Methods and systems for authenticating a security device for providing a secure access and transaction authorization to a remote network location are provided. The security device is authenticated by installing private security software on the security device. A Two-Channel authorization method includes a transaction notification/authorization channel and a transaction channel. A Three-Channel authorization method includes a transaction notification channel, a transaction authorization channel, and the transaction channel. Embodiments of the present invention provide increased security and privacy. A corresponding system for authenticating a security device and preforming secure private transactions is also provided.

On-line web-based services are widely used in today's society, a typical example being on-line banking services. However, problems associated with transaction security have caused serious challenges and risks to institutions and their customers. The increase in identity theft and the resulting financial losses have become major obstacles that institutions have sought to overcome to ensure a secure on-line environment and to maximize the potential benefits and value of on-line services.
In a global economy with billions of transactions carried daily over insecure public Internet Protocol (IP) networks, identity protection becomes paramount. Commerce transactions are based on the trust that each party places in the integrity of the other's credentials. The resultant proliferation of identity systems is forcing individuals to become their own identity administrators.
Organizations are increasingly vulnerable to substantial economic loss from cyber security attacks. In the case of an information security breach, financial institutions in particular can be exposed to a significant financial loss, as well as a loss of reputation. In general, the customer computer environment is considered to be insecure with potential for a variety of malicious software to be inserted, such as keystroke recorder, Trojan horse, or even screen recorder, etc., able to record a customer's keystrokes, redirect critical messages to a fake server, or to effectively "video record" the customer computer's screen (buffer). By using a variety of means, hackers are able to steal customer's identities. Even worse, local sessions can be hijacked and critical data modified.
Current solutions are largely aimed at improving the network communication security aspects (even though the actual network communication links are secure enough—as long as man-in-the-middle attacks and the like are prevented). However, the bigger problem lies in detecting and preventing attacks on communications within the client platform itself.
The shortcomings of the current systems apply to personal computer clients running browsers, as well as to personal hand-held digital assistants, 'smart-phones', and like network client devices.
Authentication
The traditional way to authenticate a customer is to provide a user name and password from the customer's client computer. However, this one-factor (e.g. user-id+password) authentication is not secure enough to protect either the customer or the institution from attack by malicious software or malware (including 'Trojan horses') using approaches such as man-in-the-middle (MITM), man-in-the-browser (MITB), and keystroke logging.
A man-in-the-middle (MITM) attack is one in which the attacker intercepts messages in a public key exchange and then retransmits them, substituting his own public key for the requested one, so that the two original parties still appear to be communicating with each other.
Man-in-the-browser (MITB) is a security attack where the perpetrator installs a Trojan horse on a victim's computer that is capable of modifying that customer's web commerce transactions as they occur in real time. A man-in-the-browser attack, unlike "phishing", can occur even when the victim enters the Uniform Resource Locator (URL) into the browser independently, without an external prompt. On the surface, commerce transactions take place normally with expected prompts and password requirements. An MITB attack is more difficult to prevent and disinfect, however, because the activity, instead of occurring in an interchange of messages over the public network, takes place between the customer and the security mechanisms within that customer's browser or client computer.
Two-factor authentication (TFA) is a security process in which the customer provides two means of identification, one of which may be a physical token, such as a card, security token or Universal Serial Bus (USB) device, and the other is typically something memorized, such as a security code. In this context, the two factors involved are sometimes spoken of as "something you have" and "something you know".
Although TFA improves the authentication security, its implementation tends to lead to a costly system. In many TFA systems today, the verification of both the physical token and the security code are conducted at a remote authentication server. This approach may require separate protocols to authenticate the physical token identifier and the customer security code. Since a centralized authentication server must deal with large volumes of on-line commerce transactions at the same time, this approach also results in scalability issues.
Transaction Authentication Numbers
In addition to the two factor authorization (TFA) systems mentioned earlier, some on-line banking services use a transaction authentication number (TAN). This takes the form of one time passwords (OTP) to authorize financial transactions. The list of TANs is therefore an additional factor. TANs provide another layer of security above and beyond traditional authentication.
An Outline of how TANs Function
                1. The bank creates a set of unique TANs for the customer.        2. The customer picks up the list from the nearest bank branch. This is deemed to be secure.        3. The customer receives a password by mail to the customer's home address.        4. To log on to his/her account, the customer enters a user name and password as normal. This gives access to certain account information but the ability to process transactions is disabled.        5. To perform a transaction, the customer enters the request and "signs" the transaction by entering an unused TAN. The bank verifies the TAN submitted against the list of TANs they issued to the customer.        6. The TAN has now been consumed and will not be recognized for any further transactions.        7. If the TAN list is compromised, the customer may cancel it by notifying the bank.
In some scenarios TANs provide additional security by acting as another form of two-factor authentication. If the physical document containing the TANs is stolen, it will be of little use without the password. On the other hand, if a hacker cracks the customer's password, they can not process transactions without the TAN.
The risk of compromising a TAN list can be reduced by using algorithms that generate TANs on-the-fly, based on a secret known by the bank and stored in the token or a smartcard inserted into the token.
Thus as increased security has become more critical, the customer is faced with increased complexity and the need to remember several procedures, not to mention user names, passwords, and other security codes or PINs, in order to carry out on line transactions, particularly commerce transactions. This has the effect of discouraging potential customers. In some cases, customers compromise the security of their transactions by reusing passwords, or writing them down, or worse, saving them in a file on their computer for ease of recall/reference.
Factors that require to be addressed include:                Customer perception of complexity;        Customer concerns with security;        Merchant reduction of loss by fraud;        Scalability;        Managing the process(es);        Balancing usability with security;        Minimizing impact on customer computing platform;                    Minimizing impact on merchant computing platform; and            Migration from existing to new system.
What is needed is a further development of a flexible and simple identity protection and authentication system and method combined with transaction verification ability that could be used across several service providers, and would be able to accommodate complex identity relationships, and provide ways to eliminate or mitigate common security vulnerabilities, at the same time allowing a complex task to appear simpler to the customer, for example by hiding the complexity under a simple GUI.
There is also a need for stronger identity credentials providing better protection from tampering, and enabling safer high-value and sensitive transactions in areas such as health-care, and banking operations.

Method and system for authorizing secure electronic transactions using a security device


Novel brain targeted low molecular weight, hydrophobic antioxidants and use of antioxidants in treatment of central nervous system neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson's, Alzheimer's and Creutzfeldt-Jakob's diseases and in treatment of conditions of peripheral tissues, such as acute respiratory distress syndrome, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, atheroscierotic cardiovascular disease and multiple organ disfunction, in which oxidants are overproduced.

