current I.sub.1 flows into the halogen heater as soon as the power is supplied as indicted by a curve (c). The halogen heater is heated as the current flows in and a temperature of the same rises and so does the resistance value. As the resistance value rises, the current flowing into the halogen heater reduces and eventually converges to a normal current I.sub.0, and the halogen heater resumes to a normal state. A ratio of the rush current I.sub.1 to the normal current I.sub.0, I.sub.1 /I.sub.0, ranges from several to ten times. In case of the drawing, since the fusing heater is controlled to start to light on substantially at a zero crossing point of a power source voltage waveform, the rush current can be suppressed to a relatively small value.
As indicated by a curve (b) in the drawing, the rush current flowing into the halogen heater in the above manner causes a voltage drop .DELTA.V.sub.1 around an outlet of the commercial power source that supplies a power to the image forming apparatus or in the other internal lines because of its own impedance. The curve (b) in the drawing represents an envelop of a wave height value of the voltage waveform when the voltage drops. After the current passing through the halogen heater has converged to the normal current, the voltage drop also converges into a small value .DELTA.V.sub.2. When the power supply to the halogen heater is cut, the voltage recovers an original voltage level V.sub.0.
Particularly, since the above rush current causes a significant voltage drop instantaneously, peripheral equipments or lighting equipments may be affected adversely. For example, when a voltage supplied to the lighting equipment drops, there occurs a phenomenon referred to as a flicker, in which illuminance is lowered instantaneously. Recently, to suppress this phenomenon (hereinafter, referred to simply as flicker(s)), devices that consume a large power with respect to the power source are regulated by the flicker test. The flicker test checks whether a voltage in the power source side is dropped below a predetermined level by the load provided in the apparatus. In case of the image forming apparatus, the flicker test is carried out in two modes using their respective regulation limits: a copy mode (the flicker test in this mode is referred to as short flicker) and a standby mode (the flicker test in this mode is referred to as long flicker).
To suppress the flickers, Japanese Laid-open Patent Application No. 242644/1994 (Tokukaihei No. 6-242644) discloses a method referred to as a softstart using a switching technique, in which a conduction angle at which a current passes through the load is increased step by step. When a power is supplied to the load like the above-mentioned halogen heater with the softstart, a current waveform is distorted and noises occur in a wide frequency bandwidth. This causes a malfunction of peripheral electronic equipment or imposes adverse effect on the same. To eliminate the above problem, the apparatuses are also regulated by another type of test referred to as the harmonics test which checks whether harmonic components (actually 2nd through 40th harmonics are checked, and hereinafter collectively referred to as harmonic noises) of the current waveform are within the regulation limit. The safety regulation requires the image forming apparatus to pass the harmonic test, in other words, to maintain the harmonic noises within the regulation limit in a normal copy mode.
Various countermeasures are proposed to clear these regulations. For example, aforementioned Japanese Laid-open Patent Application No. 242644/1994 (Tokukaihei No. 6-242644) also discloses a technique (generally known as the softstart) for suppressing the occurrence of the rush current by increasing the conduction angle step by step with a softstart circuit employing a bidirectional thyristor (also known as TRIAC). When this technique is adopted, the harmonic noises are produced in such a large quantity that an expensive noise filter must be provided to the power source line, thereby increasing the cost undesirably.
The technique disclosed in Japanese Laid-open Patent Application No. 242644/1994 (Tokukaihei No. 6-242644) relates to the method for reducing flickers generated while an entire system is operating by giving a time difference to each of a plurality of heaters to start the conductance at different times separately, and further by passing a current with the softstart. However, in the softstart, the harmonics are also generated by increasing the switching conduction angle to each heater lamp per half cycle from the conduction on the first half cycle in the conventional manner. Since this type of control method controls the flickers and harmonic noises of each heater lamp by the conventional switching, an expensive noise filter can not be omitted to reduce the harmonics.
As has been explained, the flickers are created by a rush current occurring at the start of devices (motors, lamps, etc.,) that need an important appeal current during a short time. When a solution adopted to reduce the rush current by instantaneously switching (phase control) the voltage on the device is implemented, a regularly increasing voltage is applied to the device, which reduces both the rush current and flickers. However, this solution generates the harmonic noises. The longer the switching, the lower the flickers and the higher the harmonic noise level.


