An engine cleaner composition and method for removing carbonaceous deposits from engine fuel-system components such as mechanical and electronic fuel injectors, intake valve seats, valves, combustion cylinders, spark plugs, and oxygen sensors may be used on both gasoline and diesel engines. Preferred compositions comprise a synergistic solution of a heterocyclic ring compound in an azeotrope of acetonitrile and water, together with selected surfactants and aromatics. Preferred compositions of the invention may be placed in an aerosol pressurized unit utilizing a compressed gas, such as nitrogen or nitrous oxide, or compressed liquid gas, such as a hydrocarbon or fluorohydrocarbon. Preferred engine cleaning compositions of the invention are substantially non-ozone depleting, are low in global warming, and have a low order of human toxicity. Preferred compositions have a moderate pH and are essentially compatible with metals and elastomers conventionally used in engine fuel-system components. The invention provides a consumer or a professional engine mechanic with a safe, easy and efficient way to clean engine fuel-system components.

The efficient operation of a modern computer-controlled internal-combustion engine depends in part on the ability of the computer of the engine to control accurately the air/fuel ratio and the timing of the spark. Such accurate control requires that critical component parts of the system function at close to optimum O.E.M. values. One common hinderance to optimum operation has been the fouling of engine component parts with carbonaceous deposits.
Several years ago fouling of electronic fuel injectors in automobile engines became a serious problem. Injector cleaners were developed to give some relief to the injector fouling problem. After study of the problem by O.E.M. engineers and oil company chemists, it was concluded that possibly the most serious contributing factor to injector fouling was the presence of high levels of diolefins, sulfides and other polar compounds in gasolines. Other contributing factors included exhaust gas from exhaust-gas recirculation "EGR," positive crankcase ventilation ("PCV") gas, positioning of injectors close to the intake valves receiving hot back-soak temperatures, and location of injector spray pintles close to the outer tips of the injectors.
In answer to the problem of fuel-injector fouling, certain manufacturers of electronic fuel injectors redesigned their injectors. In addition, certain O.E.M.'s repositioned their injectors further back from the intake valves. Oil companies significantly reduced diolefins, sulfides, and other polar compounds in gasoline, and, in addition, the companies began to add alkylamine detergents to gasoline to help keep injectors clean. As a consequence, fuel injector deposit problems have been reduced significantly, although cleaning is occasionally still needed. However, deposits on other engine fuel areas remained a problem; e.g. intake valves, spark plugs, combustion chambers, and oxygen sensors.
With the passage of time, workers in the art were successful in developing several generic approaches for obviating the foregoing limitations. Briefly, these techniques included the following.
(a) A carburetor cleansing operation which involves pouring a cleaning composition directly into an open air throttle on the carburetor with the engine operating at a high rpm level. In this procedure, the cleaner employed is admixed with the fuel and the combination burned during the combustion process. As the cleaning liquid flows over the bottom of the intake runners in this operation, approximately 30% of the surfaces are cleaned. PA1 (b) An injector cleaning process involving the use of a pressurized container having contained therein an engine fuel and a cleaning agent in a ratio of about four parts fuel to one part cleanser. The pressurized container is connected to a transfer apparatus which is then adapted to the injector fuel rail of the engine. The fuel system is the disabled and the engine operated on the fuel/cleaner mixture from the pressurized container. This technique has been found to clean the fuel injector satisfactorily but does not appear effect cleansing of the intake valves or valve seats. PA1 (c) A vacuum disconnect technique which involves disconnecting a vacuum line on the air intake plenum and then connecting a rubber flex line to the vacuum outlet. Following, the other end of the flex line is inserted into a container of cleaning fluid. At that juncture, the engine is started and the vacuum used to evacuate the cleaning fluid from the container into the plenum. The cleaning fluid then follows the route of least resistance to the center of gravity down the plenum from the point of entry. Studies have revealed that some intake runners get the major portion of the cleaning fluid while others get none. A further limitation of this procedure arises in that the cleaning fluid does not come into contact with the injectors and therefore provides limited or no cleaning. PA1 (d) A commercial procedure to chemically clean mechanical and electronic fuel injectors together with upper engine components wherein chemical compositions are added to the fuel tank of a vehicle, cleansing being effected as the vehicle is operated. In the operation of such process it is common to employ 100 parts of fuel to one part of cleaning fluid. Studies of such processes have revealed that the use of high levels of polybuteneamine fuel additive result in the effective cleansing of soiled injectors. However, this has not proven effective at removing hardened carbonaceous deposits in the intake valve.
The numerous problems created by the presence of excessive carbonaceous deposits on intake valves include engine power loss, acceleration problems, higher emissions and fuel combustion, so creating a need for correction thereof. Currently, this end is effected either by removing the intake valves, cleaning them and re-installing, or by removing the air intake manifold (plenum) and installing a "walnut shell blaster" which loosens the carbonaceous deposits using a high pressure force of small walnut shell chips. Each of these procedures is labor intensive and economically unattractive. Unless the vehicle in issue is still under warranty, the owner will generally wait until the vehicle fails emission tests or the engine operation deteriorates to the point where it is malfunctioning.
Accordingly, it has been found that none of the aforementioned prior art procedures has been able to provide the simultaneous cleansing of fuel system engine components such as air intake plenums, intake runners, intake valves and valve seats, oxygen sensors and catalytic converters.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,992,187 to Adams et al. disclosed a composition for cleaning an internal combustion engine which included a five-membered heterocyclic ring compound and hydrazine. Although the composition of the patent could be effective in cleaning internal combustion engines, the composition had an undesirably high order of toxicity and was expensive. The technique of the patent generally required a skilled mechanical technician to clean the mechanical or electronic fuel injectors of an engine and an especially high level of skill to clean other upper engine fuel-system components.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,807,578 disclosed an injector cleaning system and technique. The technique required a quantity of an active injector cleaner to be blended into a larger quantity of engine fuel. The resulting blend was placed into a pressure resistant container and then pressurized with a compressed gas, such as air or nitrogen. A special adapter was used to attach the pressurized container to the fuel rail of the engine to be cleaned. In general, different engine models required different adapters. Consequently, a garage using the engine cleaning technique of the '578 patent had to stock a large number of adapters, with the number of adapters growing larger with each new vehicle model.
Although the injector cleaning system of the '578 patent can be effective in cleaning fuel injectors, there are a number of drawbacks with this system in practice. For example, because the fuel/cleaner mixture in the container is pressurized, several types of failure, although rare, present the hazard of a mechanic being sprayed with the cleaner/fuel or in the cleaner/fuel being sprayed onto a hot engine or onto painted surfaces of the vehicle, all with potentially serious consequences. Such potentially serious failures can arise if the threads of the connector connecting the aerosol unit to the adapter apparatus are stripped by over tightening; or if a regulator diaphragm of the adapter apparatus ruptures; or if a fitting between the regulator and a ball valve of the adapter apparatus breaks as a result of the stress of opening and closing the ball valve over a period of time.
In addition, if the wrong adapter in the apparatus of the '578 patent is used to attach the pressurized container containing fuel and cleaner to the fuel rail of the throttle body; or if the adapter seal leaks; or if the return fuel line plug is not sufficiently secured; of if the high pressure fuel line is not reattached to the fuel rail correctly, fuel or the cleaner/fuel mixture can drip onto a hot engine.
Moreover, if the return fuel line is not clamped closed in the technique of the '578 patent, the injector cleaner can flow back to the fuel tank, which can result in damage to an electric fuel pump. If an injector-cleaner apparatus of the patent remains attached to a fuel rail overnight or over a weekend, damage can be caused to a diaphragm in the fuel-return pressure regulator.
Heretofore, the only solvents known to produce sufficient synergistic engine-cleaning activity for heterocyclic ring compounds were highly alkaline compounds, such as alkylamines, ammonia, or hydrazine. When such alkaline compounds are blended with certain heterocyclic five-membered ring compounds, the resulting blend can be irritating to the skin. As a result, use of such engine cleaners by the general public is not recommended and even use by professionals is now being questioned.
A need exists for a safe and efficient chemical composition to clean injectors, intake valves, combustion chambers, spark plugs, oxygen sensors and other fuel/combustion components of internal combustion engines which need not be injected into the high pressure side of the fuel-system fuel rail and for an engine cleaning process which is so inherently safe that persons with little or no mechanical skill can conduct the cleaning process.
It is an object of the invention to provide a composition of low toxicity capable of efficiently cleaning internal combustion engine parts which can be introduced into the engine through the air intake system. It is a further object of the invention to provide a method of cleaning internal combustion engines which can be used safely by consumers as well as skilled automobile mechanics and which is inexpensive relative to conventional engine-cleaning techniques.
It is yet a further object of the invention to provide an engine cleaning composition that has a moderate or neutral pH and which would provide the cleaning power needed for the difficult job of cleaning carbonaceous deposits from internal engine surfaces.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide an inexpensive apparatus for cleaning injectors, air intake plenums, intake valves and valve seats, combustion chambers, oxygen sensors and catalytic converters, said apparatus having a cost less than that of a high quality screwdriver.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle owner with a safe and simple technique coupled with a low cost apparatus that has sufficient versatility to attach to the air intake plenum of any internal combustion engine.

