This invention discloses endogenous calcineurin inhibitors, Calcipressin, Csp1, Csp2, and Csp3, as shown in SEQ ID Nos: 4-5, or 24. This invention also discloses nucleic acid sequences that can activate or regulate transcription of the CSP family of polypeptides.

In the last 50 years, two fields of study have converged on the protein calcineurin (CaN) because of it's pivotal role in signal transduction, particularly T-cell activation and memory development. CaN is ubiquitously produced with pleiotropic roles. It has been found that the physiological consequence of inhibition of CaN is sustained neurotransmitter release and eventual blockage of many cellular functions, including signal transduction pathways. See, Barford D. (1996) TIBS 21:407. With the improvement in organ transplant and the proliferation of the HIV virus, much attention has been focused on the immune system. While this system is an interesting physiological field by any counts, pharmaceutical companies also see the advantages in being able to control many immune response mechanisms. For example, inflammation is an immune response, one that can interfere with healing.
The other field is neurochemistry, where the study of memory has been found to be linked to differing potentiation rates of neurons during development. CaN appears to play an important role in calcium signaling and neural transmitter amplification as well as neuron development in infants. See, e.g., Quinlan et al. (1996) J Neuroscience 16:7627.
Since protein phosphorylation controls so many cellular events, regulation requires many levels. It must be controlled quite tightly in order to keep competing processes in balance. CaN offers a wonderful opportunity to observe many different regulatory mechanisms at work. These include site localization, Ca2+-activation, auto-inhibition (by auto-inhibitory domain—AID), CnB-activation, CaM-activation. In addition, there are a number of recent studies elucidating the great complexity of the regulation to which CaN is subject.
In understanding the regulation mechanism for Cn, the FKBP12-FK506-binding site is very important. It appears to be the same binding site for binding of cyclophilin-cyclosporin A(CyP-CsA) (found by genetic methods) and the site for binding of AKAP79. See, for example, Liu et al. (1992) Biochemistry 31:3896-3901; and Faux et al. JBC 272:17038. All three exhibit classical noncompetitive inhibition, suggesting a common mechanism. The suggested CaN-binding domain on AKAP79 is has high sequence similarity to residues 32-47 of FKBP12. It has also been found that a 22-residue peptide encompassing this FKBP12 sequence inhibits CaN by other than steric hindrance. Kawamura et al. (1995) JBC 270:15463.
Mutational studies of the b12/b 13 loop of yeast CaN results in CyP resistance, suggesting that these loops are important in binding the immunosuppressant complexes, and, perhaps, AKAP79. Wei and Lee recently showed that mutagenesis of the L7 loop (310-314+) connecting b-strands 12 and 13 has significant effects on activity. Wei et al. (1997) Biochemistry 36:7418. Both modification of the L7 loop and truncation of the C-terminus lead to the hyperactivitation of CaN. They also determined that the effects of mutation of the L7 loop are separable from the effects of deletion of the AID. Since mutations to L7 increase the catalytic efficiency of the enzyme towards pNPP, it must have something to do with changes in the active site. It is thought that CnA exists in a conformationally restrained state that is not completely relaxed by CnB and CaM. It has double inhibition to ensure that it only acts when needed. The mechanism of inhibition by AID is more than mere steric hindrance to binding.
One regulatory mechanism is that kinases and phosphatases are maintained at discrete cellular locations through their interaction with anchoring proteins. Enzymes may be positioned in close proximity to specific substrates, which then can be efficiently modified in response to the appropriate signals. Ser-Thr kinases and phosphatases are often maintained by scaffold proteins. In it's function in neuronal signaling, AKAP79 has been investigated in connection with CaN. Structural studies of CaN, AKAP79, and FKBP12 suggest that this regulation by inhibition is not merely by steric hindrance. Politino & King suggested in 1990 that it might function in membrane anchoring, from studies with phospholipid interactions (Politino et al. (1990) JBC 265:7619). Griffith has noted that other EF-hand superfamily proteins use Ca2+ as a switch, extruding the myristic acid upon Ca2+ binding to allow adherence to the cell membrane (Griffith et al. (1995) Cell 82:507).
There is an autoinhibitory domain (AID) at the carboxyl terminal of the CnA subunit. It lies over the substrate-binding channel of the catalytic domain. When CaN is auto-inhibiting, the CaM-binding domain, which is an amphipthic a-helix at the carboxyl terminus of the CnA, lies under the CnB-binding helix, linked at one end to the AID. This places the AID close to the active site where it could inhibit the binding of substrates and inhibitors. A Glu sidechain H-bonds with two of the metal-bound water molecules, sterically hindering substrate binding. See, for example, Stoddard et al. (1996) Curr Opin Struct Biol. 6:770. In human CaN this segment is Ser 469-Arg 486, with Glu 481-Arg-Met-Pro 484 making the most contact with the substrate-binding cleft. This segment consists of 2 short a-helical regions plus a 5-residue extension. It is missing from the bovine CaN-FKBP12-FK506 complex shown here.
Upon the addition of Ca2+, both CaM and CnB are activated. (Even without CaM, CnB confers some activation on CnA.) This activation apparently disrupts the interaction between CaM and the CnB-binding helix on CnA, moving the AID away from its inhibitory position(Barford D. (1996) TIBS 21:407)
The CnB-binding site on CnA is a long 22-residue a-helix. In 1995, Watanabe, et al. identified the CnB-binding helix as residues 328-390 (Watanabe et al. (1995) JBC 270:456). How CnB binds to CnA is very different from how CaM binds, even though they are very similar. The two domains of CnB can be superimposed by translation of 22 Å along the helix. The Kissinger structure of the human CaN structure (which is not yet available for download) has an additional CnA amino-terminal sequence that assists in CnB-binding. This sequence forms a part of the binding cleft for the carboxyl-terminal lobe of CnB. While there seems to be some conformational change in CnA upon the binding of CnB, it is not clear how the information is transmitted to the active site on the CnA subunit.
Klee et al. showed in 1988 that Ca2+/CaM activates CaN by increasing Vmax, whereas Ca2+ binding to CnB decreases Km and increases Vmax. See, for example, Klee et al. (1988) Adv. Enzymol. 61:149. Watanabe et al. in 1995 showed that the CnB-binding hydrophobic fragment is between the CaM-binding area and the active domain. This enabled Griffith to identify the subunit not present in the crystal structure to be the CaM-binding domain. Watanabe used a GST fusion protein expressed in Sf9 insect cells. A very highly conserved sequence on the CnA subunit was tested with site-directed mutagenesis, concluding that residues 349/350 and 356/357 Glu in the CnA are essential to binding CnB.
CaM and CnB apparently activate CnA by different but complimentary mechanisms. In the Kissinger structure, the predicted CaM-binding domain is quite disordered. It is thought to lie between residues 390-414. In contrast with CnB, CaM binds with the two domains on opposite sides of the helix related by a 2-fold rotation axis. Without that part of the crystal structure it would be interesting to model the interaction discussed in the literature. The primary sequence is available at Swiss-prot and adding the CaM-binding helix with the CaM docking might also help understand the mechanism of AKAP79-binding and cell localization better. For now, it is clear that how the myristoyl group is extruded by the coordinating structures is difficult to see since where the MYR group is linked to the CnB molecule is not definite.
CaN is not a huge protein, but it does offer great opportunities to observe the many ways such a small protein can exert broad influence. CaN is a heterodimer, with a 59-kDa CnA (catalytic) subunit and a 19-kDa CnB (regulatory) subunit. See, Cohen et al. (1989) JBC 264:21435.
At least 2 genes encoding isoforms of CnA have been identified from complimentary DNA cloning of the major catalytic subunit of CaN in mammalian brain. The a and b genes are localized on human chromosomes 4 and 10 respectively. A major difference between two isoforms was a long polyPRO helix (11 Pro) in b which may play a role in regulation (Zhuo et al. 1994) JBC 269:26234). The catalytic subunits of the other Ser-Thr phosphatases share the same gene family as CnA, sharing ˜40% sequence identity. There is an additional isoform in mammalian CnA with 54% identity (CaNw) that is similar around the CaM-binding domain but may have a distinct substrate specificity.
Only 1 gene for CnB, located on human chromosome 2 has been found (Navia (1996) Curr. Op. Struct. Bio. 6:838). Kawamura et al. (1995) JBC 270:15463 shows the primary sequence structure of the binding site of the subunits of the heterodimer on CnA. It also shows the parts of the molecule not found on the Griffith structure (dCnA).
Various domains have been identified on the CaN subunits. A distorted b-sandwich motif forms the core of the globular part of the enzyme. It includes most of the active-site residues, the metal-coordinating residues, and an auto-inhibitory domain. This globular domain is approximately 35 Å×35 Å×45 Å. A motif on the edge of this b-sheet sandwich coordinates the metal ions necessary for activity. See 5Stoddard et al., (1996) supra.
The mechanism of calcineurin and the other Ser/Thr protein phosphatases depends on the divalent metal coordinating site. The core structure of the globular domain is a central distorted b-sandwich of 11 b-strands surrounded on one side by seven a-helices and on the other by 3 a-helices and a three-stranded b-sheet. A shallow catalytic channel is created by the interface of the two b-sheets. Three parallel b-strands of sheet 1 constitute a mononucleotide-binding domain with the secondary structure organization b-a-b-a-b. The three invariant sequence motifs form loops connecting the carboxyl terminus of the b-strand with a-helices (6 Goldberg et al. (1995) Nature 376:745). These loops, together with those emanating from the carboxyl terminus of two b-strands of the opposite b-sheet, provide the catalytic residues. Zn2+ and Fe3+ are coordinated in this active site.
Zn2+ is coordinated by 1 Asn and 2 His side-chains. 2 Asp, 1 His, and 1 water coordinate Fe3+. Both metals have a coordinating oxygen from a bound phosphate in the CaN Griffith structure. The metal ions are located 3 Å apart in the active site, and have an Asp side chain that acts as a monodentate-bridging ligand between the metals. The bound phosphate in the structure could represent the labile phosphate in the dephosphorylation reaction. It is stabilized by interactions with guanidinium groups of two Arg residues and with the Ne2 of a single His residue. See, Griffith et al. (1995) Cell 82:507.
The CnB-binding site is a long 22-residue a-helix (sometimes called the b-binding helix: BBH). It is linked to the globular portion of the molecule by a short linker sequence. The CaM-binding site and the auto-inhibitory sites are missing in this structure, cleaved before crystallography. From structures of CaM and protein kinase II, an amphipathic a-helix is posited for the CaM-binding area of the molecule. It is after the CnB-binding helix.
CnB has 2 EF-hand Ca2+-coordinating domains. Each domain coordinates 2 Ca2+ atoms. The EF-hand motif consists of 2 a-helices joined by a b-loop. In this way, CnB is very similar to CaM, except without the long linking a-helix (8 Griffith, et al. (1995), supra). At the carboxyl end of the CnB molecule is a 14-carbon myristoyl residue, which recent studies link with regulation and cell-localization. See, Politino et al. (1990) JBC 265:7619.
The mechanism of calcineurin and the other protein phosphatases depends on the divalent metal coordinating site. The metal ions activate water molecules to catalyze hydrolysis of the phosphate in a single-step reaction. The mechanism is as follows: a metal-bound water attacks the phosphorus at in an SN2 nucleophilic mechanism. The metals act as Lewis acids to make water more nucleophilic and phosphorous more electrophilic. Histidine donates a proton to the oxygen leaving group from the Ser or Thr side chain (Barford (1996) TIBS 21: 407)
This is supported by studies showing that CaN cannot catalyze transphosphorylation reactions. See, Guerini (1997) Biochem. Biophys. Res. Comm. 235:271. Extensive studies show that no intermediates have been identified and the reaction must occur in a concerted manner (Barford D. (1996), supra). In studies of other similar PPases, purple acid phosphatase-mediated catalysis occurs with inversion of configuration, supporting SN2. In addition, Martin & Graves showed a pH dependence to CaN-mediated catalysis of pNPP; at pH 9 Vmax dropped precipitously, indicating that a monoanion is preferred as a substrate (Martin et al. (1994) Biochim. Et Bioph. Acta. 1206:136)
The activation of CaN by Mn2+ may be due to its substitution for Zn2+ or Fe3+. CaN is extremely similar to PP-1, which coordinates Mn2+ and Fe3+; Mn and Fe have similar atomic numbers See, Egloff et al. (1995) 254:942. However, according to Balinderan et al, ((1995) Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry 149/150:127 metal ions added to the solvent are probably responsible for a complex set of metal assisted equilibria and conformational transitions in CnA. In any case, this activation is most likely an artifact from in vitro studies.
As noted in discussing regulation, Wei and Lee recently showed that mutagenesis of the L7 loop (310-314+) connecting b-strands 12 and 13 has significant effects on activity. This clearly affects the active site, but how is not known. See, for example, Wei et al. (1997) Biochemistry 36, 7418-7424.