The application relates to a sole (20) for footwear (10) which has a toe part (70) being made of a substantially inflexible material, a ball part (80) being made of a flexible material, and an instep-heel part (90) being made of a substantially inflexible material. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the substantially inflexible material is carbon fiber in a thermoplastic epoxy resin and the flexible material of an aramide fiber in a thermoplastic epoxy resin. The application also teaches a shoe made with this sole and a method for the manufacture of the shoe.

Current sports shoes for athletes have a plastic sole and textile upper. Such shoes are manufactured to be as light as possible in order to improve the performance of the athletes, particularly over short distances, e.g. 100 m or 200 m.
One example of a sports shoe is known from European Patent Application No. EP-A-0 799 583 (Technica S.p.A). The shoes described in this patent have a sole made from a resilient material such as rubber with a strengthening insert. This shoe is not suitable for short distance track events because of its weight.
A variety of athletics shoes are produced by several manufacturers. The Saucony middle distance race shoe has a very light-weight fabric to keep the total weight of the shoe as low as possible. An Asics sprinting spike shoe uses a rubber grip on the sole of the shoe from the footplate backwards.
Sandals are also known in the art which can be used for trail running and hiking. These sandals, such as those manufactured by the Teva Company, Flagstaff, Ariz., United States, have an open structure with straps to hold the sandals on the foot. The sandals have a substantially flat sole with an open toe, arch and heel areas. Whilst such sandals, such as the Wraptor 2 model, may be suitable for long-distance trail running their heavy weight makes them unsuitable for use by track athletes.
Cycling shoes are known in the art which are designed to be as light as possible and also to allow as much transmission of the athlete's muscular power to the cycle. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,836,094 (Figel) teaches a cycling shoe in which a composite made of fibre and resin replaces the sole and part of the upper of a traditional shoe. In this patent, the complete sole of the shoe is made from the composite. Manufacture of the composite is from carbon fibre, Kevlar fibres and epoxy resin which are built up using layers of carbon fibre sheets and Kevlar layers.
Another cycling shoe is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,406,723 (Okajima, assigned to Shimano, Inc., Osaka, Japan). This patent describes a sole of a shoe with a fibrous layer surrounding a core made of polyurethane foam. A glass cloth is applied to the upper and lower surfaces of the core to form a layer. A carbon fibre sheet impregnated with phenol resin is then placed over the glass cloth followed by an impregnated glass cloth. This process is completed until a stiff sole is manufactured.
Cycling shoes are, however, not suitable for use by track athletes because they have a stiff sole which is substantially inflexible. Track athletes require a shoe which is flexible in order to maximise their performance, particularly at the starting blocks.


According to the invention, a blank intended for the production of a sheet panel (11) for a bodywork part of automotive bodywork by cold forming has two deformation sections (2, 4), which consist of highly ductile sheet metal and in the course of cold forming are subjected to a high degree of deformation, and a support section (3), which is arranged between the two deformation sections (2, 4) and is formed from a rigid material, which is subjected in the course of cold forming only to a small degree of deformation and after forming of the blank (1) provides the side crash support of the respective bodywork part. In particular motor vehicle doors (6) can be made from such a blank (1).