Engine cleaner composition, method and apparatus with acetonitrile


The present invention is a system and method for generating quotations from a reference document on a touch sensitive display device or other handheld device, including the following steps: (a) providing a reference document; (b) displaying the reference document; (c) capturing an image of a portion of the reference document; (d) editing the captured portion of the reference document; and (e) generating a quotation comprising an image quotation and a bibliographical reference to a referenced portion of the reference document. The present invention may be used in Apple iPhones®, hand-held devices that inspectors may use to quote reference documents to substantiate statements of problems found during industrial inspections, and in other purposes.

Generating quotations from reference documents is important in graphic user interfaces (GUIs), both when writing reports, documents, encyclopedia articles, and the like using WordPerfect®, Microsoft Word®, and the like, and also for cropping and annotating quotations from textual reference documents such as Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF)®, Microsoft Word®, and the like.
Multiple end-use applications require generating quotations from reference documents, including reference manuals, encyclopedias, educational texts, inspection reports, and the like. For example, U.S. Ser. No. 12/489,313, filed on Jun. 22, 2009, entitled "A system and method for carrying out an inspection or maintenance operation with compliance tracking using a handheld device," describes a method for carrying out an inspection on a piece of industrial equipment and generating inspection reports in the field. An inspector out in the field carrying out an inspection operation needs a convenient, quick, and accurate method to crop and annotate quotations from a reference document, such as an industrial equipment owner's manual, during an inspection in the field.
One prior method of generating quotations from a reference document is shown in FIG. 1. Window 1 (102) shows a reference document, which could be, for example, an Adobe PDF® file, stored in memory. A mouse 106 is used to select a portion of the reference document (shown as dashed rectangle), then performing a drag operation 106 (shown as dashed line 106) while holding down the mouse button to another Window 2 (104), which could be, for example, a Microsoft Word® document that the user is editing, and then releasing the mouse button to insert the quotation from the reference document. In the prior art method, after the quotation area has been selected, the user drags the selected quotation into another document, and then must manually add a reference to the reference document, as well as the section of the reference document from which the quotation was selected. This operation is cumbersome and requires multiple mouse operations, and furthermore is generally only useable in the desktop environment with the availability of peripheral devices such as a keyboard and mouse. It is generally not suitable for use in a handheld or other field device, or locations or situations where greater flexibility and fewer interactions with the GUI are highly desirable.
One concrete application of the present invention is related to supplying a convenient user interface for a handheld device used for industrial inspection and maintenance compliance systems, as described in related U.S. Ser. No. 12/489,313. The present invention allows an easy mechanism for on-site inspectors to quickly quote reference documents such as crane safety manuals to substantiate problems found during the course of an inspection.
One of ordinary skill in the art will find many useful applications of the present invention in which a convenient and easy way is needed to generate quotations from a reference document on a touch-sensitive display or other hand-held device.
It is against this background that various embodiments of the present invention were developed.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

System and method for generating quotations from a reference document on a touch sensitive display device


A method for performing rate policing and re-marking in a packet switched communications network that can be used to enforce and/or monitor Class of Services (CoS) contracts including terms for single or multiple classes of service. A switching system configured as an ingress node on the network includes a network switch and rate policing and re-marking logic. The switch receives a data packet transmitted on the network, extracts information from at least one header field of the packet including a CoS parameter, a primary flow ID established for the packet, and a packet byte count, and provides the extracted information to the rate policing/re-marking logic. Next, the rate policing/re-marking logic performs flow record and token bucket processing on the primary packet flow to determine whether the packets of the primary flow conform to the bandwidth requirements specified in the CoS contract. In the event the primary flow is a sub-flow of an aggregated packet flow, the logic also performs flow record and token bucket processing on the aggregated flow to determine whether the packets of the aggregated flow comply with the terms of the CoS contract. The logic then provides the token bucket processing results to the switch. Based on these results, the switch may pass the packet unmodified on the network, pass the packet re-marked with a new CoS on the network, or drop the packet from the network.

The present invention relates generally to communications systems, and more specifically to a dual use rate policing and re-marking apparatus for packet switched communications networks.
A conventional communications system includes a plurality of nodes interconnected by a plurality of data transmission paths to form at least one communications network. The plurality of nodes includes at least one node configurable as an ingress node for originating a data path and at least one node configurable as an egress node for terminating a data path through the network. Each node on the network typically comprises a computerized device such as a switch that can be used to interconnect two or more of the plurality of data paths. Each switch includes at least one input port and at least one output port coupled to respective data paths and is typically configured to allow each output port to receive digital data in the form of, e.g., data packets from any input port. The switch determines the appropriate output port for a particular packet by accessing information contained in a header field of the packet.
In the conventional communications system, a Class of Services (CoS) contract is typically formed between an operator of the communications network and a user of the network specifying the user's parameters for transmitting data on the network. For example, the CoS contract may specify that the user has a 500 kilobyte/second (KB/s) bandwidth for transmitting packets on the network. Further, each switch that constitutes an ingress node on the communications network may be configured to police data traffic on the network to assure that the network's users are in compliance with the terms of their respective CoS contracts. For example, each switch constituting an ingress node may include at least one queue configured to buffer a user's packet flow for a particular class of service. The switch typically determines the required class of service for each packet in the flow by accessing information in the packet header field. The switch may also include at least one token bucket associated with the queue for metering the buffered packet flow to determine whether the packets conform to the bandwidth requirements of the CoS contract. In the event it is determined that the user's packets conform to the terms of the CoS contract, the switch typically allows the packets to pass on the network via the appropriate output port(s). In the event at least one of the user's packets fails to comply with the CoS contract terms, the switch may mark the packet as non-conforming or simply drop the non-conforming packet from the network.
One drawback of conventional communications systems is that the network switches included therein cannot easily enforce CoS contracts that include terms for multiple classes of service. For example, a CoS contract may specify that a user of the communications network has a 500 KB/s bandwidth for a first packet flow, a 250 KB/s bandwidth for a second packet flow, a 200 KB/s bandwidth for a third packet flow, a 100 KB/s bandwidth for a fourth packet flow, and a total bandwidth of 1 megabyte/second (MB/s) for an aggregated packet flow comprising a mix of the multiple classes of service. Policing such a CoS contract can be problematic not only because the network switches are required to police the primary packet flows but also because the switches must police one or more aggregated flows. Further, a switch's ultimate disposition of a packet, e.g., whether the switch passes the packet, marks the packet as non-conforming, or drops the packet from the network, can depend not only on the specified data transmission rate for the corresponding primary packet flow but also on the amount of bandwidth currently available in the aggregated flow. This can further complicate the policing and enforcement of CoS contracts.
It would therefore be desirable to have an apparatus and method for policing CoS contracts of users of a communications network. Such an apparatus would be capable of policing CoS contracts that include terms for one or more classes of service. It would also be desirable to have an apparatus for policing CoS contracts that can appropriately re-mark packets with new CoS parameters to reduce data loss and assure that as much data traffic as possible is allowed to pass on the network.

Dual use rate policer and re-marking logic


This invention relates to a novel analytical device for collecting, analyzing and storing of biological samples and, more specifically, to an analytical device used in the analysis of biological fluids such as urine.