The present invention relates to composition and use of novel antioxidant compounds, also referred herein as antioxidants. More particularly, the present invention relates to novel brain targeted low molecular weight, hydrophobic antioxidants and their use in treatment of central nervous system neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson's, Alzheimer's and Creutzfeldt-Jakob's diseases. The compounds according to the present invention can also be used as antioxidants in treating conditions of peripheral tissues, such as acute respiratory distress syndrome, amnyotrophic lateral sclerosis, atheroscierotic cardiovascular disease and multiple organ disfunction.
Correlation between oxidative stress and various neurodegenerative pathologies.
In the last few years evidences have accumulated which connect oxidative stress (OS) with the pathogenesis of Parkinson's, Alzheimer's Creutzfeldt-Jakob's diseases and other human neurodegenerative disorders (Olanow, 1990, 1993; Fahn and Cohen, 1992; Cafe et al., 1996, Brown et al., 1996; Thomas et al., 1996).
These studies were initiated (i) since outo-oxidation of levodopa and doparine is known to produce oxygen free radicals, H.sub.2 O.sub.2, quinones and semiquinones, the later two are high molecular weight polymers possessing an aromatic structure and are therefore potentially toxic and (ii) since post-mortem studies in Parkinson's disease patients showed a dramatic decline in the levels of endogenous reduced glutathione (GSH), which is, as is further delineated hereinbelow, essential for maintaining the oxidative state of the cells. The decrease in reduced glutathione levels progresses from the pre symptomatic Parkinson's disease condition to the advanced clinical Parkinson's disease condition.
Two possible explanations may account for the role played by oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease.
According to a first hypothesis it is assumed that cells of the substantia nigra (SN), are constantly under oxidative stress due to the oxidation of the catechol ring of dopamine. Dopamine, like other catecholamines, undergoes spontaneous oxidation to form semiquinones, oxygen free-radicals and H.sub.2 O.sub.2 as metabolic by-products. In addition, one of the disposal routs for dopamine is its enzymatic oxidation by MAO (monamine oxidase) type A or B which, like the spontaneous oxidation, creates semiquinones, oxygen free radicals and H.sub.2 O.sub.2.
These products may cause accumulative oxidation damage within the substantia nigra cells, and eventually lead to cell death. Non-affected cells increase the turnover of dopamine, which in turn, generates more toxic free radicals. Indeed, it was shown that in the presence of H.sub.2 O.sub.2 and copper ions, dopamine as well as L-dopa cause oxidative damage to DNA (Jenner 1994; Spencer et al., 1994).
According to another hypothesis it is assumed that Parkinson's disease is caused by a substance of an unknown composition, similar to the toxin 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP), which is enzymatically converted to the toxic metabolite l-methyl-4-phenyl pyridine (MPP.sup.+) by MAO type B. Since this reaction releases free oxygen radicals, thereby increasing the oxidative stress imposed on the cells, similar mechanisms might affect the nigral cells in Parkinson's disease. If this type of a process indeed occurs in Parkinsonian brains, than again, it would create a high level of oxidative stress in the dopaminergic cells at the substantia nigra.
The following findings demonstrate a strong indication for oxidative stress as a possible cause for the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease.
First, the iron content in the substentia Nigra of Parkinson's disease patients was found to be significantly higher while ferritin content, the protein which bind free iron ions within tissues, was found to be significantly lower then normal values (Olanow 1990; 1993 and Jenner 1994). These two phenomena indicate a situation where the amount of free iron which acts as a catalyst in oxidation reactions, is abnormally high and thus may contribute to the speed of oxidation reactions at the substantia nigra of Parkinson's disease patients. The above indication was given support when it was shown that injection of free iron directly into the substantia nigra of rodents caused the appearance of Parkinsonian symptoms, which symptoms could be overcome by addition of transferrin, the protein which binds free iron in the blood plasma (Jenner 1994).
Second, one of the protective mechanisms against oxidation processes in the brain is reduced glutathione (GSH), which upon oxidation to oxidized glutathione (GS), acts as a reducing agent. In the substantia nigra of Parkinson's disease patients the level of reduced glutathione is significantly low, whereas the level of oxidized glutathione remains normal. Hence the oxidation potential in the substantia nigra of Parkinson's disease patients is low. This change in the level of reduced glutathione is in all likelihood, specific for Parkinson's disease. The oxidation products which are formed during spontaneous and enzymatic oxidation of dopamine, as described hereinabove, lower the level of reduced glutathione, and thereby increase the ratio of oxidized/reduced glutathione. Since the level of .gamma.-glutamyl-cysteine synthetase, the enzyme which is a rate limiting enzyme in the biochemical pathway of glutathione synthesis, is normal, the ratio stays high and induces a state of oxidative stress in the cells. It is interesting that the level of the enzyme which is responsible for the removal of oxidized glutathione, .gamma.-glutamyl transpeptidase in the cells is higher, as if the cells attempt to overcome the increased oxidative stress by trying to get lid of oxidized glutathione (Sian et al., 1994).
Third, additional evidence for the abnormally high oxidative stress in the Parkinsonian brain comes from a study of lipid oxidation products in the substantia nigra of Parkinson's disease patients. In general, the level of unsaturated fatty acids is low in the substantia nigra, however, the level of lipid hydroperoxides which are the oxidation products of unsaturated fatty acids is high in the substantia nigra of Parkinson's patients. This finding indicates the presence of an abnormally higher frequency of oxidation processes in the Parkinsonian substantia nigra (Jenner, 1994).
And finally, one of the animal models which are currently used for the study of Parkinson's disease is created by the injection of 6-hydroxy-dopamine. Like dopamine, this false neurotransmitter elevates the level of the oxidation products during its degradation, thus leading to cell death. Since the biological half life of 6-hydroxy-dopamine is much longer and since it is readily taken-up by the cells, it increases the rate by which the animal develops the symptoms of the disease.
The different pathological makers of various neurodegenerative diseases e.g., Lewy bodies, plaques, etc., indicate different causal factors in the initiation of these diseases. However, there is growing evidence that once initiated, the progression of a large number of neurodegenerative diseases, is quite similar.
Although the characteristic symptoms are descriptive for each neurodegenerative disease, it appears that elevation of the oxidative state of the cells at specific regions in the brain is an important factor in the etiology of Parkinson's disease, basal ganglia degenerative diseases, motoneuron diseases, Alzheimer's and also the Creutzfeldt-Jakob's disease.
An indication for a role played by oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease was found while in a recent study, the relationship between the .beta.-amyloid protein fragments and oxygen radical formation was tested in a system that is highly sensitive and responds to free oxygen radicals. This system utilizes the vasoactinity of the blood vessel which, in the presence of .beta.-amyloid, enhances the phenylephrine mediated contraction of the vessels. Pre treatment of the blood vessel with superoxide dismutase (SOD), an enzyme that scavenges free oxygen radicals, eliminated the effect of .beta.-amyloid, namely, there was no enhancement of vasoconstriction. Whereas, if SOD was added after treatment with .beta.-amyloid protein, the protective effect of the radical scavenger was abolished (Thomas el al., 1996). Recently, other studies have shown that oxidative stress and flee radicals production are linked to .beta.-amyloid fragment which includes amino acids 25-35 and may contribute to neurodegenerative events associated with Alzheimer's disease (Cafe el al., 1996).
Possible indications for a role played by oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of Scrapie, spongyform encephalopathy (B SE) and Creutzfeldt-Jakob's diseases are listed hereinbelow.
In a recent study, it was demonstrated that the toxic effect of Scrapie requires the presence of microglia cells which respond to a prion protein fragment (PrP106-126) by increasing their oxygen radical production. Interestingly, all these effects were absolutely dependent on mice that express the prion protein PrP.sup.c (Brown et al., 1996). The contribution of progressive oxidative stress to the state of various diseases and to mechanism of cell death is further demonstrated in a study by P. Jenner in The Lancet (1994) 344, 796-798, which is incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein.
New therapeutic aspects.
The use of glial cell-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) was established as a potential stimulant for the increase of dopamine levels in midbrain of rhesus monkeys (Gash et al., 1996). This study which extends previous results obtained with rodents, is promising as a potential treatment for Parkinson's disease. However, like any other protein, GDNF cannot cross the blood brain barrier. Therefore, it can not be taken orally or be injected systemically. The only possible mode of administration would thus be via an intracerebral injection which would constitute a main drawback for such a treatment.
Similarly, in other neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Creutzfeldt-Jakob's, where the theory of free oxygen radicals appears to play a major role, there is no major breakthrough in therapy.
To overcome high oxidative stress it would be beneficial to augment the reduced state of the cells at the central nervous system (CNS). One of the possible ways to do it is by increasing the level of reduced glutathione or other scavengers of free radicals and free oxygen in the brain.
In general, in order to lower oxidative stress levels, various antioxidants are being used. The most common are vitamin E and vitamin C. However, vitamin E was found to be ineffective at decreasing the oxidative stress at the substantia nigra (The Parkinson Study Group, 1993, Offen et al., 1996) since this compound, although capable of crossing the blood brain barrier, is trapped in the cell membrane and therefore does not reach the cytoplasm where its antioxidant properties are needed. Vitamin C does not cross the blood brain barrier and therefore, cannot be used effectively for neurodegenerative diseases of central origin.
Recently, a similar approach for reducing the levels of free oxygen, was taken for the treatment of asthma (Bundy el al., 1995). A reactive oxygen inhibitor was synthesized (2,4-diaminopyrrolo-2,3-d!pyrimidines) and after a successful pharmacological bio-availability and toxicity tests was selected for clinical evaluation.
A somewhat different approach involves stimulating the production of endogenous antioxidants, especially reduced glutathione. To this end a drug known as Procysteine which boosts cellular production of glutathione by loading the cells with cysteine is under clinical trials these days by Free Radical Sciences Inc. (CA, US) to treat conditions of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) which includes overproduction of oxidants or reactive oxygen species by the immune system. Other conditions in which overproduction of oxidants is experienced include but are not limited to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, atheroscierotic cardiovascular disease and multiple organ disfunction. See, for example, Charles Craig, 1996.
There is thus a widely recognized need for, and it would be highly advantageous to have novel antioxidant compounds and methods for use of antioxidants in treatment of central nervous system neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson's, Alzheimer's and Creutzfeldt-Jakob's diseases and in treating conditions of peripheral tissues, such as acute respiratory distress syndrome, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, atheroscierotic cardiovascular disease and multiple organ disfunction, which compounds act as oxygen scavengers to lower the oxidative stress within and in the vicinity of affected cells and eventually to stop cell death which is associated with oxidative stress in the brain and/or peripheral tissues.

Brain targeted low molecular weight hydrophobic antioxidant compounds


A window heater for a vehicular camera or the like provides for a first heating element surrounding the field-of-view of the camera and a second heater element winding through the field-of-view of the camera to optimize heat delivery to the windshield without obstructing the camera's field-of-view.