Calcipressins: endogenous inhibitors of calcineurin, uses and reagents related thereto


A system and method are used to accelerate settling or steady state of an amplifier in an amplifier system. This is used to ensure the amplifier reaches steady-state within a specified time period from stand-by or another state without using more current than is needed for steady-state. A comparator in a common-mode feedback system compares a desired amplifier output signal to one or more nodes of the amplifier. A result of the comparison is compared to a threshold value using a comparator in a settling acceleration system. If the result crosses the threshold, a controller turns on a driver in the settling acceleration system. The driver pulls on one or more nodes of the amplifier, which, along with a driver in the amplifier system pulling on the node, quickly brings the amplifier to settling or steady state.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to systems and methods to bring amplifier systems to steady state.
2. Background Art
Low power electronic circuits usually have a complex set of power-down modes to save as much power as possible. However, these circuits often also have a specific response time requirement to power-up requests. Therefore, the circuits need to be able to wake-up relatively quickly. The power-up time for the circuits is determined by the capacitance on each node of the circuit and the amount of current available to charge that capacitance to the desired steady-state voltage. In amplifiers or operational transconductance amplifiers (OTAs) with differential inputs and differential outputs, the circuits need to settle to an operating point both differentially and common-mode. Often, such differential input/output amplifiers have a common-mode control circuit that sets the common-mode voltage levels in the circuit to desired levels.
Often, powering up of these circuits within the specified time takes more power (current) than is needed for steady state operation, resulting in conflicting design requirements. This is because if a designer limits a current for a low power circuit, the designer is also limiting the minimum power-up time. For example, circuits are designed to handle the power-up requirements, which results in wasted power during steady-state operation. Also, a first stage of a two-stage Miller-compensated amplifier must have very low current for stability of the circuit, which can lead to deteriorating of the power-up time.
Therefore, what is needed is a system and method that would allow an amplifier to remain stable and achieve power-up within a required time period, but that does not require more power than a steady-state operation of the amplifier.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

System to accelerate settling of an amplifier


A process for forming a photoresist mask over a patternable layer of an integrated circuit structure formed on a semiconductor substrate is described wherein the photoresist mask is initially formed with oversized lateral dimensions over a layer of patternable material of an integrated circuit on a semiconductor substrate. The oversized resist mask is then optionally measured in a vacuum apparatus to determine the size of the critical dimensions; then dry etched, preferably in the same vacuum apparatus, to reduce the size of the resist mask; then measured to determine the size of the critical dimensions (preferably again in the same vacuum apparatus); and then, if necessary, further dry etched to further reduce the size of the critical dimensions. The dry etching and subsequent measurement steps are repeated until the desired critical dimensions of the resist mask are reached. If the dry etching step should accidentally overetch the resist pattern, the structure can still be reworked by removing the resist mask and applying a fresh resist layer as in the prior art. After the correctly sized resist mask has been formed and determined by the cycle of dry etch and measurement steps, the underlying patternable layer can be etched through the photoresist mask, with a greatly reduced chance that the etched pattern in the underlying layer will have unsatisfactory dimensions.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the formation of integrated circuit structures. More particularly this invention relates to a process for accurately forming narrow dimension structures such as metal lines or gate electrodes of integrated circuit structures on semiconductor substrates.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the accurate formation of fine dimension structures such as, for example, 0.25 micrometer (.mu.m) wide gate electrodes or metal lines in a layer of patternable material, forming a portion of an integrated circuit structure on a semiconductor substrate, a layer of photoresist is first formed over the layer to be etched. The photoresist layer is then exposed to a light pattern through a reticle (light mask). Using a positive mask system, the light exposes those portions of the photoresist layer to be removed. When the exposed photoresist layer is then developed to remove the light-exposed photoresist, a pattern of photoresist (photoresist mask) remains conforming to the desired pattern to be formed in the underlying layer of patternable material, using the photoresist mask as an etch mask.
Conventionally before etching the underlying patternable layer (such as a polysilicon or metal layer) through the resulting photoresist mask, the dimensions of the resulting resist mask are measured to determine the accuracy of the resist mask, since this will determine the accuracy of the desired dimensions in the patternable layer of material to be etched. When the mask is measured and any dimensions are found to be out of specifications, particularly critical dimensions such as the width of the gate electrode or of the metal line, the structure must be reworked by removing the remaining portions of the resist mask, and then starting over again with a fresh layer of photoresist from which a new photoresist etch mask will be formed.
Typically the photoresist mask formation is carried out in a different chamber or apparatus than the apparatus used to measure the critical dimensions of the resulting photoresist mask, so it is not unusual for the measurement step to be carried out on a sampling basis. However, if the critical mask dimensions are not within specifications, e.g., if the mask dimensions on a substrate not measured are incorrect, the subsequent etch pattern etched into the underlying patternable layer, e.g., an underlying polysilicon or metal layer, will also be wrong, resulting in the need to either remove the underlying patterned layer (when possible) or to discard the entire wafer.
It would, therefore, be desirable to provide a process wherein more accurate control of the critical dimensions of resist masks can be maintained and the need for the reworking of resist masks formed out of specification can be either reduced or eliminated. It is further desirable that such a process be carried out on all substrates (rather than only on random samples) to eliminate the problem of underlying patternable layers etched to unacceptable dimensions.