The sampling and testing of biological fluids such as urine for the presence of analytes provides important information regarding various health related maters, including pregnancy and conception.
For an example, current test devices use an immunoassay for determining pregnancy or conception. At the heart of the immunoassay is a reagent, such as an antibody, that specifically reacts with an analyte to form a reaction complex. The immunoassay also can include and one or more separate detection reagents that react with the reaction product to facilitate detection of the reaction complex. The reaction complex can usually be detected by the unaided eye. An immunoassay can produce qualitative or semi-quantitative results.
Current pregnancy test devices assay for hormones associated with pregnancy, such as, for example, chorionic gonadotropin. Normally, the presence of human chorionic gonadotropin in urine is an indicator that a woman may be pregnant. Such test devices obtain qualitative results indicating either the presence or absence of chorionic gonadotropin. Typically, a pregnancy immunoassay contains an antibody directed against chorionic gonadotropin and a separate detection antibody.
Conception test devices also assay for hormones associated with the ovarian cycle, such as, for example, luteinizing hormone. Luteinizing hormone is present normally in urine but its concentration increases markedly during ovulation, the time at which a women is most likely to conceive. The probability that a woman can conceive a child thus increases with increasing concentration of luteinizing hormone. Such test devices obtain semi-quantitative results regarding the relative concentration of luteinizing hormone in the urine. Typically, a conception immunoassay contains an antibody directed against luteinizing hormone and a separate detection antibody.
Current test devices use various sample collection and analytical methods to detect an analyte in urine. For example, in one method urine is collected in a container and a measured urine volume transferred to a solution containing the immunoassay. The reaction product is detected in the resulting solution or as applied to a solid support. However, this method requires that the urine volume be accurately measured to insure the reaction product is not so diluted that it cannot be easily detected. In many situations, such as at-home testing, accurate measurement of urine volume is difficult perform and undesirable. Moreover, urine collection in a container and transfer to a test device generally is undesirable because of sanitary concerns and the potential for contamination.
In another method, the urine is collected in a container and transferred to a test device having an absorbent material that conducts or "wicks" the urine via capillary attraction to the immunoassay on a membrane. Typically, such a membrane immunoassay or absorbent material contains an antibody directed against the antigen of interest conjugated with a dye agent and an antibody directed to the antigen immobilized on the membrane immunoassay at a position "upstream" from the dye conjugate antibody. As the urine flows through the membrane immunoassay, the dye conjugate antibody binds the antigen and flows to the immobilized antibody where an antibody "sandwich" reaction complex is formed. A second absorbent material is positioned upstream from the immobilized antibody and in fluid flow contact with the membrane immunoassay to draw urine through the membrane immunoassay and collect urine and unbound dye conjugate antibody. The immobilized antibody typically is bound to the membrane in a line across the membrane immunoassay which results in a positive reaction appearing as a line.
A casing, usually made of plastic, surrounds the membrane immunoassay and the absorbent material in a manner that allows urine to be added only to the absorbent material. The absorbent material controls the volume of urine that contacts the immunoassay because only urine conducted by the absorbent material contacts the membrane immunoassay. Therefore, the volume of urine added to the absorbent material need not be accurately measured so long as a sufficient amount is added to allow the reaction to occur. An opening or window on one side of the casing over the membrane immunoassay permits the result to be observed. However, the collection of urine in a container and its transfer to the test device are disadvantages of the method because of sanitary concerns and the potential for contamination.
In another method, the urine is collected directly from the urine stream into the test device. The in-stream test device contains an absorbent material that is attached to and projects outward from a casing surrounding the above-described membrane immunoassay. The casing is designed as a handle to facilitate inserting the absorbent material into the stream during urination. The absorbent material is rigid so as to prevent being deflected out of the stream and not collecting a sufficient amount of urine. As described above, the absorbent material controls the amount of urine that contacts the membrane immunoassay and an opening or window on the casing permits the result to be observed. After collecting the urine, a cap may be placed over the absorbent material to contain the residual urine on the absorbent material and facilitate handling.
A disadvantage of current test devices is the relatively high cost to manufacture and use these test devices. A principle reason the test devices are expensive to manufacture is that each test device requires the manufacture and assembly of many separate parts. For example, an in-stream test device typically contains an absorbent material, a membrane immunoassay, a desiccant, two or more casing parts and a window. Each of these parts must be separately manufactured and then assembled in each test device which results in a high manufacturing cost for each test device.
Current test devices are expensive to use because each test device can only be used once. Since the cost of each test device is relatively high, a user incurs significant expense when multiple tests are required. For example, a conception test often requires testing for luteinizing hormone once a day for five or more days to optimize the probability of conception. The high cost of current test devices is a disadvantage particularly in underdeveloped regions of the world where the need for such test devices is great but cost significantly limits their use.
Another limitation of current test devices is that the result obtained cannot be conveniently stored. For example, urine soaked absorbent material contains microorganisms and the growth of such microorganisms in the absorbent material prohibits storage of the test device. Moreover, the result cannot be easily removed from the test device for separate storage from the absorbent material.
Yet another limitation of current test devices utilizing an absorbent material is that the result can only be observed from one side of the device. The ability to observe the result from more than one side would facilitate use, especially for in-stream test devices.
There thus is a need for a test device that detects analytes in urine which is more economical to manufacture and use than current test devices. There also is a need for a test device that allows the result to be archived for storage. Further, there is a need for a test device that allows the result to be viewed from more than one side of the device. Finally, the test device should be simple enough to used by the lay individual outside of a medical facility or any location such that medically trained individuals are not required to use the device. For instance, pregnancy tests are often conducted by the patient in her own home. The present invention satisfies these needs and provides related advantages as well.


A first semiconductor chip 102 includes an integrated circuit formed on a face which is shown upwards in FIG. 2. A second semiconductor chip 103 includes an integrated circuit formed on a face which is shown downwards in FIG. 2. Between the first semiconductor chip 102 and the second semiconductor chip 103, a non-conductive die pad 107 is interposed. The die pad 107 is provided with connection members 110 protruding from the first semiconductor chip 102 and the second semiconductor chip 103. The connection members 110 are plated on their surfaces so as to be electrically conductive. The integrated circuit on the first semiconductor chip 102 and the integrated circuit on the second semiconductor chip 103 are interconnected by two inter-chip connection wires 104a and 104b, via the connection members 110. Thus, there is provided a semiconductor device composed of a plurality of internally connected semiconductor chips, such that the semiconductor device is easy to produce and requires a reduced number of component elements.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device, and more particularly to a semiconductor device composed of a plurality of laminated semiconductor chips having substantially the same outer contour with one another, with an integrated circuit being formed on one of the principal faces of each semiconductor chip.
2. Description of the Background Art
In recent years, in the field of semiconductor devices, so-called "system-in-package" technology has gained more importance. According to system-in-package" technology, a single semiconductor device incorporating a plurality of semiconductor chips having different functions is constructed. In addition to being downsized, a semiconductor device constructed according to this technology can provide a realize a highly functional system where the semiconductor chips are able to mutually exchange data within the semiconductor device.
A conventional semiconductor device which is constructed according to system-in-package technology is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2003-23136. As shown in FIG. 18, this conventional semiconductor device has a structure such that a memory chip 1014 and a microcomputer chip 1015 are attached to each other "back-to-back", i.e., so that a face of each of the chips 1014 and 1015 having circuitry formed thereon is facing outwards. The metal wires taken out from the memory chip 1014 and the microcomputer chip 1015 are electrically connected to each other, via a conductive common lead 1024. Thus, electrical conduction between the memory chip 1014 and the microcomputer chip 1015 is achieved.
However, in the conventional semiconductor device, the conductive common lead 1024 is composed as a separated element from external terminals 1025 and a die pad 1017, and as such, needs to be affixed by means of an insulative piece 1026 as shown in FIG. 18, in order to be stabilized in place within the semiconductor device. This results in an increase in the number of component elements used in the semiconductor device. Furthermore, in order to connect the common lead 1024 to both the memory chip 1014 and the microcomputer chip 1015 by means of metal wires, it is necessary to position the common lead 1024 precisely with respect to both the memory chip 1014 and the microcomputer chip 1015. Such a precise positioning for the common lead 1024 is a hindrance to a rapid assembling of the semiconductor device.

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


A local coil for an imaging system includes an anterior torso part and a posterior torso part that are detachably connected to one another with a fastening device.

The present embodiments relate to a local coil for a magnetic resonance tomography (MRT).
Magnetic resonance devices (MRTs) for examining objects or patients using magnetic resonance tomography are known, for example, as disclosed by DE10314215B4.
In MR tomography, images with a high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) may be recorded using local coils (e.g., coils). The local coils are antenna systems that may be attached directly on (anterior) or below (posterior) the patient. With an MRT measurement, the excited nuclei induce a voltage into the individual antennae of the local coil. The voltage is then amplified with a low-noise preamplier (LNA, preamp) and is forwarded to the receiving electronics via a cable. High field systems (e.g., 1.5 T to 12 T and more) may be used to improve the signal-to-noise ratio even with highly resolved images.
Of importance in many clinical MR applications is the SNR (signal-to-noise ratio) of an image. The SNR may be decisively determined by the local coil (e.g., antenna with active amplifiers) and by the losses in the antenna elements themselves. Very small antennas allow for a very high SNR close to the antenna. Due to the possibility of the accelerated measurement by k-space subscanning (e.g., parallel imaging, SENSE, GRAPPA), there is a great interest in high-channel, very compact antenna arrays. The individual elements of such high channel, compact antenna arrays may have a totally different alignment relative to the transmit field. In addition to the SNR, the simple usability of the local coil is also an important property of the component. During the time used to apply and position the local coil, the MR system may not be used in any other way. A favorable arrangement of local coil elements together with a workflow-optimized mechanical design is key to the simultaneous optimization of SNR and workflow.
Local coils exist in various designs. Local coils may be dedicated to specific body regions (e.g., the head, heart, prostate, knee, ankle, or shoulder joint) of a patient.
Mechanically flexible local coils adapt to the body, and the SNR is improved due to close proximity to the patient. For example, the variability of patient anatomies is very high in the abdomen and thorax area, making a flexible adaptation of the local coil in at least one direction advantageous.
Flexible coils may be manufactured from mechanically flexible antenna supports. Mechanically flexible antenna supports are incorporated in flexible foam materials. Additional areas for electronics may be rigid, but most are so small that sufficient space remains between for the antennae to bend. Anterior coils to image, for example, the heart or abdomen may be attached to a top side of the patient after he/she has laid on the patient couch. The coils may be fixed to the couch by strips or may rest on the couch due to the high dead weight of the coils.
Problems of known local coils may include that the lateral coverage of the patient with local coils may not be optimal due to the subsequent attachment of the coils. The coils may protrude slightly from the surface. A gap may be produced between posterior coil elements (e.g., a spine coil) permanently integrated into a table and anterior coil elements (e.g., see Sp in FIG. 1). Such arrangements may be less than optimal (e.g., for cardiology imaging), since the heart is positioned slightly laterally offset in the body, making lateral coverage important. Fixing the anterior coil to the patient couch with a belt may cause claustrophobic patients to experience anxiety, since he/she is fixed to the patient couch in a certain way (see FIG. 1). Attaching the coil after positioning the patient on the table may be time-consuming for the user and requires additional installation time (see FIG. 2). Once the patient is on the couch, the coil is to be initially fetched (e.g., coil trolley) and placed and aligned on the patient. In the case of overweight patients, the user may potentially have to move around the couch in order to fasten the belts, thereby increasing the expenditure of time for fastening approximately four belts.
The arrangement of the posterior elements and the anterior elements is not rigidly predetermined because posterior and anterior coils are mechanically separated. A fixed element arrangement may be advantageous to the optimization of the antenna arrays with respect to parallel imaging and contribute to the more efficient use of system resources (e.g., number of channels and computing time).