Vehicular systems for determining whether a vehicle is being held within a road lane and, if not, providing a warning to the driver (lane departure warning) are being developed as part of current vehicle safety equipment.
Sensors for use with lane departure warning (LDW) systems may include cameras mounted within the vehicle compartment, typically between the center rearview mirror and the windshield. From this location, the camera is positioned so that its field-of-view is directed toward the road in front of the vehicle. The space between the camera and the windshield may be protected by a glare shield to prevent light from outside of the field-of-view of the camera from interfering with the camera sensing.
The image signals obtained from the camera for the LDW are critical to determining the location of the lane lines and thus the relative location of the vehicle. These image signals may be degraded by frost, ice, or fog on the windshield.


An electronic apparatus for receiving and filtering high frequency waves comprises a sequence of T electroacoustic transducers each having multiple interdigital electrode fingers and a centerline located equidistant between its outermost electrode fingers. For a centerline-to-centerline distance of a first adjacent pair of transducers D.sub.1, and centerline-to-centerline distances of other adjacent pairs of transducers D.sub.2 to D.sub.T-1, then at least some of D.sub.2 to D.sub.T-1 differ from D.sub.1 by a non-integral number of wavelengths. The transducer array is symmetrical about a centerline and the number of fingers in each transducer varies, with an input or output transducer closer to either end of the sequence having more fingers than a like kind transducer nearer the center.

Modern portable radios and other electronic equipment require filters of very compact form and good electrical properties. Surface acoustic wave (SAW) filters are especially desirable for such purposes.
SAW filters are known in the prior art. For example, an article by Meirion Lewis entitled, "Saw Filters Employing Interdigitated Interdigital Transducers, IIDT", Ultrasonics Symposium, 1982, pages 12-17, describes SAW filters using interdigital transducers of interdigital electrodes on piezo-electric materials, each transducer having the same number of electrode fingers. Further, U.S. Pat. No. 4,492,940 to Hikita describes an acoustic surface wave bandpass filter using a linear array of alternate I/O transducers arranged in sequence, each having multiple interdigital electrode fingers, where the number of fingers in the input transducers and the number of fingers in the output transducers decreases from the center to the end of the array. Additionally, U.S. Pat. No. 4,649,357 to Nagai et al., describes a surface acoustic wave filter using a linear array of alternate I/O transducers arranged in sequence, each having multiple interdigital electrode fingers, where the distances (along the array) between the centerlines of adjacent transducers differ by an integral multiple (0, .+-.1, .+-.2, etc.) of wavelengths, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,931,755 to Sakamoto et al., describes use of an auxiliary capacitive transducer or other shunt capacitance to adjust the filter cut-off above the pass-band. The above-listed patents are incorporated herein by reference.
Despite the considerable effort by many researchers, numerous problems remain in connection with SAW filters, as for example, setting the optimum input/output (I/O) impedance levels, optimizing the spectral response, reducing internal reflections within the filter, and simplifying the fabrication process. These features of SAW filters affect their utility and performance in electronic apparatus. Hence, there continues to be an ongoing need for improved filters and filter applications.
As used herein the abbreviation SAW is intended to stand for "surface acoustic wave". As used herein the word "filter", singular or plural, is intended to include any element having a frequency dependent transfer function, and the words "SAW filter", singular or plural, are intended to refer to elements employing surface acoustic waves and having a frequency dependent transfer function.

Spatially varying multiple electrode acoustic wave filter and method therefor


An article for use in the preparation of a hydrogel prosthetic nucleus, for an intervertebral disc, having equilibrium water contents (EWCs) of from about 30 to about 90% and compressive strengths of at least 4 meganewtons per square meter (MNm.sup.-2), at their EWCs, when subjected to the same constraints as the normal nucleus, comprising one or more xerogel rods containing from zero to less than the EWC. A method for preparing a hydrogel prosthetic nucleus, for a vertebral disc, comprising one or more hydrogel rods containing from about 30 to about 90% water, and having compressive strengths of at least 1 MNm.sup.-2, at their EWCs, which comprises inserting one or more hydrophilic xerogel rods, which at their EWC will contain from about 30 to about 90% water and have compressive strengths of at least 1 MNm.sup.-2, containing water in an amount from about zero to less than their EWC, into the cavity of the disc through an opening in its annulus and allowing the rod, or rods, to absorb sufficient water from the body fluids to attain their EWCs and essentially fill the intervertebral nuclear disc cavity.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a prosthetic intervertebral disc nucleus. More particularly it relates to an artificial disc nucleus made of a hydrogel material.
The intervertebral disc is a complex joint anatomically and functionally. It is composed of three component structures: the nucleus pulposus (the nucleus), the annulus fibrosus (the annulus) and the vertebral end-plates. The biochemical composition and anatomical arrangements within these component structures are related to the biomechanical function of the disc.
The nucleus occupies about 25-40% of the total disc cross-sectional area. It is primarily composed of mucoid material containing mainly proteoglycans with a small amount of collagen. The proteoglycans consist of a protein core with chains of negatively charged keratin sulphate and chondroitin sulphate covalently attached thereto. Due to these constituents, the nucleus is a loose hydrogel which usually contains about 70-90% water by weight. Although the nucleus plays an important role in the biomechanical function of the disc, the mechanical properties of the disc are not well known, largely because of the loose hydrogel nature of the nucleus.
As the nucleus is surrounded by the annulus and vertebral end-plates, and the negatively charged sulphate groups are immobilized due to the attachment of these groups to the polymer matrix, the matrix has a higher concentration of counter ions than its surroundings. This ion concentration results in a higher osmotic pressure than the annulus e.g., ranging from about 0.1 to about 0.3 MPa. As a result of the high fixed charge density of the proteoglycan the matrix exerts an osmotic swelling pressure which can support an applied load in much the same way as air pressure in a tire supports the weight of a car.
It is the osmotic swelling pressure and hydrophilicity of the nucleus matrix that offers the nucleus the capability of imbibing fluid until it is balanced with the internal resistance stresses, due to the tensile forces of the collagen network, and the external stresses due to the loads that are applied by muscle and ligament tension. The swelling pressure (Ps) of the nucleus is directly dependent on the concentration and fixed charge densities of proteoglycan, i.e., the higher the concentration and fixed charge densities of proteoglycan the higher will be the swelling pressure of the nucleus. The external pressure changes with posture. When the human body is supine the compressive load on the third lumbar disc is 300 newtons (N) which rises to 700 N when an upright stance is assumed. The compressive load increases, yet again, to 1200 N when the body is bent forward by only 20.degree.. When the external pressure (Pa) increases the previous balance, i.e., Ps=Pa, is upset. To reach a new balance the swelling pressure has to increase. This increase is achieved by increasing the proteoglycan concentration in the nucleus which is achieved by reducing the fluid in the nucleus. That is why discs lose about 10% of their height, as a result of creep, during the daytime. When the external load is released i.e., Ps is greater than Pa, the nucleus will imbibe fluid from its surroundings in order to reach the new equilibrium value. It is this property of the nucleus that is mainly responsible for the compressive properties of the disc.
The annulus forms the outer limiting boundary of the disc. It is composed of highly structured collagen fibers embedded in an amorphous base substance which is also composed of water and proteoglycans. The amount of proteoglycans is lower in the annulus than in the nucleus. The collagen fibers of the annulus are arranged in concentric laminated bands or lamella, (about 8-12 layers thick) with a thicker anterior wall and thinner posterior wall. In each lamella, the fibers are parallel and attached to the superior and inferior vertebral bodies at an angle of about 30.degree. from the horizontal plane of the disc in both directions. This design particularly resists twisting because the half of the fibers cocked in one direction will tighten as the vertebrae rotate relative to each other in the other direction. *The composition of the annulus along the radial axis is not uniform. There is a steady increase in the proportion of collagen from the inner to the outer sections of the annulus. This difference in composition may reflect the need of the inner and outer regions of the annulus to blend into very different tissues while maintaining the strength of the structure. Only the inner lamellae are anchored to the end-plates forming an enclosed vessel for the nucleus. The collagen network of the annulus restrains the tendency of the nucleus gel to absorb water from surrounding tissues and swell. Thus, the collagen fibers in the annulus are always in tension, and the nucleus gel is always in compression.
The two vertebral end-plates are composed of hyaline cartilage, which is a clear, "glassy" tissue, that separates the disc from the adjacent vertebral bodies. This layer acts as a transitional zone between the hard, bony vertebral bodies and the soft disc. Because the intervertebral disc is avascular, most nutrients that the disc needs for metabolism are transported to the disc by diffusion through the end-plate area.
The intervertebral joint exhibits both elastic and viscous behavior. Hence, during the application of a load to the disc there will be an immediate "distortion" or "deformation" of the disc, often referred to as "instantaneous deformation". It has been reported that the major pathway by which water is lost, from the disc during compression, is through the cartilage end-plates. Since the water permeability of the end-plates is in the range of about 0.20 to about 0.85.times.10.sup.-17 m.sup.4 N.sup.-1 sec.sup.-1 it is reasonable to assume that under loading, the initial volume of the disc is constant while the load is applied. Because the natural nucleus of the disc is in the form of a loose hydrogel, i.e., a hydrophilic polymeric material which is insoluble in water, it can be deformed easily, the extent of deformation of the disc being largely dependent on the extensibility of the annulus. It is generally believed that the hydrostatic behavior of the nucleus plays an important role in the normal static and dynamic load-sharing capability of the disc and the restoring force of the stretched fibers of the annulus balances the effects of the nucleus swelling pressure. Without the constraint by the annulus, annular bulging of the nucleus would increase considerably. If the load is maintained at a constant level, a gradual change in joint height, commonly referred to as "creep", will occur as a function of time. Eventually, the creep will stabilize and the joint is said to be in "equilibrium". When the load is removed the joint will gradually "recover" to its original height before loading. The creep and relaxation rates depend on the amount of load applied, the permeability of the end-plates and the water binding capability of the nucleus hydrogel. Creep and relaxation are essential processes in pumping fluid in and out of the disc.
Degeneration of the intervertebral disc is believed to be a common cause of final pathological changes and back pain. As the intervertebral disc ages it undergoes degeneration. The changes that occur are such that, in many respects, the composition of the nucleus seems to approach that of the inner annulus. Intervertebral disc degeneration is, at least in part, the consequence of compositional changes in the nucleus. It has been found that both the molecular weight and the amount of proteoglycans in the nucleus decrease with age, especially in degenerated discs, and the ratio of keratin sulphate to chondroitin sulphate in the nucleus increases. This increase in the ratio of keratin sulphate to chondroitin sulphate and decrease in proteoglycan content decreases the fixed charge density of the nucleus from about 0.28 meq/ml to about 0.18-0.20 meq/ml. These changes cause the nucleus to lose part of its water binding capability which decreases the maximum swelling pressure it can exert. As a result, the maximum water content drops from over about 85%, in preadolescence, to about 70-75% in middle age. The glycosaminoglycan content of prolapsed discs has been found to be lower, and the collagen content higher, than that of normal discs of a comparable age. Discs L-4-L-5 and L-5-S-1 are usually the most degenerated discs.
It is known that although the nucleus only occupies about one third of the total disc area, it takes about 70% of the total loading in a normal disc. Thus, it has been found that the compressive load on the nuclei of moderately degenerated discs is about 30% lower than in comparable normal discs but the compressive load on the annulus increases by 100% in the degenerated discs. This load change is primarily caused by the structural changes in the disc as discussed above. The excess load on the annulus, of the degenerated disc, causes reduction of the disc height and excessive movement of the spinal segments. The flexibility of the disc produces excessive movement of the collagenous fibers which, in turn, injures the fiber attachments and causes delamination of the well organized fibers of the annulus ring. The delaminated annulus can be further weakened by stress on the annulus and in severe cases this stress will cause tearing of the annulus. This whole process is very similar to driving on a flat tire, where the reinforcement layer will eventually delaminate. Because the thickness of the annulus is not uniform, with the posterior portions being thinner than the anterior portions, delamination and lesions usually occur in the posterior area first.
The spinal disc may also be displaced or damaged due to trauma or diseases. In these cases, and in the case of disc degeneration, the nucleus may herniate and/or protrude into the vertebral canal or intervertebral foramen, in which case it is known as a herniated or "slipped" disc. This disc may in turn press upon the spinal nerve that exits the vertebral canal through the partially obstructed foramen, causing pain or paralysis in the area of its distribution. The most frequent site of occurrence of a herniated disc is in the lower lumbar region. A disc herniation in this area often involves the inferior extremities by compressing the sciatic nerve.
There are basically three types of treatment currently being used for treating low back pain caused by injured or degenerated discs: conservative care, discectomy and fusion. Each of these treatments has its advantages and limitations. The vast majority of patients with low back pain, especially those with first time episodes of low back pain, will get better with conservative care treatment. However, it is not necessarily true that conservative care is the most efficient and economical way to solve the low back pain problem.
Discectomy usually provides excellent short term results in relieving the clinical symptoms, by removing the herniated disc material, usually the nucleus, which causes the low back pain either by compressing the spinal nerve or by chemical irritation. Clearly, a discectomy is not desirable from a biomechanical point of view. In a healthy disc, the nucleus takes the most compressional load and in a degenerated disc this load is primarily distributed onto the annulus ring which, as described above, causes tearing and delamination of the annulus. Removal of the nucleus in a discectomy actually causes distribution the compressive load onto the annulus ring thereby narrowing the disc spaces. It has been reported that a long-term disc height decrease might be expected to cause irreversible osteoarthritis-like changes in the facet joint. That is why discectomy yields poor long term benefits and results in a high incidence of reherniation.
Fusion generally does a good job in eliminating symptoms and stabilizing the joint. However, because the motion of the fused segment is restricted, the range of motion of the adjoining vertebral discs is increased possibly enhancing their degenerative processes.
Because of these disadvantages, it is desirable to use a prosthetic joint device which not only is able to replace the injured or degenerated intervertebral disc, but also can mimic the physiological and the biomechanical function of the replaced disc. Such a device would restore the normal functions of the disc and prevent further degeneration of the surrounding tissue.