The invention relates to a blank for the production of an outer sheet panel for a bodywork part, such a bodywork part, in particular a motor vehicle door, and a method for the production of such a bodywork part.
Increased demands in the protection of the occupants of motor vehicles have led to the side region of the bodywork also being more strongly protected from an impact in the event of a collision with another vehicle or with an object. Usually, so-called "side crash supports" are attached inside the vehicle doors for this purpose.
These supports usually consist of high-tensile steel, which possesses high energy absorbing capacity in the event of an impact. The protection of the vehicle occupants has been substantially improved by using such side crash supports. However, they lead to a considerable increase in the weight of the doors.
The latter is particularly disadvantageous in regard to the generally pursued weight reduction of vehicle bodies. Furthermore, the attachment of the side crash supports makes several production stages necessary, which must be carried out in addition to the other production stages during the fabrication of the bodywork. This usual fabrication of the bodywork comprises the manufacture of the inner and the outer sheet panel of the respective vehicle door in each case by cold forming a sheet metal blank, into which for example the recess needed for the window opening is moulded. Subsequently, the side crash support is attached by bonding or welding to the side of the inner sheet panel assigned to the outer sheet panel. Finally, the outer sheet panel is then placed on the inner sheet panel equipped with the side crash support and both sheet panels are connected together by crimping the boundary regions. In a comparable way, the other outer sheet panels of the bodywork in the vicinity of side bodywork parts enclosing the passenger cell can be strengthened for the event of a lateral impact.
Attempt has been made to improve the strength of motor vehicle doors by forming the outer sheet panel of the vehicle doors with an inside and an outside metal skin (DE 39 34 590 C2). The inside and the outside metal skin in this case can be formed integrally as a pressed sheet part respectively. Further improved impact protection can be achieved by profiling the inner metal skin in the course of its fabrication in such a way that in the impact-endangered region of the doors it forms a side crash support, which then lies against the outer skin. As the result of such a double-skinned structure stiffening of the vehicle doors can be achieved. The expenditure necessary for the production of such doors, however, is substantial. Added to this is the fact that whenever the inner skin also comprises the side crash support, the strength of this side crash support is restricted by the demands, which are imposed with regard to the ductility of the sheet metal used for fabricating the internal skin. Also the expenditure linked with the fabrication of the vehicle doors known from DE 39 34 590 C2 is therefore substantial.

Blank, chassis component and method for production of said chassis component


The invention provides a method and apparatus for the prevention of fraudulent toll calls by a user connected to a key telephone system. On recognition of a user request for use of a telephone line to make a call to a destination outside the key system, the forward speech path to the seized telephone line is muted. The string of digits dialed by the user are monitored and evaluated for correspondence to restrictions associated with the user terminal. If restrictions are failed, the call is terminated; otherwise, the forward speech path is unmuted and the call is allowed to proceed in the conventional manner. The invention may also provide an interdigital timer which is set upon reception of each dialed digit whereby if the timer is allowed to reset while the dialed digit string is being monitored, the call is terminated.