A rail for a railing system with pickets comprises an elongated cover portion and an elongated side portion. The cover portion comprises an elongated top surface, one or more first connectors proximate to a lateral end of the top surface, a plurality of shelves interspersed between successive ones of the pickets, and one or more second connectors. Each of the shelves comprises a first end, and each of the second connectors extends from at least some of the first ends. The elongated side portion comprises one or more third connectors and one or more fourth connectors. The third connectors are adapted to engage with the one or more first connectors, and the fourth connectors are adapted to engage with the one or more second connectors. The side portion is secured to the cover portion by engagement of the third connectors with the first connectors and by engagement of the fourth connectors with the second connectors.

Railing systems for any number of outdoor applications are well known. For example, residential decks, pool decks, and playgrounds all utilize any number of conventional railing systems. Such railing systems typically comprise top and bottom rails, with a number of pickets spanning between the rails.
However, conventional railing systems are often difficult to install, requiring the use of numerous mechanical connectors and tools. There is therefore a need for a railing system that is easy to install and yet physically secure.


A threaded insert is designed to snap into a standard bone plate hole. The insert has an upper section divided into sectors by slots, a lower section having deflectable tabs with external projections, and a central threaded hole. When a standard bone screw is tightened in the insert, the insert rigidly fixes the screw to the plate by collapsing the threads of the insert onto the threads of the screw, and by expanding the sectors of the upper section to clamp the bone plate.

In orthopaedics, stable fixation is a prerequisite for successful treatment of complex deformity, nonunion, and fracture. Bone plates are commonly used to obtain fixation and are commonly secured to the bone by screws. However, osteoporotic bone or bone with abnormally thinned cortices due to failed fixation or previous infection may not allow lasting screw purchase in the bone. Stability of the fractured bone gained by applying compression across the fracture site is quickly lost as the thin bone resorbs around the screws. This loss of compression is rapid, since loosening of the screws in the bone allows early toggling at the plate/screw interface.
As noted, most bone plates used in osteosynthesis are fixed solely by means of bone screws driven into the bone. Since the bone screws are only secured to bone, there is no rigid fixation of the screw to the bone plate. Therefore a loosening of the bone screws in the bone or a resorption of the bone can easily lead to a loosening of the bone plate.
It is known in plate osteosynthesis to use a nut on the cortex opposite a plate to fix the screw, and therefore the plate, to the bone. This method does not produce a direct fixation between bone screws and plate, but only compression of the bone located between the nut and the plate and penetrated by the screw.
In a variety of indications it is desirable to achieve a rigid fixation between bone screws and a bone plate in order to avoid subsequent loosening. For this purpose U.S. Pat. No. 5,053,036 teaches anchoring by frictional adhesion alone a bone screw with a specially designed conical head to a bone plate having corresponding conical holes. In this device both holes and screw heads must have a specific taper to obtain rigid fixation between them.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,388,921, a bone screw with a specially designed conical or convex head is used in conjunction with a slotted insert having a matching tapered hole for the screw head. The special bone plate for use with this insert has cylindrical or spherical holes for the inserts. Because the insert is not threaded to receive the bone screw, fixation of the bone screw in the bone plate is dependent on the purchase of the bone screw threads in the bone.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,053,036 discloses a bone screw with a specially designed conical head used in conjunction with a slotted spherical insert in a bone plate. This design also requires the conforming tapers discussed above and in addition requires conforming spherical surfaces on the slotted sphere and in the bone plate.
Threaded conical inserts have been used to expand specially designed screw heads in order to lock the bone plate to the bone screw. Examples of this technique are found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,053,036 and 4,484,570. This design also requires conforming tapers on specially designed screws and plates.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,269,784 describes a nut interposed between the plate and the bone surface so that the plate is compressed between the head of the bone screw and the nut. An unthreaded bushing may be required in this arrangement between the screw head and the plate if the bone screw has an unthreaded portion near the head. Because the screw nut is installed on the underside of the bone plate, is must be introduced into the plate hole before or during operative placement of the bone plate. The nut must furthermore be retained in the plate by separate means during placement of the plate on the bone.

Threaded insert for bone plate screw hole


The present invention provides a genus of pyridine-substituted benzanilides that are useful as openers of potassium ion channels. The compounds of the invention are of use in both therapeutic and diagnostic methods.