A metal-coated aromatic polyimide film having high peel strength between the polyimide film and the metal coat can be advantageously prepared by the steps of treating an aromatic polyimide film composed of a polyimide substrate layer of aromatic polyimide having biphenyltetracarboxylic acid units in its molecular structure coated with a polyimide surface layer of aromatic polyimide having bendable bondings in its molecular structure, with electric discharge under reduced pressure, to produce protrusions connected with each other in the form of network of chain on the surface layer, and placing plural metal films on the surface layer having the protrusions.

Aromatic polyimide films show high heat resistance, good chemical resistance, high electrical insulating property and high mechanical strength, and therefore are widely used in various technical fields. For instance, an aromatic polyimide film is favorably employed in the form of a metal-coated continuous film for manufacturing a flexible printed circuit board (FPC), a carrier tape for tape-automated-bonding (TAB), and a tape of lead-on-chip (LOC) structure.
Previously, the metal-coated aromatic polyimide film has been produced generally by bonding an aromatic polyimide film to a metal foil using a conventional adhesive such as epoxy resin. However, due to low heat-resistance of the conventional adhesive, the produced metal-coated aromatic polyimide film cannot show satisfactory high heat-resistance. It is difficult particularly for an aromatic polyimide film containing biphenyltetracarboxylic acid units, for instance, UPILEX-S (available from Ube Industries, Ltd.) which comprises biphenyltetracarboxylic acid units and phenylenediamine units, to fix directly a metal foil onto the film due to poor affinity of the surface of the polyimide film. Moreover, the metal foil is not appropriately employable for producing a metal-coated aromatic polyimide film having a thin metal coat which is strongly demanded at present. The thin metal coat is favorably employable for producing a circuit of a fine etched pattern.
In consideration of the above-mentioned problem and present demand, it has been proposed to manufacture a metal-coated aromatic polyimide film by forming a thin copper metal film on an aromatic polyimide film by means of electro-plating. However, it is difficult to produce an aromatic polyimide film having a well fixed metal film due to the poor affinity of the polyimide film.
It has been known that a surface of an aromatic polyimide film can be improved on its affinity to metal plating or deposition, by processing the film surface with an alkaline solution. However, the wet processing is not industrially preferred because it is required to sufficiently wash the alkaline-processed surface with pure water. Surface plasma treatment and corona discharge treatment are also known to improve the affinity of the polyimide film. However, such treatments are not satisfactory to produce a metal-coated polyimide film having high separation resistance between the metal film and the polyimide film.
Japanese Patent Provisional Publications No. 6-124978 and No. 6-210794 describe to coat a layer of PMDA polyimide which is produced from a combination of pyromellitic dianhydride and 4,4′-diaminodiphenyl ether over such an aromatic polyimide film as UPILEX-S and then depositing or plating a metal such as copper on the PMDA polyimide layer. Thus produced metal-coated aromatic polyimide film, however, has a problem in that the PMDA polyimide layer is not fixed onto the UPILEX-S with satisfactory bonding strength.
Japanese Patent Provisional Publication No. 1-321687 describes a process for preparing a flexible printable circuit board to process a PMDA polyimide film (such as a commercially available KAPTON) with glow-discharge plasma to increase the surface tension of the film to 54 dyne/cm or higher, depositing a metal layer on the processed surface of the film under vacuum, and forming a thick copper film on the metal-deposited layer by plating. According to the working example, however, the initial peeling strength of the produced metal-coated polyimide film is in the range of 0.5 to 0.8 Kgf/cm which is not satisfactorily high. The present inventors have found that a metal-coated polyimide film which is produced from an aromatic polyimide film containing 3,3′,4,4′-biphenyltetracarboxylic acid units (e.g., UPILEX-S) in place of the PMDA polyimide film by the above-mentioned process shows an initial peeling strength of less than 0.5 Kgf/cm.