Generally, very small telephone systems were generally referred to as key telephone systems. Characteristically, a key telephone system was provided by extensive telephone line and control lead wiring between the key telephone sets with each telephone line extending to a telephone switching office. Each of the key sets included a plurality of interlocking pushbuttons or keys each for connecting the telephone set to a particular telephone line among a plurality of telephone lines routed to each key telephone set. The switching function of line selection was mechanically provided and distributed among the key telephone sets. The primary advantages of these systems were economy with small size and robustness. However, these early systems were difficult to expand, required extensive cabling and were not compatible with the emerging world of digital switching and the associated ubiquitousnous of digital communications.
In the late 1980's and 1990's, a new generation of small switching systems were developed to be compatible with the existing world of digital telephony. One of the better-known and most successful of these systems is marketed under the name of Norstar.TM. by the Northern Telecom Company.
Architectural and functional information on the Norstar digital key telephone system may be obtained from U.S. Pat. No. 4,873,682 issued Oct. 10, 1989 to G. F. Irwin et al and U.S. Pat. No. 5,027,345 issued Jun. 25, 1991 to T. J. Littlewood; both patents are assigned to the same assignee as the present application and are hereby incorporated by reference. Yet other information on the Norstar system may be obtained from the publication "Telesis", 1989, two, published by Nortel Technology, the research arm of Northern Telecom Limited.
The Norstar system interfaces to the public switched telephone network (PSTN) via telephone lines in the usual manner of a telephone switch. The core of the system named KSU (Key Service Unit) in Norstar, has ports connected to telephone lines and to proprietary digital key sets via time-compression multiplex (TCM) links each carrying a pair of B-channels B1 and B2 at 64 kb/s and a D-channel at 16 kb/s. The telephone lines extending from the key system to a central office are often referred to as trunks since they connect two switches; therefore, the terms line and trunk are often used interchangeably in describing key systems.
The KSU can also be connected to a personal computer (PC) via one of its TCM ports. The physical and logical connection between the PC and the KSU is provided by a proprietary PC interface card that occupies one standard PC bus slot. Firmware in the PC interface card provides PC applications with access to both D-channel functional messaging and B-channel data. The PC communicates with the card via interrupts for the D-channel and direct memory access for large data transfers associated with the B-channel traffic.
By comparison with the electromechanical key switching systems, the new digital key switching systems are very sophisticated. However, a characteristic shared by both old and new systems presents a user with the opportunity of using a key station set fraudulently. The characteristic relates to the fact that when a user actuates a key on his set to request a line to a subtending central office (CO) of the PSTN, he causes the CO to allocate a subscriber line to be connected directly between itself and the key set. In the case of the Norstar system, one of the B-channels between the key set and the KSU and hence to the CO is allocated to the request and the user is effectively connected directly to a line circuit of the CO. This line seizure causes a DTMF (Dual Tone Multifrequency) receiver to be connected to the line appearance of the CO in anticipation of receiving dialed digits from the user. This situation allows a user who wishes to defraud the system to use a hand-held DTMF generator to dial digits for access to a remote location. This activity appears like a valid sequence to the CO and the user is able to remain connected for an unlimited duration and the KSU is only aware that the line has been successfully seized.
As mentioned above, contemporary key switching systems have become sophisticated and although they suffer from the key system characteristic described above, they, on the other hand, provide safeguards against misdialing and invalid dialing of destination numbers. This is achieved through the use of a restriction server which causes software routines to verify a dialing string of digits or requested feature codes against pre-programmed restrictions and exceptions. The restriction server parses the string of digits one digit at a time and the string is compared against all restrictions. If any one of the restrictions is failed, the parser will compare the current string against the corresponding exceptions. If no exception matches the string, restriction is considered as being failed and a functional message will be sent to the controller of the process to indicate this result. However, if the string of digits does not fail any of the restriction filters, then restrictions are considered passed and a corresponding message is generated.
Key systems are vulnerable to toll frauds partly because a restriction server normally assumes that restrictions are passed by default. A dialed number that has neither failed a restriction nor passed all restrictions explicitly will put the restriction server in a "parsing state". Since restrictions have not been failed explicitly, a user would still have a clear speech path to the CO. This situation thus provides a dialing "fraud window" to a perpetrator.
Fraudulent use of the telephone network has been prevalent over the years and a large amount of activity by network service providers has been directed at minimizing the effectiveness of the fraud perpetrator. Most of the fraudulent activity has been centered on the use of a "blue box" and/or "black box".
The use of a blue box is based on the situation whereby a caller pays for a local call while actually making a toll call. The blue box is basically the combination of a DTMF generator and a single-frequency generator operated manually in response to perceived single frequency signaling on the toll network. On the other hand, the use of a black box is based on "fooling" the toll billing system in believing that a toll call attempt was not successful whereas in actual fact, the call was answered. Whatever the equipment or method, a fraudulent call involves either avoiding or altering the billing record and charges for the call.
Many of the activities directed at mitigating if not altogether preventing the fraudulent use of the toll telephone network have resulted in numerous patents.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,001,513 issued to the Northern Electric Company relies on the recognition of extraneous supervisory signals, generated in response to the use of a blue box, to detect a fraudulent toll call. U.S. Pat. No. 4,885,767 followed a similar detection technique to detect fraudulent calls.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,811,378 teaches an invention for detecting the results of using a blue box by monitoring the signaling activity in a toll office. A toll call is prevented from being set-up until answer supervision is received for a first attempted call.
Other detection of fraudulent practices in the toll network are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,392,335 and 5,602,906; the methods vary respectively from the prevention of fraudulent toll calls that may be perpetrated through the use of telephone system adjunct processors such as voice messaging systems, to the detection of fraudulent toll calls using artificial intelligence and expert systems that detect "uncharacteristic" use of billing numbers.
The common characteristic of the known patents that teach the detection of blue or black boxes is that they rely on the effects of using those boxes; that is, they are directed at the detection of "non-normal" toll network signals that result from their use. None of the known patents teach a method for preventing the use of a hand-held DTMF generator to perpetrate fraudulent toll calls.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a method for mitigating the effective use of a hand-held tone generator by a subscriber to place fraudulent toll telephone calls.
It is a further object of the invention to prevent a key set user of a key telephone system from using a hand-held tone generator to place fraudulent toll calls.