Process for forming photoresist mask over integrated circuit structures with critical dimension control


An (Al, Ga, In)N and ZnO direct wafer bonded light emitting diode (LED), wherein light passes through electrically conductive ZnO. Flat and clean surfaces are prepared for both the (Al, Ga, In)N and ZnO wafers. A wafer bonding process is then performed between the (Al, Ga, In)N and ZnO wafers, wherein the (Al, Ga, In)N and ZnO wafers are joined together and then wafer bonded in a nitrogen ambient under uniaxial pressure at a set temperature for a set duration. After the wafer bonding process, ZnO is shaped for increasing light extraction from inside of LED.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention is related to wafer bonding for optoelectronic applications. More particularly, the invention relates to a (Al, Ga, In)N and ZnO direct wafer bonding structure for highly efficient (Al, Ga, In)N based light emitting diodes and for optoelectronic applications, and its fabrication method.
2. Description of the Related Art
(Note: This application references a number of different publications as indicated throughout the specification. A list of these different publications can be found below in the section entitled "References." Each of these publications is incorporated by reference herein.)
Wafer bonding technology using different combinations of materials, such as InP/GaAs, AlGaInP/GaP, GaAs/GaN, ZnSSe/GaN, has been studied for applications in optoelectronic integration, light emitting diodes (LEDs), vertical cavity surface emitting lasers (VCSELs), and electronic devices [1,2,3,4].
In a nitride LED system, there are several reports of fabricating transparent electrodes on a p-type GaN layer. The general method is to use thin metals of Ni and Au [5]. Because of the light absorption in the metal, transmittance is only around 60%. Also, surface feature shaping for improving light extraction efficiency is difficult because of the hardness of GaN material and the instability of p-type GaN conductivity.
Another approach is to use Zinc Oxide (ZnO) layer growth on p-type GaN [6]. However, this method requires using ZnO crystal growth equipment and ultra-high vacuum conditions. Moreover, it is difficult to grow the thick layers, e.g., ˜500 μm thick layers, that are suitable for feature shaping for the purpose of light extraction.
What is needed are improved methods of wafer bonding in the above-identified material systems. The present invention satisfies that need, and comprises the first demonstration of a direct wafer bonding between (Al, Ga, In)N and ZnO wafers.

(Al,Ga,In)N and ZnO direct wafer bonded structure for optoelectronic applications, and its fabrication method

The Regents of the University of California


Embodiments of the invention provide methods and systems for determining hydration of an article and/or a person. The physical and/or electrical properties of a device in the absorbent article may be altered by hydration received in the absorbent article. The alteration of the physical or electrical properties may indicate the amount of hydration in the absorbent article. Furthermore, a time period for receiving the hydration in the absorbent article may also be determined. The hydration of the person may be determined based on a fluid output rate from the person computed using the amount of hydration output from the person and the time period for receiving the hydration.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to determining hydration in an absorbent article or a person.
2. Description of the Related Art
Determining the hydration of a person may be critical to providing proper care to persons who may not be able to care for themselves. Providing proper care may involve providing such persons with sufficient nutrition. Some of the most important nutrients are fluid, for example, water. Water plays a vital role in regulating body temperature, transporting other nutrients and oxygen to cells, removing waste, cushioning joints, protecting organs and tissues, and many other significant biological functions. Therefore, keeping a person well hydrated is vital to maintaining the health of the person.
Determining hydration may be especially critical while caring for newborns who are unable to communicate with a caregiver. For example, it is crucial for a newborn to get sufficient nutrition in the first few weeks to ensure proper development. In the case of breast-feeding babies, mothers have great difficulty in judging whether their babies are receiving sufficient milk. Typically, pediatricians advise parents to monitor the number of diapers that are wetted by the child per day or check the wetness of the child's mucosal membranes to determine whether the child is sufficiently hydrated. In other words, pediatricians rely on the excretion of bodily fluids to determine the hydration of children.
However, current methods only provide a crude estimate of the excretion of bodily fluids, which may not accurately indicate the hydration of a person. Therefore, there is a need not only to determine the amount of fluid output from a person but also a rate of fluid output, which provides a better indication of whether a person is hydrated.
Accordingly, what is needed are methods, systems, and articles of manufacture to measure the amount and the rate of fluid output from a person.

Systems and methods for hydration sensing and monitoring


A memory controller and method that provide a read-refresh (also called “distributed-refresh”) mode of operation, in which every row of memory is read within the refresh-rate requirements of the memory parts, with data from different columns within the rows being read on subsequent read-refresh cycles until all rows for each and every column address have been read, scrubbing errors if found, thus providing a scrubbing function that is integrated into the read-refresh operation, rather than being an independent operation. For scrubbing, an atomic read-correct-write operation is scheduled. A variable-priority, variable-timing refresh interval is described. An integrated card self-tester and/or card reciprocal-tester is described. A memory bit-swapping-within-address-range circuit, and a method and apparatus for bit swapping on the fly and testing are described.

Controllers for DRAMs (dynamic random-access memories) have been getting more complex over time as the data rates to memory have been increasing, but also as the features built into the memory parts have become more elaborate. For example, having multiple memory banks in the memory parts (chips) adds significantly to the design complexity of a controller that attempts to use the capability of such memory parts to better advantage.
Over time and as a result of multiple causes, computer memories will have data errors. Only purchasers of inexpensive PCs tolerate the inconvenience of memories that do not have ECC (error-correction code) circuitry. One common ECC type is an SECDED (single-error correct, double-error detect) ECC. There are numerous different well-known codes that can be used to achieve such a function.
As the density of memory chips keeps increasing, the individual memory bits become more sensitive to upset and therefore to data loss. Data failures that do not result in (or result from) permanent IC failures, such that the memory part still functions correctly, are called soft errors. These soft errors can be caused by familiar mechanisms like alpha particles but also, increasingly, by other mechanisms like other heavy ions and power-supply noise. The sensitivity to data loss increases geometrically as process rules shrink and power-supply voltages are reduced, while the total number of bits per processor also increases geometrically because of user memory-size requirements. This means that soft-error rates for systems coming on line will increase by orders of magnitude over historic error-rate norms.
In the past, soft memory errors have generally been handled by error-correction codes: SECDED and the like. Other correction technologies exist, and are sometimes used, but become increasingly expensive as a fraction of total memory cost as the correction and recovery capability is improved. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,745,508 "ERROR-DETECTION CODE" by Thomas Prohofsky, which is incorporated herein by reference, discusses SECDED codes that also detect certain three-bit and four-bit errors; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,319,357 "DOUBLE ERROR CORRECTION USING SINGLE ERROR CORRECTING CODE" by Bossen, which is incorporated herein by reference, discusses correcting certain hard-soft double-error combinations.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/407,428 filed Sep. 29, 1999 and entitled "MULTIPROCESSOR NODE CONTROLLER CIRCUIT AND METHOD" by Deneroff et al. describes a system that can use ECC memory.
All DRAM parts need to be refreshed; that is what the D (dynamic) in the DRAM name indicates: one must cycle the memory repeatedly in order that the dynamic contents (the stored charges) of the capacitive store of each memory bit are regenerated. This "refresh" function is typically managed by having the memory parts themselves perform the refresh operation. This function generally takes place after a specific command is sent from the local memory controller using a specific request rate so that all memory bits are referenced within the required refresh interval.
Some features that have been in some controllers in the past and whose recognized benefits indicate that they are likely to be used in new designs are memory refresh, memory scrubbing, and support for spare bits in memory. Conventional uses for a spare bit include the ability to logically rewire a card that has a stuck bit (a bit that is always zero or one) or a frequently failing signal on a pin of a memory part such that the card can be returned to correct operation without physical access to the failing pin, chip, or card. In the past, such rewiring typically required removing the card from the system. Logic circuits that provide rudimentary versions of these features with the card in place in a system have shortcomings, such as having to stop accesses from the processor, at least as regards a section of memory having a failed bit and perhaps entirely, in order to reconfigure the memory card to have the spare bit to replace the failed bit.
Electrical issues and pin limitations push memory system design in directions that put the memory controller(s) on the memory cards and also push the card interface to have higher data rates per pin in order to reduce the number of pins while keeping the card bandwidth in line with the higher performance needs of the attached processors and of the bandwidth of the memory components on the memory cards. A memory card design that adopts this direction has test issues, in that the memory components (the chips) are not directly accessible for testing as is normal in past industry practice, and the data rates of the high-speed interfaces are too fast for connection to testers that are available in normal production testing. While special-purpose test equipment can be built and used, the design of special-purpose memory testers is very expensive and time consuming.
Thus, there is a need for improved methods and circuits in memory subsystems and for logic functions in which memory performance, reliability (the time between system failures, or the inverse of failure frequency) and availability (the percentage of time the system is up and working) are improved.

Apparatus and method for memory read-refresh, scrubbing and variable-rate refresh


Pressure filter for aquariology for retaining impurities of the water intended for ponds, aquaria and the like, of the type comprising a glass-like container (12) closed by a cover (14), a liquid path (15) extended in the container between an inlet opening (16) and an outlet opening (17), a filtering body (18) placed along the path and having an exposed surface (19) whereon the impurities are retained, and at least a brushing element (31) mounted in the container in a guided way with to-and-from movement along the exposed surface (19) for removing the impurities, characterized in that the brushing element (31) is mobile against the exposed surface (19) for maintaining a pressing contact between the brushing element (31) and the exposed surface (19).