Process for preparing metal-coated aromatic polyimide film


A memory (10) has a plurality of memory cells, a serial address port (47) for receiving a low voltage high frequency differential address signal, and a serial input/output data port (52, 54) for receiving a high frequency low voltage differential data signal. The memory (10) can operate in one of two different modes, a normal mode and a cache line mode. In cache line mode, the memory can access an entire cache line from a single address. A fully hidden refresh mode allows for timely refresh operations while operating in cache line mode. Data is stored in the memory array (14) by interleaving in multiple sub-arrays (15, 17). During a hidden refresh mode of operation, one sub-array (15) is accessed while another sub-array (17) is refreshed. Two or more of the memories (10) may be chained together to provide a high speed low power memory system.

A dynamic random access memory (DRAM) is a well known memory type that depends on a capacitor to store charge representative of two logic states. DRAM integrated circuits are used as, for example, memory modules for personal computers and work stations.
Generally, the trend has been toward fewer memory devices in a system. The memory devices attempt to achieve higher bandwidth to accommodate faster processors by using wider buses, for example, buses that are 32 bits wide. However, clocking wider buses to get higher bandwidth increases power consumption and causes switching noise problems for the system.
Therefore, there is a need for a DRAM that can provide higher bandwidth without increasing power consumption of the memory device and without causing serious problems with noise.

Automatic hidden refresh in a dram and method therefor


A semen container fitted with a specialized tip includes a substantially hollow body having a sealable first end adapted for the introduction of biological fluids such as semen and a second end having a nozzle molded thereto. The nozzle terminates in a removable tip that is anchored to the container by way of a tab such that after dispensing the biological liquid from the container the tip and the container may be disposed of simultaneously thereby reducing or eliminating the need to separately collect the removed tips from the ground.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to the field of animal husbandry. More particularly, the present invention relates to a container for the collection of biological liquids such as semen. Specifically, a preferred embodiment of the present invention relates to semen container having a specialized tip that is adapted to be retained in connection with the container after removal for dispensing the stored biological materials such that the container and tip may be disposed of simultaneously.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Artificial insemination (AI) is a common technique employed for the purpose of procreation of a variety of different livestock. In particular, AI is used to deliver biological liquids, i.e., semen, to the reproductive tract of a female animal. Typically, these biological liquids are stored in sealed containers such as tubes and bags prior to their use.
As is known to those skilled in the art, AI technology has made it possible to inseminate a larger number of livestock than through traditional mating. Further, AI technology has made it possible to collect semen from a male animal without contact with the female. Accordingly, this allows for the insemination of each female with a controlled quantity of semen in an isolated environment such that the chances of insemination and size of resulting litter are greatly increased. The containers traditionally used to collect the semen generally include a sealable first end for the introduction of semen and a second end having a nozzle ending in a removable tip for the dispensing of the stored semen during AI. The removable tips are generally small plastic caps that may be removed by a variety of mechanisms. For example, the tips may be twisted, cut, or otherwise severed from the end of the nozzle. Typically, after the tips are removed they simply fall to ground where they pose a threat to the environment. Furthermore, the plastic tips are capable of damaging or otherwise interfering with the operation of farming machinery, e.g., mechanical barn cleaners or manure spreaders. Thus, one previously recognized problem has been that the removable tips, if not properly disposed of, may clog or otherwise plug manure spreading equipment and result in a large number of relatively small plastic pieces which are difficult to remove and dispose of. Needless to say, it is desirable to provide a semen container that employs a tip that is separable from the nozzle for dispensing of the semen during the AI procedure but that is capable of remaining attached to the container itself such that the container and tip may be disposed of simultaneously after completion of the procedure. What is needed therefore is a semen container having a specialized tip configured to maintain the tip in contact with the container after removal thereof.
The below-referenced U.S. patents disclose embodiments that were at least in-part satisfactory for the purposes for which they were intended. The disclosures of all the below-referenced prior United States patents, in their entireties are hereby expressly incorporated by reference into the present application for purposes including, but not limited to, indicating the background of the present invention and illustrating the state of the art.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,961,503 discloses a boar semen collection bag comprising a pair of flexible flat plastic segments sealed along the edges to present an upwardly opening bag. A pouch is positioned within the collection bag. When the bag is disposed within a collection mug, the upper portions thereof extend as a shroud around the exterior of the mug. Once the semen is received within the mug, the semen passes through a filter material and into the collection bag. The collection bag includes a spout having a tip that is cut off to form a dispensing opening in the spout for dispensing the contents thereof.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,551,819 discloses a container for semen and other biological liquids for use in AI. The container includes a nozzle for the delivery of the biological liquid. The nozzle includes means for bending such that the container may be used in a vertical position while attached to a horizontal catheter. Further, the nozzle has means to allow for opening the nozzle, i.e., removing a tip thereof, without the use of tools.
In embodiments disclosed in the above-referenced patents, semen and biological liquid containers are disclosed as having nozzles with removable tips. As indicated above, these containers suffer from the disadvantage of creating a substantial amount of difficult to dispose of and potentially hazardous plastic debris. Accordingly, as noted previously, providing a biological liquid container having means to maintain a connection between the removable tip and the container is desired.


A bicycle chain having link plates connected to be oscillatable relative to one another within a predetermined range of flexion. To determine the range of flexion, outer link plates include engaged members, and inner link plates include engaging members for engaging the engaged members. A maximum range of flexion of the chain is determined by contact between the engaged members and engaging members. This maximum range of flexion is determined to enable the chain to be wound around the smallest pulley of a speed changer or derailleur.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a bicycle chain.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a conventional bicycle chain, link plates interconnected through chain pins are oscillatable or flexible about the chain pins until the link plates contact one another. This freedom of flexion allowing the link plates to oscillate to a great extent until one link plate contacts an adjacent link plate, may cause a trouble of part of the chain becoming flexed and tangled in a complicated way when the bicycle bumps along an undulating ground, imparting forces to oscillate the link plates about the chain pins. In the worst case, such a trouble could result in damage to a speed changer, abnormal meshing between the chain and chainwheel, or abnormal running due to an interference between the chain and speed changer.


In an image forming apparatus including a fixing portion in which a fixing nip portion is defined between a heater and a pressure roller via an endless belt, a pressure setting portion, which sets a pressure to be exerted on the fixing nip portion, sets a first pressure during fixing, sets a second pressure lower than the first pressure when the apparatus is not used, and sets a third pressure lower than the first pressure and higher than the second pressure when a recording material is jammed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus which includes a fixing portion having an endless belt, a heater disposed in contact with the inner surface of the endless belt, and a pressure roller defining a fixing nip portion with the heater via the endless belt, and forms a toner image on a recording material.
2. Description of the Related Art
A thermal roller fixing system or a film heating system has been conventionally adopted as heating/fixing portion for a copying machine or a printer of an electrophotographic system. In particular, the film heating system enables a fixing member to speedily rise up in temperature during printing while suppressing power consumption on standby to a low level, and therefore, has attracted attention as a heating system of an energy saving type.
A fixing device (an on-demand fixing device) of the film heating system is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open (JP-A) Nos. 63-313182, 2-157878, 4-44075 to 4-44083, and 4-204980 to 4-204984. FIG. 13 illustrates a typical example of the fixing device of the film heating system. A film assembly 60 is illustrated in FIG. 13. A heater 61 having an energization heat generation resistant layer formed on a ceramic substrate made of alumina or aluminum nitride is fixed to a stay holder 62 made of a heat resistant resin. The fixing device includes a heat resistant, thin fixing film (i.e., an endless belt) 63 which is loosely fitted around the stay holder 62 and is made of a resin such as polyimide or metal such as SUS (stainless).
The heater 61 in the film assembly 60 and a pressure roller 50 are brought into press-contact with each other while holding the fixing film 63 therebetween, thereby defining a fixing nip portion.
The pressure roller 50 includes an elastic layer 52 made of silicone rubber and a toner parting layer 53 made of a fluorocarbon resin around a cored bar 51. The fixing film 63 is conveyed and moved in a direction indicated by an arrow while sliding in close contact with the heater 61 at the fixing nip portion by the rotational driving force of the pressure roller 50 in the arrowed direction. The temperature of the heater 61 is detected by a thermistor 64 disposed on the back of the heater, to be fed back to an energization control portion, not illustrated, so that the heater 61 is heated and adjusted so as to be kept at a predetermined temperature (i.e., a fixing temperature). An image forming apparatus using the fixing device of the film heating system has a high heating efficiency and speedily rises up in temperature, and thus, has more advantages, such as the lack of any need preliminary heating on standby and a shortened waiting time, than an image forming apparatus using a conventional fixing device of a thermal roller system.
The pressure provided by the fixing device needs to be normally increased during printing. However, the pressure needs be set to a lower level in order to readily remove a recording material nipped at the fixing nip portion when the recording material staying at the fixing nip portion due to paper jamming is removed (hereinafter it is referred to as jam recovery). Otherwise, when the image forming apparatus is left unused for a long period of time or before the image forming apparatus is shipped, the pressure needs be set to a lower level in order to prevent deformation of the pressure roller and the endless belt. As a countermeasure against such a problem to be solved, the jam recovery is improved or the deformation of the endless belt and the pressure roller is prevented by setting the pressure to be exerted on the fixing nip portion to a lower level during the jam recovery or non-use in comparison with during normal printing, as disclosed in JP-A No. 2000-122460.
However, a heater may not be bonded to a heater holder in order to prevent a crack of the heater due to a difference in thermal expansion between the heater and the heater holder in the heating/fixing device of the film heating system. With such a configuration, a lower limit of the pressure is restricted during the jam recovery. That is to say, the heater is separated from the heater holder under a too low pressure, so that an edge of the heater projects from the heater holder. If the jam recovery is performed in such a state, the inner surface of the fixing film is damaged by the edge of the heater when the fixing film is rotated. When the heating/fixing device is continuously used while the inner surface of the fixing film is damaged, the fixing film may be possibly broken. To the contrary, when the fixing film and the pressure roller are completely separated from each other such that the fixing film cannot be damaged even during the jam recovery, a space for a pressure mechanism must be sufficiently provided.
Alternatively, when the image forming apparatus is stored for a long period of time while the pressure is set such that the edge of the heater cannot project from the heater holder, a phenomenon of deformation of the elastic layer of the pressure roller or the fixing film (hereinafter referred to as "an elastic layer deformation phenomenon") may occur. The elastic layer deformation phenomenon induces deformation of specific portions of the fixing film and the pressure roller that are press contacted for a long period of time, thereby raising a problem of degradation of uniformity of an image at the deformed portion.
As described above, when the pressures during the jam recovery and the non-use are set to the same level, it may be difficult to prevent the breakage of the fixing film and the deformation of the pressure roller or the fixing film at the same time.