Method of preventing fraudulent toll calls by key system users


An apparatus and method for centrifugally separating particles by both weight and size include a rotating drum rotating about a second rotating axis disposed perpendicularly to a first rotating axis, and includes an inlet, at least one rotating plate and an outlet. The inlet injects a test material. The rotating plate extends radially outward toward an inner surface of the rotating drum from the second rotating axis and has one or more configurations of protruded and recessed portions formed on a surface thereof. The rotating plate receives the test material on a surface thereof. The outlet discharges separated test material.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for separating materials by weight and size using centrifugal force.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional methods of separating materials by size include filtering and size-separation chromatography. Centrifugal separation is the use of centrifugal force to separate components in a material by the specific gravity of the components. Centrifugal separators can be classified into centrifugal settlers and centrifugal filters. Centrifugal settlers have a sealed rotating drum within which a material is separated into residual layers. A centrifugal filter, on the other hand, has an open rotating drum with apertures through which liquid or small particles can pass through to the outside of the drum. The centrifugal filter contains a filtering plate with apertures formed therein, whereby a rotating force is applied perpendicularly to the filtering plate.
Accordingly, in the prior art, there is no centrifugal separation method or apparatus which use a plate without apertures to centrifugally separate materials.
Thus, there is a need for an apparatus method for separating material by size, quickly and easily using a plate without apertures to centrifugally separate materials.

Apparatus and method for separating material by size using a rotating drum having multiplex axes of rotation


The present disclosure relates to a drug delivery device comprising a dose setting member for setting user variable doses of a medicament and a display for indicating the dose set by the dose setting member. The display comprises a number wheel, which is rotationally coupled to the dose setting member and is provided with a series of markings on its outer circumference, and at least one prism deviating the image of the markings of the number wheel, e.g. by 90°.