As it is well known in this technical field, the pressure filters of the above mentioned type mainly perform the function of mechanically filtering the water, by removing the impurities such as the suspended material, the particulate and the filth particles. Normally this function is performed by a series of sponges, realized with expanded plastic material with communicating cells, preferably with polyurethane.
For taking care of the cleaning of the filtering elements without having to resort to the opening of the filter, technical solutions have been developed for long intended to compress the filtering sponges, so as to free them partially or totally from the particulate material entrapped therein.
In other technical fields, for cleaning the exposed surface of the filtering elements the use of brushing elements has been for long spread. These latter act substantially as a racla, which is guided in a sliding way with a to-and-from movement along the exposed surface of the filtering body.
Although advantageous under several aspects, known filters, which use sponges with open cells as filtering elements, have a still unsolved drawback.
The drawback stays in that, in spite of the use of the brushing elements, progressive volume variations and dimension reductions of the filtering element can be noted in time with an unavoidable worsening of the brushing element efficiency and increase of the load loss due to the obstruction.
In consideration of the drawback detailed above, an aim of the present invention is that of devising a pressure filter having such structural and functional characteristics as to ensure a high brushing element efficiency although occurring a progressive volume reduction of the filtering element.
A further aim of the invention is that of providing a pressure filter wherein the brushing element has high maneuverability and manoeuvre flexibility when cleaning the filtering element.


Methods and apparatus are disclosed to analyze processor system. An example method to analyze execution of a multi-threaded program on a processor system includes generating a first program trace associated with the execution of a first thread, generating a first list of execution frequencies associated with the first program trace, generating a second program trace associated with the execution of a second thread, generating a second list of execution frequencies associated with the second trace, generating a first set of one or more vectors for the first list of execution frequencies, generating a second set of one or more vectors for the second list of execution frequencies, and analyzing the one or more vectors to identify one or more program phases.

Computer processor designers rely heavily on benchmark simulations to evaluate various design alternatives. To this end, significant emphasis is placed on accurately modeling the design choices in software simulators. Despite the fact that processing power has increased, accurate modeling of a complex design may dramatically reduce simulation speed, thereby restricting the ability to study tradeoffs between design alternatives. To address this issue, researchers sometimes simulate only a small fraction of the overall program execution, in the hope that the simulated fraction is a good representation of the overall program behavior. However, recent studies have shown that programs exhibit different behaviors during different execution phases that occur over a long time period. Consequently, there is tension between the need to reduce the time required for accurate simulations and the need to simulate program execution over a long period of time to accurately capture the phase behavior.
The behavior of a program is not random. As programs execute, they exhibit cyclic behavior patterns. Recent research has shown that it is possible to accurately identify and predict phases in program execution. An understanding of the phase behavior of a program can be exploited for accurate architecture simulation, to compress program traces, to conserve power by dynamically reconfiguring caches and processor width to guide compiler optimizations, and/or to provide feedback to the programmer to guide program optimization.
Prior work on phase classification divides a program's execution into intervals. An interval is a contiguous portion of execution (e.g., a slice in time) of a program. Intervals that exhibit similar behavior (e.g., a similar number of instructions per cycle (IPC), similar cache miss rates, similar branch miss rates, etc) are classified as members of a phase. The intervals that belong to a given phase need not be located together (e.g., adjacent in time). Instead, intervals that belong to a given phase may appear throughout the program's execution. Some prior work uses an off-line clustering algorithm to break a program's execution into phases to perform fast and accurate architecture simulation by simulating a single representative portion of each phase of execution. One example method for performing this type of analysis is the Automated Phase Analysis and Recognition Tool (iPART) from Intel (B. Davies et al., Ipart: An Automated Phase Analysis and Recognition Tool, tech. report, Microprocessor Research Labs, Intel Corp., November 2003).
A software program can contain multiple threads that can execute different instructions from a software program simultaneously or almost simultaneously. For example, multiple threads may allow multiple users to execute a software program simultaneously on a single computer. Multi-threaded software programs may be quite complex and may be more difficult to analyze than single threaded software programs. For example, if multiple threads attempt to access a hardware resource simultaneously, one thread may be delayed until the other thread finishes accessing the resource. Further, simultaneous execution of multiple threads can change program phases or result in new phases that would not occur if only one thread were executing. Moreover, if threads are spawned at different times from execution to execution, the phases defined based on system resources may be different from execution to execution. The complexities of analyzing multi-threaded software programs executing on one or more computer processors has created a desire for a tool to analyze such multi-threaded software programs.

Methods and apparatus to analyze processor systems


Fishing lures that can mimic the movement of a fish or crustacean are described. The fishing lures can generate a vibrating action in water and can avoid snagging. In embodiments the fishing lures include a wire section, a blade section, and a main body section. The wire section that extends through one of a plurality of holes in the blade section to a side that faces the main body section. The wire section includes a bent portion, and the wire section extends from the bent portion through another of the plurality of holes of the blade section to the side that faces the main body section. When the fishing lure is pulled forward through water the blade section vibrates around the wire section.

There have been developed a fishing lure configured to prevent a hook from being caught by an obstacle in water (for example, fresh water, sea water) during fishing and a fishing lure configured to move by copying the movement of a fish or a crustacean such as a shrimp which constitutes a bait.
Patent Literature 1 (U.S. Pat. No. 9,253,967) discloses a fishing lure in which the lure is prevented from rolling by restricting a side-to-side movement of a blade so as to prevent a hook from being directed downwards whereby the hook is prevented from being caught by an obstacle in water, and the restricted side-to-side movement of the blade generates a quick and controlled vibrating action of the blade so as to copy the movement of a fish or a crustacean such as a shrimp which constitutes a bait.
Patent Literature 2 (Japanese Patent Publication No. JP-A-2016082904) discloses a fishing lure in which a lure main body is caused to move so as to obtain a high fish collecting effect, and a lure 1 includes a lure main body 2 and a blade 3. A split ring 5 is coupled to a blade eye 27. The blade 3 is restricted from rotating relative to the lure main body 2 by coupling the blade 3 to the blade eye 27 via the split ring 5, thereby allowing the lure main body 2 to move.

Fishing lure, fishing lure fabrication method, and fishing method


A display substrate and a method for manufacturing the same are provided. The display substrate includes: a base substrate; a first-color sub-pixel region and a second-color sub-pixel region on the base substrate. The first-color sub-pixel region includes: a first reflective layer, a first isolation layer and a first anode layer, the first reflective layer and the first anode layer being electrically connected with each other through a first connection element which penetrates through the first isolation layer. The second-color sub-pixel region includes: a second reflective layer, a second isolation layer and a second anode layer, the second reflective layer and the second anode layer being electrically connected with each other through a second connection element which penetrates through the second isolation layer. Thicknesses of the first isolation layer and the second isolation layer are different.

OLED (Organic Light-Emitting Diodes) display technology, as a new type of display technology, has been widely used in the fields including smart watches, mobile phones, tablet computers, displays and the like. The silicon-based OLED displays, in which the single-crystal silicon wafer is used as the active drive backplane, have excellent characteristics such as high pixel density, high integration, small size, ease of carrying, high vibration-resistance, and ultra-low power consumption, and thus became one of the hot spots in the research on display technology.
However, one of the technical problems to be solved in the art is how to further improve the display brightness of the silicon-based OLEDs.