This invention relates to the use of certain pyridine-substituted benzanilide derivatives as potassium channel openers and to the treatment of diseases modulated by potassium channels. Additionally, this invention relates to novel compounds that are useful as potassium channel openers.
Ion channels are cellular proteins that regulate the flow of ions, including calcium, potassium, sodium and chloride, into and out of cells. These channels are present in all human cells and affect such processes as nerve transmission, muscle contraction and cellular secretion. Among the ion channels, potassium channels are the most ubiquitous and diverse, being found in a variety of animal cells such as nervous, muscular, glandular, immune, reproductive, and epithelial tissue. These channels allow the flow of potassium in and/or out of the cell under certain conditions. For example, the outward flow of potassium ions upon opening of these channels makes the interior of the cell more negative, counteracting depolarizing voltages applied to the cell. These channels are regulated, e.g., by calcium sensitivity, voltage-gating, second messengers, extracellular ligands, and ATP-sensitivity.
Potassium channels have now been associated with a number of physiological processes, including regulation of heartbeat, dilation of arteries, release of insulin, excitability of nerve cells, and regulation of renal electrolyte transport. Potassium channels are made by alpha subunits that fall into at least 8 families, based on predicted structural and functional similarities (Wei et al., Neuropharmacology 35(7): 805-829 (1997)). Three of these families (Kv, eag-related, and KQT) share a common motif of six transmembrane domains and are primarily gated by voltage. Two other families, CNG and SK/IK, also contain this motif but are gated by cyclic nucleotides and calcium, respectively. The three other families of potassium channel alpha subunits have distinct patterns of transmembrane domains. Slo family potassium channels, or BK channels have seven transmembrane domains (Meera et al., Proc. NatL Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 94(25): 14066-71 (1997)) and are gated by both voltage and calcium or pH (Schreiber et al., J Biol. Chem. 273: 3509-16 (1998)). Another family, the inward rectifier potassium channels (Kir), belong to a structural family containing two transmembrane domains, and an eighth functionally diverse family (TP, or xe2x80x9ctwo-porexe2x80x9d) contains two tandem repeats of this inward rectifier motif.
Potassium channels are typically formed by four alpha subunits, and can be homomeric (made of identical alpha subunits) or heteromeric (made of two or more distinct types of alpha subunits). In addition, potassium channels made from Kv, KQT and Slo or BK subunits have often been found to contain additional, structurally distinct auxiliary, or beta, subunits. These subunits do not form potassium channels themselves, but instead they act as auxiliary subunits to modify the functional properties of channels formed by alpha subunits. For example, the Kv beta subunits are cytoplasmic and are known to increase the surface expression of Kv channels and/or modify inactivation kinetics of the channel (Heinemann et al., J Physiol. 493: 625-633 (1996); Shi et al., Neuron 16(4): 843-852 (1996)). In another example, the KQT family beta subunit, minK, primarily changes activation kinetics (Sanguinetti et al., Nature 384: 80-83 (1996)).
Slo or BK potassium channels are large conductance potassium channels found in a wide variety of tissues, both in the central nervous system and periphery. They play a key role in the regulation of processes such as neuronal integration, muscular contraction and hormone secretion. They may also be involved in processes such as lymphocyte differentiation and cell proliferation, spermatocyte differentiation and sperm motility. Three alpha subunits of the Slo family have been cloned, i.e., Slo1, Slo2, and Slo3 (Butler et al., Science 261: 221-224 (1993); Schreiber et al., J Biol. Chem., 273: 3509-16 (1998); and Joiner et al., Nature Neurosci. 1: 462-469 (1998)). These Slo family members have been shown to be voltage and/or calcium gated, and/or regulated by intracellular pH.
Certain members of the Kv family of potassium channels were recently renamed (see Biervert, et al., Science 279: 403-406 (1998)). KvLQTl was re-named KCNQ1, and the KvLQT1-related channels (KvLR1 and KvLR2) were renamed KCNQ2 and KCNQ3, respectively. More recently, a fourth member of the KCNQ subfamily was identified (KCNQ4) as a channel expressed in sensory outer hair cells (Kubisch, et al., Cell 96(3): 437-446 (1999)).
KCNQ2 and KCNQ3 have been shown to be nervous system-specific potassium channels associated with benign familial neonatal convulsions (xe2x80x9cBFNCxe2x80x9d), a class of idiopathic generalized epilepsy (see, Leppert, et al., Nature 337: 647-648 (1989)). These channels have been linked to M-current channels (see, Wang, et al, Science 282: 1890-1893 (1998)). The discovery and characterization of these channels and currents provides useful insights into how these voltage dependent (Kv) potassium channels function in different environments, and how they respond to various activation mechanisms. Such information has now led to the identification of modulators of KCNQ2 and KCNQ3 potassium channels or the M-current, and the use of such modulators as therapeutic agents. The modulators are the subject of the present invention.
KCNQ4 (Kubsich et al., Cell 96(3): 437 (1999)), KCNQ5 (Kananura et aL, Neuroreport 11 (9):2063 (2000)), KCNQ 3/5 (Wickenden et al., Br. J. Pharma 132: 381 (2001)) and KCNQ6 have also recently been described.
The present invention provides pyridine-substituted benzanilide compounds, and phannaceutically acceptable salts thereof (xe2x80x9ccompounds of the inventionxe2x80x9d), which are useful in the treatment of diseases through the modulation of potassium ion flux through voltage-dependent potassium channels.
In one aspect, the present invention provides compounds having a structure according to Formula I:
in which the symbol Ar1 represents a member selected from the group consisting of aryl, substituted aryl, heteroaryl and substituted heteroaryl. The letter X represents a member selected from the group consisting of O, S and N-R1, in which R1 is H, (C1-C8)alkyl, substituted (C1-C8)alkyl, heteroalkyl, substituted heteroalkyl, aryl, substituted aryl, heteroaryl, substituted heteroaryl, aryl(C1-C4)alkyl, substituted aryl(C1-C4)alkyl, CN, xe2x80x94C(O)R2, xe2x80x94OR3, xe2x80x94C(O)NR3R4, or xe2x80x94S(O)2NR3R4. The symbol R2 represents a member selected from the group consisting of (C1-C8)alkyl, substituted (C1-C8)alkyl, cycloalkyl, substituted cycloalkyl, heteroalkyl, substituted heteroalkyl, heterocyclyl, substituted heterocyclyl, substituted aryl, heteroaryl, substituted heteroaryl, aryl(C1-C4)alkyl and substituted aryl(C1-C4)alkyl. R3 and R4 are each members independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, (C1-C8)alkyl, substituted (C1-C8)alkyl, cycloalkyl, substituted cycloalkyl, heteroalkyl, substituted heteroalkyl, heterocyclyl, substituted heterocyclyl, aryl, substituted aryl, heteroaryl, substituted heteroaryl, aryl(C1-C4)alkyl and substituted aryl(C1-C4)alkyl. Alternatively, R3 and R4 can be combined with the nitrogen to which each is attached to form a 5-, 6- or 7-membered ring, optionally having additional heteroatoms at the ring vertices. The letter Y represents a member selected from the group consisting of halogen, C1-C4 alkyl, C1-C4 substituted alkyl, xe2x80x94OCH3 and 13 OCF3.
In another aspect, the present invention provides pharmaceutical compositions comprising a pharmaceutically acceptable excipient and a compound having a structure according to Formula II:
in which the symbols Ar1 and Ar2 independently represent aryl, substituted aryl, heteroaryl and substituted heteroaryl. The letter represents 0, S or Nxe2x80x94R1, in which R1 is a H, (C1-C8)alkyl, substituted (C1-C8)alkyl, aryl, substituted aryl, heteroaryl, substituted heteroaryl, aryl(C1-C4)alkyl, substituted aryl(C1-C4)alkyl, CN, xe2x80x94C(O)R2, xe2x80x94OR3, xe2x80x94C(O)NR3R4, or xe2x80x94S(O)2NR3R4. The symbol R2 represents (C1-C8)alkyl, substituted (C1-C8)alkyl, aryl, substituted aryl, heteroaryl, substituted heteroaryl, aryl(C1-C4)alkyl or substituted aryl(C1-C4)alkyl. R3 and R4 are each members independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, (C1-C8)alkyl, substituted (C1-C8)alkyl, aryl, substituted aryl, heteroaryl, substituted heteroaryl, aryl(C1-C4)alkyl and substituted aryl(C1-C4)alkyl. Alternatively, R3 and R4 can be combined with the nitrogen to which each is attached to form a 5-, 6- or 7-membered ring optionally having additional heteroatoms at the ring vertices.
In a further aspect, the present invention provides compounds having a structure according to Formula III:
In Formula III, the symbols Y1 and y2 independently represent H, methyl, methoxy, trifluoromethoxy, xe2x80x94CF3 or halo, with the proviso that both y1 and y2 are not H. The symbols V and X independently represent H, halo, substituted or unsubstituted lower alkyl, substituted or unsubstituted lower heteroalkyl, NO2, CN, CF3, C(O)NR11R12 and C(O)R13. The symbols R11, R12 and R13 independently represent substituted or unsubstituted lower alkyl, substituted or unsubstituted lower heteroalkyl, substituted or unsubstituted carbocycle, substituted or unsubstituted heterocycle, substituted or unsubstituted aryl, or substituted or unsubstituted heteroaryl. R11 and R12 can be joined into a ring. Q and W independently represent xe2x80x94(CR2R3)txe2x80x94(CH2)nxe2x80x94, -(CH2)nxe2x80x94(CR2R3)t, xe2x80x94C(R4)xe2x95x90C(R5)xe2x80x94, or xe2x80x94Cxe2x89xa1Cxe2x80x94 wherein R2 and R3 are independently F, substituted or unsubstituted lower alkyl or substituted or unsubstituted lower heteroalkyl, wherein R2 and R3 are optionally joined to form a cyclic structure which is a member selected from the group consisting of cycloalkyls and heterocycles, or R2 and R3 together with the carbon to which they are attached form carbonyl (i.e., xe2x80x94C(O)xe2x80x94). Q can optionally be a bond between the phenyl ring and Z, and W can optionally be a bond between Z and R1. The symbol Z represents xe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94, xe2x80x94S(O)mxe2x80x94, xe2x80x94N(R4)xe2x80x94, xe2x80x94N(R4)C(O)xe2x80x94, xe2x80x94C(O)N(R4)xe2x80x94, xe2x80x94C(O)xe2x80x94, xe2x80x94N(R4)C(O)N(R5)xe2x80x94, xe2x80x94N(R4)C(O)Oxe2x80x94, and xe2x80x94SO2N(R4)xe2x80x94, wherein R4 and R5 are members independently selected from the group consisting of H, substituted or unsubstituted lower alkyl, substituted or unsubstituted lower heteroalkyl, substituted or unsubstituted aryl, or substituted or unsubstituted heteroaryl. R1 is optionally joined together with either X or R4 to form a substituted or unsubstituted heterocycle. The symbol m represents an integer from 0 to 2, inclusive; n represents and integer from 0 and 3, inclusive; and t represents an integer from 0 to 2, inclusive.
In yet another aspect, the present invention provides a method for modulating ion flux through voltage dependent potassium channels, comprising contacting a cell containing the target ion channels with a compound according to Formulae I-IV.
In still another aspect, the present invention provides a method for the treatment of diseases through modulation of ion flux through voltage dependent potassium channels, the method comprising treating the host with an effective amount of a potassium channel opening compound of Formula I-IV.

Pyridine-substituted benzanilides as potassium ion channel openers


A method of controlling operation of a hybrid continuous current supply, the current supply including a fuel cell stack, a battery, and a DC/DC converter including an input and an output, the converter input being connected to the fuel cell stack output and the output being connected to a variable load in parallel with the battery, the fuel cell stack being formed of a plurality of electrochemical cells configured to produce electricity from a fuel and an oxidizing gas.

Assemblies of electrochemical units connected in series (often called stacks) are known. The electrochemical units thus assembled may be formed for example by accumulator elements, or by fuel cells. A fuel cell is an electrochemical device for converting chemical energy directly into electrical energy. For example, one type of fuel cell includes an anode and a cathode between which a proton exchange membrane is arranged, often called a polymer electrolyte membrane. This type of membrane only allows protons to pass between the anode and the cathode of the fuel cell. At the anode, diatomic hydrogen undergoes a reaction to produce H+ ions which will pass through the polymer electrolyte membrane. The electrons generated by this reaction join the cathode by a circuit external to the fuel cell, thus generating an electric current. Because a single fuel cell generally only produces a low voltage (around 1 volt), fuel cells are often series-connected to form fuel cell stacks able to generate a higher voltage which is the sum of the voltages of each cell.
When used within the automobile industry, these fuel cell stacks are associated with a battery to form a hybrid system 100. This system connects the fuel cell stack 102 and the battery in parallel so that the fuel cell stack or the battery 106 simultaneously or separately power the car 108, via a common section called the bus. This hybridization also allows the fuel cell stack to recharge the battery which will supply electrical energy to the car. A hybrid system is called "active" when it uses a DC/DC converter 104 connected to the fuel cell stack output 102 as seen in FIG. 1. This DC/DC converter 104 is used to adapt the voltage levels of fuel cell stack 102 and of battery 106 and to regulate the power delivered by fuel cell stack 102.
Regulating power requires the implementation of a control strategy to distribute the power between fuel cell stack 102 and battery 106 according to the power requirement of the electric engine of the car and system constraints. System constraints which the control strategy has to take into account are the maximum voltages and currents of the fuel cell stack and the battery, the temperature ranges which must not be exceeded, the battery state of charge, i.e. for example, the battery must not be charged when it is already 100% charged, etc.
One of the control strategies for this hybrid system consists in regulating the battery state of charge around a nominal value without ever reaching the maximum or minimum charge of said battery. Thus, the battery never needs to be charged externally, since it is recharged by the fuel cell stack and possibly by recuperating kinetic energy from the vehicle when the latter is in a braking phase. This means that the fuel cell stack supplies the mean power consumed by the electric engine of the vehicle, whereas the battery is used as an energy buffer means for charging or discharging energy. This strategy is implemented by regulating the bus voltage at a constant value using the DC/DC converter.
One drawback of this known strategy is that nothing is implemented to prevent the fuel cell stack from operating at open circuit voltage ("OCV"). "Open circuit voltage" means the area of operation in which the voltage per cell is higher than 0.85-0.9 V/cell. This voltage is known to considerably reduce the lifetime of the fuel cell stack. It is therefore undesirable for the fuel cell stack to operate in this mode. At constant pressure, the fuel cell stack operates in open circuit voltage mode when the load current is small.
The open circuit voltage operating mode may occur when a minimum current is imposed on the fuel cell stack at constant pressure. Indeed, this solution avoids the so-called open circuit mode which occurs when the voltage is higher than 0.85-0.9 V/cell. The voltage increases at constant pressure as the current decreases. The current value determines the power value and it is not always possible to consume the power delivered, particularly if it is no longer possible to charge the battery when its state of charge is close to 100%.
Another case able to cause the fuel cell stack to operate in open circuit mode is when the pressure is reduced. Reducing pressure at low power decreases the cell voltage and thus avoids the open circuit mode. However, it must be considered that pressure variation dynamics are much slower than current variation dynamics and a decrease in pressure can only occur if a current is being consumed. The current value directly affects the pressure reduction speed. Thus, if the fuel cell stack power varies instantaneously from several kilowatts to zero kilowatts, it will not be possible to avoid the open circuit mode, since there will no longer be any current to reduce pressure. Likewise, if the fuel cell stack power has to vary quickly from a power of several watts at low pressure to a power of several kilowatts at higher pressure, the pressure must be increased before the current is increased. This method necessarily causes the fuel cell stack to move, for a short instant, into open circuit mode and thus damages said fuel cell stack.