A bent portion is protrusively formed at one side of each hole of a crank position sensor-wheel plate that is coupled to the rim of a drive plate, thereby facilitating the observation of misalignment in rotational positions of the drive plate and front cover as well as the alignment of bolt coupling holes of the drive plate and bolt coupling holes of the front cover during the attachment of the drive plate to the front cover.

In vehicles with automatic transmissions, the transmission is typically affixed to the engine in the following steps: The middle portion of a drive plate is fastened with screws to one end of a crankshaft via an adaptor; then the rim of the drive plate is coupled to the front cover of a torque converter with screws.
When the drive plate is screwed to the front cover, bolt coupling holes of each member should be exactly aligned. The bolt coupling holes are, however, obscured from view by a crank position sensor-wheel plate that is coupled to the rim of the drive plate. Therefore, the user must rotate the crankshaft or torque converter to align the bolt coupling holes of the drive plate and the front cover.

Drive plate assembly structure for torque converter


A foaming device for the preparation of coffee and milk, cappuccinos or similar drinks including a cover designed to close the top of a virtually cylindrical container of the drink and a disk movable axially inside the container during use of the device with the disk being equipped with at least one mesh portion for emulsion of the air in the liquid and being fastened transversely to a rod running axially in a hole in the cover and protruding above it to be grasped manually. The device is characterized in that said cover includes at least two concentric annular grooves designed to engage with the upper edge of containers of different diameters to realize closing of the container with there being present a flexible circumferential portion that extends from the edge of the disk towards the outside to cover the opening that is created between the disk edge and the internal wall of the container when the device is used with containers of greater diameter.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a foaming device for the preparation of cappuccinos or similar drinks that would be adaptable to use with different sized containers of the drink and especially for the classical ceramic or porcelain mugs.
2. State of the Prior Art
In recent years there have been proposed foaming devices to be used in household environments for the preparation of cappuccinos or similar drinks. Said devices typically include a drink container in which a disk with horizontal mesh can move vertically to form the milk cream desired in the drink. The disk is fastened to a rod that runs axially in a hole made in a closing cover of the container. The rod protrudes at the top from the container closing cover and can be grasped manually to move the mesh disk repeatedly up and down and vice versa. The disk is formed with a mesh which, when traversed by the liquid inside the container, permits forming the desired foam (or cream). When the liquid passes through the mesh some air particles remain imprisoned in the liquid and originate a foam (or cream) that can persist as long as 30 minutes. It is noted that the disk must be received with a small radial play inside the container so that the liquid of the drink is forced to pass through the mesh by its larger part.
Prior art foaming devices have allowed preparing cappuccinos or similar drinks with extreme ease even in household environments with no need of acquiring cumbersome and costly machines like those that are generally used in bars or restaurants.
Such devices, however, are suited to functioning only when the drink which it is desired to treat is poured into the purposeful container, which constitutes an integral and irreplaceable part of the foaming device. If it were desired to prepare a cappuccino or similar drink directly inside any cylindrical glass (or mug) with different diameters the cover as well as the mesh disk that might be used only in combination with a purposely made container would be found poorly adaptable. Indeed, the container must be sized so as to be closed firmly by the cover and must present an internal diameter little greater than the diameter of the mesh disk.
Prior art foaming devices are also quite cumbersome in selling and transport operations, because a specific container of appropriate size must be coupled to each cover. Further than requiring a great deal of space on the means of transport and in the shops and warehouses, such cumbersome devices also require an expensive packaging that can appreciably affect the final price of the product.
The general purpose of this invention is to remedy the above mentioned shortcomings by making available a foaming device with simple and economical structure that can be used for preparing drinks directly in containers of different diameters.
Another purpose of this invention is to make available a foaming device having more limited space occupied compared with the prior art devices and that can be packed in a more economical and advantageous manner since it is sold disassembled to then be assembled at home by the user.

Foaming device adaptable for the preparation of coffee and milk or cappuccinos or similar drinks and that can be assembled at home


A wheel cover for a wheeled vehicle which can be placed onto an associated wheel and secured using the same securing mechanism used to secure wheels to the wheeled vehicle. The securing member can be, for example, a nut typically used to attach wheels to the wheeled vehicle. The wheel cover can have a circumferential wall portion to cover a rolling surface of the associated wheel and a sidewall portion to contact a side of the associate wheel. The circumferential wall portion can have multiple features, such as protrusions, to reduce or inhibit rotation of the associated wheel when the wheel cover is attached thereto.

1. Field of the Invention
In general, the present invention relates to packaging, inventory control or accessories for a wheeled vehicle, such as a skateboard, scooter, or the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
Wheeled vehicles, such as a skateboard, are often displayed in stores so that a customer can view the vehicles designs and features prior to making a purchasing decision. In order to more closely view the designs and features, it is often beneficial to allow the customer to inspect the wheeled vehicle by hand. However, by allowing the customers access to the vehicle, sometimes without supervision, there is a risk of customers attempting to ride the wheeled vehicle regardless of whether or not such riding is permitted. Accordingly, there is a need to develop devices, systems and methods which reduce the likelihood of, or even prevent, customers from attempting to ride the wheeled vehicle in the store while still allowing customers access to the vehicles.


A blender includes a base on which a motor is connected and a plurality of ventilation holes are defined through a bottom of the base. An engaging collar is connected to the motor for rotating a blade device of a container mounted to the base. The heat generated from the motor is removed from the ventilation holes in the bottom of the base.

The present invention relates to a blender having ventilation holes defined in the motor base for removing heat from the motor and ribs on the blade disk for kicking fruit on the disk to bounce to be cut by the blades.
A conventional blender for mixing and shredding fruit or vegetable generally includes a motor base for receiving a motor therein which drives a blade means in a bottom of a container. Fruit and/or vegetable in the container are shredded or cut by the rotational blades on the blade means to become liquid. However, because the motor generates heat during operation and there is no ventilation device in the motor base so that the term of use of the motor will be reduced by the heat. The motor is generally threaded to the motor base and this takes a lot of time. Furthermore, the fruit and/or vegetable on the inner bottom of the container cannot be cut by the blades because the blades extends from the inner bottom of the container so that large particles exist in the mixture.
The present invention intends to provide a blender that removes heat from the bottom of the motor base and the fruit and/or vegetable will jump to be cut during the rotation of the blade disk.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a blender comprising a motor base having a base and a plurality of ventilation holes defined through a bottom of the base. A motor is connected to the base and an engaging collar is connected to the motor. A casing is mounted to the base and the engaging collar is received in a central hole in the casing. A container is mounted to the motor base and a blade device is located on an inner bottom of the container.
The primary object of the present invention is to provide a blender wherein heat generated from the motor releases from ventilation holes defined in a bottom of the base.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a blender wherein particles of fruit and/or vegetable will bounce up and be cut by blades by ribs on the inner bottom of the container.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a blender wherein a filter member is mounted to the blade device so as to separate the larger particle from the juice.