A method of jointly encoding channel state information (CSI) reports and hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) feedbacks for a user equipment in a wireless communication system includes generating a first data stream based on a plurality of input streams of CSI reports or a combination of a plurality of input streams of CSI reports and HARQ feedbacks; and transmitting the first data stream to a network of the wireless communication system.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method used in a wireless communication system and related communication device, and more particularly, to a method of jointly encoding channel state information (CSI) reports and hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) feedbacks in a wireless communication system and related communication device.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A long-term evolution (LTE) system, initiated by the third generation partnership project (3GPP), is now being regarded as a new radio interface and radio network architecture that provides a high data rate, low latency, packet optimization, and improved system capacity and coverage. In the LTE system, a radio access network known as an evolved universal terrestrial radio access network (E-UTRAN) includes a plurality of evolved Node-Bs (eNBs) for communicating with a plurality of user equipments (UEs) and communicates with a core network including a mobility management entity (MME), serving gateway, etc for NAS (Non Access Stratum) control.
An LTE-advanced (LTE-A) system, as its name implies, is an evolution of the LTE system. The LTE-A system targets faster switching between power states, improves performance at the coverage edge of an eNB, and includes advanced techniques, such as carrier aggregation (CA), coordinated multipoint transmission/reception (COMP), uplink (UL) multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO), etc. For a UE and an eNB to communicate with each other in the LTE-A system, the UE and the eNB must support standards developed for the LTE-A system, such as the 3GPP Rel-10 standard or later versions.
In the LTE-A system, since a UE may be served by multiple cells, the UE may need to report Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request (HARQ) acknowledgement/negative acknowledgements (ACKs/NACKs) to each cell at the same time. In the prior art, a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) format 3 including 48 bits is defined to convey the HARQ ACKs/NACKs for advanced techniques such as CA. Please refer to FIG. 1, which is a schematic diagram of a conventional process 10 for encoding HARQ ACKs/NACKs in the CA technology when the total number of HARQ ACK/NACK bits NA/NPUCCH format 3 is less than 11 (i.e., NA/NPUCCH format 3≦11) As shown in FIG. 1, the HARQ ACKs/NACK bits a0, a1, a2, . . . , aNA/NPUCCH format 3−1 (denoted by an) are encoded into a data stream {tilde over (b)}0, {tilde over (b)}1, {tilde over (b)}2, . . . , {tilde over (b)}31 (denoted by {tilde over (b)}i) through a Reed-Muller code RM(32, O) first (step 100), wherein O is the number of input bits,
                    b        ~            i        =                  ∑                  n          =          0                                      N                          A              /              N                                      PUCCH                                                                                format                                                                                3                                -          1                                                                      (                                    a              n                        ·                          M                              i                ,                n                                              )                        mod                                                  2              ,i=0, 1, 2, . . . , 31, and the basis sequences Mi,n are defined in Table 1. Then, an output data stream b0, b1, b2, . . . , bB-1 (denoted by b1) is obtained by circular repetition of the data stream {tilde over (b)}0, {tilde over (b)}1, {tilde over (b)}2, . . . , {tilde over (b)}31 i.e., bj={tilde over (b)}(i mod 32) (step 102), wherein j=0, 1, 2, . . . , B-1, B is the bandwidth for transmitting the HARQ ACKs/NACKs. Please continue referring to FIG. 2, which is a schematic diagram of a conventional process 20 for encoding HARQ ACKs/NACKs in the CA technology when the total number of HARQ ACK/NACK bits NA/NPUCCH format 3 equals a number between 11 and 21 (i.e., 11<NA/NPUCCH format 3≦21) As shown in FIG. 2, the HARQ ACKs/NACK bits a0, a1, a2, . . . , aNA/NPUCCH format 3−1 (denoted by an) are de-multiplexed into two data streams a0, a1, a2, . . . , a┌NA/NPUCCH format 3/2┐−1 (denoted by ãm) and a┌NA/NPUCCH format 3/2┐, a┌NA/NPUCCH format 3/2┐+1, a┌NA/NPUCCH format 3/2┐+2, . . . , a┌NA/NPUCCH format 3/2┐−1, (denoted by {tilde over (ã)}1) first (step 200). Then, the data streams a0, a1, a2, . . . , a┌NA/NPUCCH format 3/2┐−1 and a┌NA/NPUCCH format 3/2┐, a┌NA/NPUCCH format 3/2┐+1, a┌NA/NPUCCH format 3/2┐+2, . . . , aNA/NPUCCH format 3−1, are encoded through the Reed-Muller code RM(32, O) (steps 202, 204) and truncated to 24 bits (steps 206, 208) to obtain data streams {tilde over (b)}i and {tilde over ({tilde over (b)}i, respectively, wherein
                    b        ~            i        =                  ∑                  n          =          0                                      ⌈                          N                              A                /                N                                            PUCCH                                                                                format                                                                                3                                      /                    2                                                                        ⌉                    -          1                                                                      (                                    a              n                        ·                          M                              i                ,                n                                              )                        mod                                                  2              ,
                    b        ≈            i        =                  ∑                  n          =          0                                      N                          A              /              N                                      PUCCH                                                                                format                                                                                3                                -                      ⌈                          N                              A                /                N                                            PUCCH                                                                                format                                                                                3                                      /                    2                                                                        ⌉                    -          1                                                                      (                                    a                                                ⌈                                      N                                          A                      /                      N                                                              PUCCH                                                                                format                                                                                3                                                  /                          2                                                                                ⌉                                                  +                  n                                                      ·                          M                              i                ,                n                                              )                        mod                                                  2              ,i=0, 1, 2, . . . , 23, and the basis sequences Mi,n are defined in Table 1. Finally, an output data stream b0, b1, b2, . . . , bB-I (denoted by b1) is obtained by the alternate concatenation of the bit sequences {tilde over (b)}0, {tilde over (b)}1, {tilde over (b)}2, . . . , {tilde over (b)}23 and {tilde over ({tilde over (b)}0, {tilde over ({tilde over (b)}1, {tilde over ({tilde over (b)}2, . . . , {tilde over ({tilde over (b)}23 (step 210) as the following pseudo-code:
Set i, j = 0while i < B  bi = {tilde over (b)}j , bi+1 = {tilde over (b)}j+1 , bi+2 =   , bi+3 =    i = i + 4, j = j + 2end while
Therefore, in the conventional processes 10 and 20, the maximum number of ACK/NACK bits that can be transmitted in the PUCCH format 3 is 10 for frequency division duplex (FDD), and the maximum number of ACK/NACK bits that can be transmitted in the PUCCH format 3 is 20 for time division duplex (TDD). However, it is not enough for certain advanced applications.
TABLE 1iMi,0Mi,1Mi,2Mi,3Mi,4Mi,5Mi,6Mi,7Mi,8Mi,9Mi,100110000000011111000000112100100101113101100001014111100010015110010111016101010101117100110011018110110010119101110100111010100111011111110011010112100101011111311010101011141000110100115110011110111611101110010171001110010018110111110001910000110000201010001000121110100000112210001001101231110100011124111110111102511000111001261011010011027111101011102810101110100291011111110030111111111113110000000000
Channel state information (CSI) includes channel quality indicator (CQI), precoding matrix indicator (PMI), precoding type indicator (PTI), and/or rank indication (RI). CSI reports are classified into 10 types, 1, 1a, 2, 2a, 2b, 2c, 3, 4, 5, and 6, each type reporting different contents. For example, Type 2 report supports wideband CQI and PMI feedback, and Type 3 report supports RI feedback. When multiple CSI reports for different cells need to be transmitted simultaneously, the 3GPP Rel-10 standard requires the UE to drop reports with lower priorities and to deliver only one CSI report at one time.
In detail, if the UE is configured with more than one serving cell (e.g., the UE and the eNB support CA), the UE transmits a CSI report of only one serving cell in any given subframe. For a given subframe, if a CSI report with PUCCH reporting type 3, 5, 6, or 2a of one serving cell collides with a CSI report with PUCCH reporting type 1, 1a, 2, 2b, 2c, or 4 of another serving cell, the latter CSI with PUCCH reporting type 1, 1a, 2, 2b, 2c, or 4 having lower priority may be dropped. For a given subframe, if a CSI report with PUCCH reporting type 2, 2b, 2c, or 4 of one serving cell collides with a CSI report with PUCCH reporting type 1 or 1a of another serving cell, the latter CSI report with PUCCH reporting type 1, or 1a having lower priority may be dropped.
For a given subframe, if collision among CSI reports of different serving cells with PUCCH reporting type of the same priority occurs, the CSI of the serving cell with lowest serving cell index is reported, and CSI of all other serving cells are dropped.
For a wireless communication system supporting CoMP transmission/reception, a cell may correspond to multiple transmission points (TPs). In case of collision among CSI reports of different TPs corresponding to the same serving cells with PUCCH reporting type of the same priority, the priorities of the CSI reports may be the same according to the prior art. Since the benefit of the CoMP technology originates from coordination among TPs, it is inappropriate to deliver only one CSI report at one time.
Thus, how to deliver more HARQ bits and multiple CSI reports at one time is a topic to be addressed and discussed.

Method of jointly encoding channel state information reports and hybrid automatic repeat request feedbacks and related communication device


Provided is a metal interconnection structure of a semiconductor device, including a first metal film pattern disposed on an upper part of an insulation film of a semiconductor substrate; an intermetallic dielectric film having a metal contact plug in which a barrier layer, a metal film for contact plug and a second metal film are sequentially disposed, on the first metal film pattern; and a second metal film pattern disposed on the metal contact plug and intermetallic dielectric film and connected to the metal contact plug.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device and a method of fabricating the same, and more particularly to a metal interconnection structure of a semiconductor device having low resistance and a method of fabricating the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, the increased degree of integration of semiconductor memory devices has led to miniaturization and high densification thereof. However, such high integration enables reduction of the device size and integration of the circuits having sophisticated functions into the device and as a result, increased lengths of signal lines providing connection between the devices. Therefore, reduction of a signal line length is absolutely necessary for enhancing operating speed of integrated circuits. For this purpose, complicated circuits of the devices have been implemented by reducing the contact length and contact resistance between devices via formation of metal interconnection as a multi-layer structure.
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a conventional metal interconnection structure of a semiconductor device.
As shown in FIG. 1, a first metal film pattern 110 is disposed on an upper part of an insulation film 105 of a semiconductor substrate 100. An intermetallic dielectric film 120 is disposed on the first metal film pattern 110. A metal contact plug 140, which is electrically connected through the intermetallic dielectric film 120 to the first metal film pattern 110, is disposed on the intermetallic dielectric film 120. A barrier layer 130 is disposed on side walls and bottom surface of the metal contact plug 140. The metal contact plug 140 is formed of a tungsten film. A second metal film pattern 150 is disposed on the upper surface of the metal contact plug 140. The second metal film pattern 150 is formed of an aluminum film.
In such metal interconnection structure of the semiconductor device, electrical connection between the first metal film pattern 110 and second metal film pattern 150 is achieved via the metal contact plug 140 composed of tungsten, as previously described. Since tungsten, constituting the metal contact plug 140, has characteristics similar to a thermal expansion coefficient of a material constituting the semiconductor substrate, for example, silicon, and is a high-melting point metal, it can be advantageously applied in the inhibition of electron detachment and a high temperature process. In addition, upon performing chemical vapor deposition (CVD), tungsten exhibits excellent step coverage and thus provides superior properties to vacuum deposition or sputtering.
However, tungsten is a material having relatively high specific resistance as compared to other metal interconnection films such as aluminum. Nonetheless, the reason why tungsten is used as the metal contact plug is that tungsten has, as mentioned above, excellent step coverage and thus is better at filling a via-hole than aluminum or copper having relatively low specific resistance. However, frequency of usage of the metal contact plug is also increased in metal interconnection structures showing a trend toward use of multi-layer structures and as a result, electrical properties of devices are gradually degraded due to a high specific resistance of tungsten.