Method of controlling the operation of a hybrid system


Methods and display devices are provided for switching subtitles that are displayed on a screen. Switching subtitles includes storing, from a first cache and into a second cache, a second subtitle(s) synchronized with a first subtitle, where the first cache stores multi-language subtitles obtained by decoding a video file. The first subtitle is displayed in synchronization with video data in the video file, while the first subtitle and each of the second subtitle(s) have a same start time and a same end time, even while corresponding to different languages. In response to receiving a subtitle switching instruction that includes information associated with a first target language while the first subtitle is being displayed, one of the second subtitle(s) corresponding to the first target language from the second cache is read as a third subtitle, and the third subtitle is displayed.

In the multi-language subtitle video play technology, display of a subtitle and switch of a subtitle language may be controlled by a subtitle selector. A plurality of languages corresponding to a subtitle may be input into the subtitle selector, and the plurality of languages corresponding to the subtitle are kept synchronized. When a display device receives an instruction to display a subtitle, the subtitle would be sent to the display module such that the subtitle is displayed while a video is being displayed.

Subtitle switching method and display device


There is presented an optical frequency domain reflectometry (OFDR) system (100) comprising a first coupling point (15) arranged for splitting radiation into two parts, so that radiation may be emitted into a reference path (16) and a measurement path (17). The system further comprises an optical detection unit (30) capable of obtaining a signal from the combined optical radiation from the reference path and the measurement path via a second coupling point (25). The measurement path (17) comprises a polarization dependent optical path length shifter (PDOPS, PDFS, 10), which may create a first polarization (PI) and a second polarization (P2) for the radiation in the measurement path, where the optical path length is different for the first and second polarizations in the measurement path. This may be advantageous for obtaining an improved optical frequency domain reflectometry (OFDR) system where e.g. the two measurements for input polarizations may be performed in the same scan of a radiation source.

In Optical Frequency Domain Reflectometry (OFDR), light from a tunable laser source is coupled into a measurement fiber, or more generally, a device under testing (DUT), and the reflected or backscattered light is made to interfere with light from the same source that has traveled along a reference path yielding information about the fiber, or the DUT.
For measurements on a fiber, in the case that the frequency of the laser source is swept linearly in time, the interference between the light that is coming from a single fixed scattering point on the measurement fiber and the reference light creates a detector signal that has a constant frequency, this frequency being proportional to the difference of the travel time of the light along the measurement path and the reference path. As the propagation velocity of the light and the length of the reference path are known, the position of the scattering point can be computed from the observed frequency.
When multiple scatterers are present in the measurement fiber, the detector signal will be a superposition of different frequencies, each frequency indicative of the position of the respective scatterer. A Fourier transform of the detector signal (a 'scattering profile') can be computed; in graphs of the amplitude and phase of the transformed signal, the amplitude and phase of the different frequencies that are present in the detector signal (which correspond to different scatterer positions) will be shown at their respective positions along the horizontal axis of the graph.
The amplitude and phase of the scattered light can be affected by external influences acting on the fiber. E.g., when the fiber is deformed by external stresses, or when the temperature of the fiber is modified, effects will be seen on the phase and/or amplitude of the scattering profile. From a comparison of the scattering profile of the fiber to the scattering profile of the same fiber in a reference state, information can be obtained about the external influences on the fiber as a function of position along the fiber; i.e. the fiber can be used for distributed sensing.
When stresses are applied to an optical fiber, e.g. when it is bent, birefringence is induced, which in general will cause a variation of the state of polarization of the light travelling along the fiber. The polarization state of light scattered at different positions of the fiber upon arrival at the detector will vary as well. Thus, light reflected from certain parts of the sensing fiber may have a polarization state at the detector, which is (nearly) orthogonal to the polarization state of the light that arrives at the detector via the reference path. Consequently, the strength of the interference signal coming from these certain parts of the sensing fiber will be very low. A known solution to this problem of 'polarization fading' is polarization-diverse detection, usually in the embodiment of a polarizing beam splitter (PBS) with separate detectors for the two polarization states transmitted by the PBS.
In a birefringent fiber, the refractive index depends on the state of polarization of the light. Consequently, the phases of the Fourier transforms of the detector signals in a polarization-diverse measurement will vary upon modification of the input polarization state of the light that is sent into the measurement fiber. In order to accurately assess the effect of an external influence on the fiber properties two measurements need to be performed; for the second measurement the input polarization state of the light sent to the fiber is made orthogonal to the polarization state used in the first measurement. In this manner, four detector signals are obtained (two detector signals for each of the two input polarization states). From the Fourier transforms of these four signals, a single effective scattering profile may be computed that, when compared to the effective scattering profile of the reference state, provides the desired information about the external influences on the fiber as a function of position. See, e.g. patent application US20110109898 A1. The length of the intermediate measurement time between the first measurement and the second measurement may, however, in some situations negatively affect the reliability of the result. Similarly, the dependency on two measurements rather than a single measurement can also reduce the effective rate at which the measurement process can be reliably repeated, e.g. if one measurement (i.e. a scan) is corrupt, due e.g. a wrong detector signal, the wavelength calibration and/or linearization could be incorrect or unusable, then the entire measurement process must be repeated.
WO 2007149230 discloses a polarization maintaining (PM) optical fiber having two polarization states being analyzed. First and second spectral responses of the PM fiber portion are determined. In a preferred implementation, the spectral responses are determined using Optical Frequency Domain Reflectometry (OFDR). Each polarization state of the PM fiber portion has a corresponding spectral component in the first spectral response. First and second spectral analyses of the PM fiber portion are performed using the first and second spectral responses. Based on those spectral analyses of the PM fiber portion, a first physical characteristic affecting the PM fiber portion is determined that is distinct from a second different physical characteristic affecting the fiber portion. An output signal related to the first physical characteristics affecting the fiber portion is provided, e.g., for display, further processing, etc.
The inventors of the present invention have appreciated that an improved Optical Frequency Domain Reflectometry (OFDR) system is of benefit, and have in consequence devised the present invention.

Optical frequency domain reflectometry (OFDR) system


A improved detachable fifth wheel hitch device with a pivotal locking ramp, which replaces a supplied fifth wheel hitch plate device attached to a truck or pickup mounted fifth wheel hitch base, provides an extended collar hitch plate above a kingpin receiver channel incorporating a pivotal locking ramp directing a kingpin into the kingpin receiver channel, over the pivotal locking ramp during loading, the pivotal locking ramp returning to an erect position, blocking removal of the kingpin once past the pivotal locking ramp unless the kingpin is raised vertically out of the kingpin receiver channel, thus preventing unintentional release of the kingpin from the kingpin receiver channel during loading, unloading or transport.