Drug delivery devices have application where regular injection by persons without formal medical training occurs. This may be increasingly common among patients having diabetes where self-treatment enables such patients to conduct effective management of their disease. In practice, such a drug delivery device allows a user to individually select and dispense a number of user variable doses of a medicament. The present disclosure is not directed to so called fixed dose devices which only allow dispensing of a predefined dose without the possibility to increase or decrease the set dose.
There are basically two types of drug delivery devices: resettable devices (i.e., reusable) and non-resettable (i.e., disposable). For example, disposable drug delivery devices are supplied as self-contained devices. Such self-contained devices do not have removable pre-filled cartridges. Rather, the pre-filled cartridges may not be removed and replaced from these devices without destroying the device itself. Consequently, such disposable devices need not have a resettable dose setting mechanism. The present disclosure is in general applicable for both types of devices, i.e. for disposable devices as well as for reusable devices.
A further differentiation of drug delivery device types refers to the drive mechanism: There are devices which are manually driven, e.g. by a user applying a force to an injection button, devices which are driven by a spring or the like and devices which combine these two concepts, i.e. spring assisted devices which still require a user to exert an injection force. The spring-type devices involve springs which are preloaded and springs which are loaded by the user during dose selecting. Some stored-energy devices use a combination of spring preload and additional energy provided by the user, for example during dose setting. Further types of energy storage may comprise compressed fluids or electrically driven devices with a battery or the like. Although many aspects of the present disclosure are applicable for all of these types of devices, i.e. for devices with or without a drive spring or the like energy storage, the preferred embodiments require some kind of energy storage.
These types of delivery devices generally comprise of three primary elements: a cartridge section that includes a cartridge often contained within a housing or holder; a needle assembly connected to one end of the cartridge section; and a dosing section connected to the other end of the cartridge section. A cartridge (often referred to as an ampoule) typically includes a reservoir that is filled with a medication (e.g., insulin), a movable rubber type bung or stopper located at one end of the cartridge reservoir, and a top having a pierceable rubber seal located at the other, often necked-down, end. A crimped annular metal band is typically used to hold the rubber seal in place. While the cartridge housing may be typically made of plastic, cartridge reservoirs have historically been made of glass.
The needle assembly is typically a replaceable double-ended needle assembly. Before an injection, a replaceable double-ended needle assembly is attached to one end of the cartridge assembly, a dose is set, and then the set dose is administered. Such removable needle assemblies may be threaded onto, or pushed (i.e., snapped) onto the pierceable seal end of the cartridge assembly.
The dosing section or dose setting mechanism is typically the portion of the device that is used to set (select) a dose. During an injection, a plunger or piston rod contained within the dose setting mechanism presses against the bung or stopper of the cartridge. This force causes the medication contained within the cartridge to be injected through an attached needle assembly. After an injection, as generally recommended by most drug delivery device and/or needle assembly manufacturers and suppliers, the needle assembly is removed and discarded.
The dosing section of drug delivery devices for selecting and dispensing a number of user variable doses of a medicament often comprises a display for indicating the selected dose to a user. This is especially important where a user may select a different dose each time depending on the state of health. There are mechanical displays, e.g. a drum with printed numbers on its outer surface, wherein the number corresponding to the actually selected dose is visible through a window or opening in the device. Although such mechanical displays are simple and reliable, they usually require a relatively large construction space which makes the devices bulky. In addition, the size of the numbers is in some cases too small for visually impaired users. Further, electronic displays are known, e.g. LCD displays, which have the benefit of a relatively large number size without requiring too much construction space. However, a downside of electronic displays is that they require an energy source and that such electronic components may be too expensive, especially in a disposable drug delivery device.
A disposable drug delivery device is known from WO 2004/078241 A1, wherein the display comprises a number sleeve with numbers printed on its outer surface. The device further comprises a housing, a cartridge holder for retaining a cartridge containing a medicament, a piston rod displaceable relative to the cartridge holder, a driver coupled to the piston rod, a dose setting knob coupled to the driver and fixed to the number sleeve, and an injection button. The number sleeve is in threaded engagement with the housing, such that the number sleeve rotates along a helical path in a first direction during dose selecting and rotates back into the housing in a second, opposite direction during dose dispensing.
An alternative design of the display is known for example from EP 1 250 167 B1, which shows a drug delivery device with a display similar to an egg-timer. A dose setting element is provided rotatable about an axis which is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the cartridge. The number display is arranged as a ring having respective markings with a pointer tip on the dose setting element pointing at the set dose marking. A downside of this display is that only every five number is indicated as a figure with dashes for every single unit. This makes it difficult to read the exact dose. Further, it may be difficult to identify the exact position of the pointer tip, which again raises the risk of misreadings.


The present invention comprises a smart subscriber line interface card (SLIC). The SLIC of the present invention includes a switch coupled to a data transmitter, a DAC (digital to analog converter), and a controller circuit. The data transmitter is coupled to a first input of the switch and is adapted to generate a data transmitter output from a received digital network signal and couple the data transmitter output to the first input of the switch. The DAC is coupled to a second input of the switch and is adapted to generate a DAC output from the received digital network signal and couple the DAC output to the second input of the switch. The controller circuit is coupled to the switch and functions by configuring the switch for either efficient data transmission via the data transmitter, or conventional communication via the DAC.