A comprehensive electronic business support system comprises three layers: (1) the business layer, including various smart components which unify data and business processes across all customer interactions; (2) the integration layer, including various communications messaging interfaces and enterprise application integration adapters, which provide a flexible, automated, and process driven solution for integrating across business applications and operations support systems; and (3) the presentation layer, including various customer views, which are presented via particular business portals. A smart component server provides the core services and comprehensive business process logic required to successfully conduct business online. The communications messaging interfaces integrate with back-office systems for functions such as billing, provisioning, and interconnection.

Bringing businesses online is challenging in any industry. In the communications industry, complex operational infrastructures and intricate partner relationships pose an even bigger challenge in extending businesses to the Internet. In addition, today's climate of active consolidation means all providers will eventually face the challenge of integrating existing operational systems with those of a newly-formed subsidiary, parent, or partner. To remain competitive, providers must evolve into new organizations based on scalable infrastructures that incorporate dynamic and automated business processes to support customer-centric activities. New systems must also be designed for flexibility and efficiency to ensure continuous and responsive customer support. Retooling an existing infrastructure, however, is a costly and time-consuming option, even for new entrants burdened by few legacy systems.
What is desired is to develop a comprehensive, communications-specific electronic business (eBusiness) solution that communications service providers can easily deploy.

System and method for establishing electronic business systems for supporting communications services commerce


A method for designing integrated circuits may include custom designing, at the transistor level, individual cells to be incorporated into cell-based macros. A macro-level function of an integrated circuit's design specification requiring custom, transistor-level design may be identified and custom cells may be designed at the transistor-level to meet the design specification. Custom designed cells may be included in cell-based macros, thus allowing cell-based simulation and verification methodologies and tools to be used on the integrated circuit design. Static timing analysis, circuit extraction and other characteristics may be defined for each custom cell and the timing analysis and circuit extraction for cell-based macros may be defined based on the timing and extraction information for the custom cells included in the macro.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention is related to the field of integrated circuits, and more particularly, to designing and developing high-performance microprocessors.
2. Description of the Related Art
Typically, components of high-performance integrated circuits, such as microprocessors, are designed at the custom transistor level (e.g. using individual transistors, resistors and capacitors). Often state-of-the-art microprocessors are designed with feature sizes and operational speeds that have never before been achieved. Additionally, many of the required functions may be new/unique to this particular design. Traditionally, a circuit designer builds up the required function from discrete transistors tailoring each one to its exact requirements in order to produce a design that consumes minimal real estate and power, while delivering the needed performance. While excellent performance and area results may be obtained, such custom transistor-level design is very time consuming.
In order to validate his design, the designer may use one or more transistor level modeling tools, such as SPICE or HSPICE. These tools may provide extremely accurate simulation results, but may require relatively large amounts of computer resources and time to perform their functions. For example, a relatively simple design including a dozen or so transistors and associated components may require hours of simulation time for thorough analysis. Given that this simulation time may be exponentially proportional to the number of circuit elements, the validation time required for a custom transistor level design of even moderate complexity may quickly become daunting.
Generally, when the transistor level design/modeling of a function is complete, the designer generates transistor level model for verification. Typically, this verification may be done with respect to a Register Transfer Level (RTL) model that has itself been verified against the design specification. The verification of transistor level models is frequently an almost entirely manual operation, which may be extremely time consuming due to the unavailability of automated verification tools capable of operating on transistor level (TRL) models.

Integrated circuit design with cell-based macros


A microphone system may include a housing having a housing opening. Pressure-gradient capsules may be provided in the housing. The capsules may include a diaphragm and at least one sound entry opening. One sound entry opening may be connected with a front side of the diaphragm in an acoustically conductive manner and another sound entry opening may be connected with a rear side of the diaphragm in an acoustically conductive manner. The sound entry openings may be located in each of the pressure-gradient capsule on an entry surface. The diaphragms of the pressure-gradient capsules may be oriented substantially parallel to each other. The sound entry opening may be directed into a space, which may be closed in a direction perpendicular to the entry surface. The space may be connected to the housing opening in an acoustically conductive manner. The microphone system may be compact and robust, and it may be suitable for use with hands-free devices.

1. Priority Claim
This application claims the benefit of priority of European Application No. 044 50 184.9, filed Oct. 1, 2004, which is incorporated by reference.
2. Technical Field
The invention relates to a microphone system, and in particular, to a microphone system for use with hands-free devices.
3. Related Art
A microphone system may produce high quality sound; however, the directional characteristics or patterns of the microphone system may need to be adjusted and changed during operation. The directional characteristics may indicate a relative sensitivity of the microphone system to approaching sound. The microphone system may pick up sound from all directions or from some directions. Alternatively, the microphone system may pick up sound coming from a front or from a lateral location. Because the microphone system may be used in a moving space such as automobiles, airplanes, etc. and with moving objects such as singers, actors, etc, the microphone system should be compact and/or inconspicuous. For instance, the microphone system may be mounted on shirts of singers and actors. In addition, the microphone system also should be robust and resistant to vibrations and mechanical impacts.

Microphone system having pressure-gradient capsules


A particle capture system includes a container sized to receive a structural disc drive component. A fixture is able to maintain the disc drive component within a spray zone in the container, and a first nozzle in the container is connected to a fluid source and is oriented to direct fluid at the spray zone. A particle trap is connected to a fluid outlet of the container and is able to trap particles from fluid exiting the container through the fluid outlet.

A typical disc drive includes a base to which various structural components of the disc drive are mounted. A top cover cooperates with the base to form an internal, sealed environment for the disc drive. The components include a spindle motor, which rotates one or more discs at a high speed. Information is written to and read from tracks on the discs through the use of an actuator assembly, which rotates during a seek operation about a bearing shaft assembly positioned adjacent the discs. The actuator assembly includes at least one actuator arm, which extends towards the discs, with one or more flexures extending from each of the actuator arms. Mounted at the distal end of each of the flexures is a head, which includes an air bearing slider enabling the head to fly in close proximity adjacent the corresponding surface of the associated disc.
Free particles in the disc drive have an adverse affect on drive reliability. In fact, particles are currently believed to be the leading cause of failure in disc drives. Hard particles (e.g., aluminum oxide, silicone oxide, silicon carbide, titanium carbide, titanium nitride, and tungsten carbide) may be dislodged from components within a disc drive by handling, startup, operation and shut down. These particles are transported throughout the drive via air currents produced by the spinning discs within the drive. Of particular concern are hard airborne particles that enter the head-disc interface. These particles can scratch the disc surface or become embedded in the disc, leading to catastrophic failures and/or irrecoverable data loss. Additionally, particles under the slider can damage the sensitive head transducer and possibly prevent any further read/write operations of the disc drive.
Presently, disc drive component vendors and disc drive manufacturers use sonication to analyze the particles that may be dislodged from a disc drive component for purposes of quality control and design. However, it is believed that sonication can break down the material of the tested component and dislodge particles that would not be dislodged in a normal disc drive environment. Thus, it is thought that sonication produces unrealistic data and that it may hide the presence of particles that have smaller concentrations but a larger impact on disc drive failure.
Additionally, sonication requires undue handling of the tested component. More specifically, a user must put the part on a holder; lower the holder into a beaker that contains water; lower the beaker into an open bath; apply ultrasonic waves to the bath; remove the beaker from the bath; remove the component from the beaker; pour the beaker contents into a funnel that is connected to a vacuum source; and spray the funnel to wash down any remaining particles.
Accordingly there is a need for a system that requires little handling to capture particles from disc drive components and that avoids dislodging particles that would not be dislodged in a disc drive environment. The present invention provides a solution to this and other problems, and offers other advantages over the prior art.


A valve sizer for determining an appropriate replacement valve size when performing a heart valve replacement procedure is provided. In one version the valve sizer has a hollow shaft with proximal and distal ends. A movable sizing element couples to the distal end of the shaft and is radially expandable between first, contracted and second, expanded positions. An actuator assembly on a handle includes an actuator coupled to a clutch member via a ball-spring-detent clutch. A rod extends through the shaft and maintains a fixed distance between the handle and a distal hub in the sizing element. Movement of the actuator causes axial movement of the shaft, thereby causing radial expansion of sizing petals relative to the hub. The clutch slips when a predetermined reaction force from the surrounding valve annulus is met by the petals.