1. Field of Invention
A improved detachable fifth wheel hitch device with a pivotal locking ramp, which replaces a supplied fifth wheel hitch plate device attached to a truck or pickup mounted fifth wheel hitch base, provides an extended collar hitch plate above a kingpin receiver channel incorporating a pivotal locking ramp directing a kingpin into the kingpin receiver channel, over the pivotal locking ramp during loading, the pivotal locking ramp returning to an erect position, blocking removal of the kingpin once past the pivotal locking ramp unless the kingpin is raised vertically out of the kingpin receiver channel, thus preventing unintentional release of the kingpin from the kingpin receiver channel during loading, unloading or transport.
2. Description of Prior Art
The following United States patents were discovered and are disclosed within this application for utility patent. All relate to fifth wheel kingpin securing devices. This inventor has two previous U.S. patents dealing with fifth wheel hitches and catches for kingpins, U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,491,317 and 6,695,337 to Breese and Dunbar
In '317 to Breese, a device for retaining a kingpin outside the fifth wheel hitch when the kingpin becomes accidentally disengaged from the kingpin included a bar and kingpin catch that attached to a fifth wheel hitch outside and below the opening of the fifth wheel hitch. Breese '337 provides a pivotal locking mechanism, attaching within the opening of the fifth wheel hitch. It is pivotally engaged, providing an angled ramp which allows for the kingpin to ride up the ramp, the ramp teetering at a pivot point, providing a more elevated block to the fifth wheel hitch opening than in the inventor's prior patents. This pivotally locking device is distinguishable mainly in the pivotal ramp, being a part which moves in relation to the fifth wheel hitch as opposed to the previous devices being fixed devices.
As referenced in the disclosed patent, the supplied hitch plate assembly (250) which attached to the cross member locking assembly (220) is best depicted in U.S. Pat. No. 6,170,851 to Lindenman, also the cross member locking assembly (220) and supplied hitch plate assembly (250) indicated in FIG. 1 as the prior art. The front and rear bolts (Lindenman 28) are the front bolt (260) and rear bolt (262) referenced in the drawings.
In another U.S. Pat. No. 6,547,270 to Breese, a fixed ramp is located in the kingpin receiver channel which causes the kingpin to ride up and over the fixed ramp, dropping behind the fixed ramp, blocking release of the kingpin from the kingpin receiver channel. Other patents of relevance include U.S. Pat. No. 6,213,492 to Ceccarelli, III, disclosing a fifth wheel hitch attaching to an underlift T-bar mechanism, wherein a fifth wheel hitch may be installed in a box hitch of a vehicle to tow a fifth wheel trailer. A lock mechanism is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,839,745 to Cattau and U.S. Pat. No. 3,823,960 to Boggs, which provide a secondary lock for retaining the fifth wheel pin within the locking plate of the fifth wheel hitch.

Fifth wheel hitch device with pivotal locking ramp


A thread cutting tool is provided to simultaneously cut opposed concentric screw threads on a connector member. The tool comprises a cylindrical body with radially spaced first and second thread cutting sections and is adapted to cut threads in soft materials to obtain a high precision screw threaded connection.

Many different thread cutting tools are available for cutting screw threads on a member. For example, standard threading taps have a thread cutting portion usually consisting of a plurality of thread cutting lands spaced by elongated flutes and a shank portion for engagement with a power tool. Such taps are generally used to form internal screw threads in a hole that has been prepared in a connector. Standard thread cutting dies are known for cutting external threads on a connector such as, for example, a bolt. Such dies usually consist of a cutting head with internal thread cutting lands spaced by elongated flutes and may be driven by a power tool. However, these thread cutting tools may not be suitable for cutting screw threads in some softer materials and are limited to cutting only a single surface.
For example, it is difficult to form screw threads in soft metals, such as aluminum and brass, and soft plastics, such as delron and nylon, and other light materials. This is true because these types of materials generally cannot withstand the heat generated by the thread cutting process. The heat generated by the thread cutting process causes the materials to deform or melt.
Even if these soft materials can withstand the thread cutting process to receive threads, it is often difficult to obtain a strong threaded connection between two connector members because there is typically only a single threaded surface on each member through which the connection is made. For example, a bolt has only an external threaded surface for mating engagement with a threaded hole having only an internal threaded surface. Such threaded connections are unsuitable in applications that require a great amount of force because such force may cause the threads to be stripped due to the soft nature of the material.
Another reason strong threaded connections are difficult to obtain in soft materials is because such material may not withstand a substantial amount of torque. If too much torque is applied and the parts are over-tightened, the threads may be stripped due to the soft nature of the material.
In order to provide a strong threaded connection, some threaded connectors are provided with two sets of threads. For example, such connectors may have concentric opposed threaded surfaces that are adapted to mate with concentric opposed threaded surfaces on another member. One type of such a connector may be a pipe or cylinder having threads on both internal and external surfaces for connection with another member having a threaded annular opening with mating internal and external threads. Thus, each part has two threaded surfaces. Such a threaded connection can withstand a greater amount of force because of the increased number of threads. Such threaded connections can also withstand a greater amount of torque to be applied to the parts to obtain a tighter connection.
However, one problem with such concentric threaded connections is that they are difficult and time consuming to manufacture. For example, a two-step process must generally be performed to thread the opposed concentric surfaces of the pipe. First, one surface of the pipe must be threaded with one tool such as a tap to provide internal threads. Then, the opposed concentric surface must be threaded with another tool such as a die to form external threads on the pipe.
In order to form a mating threaded annular opening in a member to which the pipe may be connected, a hole must first be drilled into the member. This hole must then be threaded with a conventional tap to form the internal screw threads on the walls of the hole. Then, an upstanding post or shaft must be manufactured and threaded with a conventional die to form the external screw threads. This post must then be bolted or otherwise secured to the member at a location centrally of the hole. Thus, this member requires separate parts that must undergo individual threading operations. This construction increases the likelihood of a loose connection or what is commonly known as "slop". Thus, there is no known thread cutting tool that simultaneously forms screw threads on concentric opposed surfaces of a threaded connector.


Apparatuses, systems, and methods for voltage based random number generation. A memory may include a number of different voltages, which may be used to power various operations of the memory. During access operations to the memory, the voltage may vary, for example as word lines of the memory are accessed. The variability of the voltage may represent a source of randomness and unpredictability in the memory. A random number generator may provide a random number based on the voltage. For example, an analog to binary converter (ADC) may generate a binary number based on the voltage, and the random number may be based on the binary number.

This disclosure relates generally to semiconductor devices, such as semiconductor memory devices. The semiconductor memory device may include a number of memory cells which are used to store information. The stored information may be encoded as binary data, and each memory cell may store a single bit of the information. The memory may use random numbers for various applications. For example, it may be beneficial to perform certain operations with a degree of randomness to their timing, and random numbers may be useful for injecting that randomness. However, semiconductor memory devices may generally be deterministic devices, and it may difficult for them to generate random numbers.


An X-ray imaging system includes an X-ray imaging apparatus for converting an X-ray into an image signal, a cable for transmitting signals to the X-ray imaging apparatus, a connector, disposed at an end of the cable, for connecting the cable and the X-ray imaging apparatus, and fixing portions for fixing the connector and the X-ray imaging apparatus and allowing the connector to be detached from the X-ray imaging apparatus by a detachment load. A cable outlet of the connector is separated from an outline center axis of the connector. The fixing portions include a first fixing portion disposed on the cable outlet side with respect to the connector outline center axis, and a second fixing portion disposed on the opposite side of the cable outlet. The moment of force required to detach the first fixing portion is larger than that required to detach the second fixing portion.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a radiation imaging system having a detachable connector, a radiation imaging apparatus, and an apparatus including the connector.
Description of the Related Art
In recent years, apparatuses for capturing a digital image by using a semiconductor sensor have been increasingly used as an X-ray imaging apparatus for medical image diagnosis and non-destructive inspection. This allows, unlike conventional image acquisition using a photosensitive film, an obtained image to be instantaneously checked, improving the work efficiency. Further, such an apparatus has a very wide dynamic range, and therefore this also enables imaging to be performed without being affected by a change in the amount of X-ray exposure.
With the decrease in size and weight of the above-described apparatus, a portable type has been put into practical use (see Japanese Patent No. 3848288). The portable type X-ray imaging apparatus allows imaging of a subject having any posture, and is preferably used for X-ray imaging in general wards and outdoors. This portable type X-ray imaging apparatus may include a cable for supplying power from a power supply apparatus and/or transferring data to a control apparatus. Further, the X-ray imaging apparatus configured to detachably attach the cable thereto is discussed in Japanese Patent No. 3610348. An apparatus of this type can be operated with the cable disconnected when the apparatus does not require cable connection, for example, when the apparatus is stored or transported, so that the ease of handling is improved. Further, a technique for connecting the above-described cable to an X-ray imaging apparatus by using a magnetic attraction force is discussed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2010-259680.
If the cable connection using magnetic attraction is easily detached unintentionally, for example, by vibrations or the cable's own weight, the operability of the apparatus may be degraded. On the other hand, when the cable is intentionally detached, it is desirable that the cable can be easily detached with an appropriate force.

Radiation imaging system, radiation imaging apparatus, and apparatus


A flow monitoring system includes a first temperature-sensitive resistive device, thermally coupled to a first portion of a fluid transfer apparatus, for producing a first temperature-dependant voltage signal representative of the temperature of the fluid within the first portion of the fluid transfer apparatus. A first current control device, coupled to the first temperature-sensitive resistive device, controls a first current signal flowing through the first temperature-sensitive resistive device. A second temperature-sensitive resistive device, thermally coupled to a second portion of the fluid transfer apparatus, produces a second temperature-dependant voltage signal representative of the temperature of the fluid within the second portion of the fluid transfer apparatus. A second current control device, coupled to the second temperature-sensitive resistive device, controls a second current signal flowing through the second temperature-sensitive resistive device. A monitoring circuit monitors the first and second temperature-dependant voltage signals and produces an output signal representative of the volume of fluid passing through the fluid transfer apparatus.