Wide area networking across great distances is a new paradigm of operation for users of telecommunications equipment. The rise of the internet has led to an explosion in the amount of information available to individuals. Whole new industries have formed around the resulting near instantaneous access to information. Working professionals, governments, businesses, and other various segments of the economy are offering new forms of information, services, and products via the new forms of communication. The modern telecommunications devices, such as modems and network servers, allow many new forms of rich information content and are providing more efficient ways of organizing companies and business processes. Essentially, digital telecommunications has proven to be a far more powerful and compelling method of communication than previous, voice only, telecommunications methods. The rise of this new paradigm has led to a huge increase in the digital telecommunications appetite of the consumer.
The problem, however, is that the public switched telephone network through which the majority of this information passes was not designed to handle high bandwidth digital data. The public switched telephone network (PSTN) was primarily designed for point to point voice communication. To connect two users, the network establishes a communications channel between them. This communications channel typically is symmetrical, in that the data transfer rate "upstream" from a user is the same as the data transfer rate "downstream" to the user. Recently, the PSTN has been increasingly used for downloading large amounts of digital data. For voice communication or for relatively small data transfers (e.g., 14 to 33 Kbps), the PSTN functions adequately. For the rich, highly graphical data and modern client-server applications increasingly being used today, however, the PSTN is proving inadequate. Although the PSTN may be able to handle the demands of upstream communications traffic, the downstream traffic has become much greater than the communications channels of the PSTN can efficiently accommodate. Consequently, the vast majority of client server digital communications or high data rate downloads through the PSTN are inefficient and slow. Client-server communications tend to be asymmetric, meaning the largest data transfers are downstream data transfers from the server side of the communications channel (e.g., full motion video files, graphics files, 3D models, and the like) as opposed to the client side. Users are searching for faster connections which will allow them to efficiently download large amounts of digital information from the PSTN.
Prior Art FIG. 1 shows a diagram of a typical client-server communications channel 100 in the PSTN. The client-server communications channel 100 includes a user modem 101 sending transmit data and downloading receive data to and from a user on the left of FIG. 1 (not shown). User modem 101 is coupled to a 2-4 wire converter 102, and in turn, is coupled to a second 2-4 wire converter 103. In communications channel 100, the two wire line connecting 2-4 wire converter 102 and 2-4 wire converter 103 is referred to as the local loop. The 2-4 wire converter 103 is coupled to a PCM (pulse code modulation) codec 104. The 2-4 wire converter 103 and PCM codec 104 are often integrated into one piece of equipment referred to as a subscriber line interface card. PCM codec 104 is coupled to a digital switched network 105 portion of the PSTN, and in turn, is coupled to a internet service provider (ISP) server 106 via a digital subscriber line (e.g., T1 line).
The signals from the user on the left of FIG. 1 to PCM codec 104 are analog signals. The signals from the ISP server on the right of FIG. 1 to the digital switched network are digital signals. The analog signals are converted into corresponding digital signals by the digital to analog converters (DACs) and the analog to digital converters (ADCs) of PCM codec 104.
The 2-4 wire converter 103 and the PCM codec 104 comprise the major portions of a subscriber line interface card. The subscriber line interface card (SLIC) functions by converting the user's analog signal into a digital signal. Once converted, the digital signal is transmitted and switched through the digital switched network 105 of the PSTN. At the destination, the digital signal is coupled directly to ISP server 106 via the digital subscriber line without any intervening codecs.
User modem 101 is designed to receive analog signals. If the analog signal is a voice signal, it is used to drive the speaker of a telephone, recreating the user's voice. If the analog signal is a data signal (e.g., a V.21 modem signal), user modem 101 extracts the digital data from the analog signal for use by the receiving user's computer system. Hence, when ISP server 106 transmits large data files to the user, the digital signals comprising the data files are converted from digital form to analog form by PCM codec 104, transmitted across the local loop, and converted back to digital form by user modem 101. Communications channel 100 functions adequately when used to transmit and receive analog information (e.g., voice). However, communications channel 100 proves inefficient when utilized to transmit high bit rate data streams from ISP server 106.
One of the major bottle-necks to high speed data transmission through a communications channel is the presence of prior art SLICs. For example, one of the primary challenges in designing 56 Kbps PCM type modems is accounting for the detrimental effects of the DACs contained within the SLICs, in combination with the A or .mu. law expansion.
Prior Art FIG. 2 shows a typical prior art SLIC 200. SLIC 200 includes 2-4 wire converter 103 and PCM codec 104. PCM codec 104 includes an 8 bit A law ADC 201 and an 8 bit A law DAC 202. The 8 bit A law ADC 201 transmits information upstream to the digital switched network as a 64 Kbps digital data stream. The 8 bit A law DAC 202 receives downstream information as a 64 Kbps data stream. While SLIC 200 includes A law DAC 202 and A law ADC 201, those skilled in the art understand that alternatively, SLIC 200 could include a .mu. law DAC and .mu. law ADC instead.
As is well known in the art, in the down stream direction (e.g., from an internet service provider to a user), 8 bit A law DAC 202 restricts the number of signaling levels to a theoretical maximum of 256 voltage levels. The number of levels actually available are much lower. Many of the signaling levels around the origin are unusable primarily due to the A law expansion which places these levels too closely together. This forces the user modem 101 to use larger amplitude levels with a corresponding increase in the transmit signal power, as the bit rates increase. Thus, one of the factors limiting the maximum bit rate is the maximum allowable power levels on the local exchange lines. Those desiring more detailed information regarding A law and .mu. law codec standards are directed to "ITU-T G.711, PULSE CODE MODULATION (PCM) OF VOICE FREQUENCIES, International Telecommunications Union" which is incorporated herein as background material.
One solution presently available to the user is to convert to ISDN (integrated services digital network). However, this requires not only a hardware change to the SLIC 200 (e.g., the removal and replacement with a new SLIC) but software and other hardware changes to the PSTN such that the user's local loop is no longer viewed by the PSTN as a regular analog line. Furthermore, modification is often required to the subscriber's local loop on an ad-hoc basis to accommodate the wider bandwidth of an ISDN signal. Consequently, ISDN is presently an expensive option for the user. The installation expense is primarily due to the this lack of a simple, one time hardware change required within the PSTN and the running expense is due to the fact that an ISDN connection requires a total of 144 Kbps (e.g., basic ISDN 2B+D connection) in both directions, compared to only 64 Kbps full duplex for an analog line. Consequently, ISDN imposes more demands on the local exchange's limited available digital throughput to the next level of switching in the PSTN (e.g., digital switched network 105).
Therefore, the expansion of ISDN service at any local exchange has to be carefully planned by the PSTN operators to avoid degrading the quality of service to other normal users of that exchange. The solutions might mean limited ISDN availability and/or the expensive laying of new high bandwidth cable from the local exchange to the next switching level in the PSTN hierarchy. Neither of these solutions is desirable.
Thus, what is required is a system which improves the efficiency of asymmetric data transfers through the PSTN. The required system should improve the downstream data transfer bandwidth for users coupled to the PSTN. The required system should impose minimum changes to the hardware of the PSTN and should be relatively easy to implement in comparison to ISDN. The required system should increase the downstream data transfer efficiency of modems coupled to the PSTN. Additionally, the required system should be compatible with ordinary analog voice communication. The present invention provides a novel solution to the above requirements.