Replacement of a diseased or malfunctioning cardiac valve requires accurate sizing of the valve annulus. After the diseased or malfunctioning cardiac valve has been removed, the surgeon measures the patient's valve annulus to determine the appropriate replacement valve size.
A conventional system for measuring a patient's valve annulus includes a number of varying size discs, which can be removably or fixedly attached to a rod. The size of each of the discs corresponds to an available valve size. The surgeon inserts the disc into the patient's valve annulus and checks the fit of the disc within the valve annulus. If the surgeon is not satisfied with the fit, the surgeon removes the disc from the body and inserts a new disc into the valve annulus. The size of a patient's native heart valve annulus is determined by inserting sizers of various diameters until the surgeon determines which one feels correct. This is a time-consuming method since for each valve size the surgeon inserts, the surgeon must remove one of the discs and try another one. This procedure increases the overall surgery time which increases the risk to the patient and also increases the cost of the procedure. Further, the determination of the appropriate size is based on the feeling of the surgeon rather than any mechanical feature. This determination based on the feeling of the surgeon may not be accurate. Thus there is a need for a sizer that is accurate in determining the size of the annulus of a valve.
Alternatively, a heart valve sizer may be used which is introduced into the patient only once, and the same sizer is capable of gauging a number of appropriate valve sizes. However, these sizers are dimensionally the same as the valves they represent. Due to size constraints, insertion of the heart valve sizers may be a hindrance for certain procedures, especially for minimally invasive surgical incisions such as thoracotomies. With minimally invasive surgical (MIS) type procedures performed through small surgical incisions, the surgeon may not have a good approach angle to the native annulus, thus hindering an accurate tactile feedback to the surgeon when the sizer is in place.
Additionally, it is essential for the replacement heart valve to be of the right fit. In determining the optimal replacement device for a diseased heart valve, a surgeon generally exerts some level of force to determine a tight fit size. Each surgeon may have a different definition of a tight fit and what is the optimal force that may be exerted. Also, excessive force if applied may result in inaccurate sizing of the annulus, or even tissue damage. Also, traditional valves involve parachuting the valve down to the annulus with 12 to 14 sutures, and thus sizing is somewhat less sensitive. However, newer valves sometimes employ only three or in some cases no sutures making sizing accuracy more challenging. It is more difficult to avoid paravalvular leaks and risk of embolization if three of no sutures are used and there is a sizing mistake.
Given the above limitations, it is desirable to have a single, one-size-fits-all sizer which could be used to quickly and accurately determine the appropriate valve size for a patient's heart through a minimal sized incision. It is desirable to have a sizer that does not rely entirely on the surgeon's feel, but on a mechanism that consistently and more accurately determines the patient's annulus size.


An apparatus and method for detecting adapter cards and associated resources in an information handling system is disclosed. Snoop levels for controlling execution of one or more snooper software modules which detect adapter cards and associated resources and for controlling allocation of resources to the snooper software modules are provided. Each snoop level allows for varying degrees of resource allocation. Snoop levels are selected in response to whether any adapter cards have been removed from or added to the computer system, thereby restricting the amount of snooping which occurs to limit the risk of resource conflicts.

There are many potentially hazardous side effects to detecting hardware adapters in current personal computers. Much of the risk is due to the inherently ad hoc detection methods used by system software. These methods are less than robust for non-PNP (Plug and Play) bus architectures. The PNP bus architectures, such as ISA PNP, Microchannel, and PCI, have designed-in hardware enumeration and dynamic resource allocation. Unfortunately, the majority of personal computer (PC) systems are in part non-PNP.
Intel x86 operating systems have accordingly devised many ad hoc algorithms for detecting hardware and their associated hardware resources, such as input/output (I/O) ports, interrupt request line levels (IRQ levels), and direct memory access (DMA) channels. In the execution of this "hardware snooping," an adapter may be placed into an unknown state which could have hazardous side effects to the operation of that adapter, the PC, or the software executing on the PC.
For example, a hardware detection module, referred to as a "snooper," may inadvertently use an I/O port decoded by an adapter, of which this snooper has no architectural knowledge. Since there are many hardware detection methods, or "snippets," and each cannot possibly have knowledge of all other adapters, there is a risk of potentially hazardous effects to a system's integrity. These effects might manifest themselves in an unpredictable fashion. Some of the most damaging effects could include data corruption, system hangs, or system software traps.
Additionally, the arrival of hybrid systems, which incorporate PNP architectures (such as ISA PNP), while retaining support for legacy adapters (non-PNP ISA), has increased the need for hardware detection methods to safely set the dynamically configurable PNP cards. The approaching prevalence of such systems into the marketplace warrants investigation into reducing the risk of such methods, from both system integrity and service cost standpoints.
Some prior art operating systems have a known hardware base and limit their hardware detection appropriately. Other prior art operating systems have a similar hardware detection phase and knowledge of previous detection. However, these operating systems take an all or nothing stance. The operating system either performs hardware detection or assumes the system is configured as was previously detected. Some prior art operating systems even allow a limited detection of a certain class of adapters (e.g., SCSI adapters, network interface cards, etc.) to help limit the scope of snooping.
Consequently, it would be desirable to have a method and apparatus for detecting adapter cards and associated resources in an information handling system which would reduce the risk of resource conflicts. In addition, it would be desirable to have a method and system which would limit the potentially hazardous side effects caused by detecting hardware adapters in the system.

System for assigning snoop levels to snooper modules and selectively invoking snooper modules having specified relation to a selected snoop level for hardware detection

International Business Machines Corporation


A buffer circuit for use in a digital communication system includes a memory and a controller coupled to the memory. The memory is configurable for storing a plurality of data frames of a first data stream, each of the data frames including a plurality of timeslots corresponding to respective channels in the digital communication system. The controller is operative to store data from the first data stream into corresponding timeslots in the memory in a first order, to individually adjust delays of the respective timeslots as a function of respective delay control parameters, and to generate a second data stream by reading the timeslots stored in the memory in a second order.

There are two primary switching architectures that enable telecommunications between two points in a digital communication system, namely, circuit-switching technology and packet-switching technology. Circuit-switching technology employs dedicated lines or channels to transmit data between the two points, as in public switched telephone networks (PSTN). Packet-switching technology, on the other hand, employs a "virtual" channel, often referred to as a link, to establish communications between the two points. The virtual communication link is typically shared by multiple communication processes simultaneously and is only utilized when data is to be transmitted. Since the differing performance requirements for voice transmission and data transmission impose different design priorities, historical development of voice communication systems, such as telephone systems, has relied on circuit-switching technology. Alternatively, data communication systems, such as local area networks (LANs), wide area networks (WANs) and the Internet, have relied primarily on packet-switching technology.
In the context of a digital voice communication system, a digital signal level 0 (DS0) channel having a 64 kilobits per second (Kbps) capacity is typically employed to convey voice data between two points in the system. A digital signal level 1 (DS1) link often carries voice interface connections on a private branch exchange (PBX). Each DS1 link has either 24 DS0 channels framed together, in the case of a T-carrier 1 (T1) link with a 1.544 megabits per second (Mbps) data rate, or 32 DS0 channels framed together, in the case of an E-carrier 1 (E1) link with a 2.048 Mbps data rate, so that each DS0 timeslot can be assigned to a different type of trunk group, if desired. Each DS0 channel forms a timeslot in a given frame of the DS1 link. Frame relaying standards specifying frame formats and procedures for the transfer of data using frame relaying networks are set forth, for example, in the documents ITU Recommendation Q.922, ISDN Data Link Layer Specification for Frame Mode Bearer Services, ITU, Geneva, 1992, and ITU Recommendation Q.933, ISDN Signaling Specification for Frame Mode Bearer Services, ITU, Geneva, 1995, which are incorporated by reference herein. Additional frame relaying standards, including, for example, ANSI T1.403, Carrier to Customer Installation DS1 Metallic Interface, American National Standards Institute, New York, 1995, ANSI T1.410-1992, Carrier-to-Customer Metallic Interface—Digital Data at 64 Kbit/s and Subrates, American National Standards Institute, New York, 1992, ANSI T1.107-1995, Digital hierarchy—Formats specifications, American National Standards Institute, New York, 1995, ITU Recommendation G.703, Physical/electrical Characteristics of Hierarchical Digital interfaces, ITU, Geneva, 1988, and ITU Recommendation G.704, Synchronous Frame Structures used at Primary and Secondary Hierarchical Levels, ITU, Geneva, 1991, are also incorporated by reference herein.
If the DS0 channels associated with a given DS1 link were identical to one another, delays associated with the DS0 timeslots in the DS1 link would also be substantially the same relative to one another. However, this is rarely the case in a digital communication system. Rather, the delays of the DS0 timeslots in a given DS1 link can vary widely depending on certain characteristics of the corresponding DS0 channels, such as, for example, the distance between two nodes coupled by a given channel. Unfortunately, when a DS1 link carries temporal data, as in the case of digital voice communications, it is critical to be able to have various frames of data in the DS0 timeslots arrive in a specified order, so that the received data can be reconstructed in its proper sequence. While it may be known to adjust the overall delay on a given link, thereby affecting the delays of all DS0 channels to the same degree, there is presently no known methodology for selectively controlling the delay of each individual timeslot on a particular link, so as to guarantee that the frames of data carried by the link are received in the proper sequence.
Accordingly, there exists a need for a methodology for individually controlling the delay of one or more timeslots on a data transport link that does not suffer from one or more of the problems exhibited by conventional methodologies.

Controlling timeslot delay in a digital communication system