Metal interconnection structure of a semiconductor device having low resistance and method of fabricating the same


A number of wafers of a same semiconductor device are inspected to generate a plurality of candidate defect lists for identifying systematic defects. Each candidate defect list comprises a plurality of candidate defects obtained from inspecting one of the wafers. Each candidate defect is represented by a plurality of defect attributes including a defect location. The candidate defects in every one or more candidate defect lists are processed as a set by stage one grouping and filtering to generate a stage one defect list for each set. The candidate defects in all the stage one defect lists are then processed together by stage two grouping and filtering to generate a final defect lists for systematic defects. The defect attributes of each defect and a design pattern clip extracted from a design database based on the defect location are used in the hierarchical grouping and filtering.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to wafer inspection, and more specifically to a method and system for identifying systematic defects in wafer inspection.
2. Description of Related Arts
Producing semiconductors requires a very cost-intensive and sophisticated manufacturing environment. With the size of the structures built on a semiconductor device decreasing, the production costs are increasing at the same pace. Semiconductor production in a modern fab requires several hundreds of machines, with prices reaching several ten-millions or even hundred-millions of US dollars per machine.
The process of semiconductor device manufacturing often requires hundreds of sequential steps, each one of which could lead to yield loss. Consequently, maintaining product quality in a semiconductor manufacturing facility often requires the strict control of hundreds or even thousands of process variables. The issues of high yield, high quality and low cycle time are being addressed in part by the ongoing development of several critical capabilities, i.e. process monitoring, process/equipment modeling, process optimization, process control, equipment and process diagnosis and parametric yield modeling.
During the manufacturing of a semiconductor device, inspection is typically performed by illuminating the manufactured semiconductor wafer using optical sources or electron beams and then analyzing the signals returned from the semiconductor wafer. As the design rule shrinks, the circuit patterns on the semiconductor wafer become very small and dense. Defect signals that can be detected from the inspection are extremely weak and often in the order of the normal variation caused by the manufacturing process. As a result, critical defects of interest can be missed or embedded in thousands or millions of nuisances in the candidate defect list of an inspection result.
FIG. 1 is an exemplary wafer map showing the candidate defect distribution on a wafer of a typical candidate defect list from wafer inspection. As can be seen, the candidate defects generated by the inspection span across the whole wafer and the majority of them are nuisances. Because of the small geometries of the circuit pattern, the image of a candidate defect acquired from the inspection often either shows only a single pixel in the defective area or is not resolvable at all. Semiconductor manufacturers face the challenge of identifying whether the candidates are real killer defects or just nuisances. What makes the inspection further more difficult is that many systematic critical defects are undetectable because their signatures appear no difference from the nuisances in the inspection.
Many signal and image processing techniques have been applied in wafer inspection, trying to eliminate the nuisances and identify real defects that may make the semiconductor device mal-function. In general, inspection results from a handful of wafers are used to optimize the recipes for inspecting future wafers with desired sensitivity and acceptable number of total candidate defects, or train the templates for classifying real defects from nuisances.
As the advanced semiconductor technology pushes the physics limits to shrink the size of the device, conventional methodology of simply analyzing returned signals by illuminating wafer one by one using optical sources or electron beams is no longer sufficient. Critical systematic defects may be barely detectable even though they exist in many locations in a wafer. Eliminating the systematic defects is a huge challenge in ramping up the manufacturing process for volume production. In the volume production, newly occurring systematic defects also have to be identified as early as possible to avoid losing all the manufactured wafers, the ones in the manufacturing pipeline as well as those already being completed.

System and method for identifying systematic defects in wafer inspection using hierarchical grouping and filtering


A perfusion system includes a fluid reservoir configured to hold a portion of fluid, the portion of fluid having a volume, the fluid reservoir having a total capacity that is greater than the volume; an imaging device, the imaging device configured to obtain image data corresponding to the fluid reservoir; and a controller. The controller is configured to receive the image data from the imaging device; determine the volume based on the image data; and facilitate control, in response to at least one of a user input and the determined volume of the portion of fluid, of an operating parameter corresponding to the fluid reservoir to facilitate changing or maintaining the volume of the portion of the fluid.

Perfusion entails encouraging physiological solutions, such as blood, through vessels in the body or some portion of the body of a human or other animal. Perfusion can be employed in intracorporeal and extracorporeal circulation, such as during cardiopulmonary bypass surgery and other surgeries and during various therapeutic treatments. Perfusion is useful in maintaining the viability of body parts, such as specific organs or limbs, while the body part remains within the body or while the body part is exterior to the body, such as for transplantation or temporarily removal of a body part to provide access to other body structures. Perfusion can be used for a short period of time, such as less than about six hours, or for extended periods of time, such as greater than about six hours.
Sometimes, blood perfusion systems include one or more pumps in an extracorporeal circuit that is interconnected with the vascular system of a patient. Typically, cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) surgery utilizes a perfusion system that allows for the temporary cessation of the heart by replacing the functions of the heart and lungs, which creates a still operating field and allows for the surgical correction of problems, such as vascular stenosis, valvular disorders, and congenital heart and great vessel defects. Perfusion systems for cardiopulmonary bypass surgery include an extracorporeal blood circuit that includes at least one pump and an oxygenation device to replace the functions of the heart and lungs.
In cardiopulmonary bypass procedures, oxygen-poor blood is removed from a large vein entering the heart or from other veins (e.g., a femoral vein) in the body and transferred through a venous line in the extracorporeal circuit. In embodiments, the blood may be removed via drainage (e.g., by gravity-draining the blood, kinetic drainage via a pump, etc.), vacuum suctioning, and/or the like. The venous blood is pumped to an oxygenator that provides for oxygen transfer to the blood. Oxygen may be introduced into the blood by transfer across a membrane or, less frequently, by bubbling oxygen through the blood. Concurrently, carbon dioxide is removed across the membrane. The oxygenated blood is then returned through an arterial line to the aorta, femoral, or other main artery.
The perfusionist often uses level sensors only for pump emergency shut off, when the blood level in the reservoir goes below a safe minimum value. One of the perfusionist's most important tasks is to continuously keep the reservoir blood level/volume under visual control, by manually regulating the venous blood flow entering the reservoir, by acting on the venous clamp, or, if present, by alternatively acting on the vacuum applied to the reservoir. Additionally, the arterial pump may also be manually adjusted, if necessary, in order to regulate the arterial blood flow exiting the reservoir. This task requires constant attention by the perfusionist who has to keep the reservoir under strict visual control, throughout the case.
The reservoir blood level control is important in cardiac surgery. In fact, a certain amount (variable during the case, according to changing needs) of venous blood typically has to be kept in the reservoir at all time. The reservoir may have multiple shapes and sizes and may be rigid (hardshell) or flexible (soft bags). The conventional level sensors based on ultrasonic, capacitive or pressure measurements are often too large when used with very small reservoirs for neonatal cases. Additionally, they rarely have the capability to provide a continuous monitoring over the whole reservoir volume or height, but rather monitor only one level or range of levels. Furthermore conventional level sensors are not configured to translate the measured level into a volume.


An extruded irrigation pipe connectable to a pressurized fluid source via a first end of the pipe, the pipe comprising drip-irrigation plug emitter mounted integrally therein during the extrusion process of the pipe. The plug emitter has an inlet in fluid communication with the first end of the pipe, a drip outlet in fluid communication with a second end of the pipe, and a flow-restricting path therebetween. The emitter plugs the pipe with respect to any fluid flow except for the flow through the flow-restricting path. The pipe is conveniently produced as a section of a continuous long pipe comprising a plurality of such sections and adapted for being cut into such sections.

In the art of drip irrigation there are known end or plug emitters that are disposed at the outlet ends of branch irrigation pipes. They constitute plugs with some sort of pressure-reducing device providing slow trickling or dripping of water through the outlet end of the branch pipe. The branch pipe is connected by its other end to a main line supplying water under pressure.
GB 1,136,993, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,833,176 and 3,840,209 disclose branch pipes made of resilient material with a threaded screw inserted in the outlet end of the pipe. The threads of the screw cut into the resilient walls of the branch pipe forming a restricted helical passage between the threads and the wall. The passage has great hydraulic resistance to the passing flow and thereby constitutes a pressure-reduction device. The rate of dripping may be regulated by drawing the screw deeper into the pipe or by withdrawing it.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,934,824 discloses an end emitter constituting a collapsible tube with a plurality of crimps or folds providing a sinuous path to the emitted water. The pressure reduction function of a particular end emitter is regulated by cutting off a part of the crimps.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,043,360 discloses a pressure reducing device suitable for use as an end dripper. The device has an inner cylindrical body with a plurality of transverse grooves interconnected in axial direction so as to form a tortuous flow labyrinth with the walls of a pipe where the cylindrical body is inserted.
In all the above examples, the emitters are designed for insertion in the pipe only through the end thereof.


The invention relates to a high-pressure device (1) having a cylindrical high-pressure vessel (3) and prestressing means in order to exert an axial pressure on the vessel. The vessel (3) can have been formed from a number of layers of composite material, such as glass, carbon or aramide fibers which are oriented in the peripheral direction and are embedded in a matrix of epoxy resin or polyurethane. By applying the axial prestress to the pressure vessel (3), the tangential stress is distributed more uniformly over the wall thickness of the high-pressure vessel (3), the stress decreasing at the inside of the wall and increasing at the outside thereof. As a result, the innermost fibers of a high-pressure vessel (3) made of composite material are subjected to appreciably less stress, which has a beneficial effect on the life of the high-pressure vessel (3), and all fibers of the wall are utilized effectively. Preferably, the prestressing means comprise a pressure ring (14) which can be brought into engagement around the pressure-generating piston (9) with one end face of the high-pressure vessel (3).