Method and system for achieving faster asymmetric data transmission through the public switched telephone network


An organic electroluminescent device comprising: a pair of electrodes; and at least one organic compound layer including a light emitting layer between the pair of electrodes, wherein the organic compound layer contains a metal complex that has a tridentate or more ligand and two or more metal ions.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an organic electroluminescent device (EL device) which can emit light by converting electric energy into optical energy.
2. Description of the Related Art
Since an organic electroluminescent device can emit high-brightness light with a low voltage, the organic electroluminescent device has attracted attentions as a promising display device. External quantum efficiency is an important characteristic of the organic electroluminescent device. The external quantum efficiency is calculated as "external quantum efficiency Φ=the number of photons emitted from a device/the number of electrons injected into the device," and it can be said that it is more advantageous in view of power consumption as the external quantum efficiency becomes greater.
The external quantum efficiency of the organic electroluminescent device is defined by "external quantum efficiency Φ=internal quantum efficiency×light extraction efficiency." In an organic electroluminescent device using fluorescent light emission from an organic compound, since the limit value of the internal quantum efficiency is about 25% and the light extraction efficiency is about 20%, the limit value of the external quantum efficiency is about 5%.
A technology, which can enhance the internal quantum efficiency of an organic electroluminescent by the use of a triplet light emitting material (phosphorescent material) including a platinum complex and enhance the external quantum efficiency in comparison with a conventional device (singlet light emitting device) using fluorescent light emission, is disclosed in WO 2004/108857