When transferring fluid (e.g., a liquid or gas) through a transfer apparatus (e.g., a pipe or a tube), the volume of fluid transferred may be measured through the use of resistive thermal sensors that are in thermal contact with the transfer apparatus. These resistive thermal sensors are often lengths of wire (that are coiled around the transfer apparatus) whose resistance value varies based on the temperature of the sensor. Typically, two sensors are positioned along the length of the transfer apparatus (i.e., one upstream and one downstream) and a constant current is driven through each thermal sensor, resulting in ohmic heating of the upstream and downstream thermal sensors. The heat generated by the upstream sensor is transferred into the fluid within the transfer apparatus. If this fluid is moving, this heat is transferred downstream (via the fluid), resulting in the heating of the downstream sensor. Accordingly, when there is no fluid flowing within the transfer apparatus, heat is not transferred between the upstream and downstream sensors and the sensors remain at an equal temperature. However, as the flow of fluid within the transfer apparatus increases, the amount of heat transferred from the upstream sensor to the downstream sensor also increases.
As the resistance of the thermal sensors varies in accordance with the temperature of the sensors, by monitoring the resistance of these sensors, the volume of fluid flowing within the transfer apparatus may be determined. As there is often a constant current flowing through these thermal sensors, the resistance values of the thermal sensors are often measured by monitoring the voltage potential across each of the thermal sensors. Unfortunately, it is often difficult to ensure that the current flowing through each thermal sensor is equal, and variations in this current induce inaccuracies in the measurement system.


A mobile phone terminal includes a touch panel that detects a gesture with respect to a display surface thereof, and a control unit that displays a plurality of buttons on the display surface of the touch panel. When the touch panel detects a gesture in which touch is started at a first position on the touch panel and is maintained to a second position on the touch panel, the control unit displays a character string obtained by prediction processing or conversion processing based on a character string including characters corresponding to buttons displayed on a trajectory obtained by connecting each position in which the touch is detected from when the touch is started at the first position to when the touch is maintained to the second position in a predetermined area on the touch panel as a candidate of a character string input by the gesture.

In recent years, touch panels have been widely used in order to enable an intuitive operation and achieve a compact mobile electronic device without a device requiring a physically large area, such as a keyboard. As technologies for inputting a character by using a touch panel, a technology for inputting a character in handwriting on a touch panel (e.g., Patent Literature 1) and a technology for inputting a character by using a virtual keyboard (hereinafter, referred to as a "virtual keyboard") displayed on a touch panel (e.g., Patent Literature 2) are known.


A recordable optical disk including a transparent substrate; a recording layer formed over the substrate; a reflective layer formed over the recording layer; and a thin dielectric interlayer formed on the recording layer at the interface between the reflective layer and the recording layer wherein the thin dielectric interlayer includes materials selected from the group consisting of Ge--C--H, Si--N and InSnSb--O, the interlayer being selected so as to improve the optical disk recording stability without significantly affecting the reflection of a recording light beam passing through the substrate and the recording layer and which is reflected by the reflective layer.

Optical disks are becoming more and more prevalent for the use of recording information. One form of optical recording disks is called a CD-R or a recordable compact disk. The Photo CD is an example of this CD-R media. Typically, this type of disk has a transparent substrate, a recording layer formed on a substrate, and a reflective layer on the recording layer. The recording layer is essentially a photo absorption material made of mixture of some organic dye materials and is formed by spin coating. The recording materials used for CD-R applications have been described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,940,618; 5,604,004; 5,294,471; European Patent Application 0353393; and Canadian Patent 2,005,520. Commercial useful materials of the type described in these references have stringent requirements. One of these requirement is light stability. Since the Photo CD is a consumer product, it must be capable of withstanding extreme environment. The stability of the disk mainly depends on the nature of the recording layer and the reflector layer and their mutual interaction; and the protective overcoat. The above applications disclose phthalocyanine dye, metallized formazan dye and cyanine dye having excellent light stability. The reflecting layer is usually selected to be gold or a gold alloy because of its nobleness and high reflectivity. The CD-R specifications require that it has a high reflectivity of more than 60% similar to the compact disks.
During recording, writing laser light passes through the plastic substrate and is focused on the dye recording layer which is heated to change the dye material to form a mark. In other recording materials, recording pits are formed. The reflectivity of a mark is lower than in those areas not having the mark. Marks are formed as a change in the optical properties of the recording layer. In any event, the combination of some or all of these changes forms marks which can then be read back by the focused read laser beam. The record thus consists of marks of relatively low reflectivity on a background of relatively high reflectivity in relation to the read beam.
Thin layer of gold is normally used as a main reflection material in the reflective layer. It is a noble metal with a very high stability and does not introduce problems into the recording stability. When other metals which have a high reflectivity such as aluminum, silver and copper are used instead of gold, they have a problem in that they are reactive and can form oxides or other corrosive layers. The recording stability of these types of disks varies over time and degrades. However, materials such as silver are much less expensive than gold, and it would be highly desirable to use them. In fact, silver has about 5-7% higher reflectivity than gold.

Recordable optical disks with dielectric interlayer


A starting element for transmitting torque from a drive-side rotational input (14) of the starting element to a driven hub (8) includes a hydrodynamic torque converter (4) which has a turbine coupled to the driven hub (8) so as to be fixed with respect to rotation relative to it and which comprises a turbine shell (56) with turbine blades (22) arranged therein. A maximum extension of the turbine shell (56) opposite an axial direction (12) terminates at a first axial position (53), and an impeller (20) located opposite the turbine in the axial direction (12). A stator (24) is arranged between the turbine and the impeller (22) and is coupled via a stator flange (58) to a freewheel (52) adjoining the driven hub (8) in an axial direction (12). A center of the freewheel (52) is located at a second axial position (54). A difference between the first axial position (53) and the second axial position (54) is greater than a predetermined minimum value.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to starting elements or starting converters, particularly a starting element comprising a hydrodynamic torque converter.
2. Description of the Related Art
Starting elements for transmitting a torque from a drive unit to a downstream drivetrain, for example, a transmission, are known in a variety of embodiments. Hydrodynamic converters or hydrodynamic torque converters which are mechanically locked up to increase energy efficiency after starting in the so-called lockup mode of converter lockup clutches so as to prevent flow losses and to optimize consumption of fuel or driving energy are often used to enable automatic starting. Starting elements or starting converters of this kind are often combined with so-called torsional vibration dampers which can comprise one or more stages and which have a drive-side input component part that can be connected to a rotating drive unit so as to be fixed with respect to rotation relative to it. Located between this input component part and a driven-side output component part are one or more energy accumulators or damper elements, for example, in the form of coil springs, which can serve to suppress vibrations in the drivetrain in lockup mode. Accordingly, the torque is transmitted from the input component part of the torsional vibration damper, via the energy-accumulating or vibration-damping elements, to the output component part which is connected to the output of the starting element so as to be fixed with respect to rotation relative to it. In general, by drive-side component is meant hereinafter a component or assembly which, with respect to the flow of force from the driving unit to the end of the drivetrain, is located closer to the driving unit than a component designated as being on the driven side.
Further, so-called tuned mass dampers are also installed in order to further increase driving comfort and to further suppress vibrations in the drivetrain with locked up converter. Tuned mass dampers are, generally speaking, added mass linked to the drive system or torsional vibration damper by a suspension system. For example, a tuned mass damper operates on the principle that a vibratory system comprising a main mass and an auxiliary mass is so tuned with respect to its natural frequency that at a certain excitation frequency the auxiliary mass, referred to hereinafter as damper weight, carries out a forced vibration, while the main mass remains at rest so that vibration frequencies of this kind can be efficiently suppressed.
To achieve the suppression of vibrations over a larger range of rotational speeds, speed-adaptive mass dampers are used whose natural frequency or resonant frequency changes as a function of rotational speed, for example, proportional to the rotational speed. Thus by tuned mass damper is meant herein a device or mechanism or arrangement of components by which no torque is transmitted and which is capable of removing energy from the drivetrain at a determined, possibly variable, vibration frequency in order to suppress torsional vibrations occurring at this frequency.
Arranging a plurality of such components or assemblies in a starting element in an efficient and space-saving manner represents a substantial challenge.

Starting element with hydrodynamic torque converter


An apparatus for setting fastening elements (5) has a feed drive (21), by means of which the connecting elements (5) can be fed to an installation position, and a setting device which has a setting tool and by means of which a fastening element (5) arranged in the installation position can be ejected to come into engagement with a support part. Also present is a drive mechanism, which is provided with a drive motor that has a rotatable drive shaft (13) and is coupled via a transmission arrangement (14, 15, 16, 17, 18) to the feed drive (21) and the setting device (30), and with a control arrangement for setting the direction of rotation of the drive shaft (13). In one direction of rotation of the drive shaft (13), the transmission arrangement (14, 15, 16, 17, 18) couples the drive motor (12) to the feed drive (21), and in the other direction of rotation of the drive shaft (13), it couples the drive motor (12) to the setting device. The apparatus is therefore relatively easy to handle.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention provides a device for setting fastening elements.
2. Description of the Related Art
One apparatus for setting fastening elements is known from DE 196 43 656 A1. The prior apparatus, which is designed to set connecting elements that are configured with a flat plate and a pin that is set against the flat plate, has a feed drive by means of which the fastening elements, connected to each other via connecting elements, can be fed from a magazine to an installation position. Also present is a setting device equipped with a pushing tool, by means of which a fastening element disposed in the installation position can be ejected from the apparatus to come into engagement with a support part.

Apparatus for setting fastening elements