The invention relates to a high-pressure device comprising an essentially cylindrical high-pressure vessel and external prestressing means for exerting an external pressure on the vessel.
WO 95/21690 discloses a high-pressure vessel having a cylindrical liner which is open at two ends and has been placed under radial prestress with the aid of a steel wire winding. With said high-pressure vessel the prestressing as a consequence of the steel winding is equal to the tangential stress that is generated when the high-pressure vessel is pressurised.
Pressures of between 1,000 and 15,000 bar can be generated in the known high-pressure vessel. In this context the cylindrical pressure vessel can be filled with a fluid in order to exert an isostatic pressure on, for example, foodstuffs, pharmaceuticals, cosmetic preparations and the like. By means of the high-pressure treatment under these pressures harmful microorganisms and enzymes can be killed without vitamins being damaged or the taste impaired.
As a consequence of the varying stress on the known pressure vessel, hairline cracks can be formed therein, with the result that the vessel ultimately becomes unsuitable for use. In order to provide adequate resistance to the internal pressure and to prevent the formation of hairline cracks, the known pressure vessels are of relatively heavyweight construction with multiple concentric steel walls. The removal of the relatively heavyweight pressure vessel from the hydraulic press, emptying thereof and loading with new material to be treated takes a relatively long time, with the result that the throughput of the known device is limited. Making the high-pressure vessel according to the prior art of more lightweight construction in order to be able to fill and empty this more rapidly and more easily would, in turn, lead to the use of lower pressures, as a result of which the residence time of the product in the high-pressure vessel increases.
It is therefore an aim of the present invention to provide a high-pressure device with which the high-pressure vessel can be of relatively lightweight construction whilst it can nevertheless still be operated under high pressures. A further aim of the present invention is to provide a high-pressure device with which the residence time of the products can be shortened, with which the high-pressure vessel can relatively simply and easily be placed outside the high-pressure device and can be filled and emptied easily and with which a long life throughout a large number of pressure load cycles is possible.
To this end the high-pressure device according to the present invention is characterised in that the vessel is reinforced with fibres, the prestressing means comprising a compression device for exerting an axial pressure on the high-pressure vessel. It has been found that by applying axial prestressing to the high-pressure vessel by compression in the axial direction the stress pattern over the wall of the vessel is more uniform. As a result the stress on the innermost wall section is appreciably reduced, which has beneficial effect on the life of the vessel. Furthermore, the entire wall thickness is more usefully used to obtain the desired strength, with the result that the wall can be of thinner construction or, if the wall thickness remains the same, the pressure can be increased.
Preferably, the vessel is made of a composite material comprising fibres embedded in plastic. The pressure exerted by the prestressing means can be dependent on the internal pressure in the high-pressure vessel, so that no prestressing is exerted when the vessel is not pressurised. The prestressing means can comprise a pressure element which is movable in the axial direction with respect to the cylindrical high-pressure vessel and engages on an end face of the high-pressure vessel, as well as a feed line for feeding a hydraulic fluid to the pressure element. With a relatively small number of simple modifications, such prestressing means can easily be integrated in known hydraulic installations for generating pressure in the high-pressure vessel.
The high-pressure vessel according to the present invention can comprise metal and preferably comprises a composite material made from fibres having a tensile strength of 1,000 MPa or higher, such as for example, glass fibres, carbon fibres or aramide fibres. Said fibres can have been embedded in a matrix of, for example, an epoxy resin, a polyamide or polyurethane. Preferably, the fibres are oriented essentially in the peripheral direction, so that a high tangential strength of the high-pressure vessel is obtained. Suitable high-pressure vessels made of composite materials of the abovementioned type are described in detail in European Patent Application no. 96203187.8 in the name of the Applicant. A high-pressure vessel made of composite material to which axial prestressing is applied according to the invention has a life of 300,000 cycles or more for an operating pressure of 10 Kbar.
By applying axial prestressing, the shear stress in the wall of the high-pressure vessel, in particular in a wall made of composite material, is lowered.
One embodiment of a high-pressure device according to the present invention is characterised in that the high-pressure vessel is provided close to at least one of the end faces with a reinforcing ring that thickens radially towards the outside in the axial direction. To bring the prestress in the wall as a function of the distance from the axis of the vessel to the correct value, the pressure ring is shaped such that the shear stress is reduced close to the interior of the high-pressure vessel and is increased for wall sections close to the outside of the wall. Furthermore, as a result of the use of the reinforcing ring the radial stretch close to the end faces (at the location of a possible seal) is minimised.
An advantageous embodiment of a high-pressure device according to the invention comprises a housing having a longitudinal axis and a first and a second pressure chamber located along said axis. A top end face of the high-pressure vessel is located in or close to the second pressure chamber. A piston, having a piston head located in the first pressure chamber and a piston rod connected to said piston head, is movable in the longitudinal direction via the second pressure chamber as far as into the high-pressure vessel. A pressure ring is movably accommodated around the piston rod, which pressure ring is able to engage on the top end face of the high-pressure vessel. Feeding a hydraulic fluid to the second pressure chamber causes the pressure ring to bear on the wall of the cylindrical high-pressure vessel so as to apply the axial prestressing thereto. Preferably, the fluid pressure in the second pressure chamber is dependent on the fluid pressure which is exerted on the piston, so that the prestressing is proportional to the pressure on the piston and thus to the pressure in the interior of the high-pressure vessel.
The wall of the high-pressure vessel can have been built up from several layers, for example six layers, of high-tensile fibres, the liner of the vessel being made of a superelastic material. The superelastic material separates the composite jacket from the hydraulic medium and does not itself have to cope with any stresses. The liner must be able to withstand stretching of the order of magnitude of 2%. Nickel-titanium alloys or polymers such as ABS, PE, PP or polycarbonates are suitable for this purpose.


The invention provides a process for producing 3-hydroxybutyric acid or a salt thereof. The process includes (1) culturing one or more halophilic bacteria belonging to the genus Halomonas under aerobic conditions in a medium containing an inorganic salt and one or more organic carbon sources; (2) changing the culture conditions from aerobic culture to microaerobic culture, and culturing bacterial cells of the halophilic bacteria to produce 3-hydroxybutyric acid or a salt thereof in a culture medium; and (3) collecting the 3-hydroxybutyric acid or the salt thereof from the culture medium.

Amid recent concerns about peak oil, urgent issues have arisen, such as the shift to bio-based technologies for not only energy but also chemical refineries, and it became a critical issue that the conversion of industrial starting materials from petroleum to biomass.
In humans, 3-hydroxybutyric acid, which is produced from acetyl CoA in the liver, is used as an energy source for the brain when blood glucose levels are low. Further, it can prevent the transfer of enterobacteria into the blood (PTL 1). Therefore, 3-hydroxybutyric acid is used in infusions. This compound is also used as a starting material for biodegradable plastics.
Referring to the "Hopeful 32 Starting Materials for Biorefineries" shown in NPL 1, 3-hydroxybutyric acid is mentioned as a promising compound as a starting or intermediate material for biorefineries. Further expanded use of this compound is highly expected.
Known processes for producing 3-hydroxybutyric acid are as follows. For example, since this compound is a monomer of poly-3-hydroxybutyrate (hereinafter also referred to as "PHB" in the present specification), PHB is produced by various bacterial cells, and then degraded by lipases, etc., which have been prepared separately, to thereby obtain 3-hydroxybutyric acid, which is a monomer of PHB (PTL 2). NPL 2 shows a process in which 8.7 g/L of 3-hydroxybutyric acid is obtained by using mutants, and NPL 3 shows a process in which 3-hydroxybutyric acid is obtained with a yield of 12 g/L by using a gene recombination technique.
The present inventor examined an efficient process of culturing Spirulina microalgae, which is known to have little contamination by other bacteria during commercial outdoor incubation, and found that specific halophilic bacterium, grew under certain conditions as the only contaminating bacterium. Since in general the halophilic bacteria generally grew well in a medium with a pH of about 5 to 12 containing a high concentration of sodium, it was presumed that contamination by other bacteria hardly occurred, even under aerobic fermentation. Then, examination of the assimilation of various carbon sources by the halophilic bacteria revealed that a remarkable amount of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) was accumulated in the cells of the halophilic bacteria (PTL 3).
Moreover, PTL 4 shows studies specific to the production of PHAs by the halophilic bacteria, and the halophilic bacteria are known to be involved in the production of specific substances, such as lactic acid and acetic acid (PTL 4). Furthermore, NPL 6 reports a process for producing 3-hydroxybutyric acid with a yield of 117 g/L by culturing bacterial cells belonging to a specific genus, and then subjecting the bacterial cells to autolysis under anaerobic conditions for about 6 hours.

Process for producing 3-hydroxybutyric acid or salt thereof

National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology


A method for determining a short circuit between at least two stator laminates in an electrical machine having a rotor mounted on a shaft and a stator, includes rotating the rotor on the shaft relative to the stator so to pass a magnetic stator flux, varying over time, through the stator, determining, during the rotation, a measurement variable sensitive to a short-circuit current caused by the magnetic stator flux between the at least two stator laminates, and determining the magnetic stator flux. In addition, a theoretical model is provided describing a relationship between the magnetic stator flux and the measurement value or an auxiliary variable derived from the measurement value, and the measurement variable or the auxiliary variable is compared with the theoretical model. A device for carrying out a method for determining a short circuit is also provided.

Large generators and motors are routinely checked when stationary for interlaminar short circuits between the laminates, which are normally isolated from one another, in the laminated core of the stator. However, it is desirable to detect faults such as these during operation of the machine since this allows interlaminar short circuits to be identified earlier and allows measures to prevent further damage to be taken earlier.
US patent specification U.S. Pat. No. 5,032,826 (Miller et al.) discloses the shaft voltage of the machine being measured and being used to draw conclusions about interlaminar short circuits. The shaft voltage is that voltage which occurs along the shaft, in particular between the two ends, or between the shaft and ground during operation of the electrical machine. According to U.S. Pat. No. 5,032,826, changes in the shaft voltage are assessed in the frequency domain or in the time domain, as an indication of interlaminar damage.

Method and device for detecting interlaminar short circuits


Aimed at providing an electronic authentication system for a motorcycle excellent in the handlability and operability, operations of turning an ignition knob, and of opening a accommodation lid and a fuel lid, disposed in the front portion of the vehicle, are permitted, when agreement of ID information was judged. The steering bar was made unlockable by operating the ignition knob after agreement of the ID information was judged, and the seat was made unlockable by further operating the ignition knob.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electronic authentication system for motorcycles typically for scooter-type vehicles.
2. Description of the Related Art
Motorcycles equipped with electronic authentication systems have been known. The electronic authentication system is such as allowing operation of a vehicle only when an authentication ID sent from a portable electronic key owned by a user according to a predetermined operation to the vehicle is judged as being authorized, typically by unlocking the steering bar.
A conventional technology regarding this sort of electronic authentication system is disclosed typically in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-122816; Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-119421; and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-207038.
The technique disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-122816 is configured so as to start the electronic authentication by operating a vehicle-borne start switch, in which the steering bar and the seat are unlocked when an authorized authentication ID was acquired, and the engine is started by operating the main switch after they are unlocked.
The technique disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-119421 is aimed at motorcycles capable of unlocking the steering bar and controlling operation of the engine by turning an operation knob provided on the cylinder lock, configured so that the turning operation of the operation knob locked with a locking solenoid is permitted when an authorized authentication ID was acquired, and by operating a seat unlock switch after the authentication.
The technique disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-207038 is aimed at motorcycles capable of unlocking the steering bar and controlling operation of the engine by turning an operation knob provided on the cylinder lock, configured so that the turning operation of the operation knob locked with a locking solenoid is permitted when an authorized authentication ID was acquired, and by independently operating an unlock switch after the authentication to thereby unlock the seat, and by further independently operating a separate unlock switch to thereby unlock a accommodation portion provided on the front side of the vehicle.
The accommodation portion is provided therein with an operation component for unlocking the oil-supply lid provided on the lower side of the vehicle, so as to allow the user to operate the operation component only when the accommodation portion is unlocked and the lid component is kept open.
The conventional technique disclosed in , Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-122816 however, suffers from a problem in that the seat cannot be unlocked unless otherwise the start switch is operated. Therefore, accommodation of a helmet or the like into a commodity accommodation under the seat, when the vehicle is parked after driving, needs unlocking of the seat by operating the start switch, making the operation inconvenient. Even if the unlocking of the seat is unnecessary, it is anticipated that the user may launch the vehicle while unconsciously leaving the seat unlocked, because the seat is unconditionally unlocked, and this is not recognized as being convenient to use.
The conventional technique disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-119421 enables independent operations of unlocking the cylinder lock and unlocking the seat, but the seat unlock switch unlocking the seat and the cylinder lock are separately provided, and the accommodation under the seat is accessible only by separately operating the seat unlock switch, and this is not recognized as being desirable in the operability.
The conventional technique disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-207038 needs operation of a plurality of unlock switches after the electronic authentication, again raising inconvenience in operation. Moreover, unlocking of the oil-supply lid is accessible only after unlocking of the accommodation portion, and this is not recognized as being desirable in the operability and handlability in oil supply.
Moreover, the electronic authentication is even inaccessible in case of shortage of voltage of the vehicle-borne battery of a motorcycle equipped with the electronic authentication system. In this case, only possible way of recovering the electronic authentication system is such as replacing or charging the battery, so as to normally operate the vehicle-borne control unit of the electronic authentication system.
The battery is generally provided inside a front leg shield, and located in the front side of the front accommodation of the vehicle. The battery is accessible only by removing the inner wall of the front accommodation, and can be taken out from the vehicle. The electronic authentication system, however, does not operate due to shortage of the battery voltage, and this makes it impossible to open the front accommodation lid component for which the opening/closing operation thereof should be permitted.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-119421 describes a mechanism by which the lock solenoid is allowed to operate so as to allow turning of the cylinder lock with the knob, after the authentication. This is also configured so that a seat lock actuator is allowed to operate depending on operation of the seat unlock switch after the authentication, and to enable operation control of the engine with a controller depending on electric conduction of the main switch.
This sort of vehicle is equipped with an emergency unlock key cylinder, and the unlock operation thereof allows a link to turn so as to pull a transmission interlock, and converts a seat catcher from the seat catching state to the seat releasing state. Provision of the emergency unlock key cylinder also enables switching of the seat catcher into the seat releasing state, by either of operation of the seat lock actuator and the unlock operation of the emergency unlock key cylinder.
The conventional mechanism described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-119421, however, cannot unlock the steering bar, unless otherwise a predetermined component in the accommodation box under the seat is operated, after unlocking the seat through operation of the emergency unlock key. Operation of the predetermined component results in a control state similar to that established when the authorized ID signal is received, and this raises a problem in that even a person other than the owner of the vehicle can readily steal the whole vehicle by drastically operating the emergency unlock key cylinder.
Moreover, it cannot be said that a desirable level of immobilizer function has not been provided, if the engine start is remained accessible through the emergency unlock key cylinder lock, despite the electronic authentication system is adopted, and this inevitably degrades the crime prevention performance. The emergency unlock key cylinder lock is provided in a second commodity accommodation portion having no lock mechanism, so that the emergency unlock key cylinder lock may be found when someone is picking something in the second commodity accommodation portion.
The present invention is conceived after considering the above-described situation, and an object thereof is to provide an electronic authentication system for a motorcycle excellent in the handlability and operability, and also in antitheft performance or the like.

Electronic authentication system for motorcycle


A recording device includes a workpiece stage that holds by suction a recording region of an elongated workpiece fed in a first feed direction, a recording unit that carries out recording in the recording region, a workpiece-holding unit arranged on a downstream side of the workpiece stage in the feed direction, and immovably holds or releases a part of the workpiece, an advancing/retracting unit that causes the workpiece stage and the workpiece-holding unit to travel relatively apart in an extension direction of the workpiece, and a control unit that controls the individual configurations. The control unit performs a recording operation, a holding operation for immovably holding part of the workpiece, and an advancing/retracting operation for retracting from the workpiece stage the recording region where recording has been completed and advancing onto the workpiece stage the recording region where recording has yet to occur.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a recording device adapted to carry out recording of a recording region of a workpiece of continuous length which is delivered to a worktable and held thereon by suction, and to a workpiece-advancing/retracting method therefor.
2. Related Art
One recording device known in the prior art is provided with a suction table for delivering a workpiece of continuous length (roll-fed paper) in a first direction from a tape supply mechanism to a tape windup mechanism, and holding by suction a recording region of the delivered workpiece; a drawing device for carrying out drawing that carries out drawing in the recording region; and a tape feed mechanism having a paper feed roller disposed towards the tape wind-up mechanism for conveying the workpiece in a first direction, and a tension roller disposed towards the tape supply mechanism for imparting prescribed tension to the workpiece on the suction table (see Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application Publication No. 2002-225255).
With this recording device, after prescribed recording has terminated, the workpiece, which has been released from holding on the suction table, travels downstream through driving of the paper feed roller, whereby the recording region which is finished being recorded retracts and an as-yet-unrecorded recording region advances onto the suction table (advance/retract operation).

Recording device and workpeice-advancing/retracting method for recording device


A method of forming an external rib on a helically wound article is disclosed. The method includes the steps of, in any suitable order, forming bunched strands or tows of continuous fiber, each bunch being held taught in-line with the major axis of the intended rib and successively winding each bunch or tow between successive sequentially helically wound fibers around an article former whereby the bunched strands or tows are each separated by helically wound strands of fiber, to thereby form on completion a wound article having integrally formed external support ribs of generally pyramidal section. A similar method is provided for forming an internal rib in a helically wound article.

Reinforcement ribs for wound articles are often important as a means of preventing inward or outward collapse of the side walls of the articles due to mechanical pressure thereon and in our GB2256420 we disclosed a method of forming the reinforcement ribs integrally with the remainder of the structure by sequentially interposing between the helical windings straight windings along the length of the intended rib with the object being to form a rib of substantially triangular shape, ideally having a height about two or three times the intended base of the triangle so as to produce the required stiffness. However, in practice it has been found that winding individual straight fibres in this way within the helically wound fibres makes them tend to spread out to form a flattish band rather than a required rib of height sufficient to provide the required stiffness.

Fibre-wound structures with reinforcement ribs