Layered adsorbent-substrate tubes are prepared by a method comprising heating the surface of an aluminum substrate, contacting the surface of the substrate with a slurry containing the adsorbent and a binder, and heating the coatings to form hardened surfaces which can have excellent adsorption and mechanical properties in devices for cooling or heating by adsorption of refrigerating fluid on a solid adsorbent.

There are a variety of solid adsorbents which have been useful in adsorption and catalysis including commonly known materials such as activated carbons, activated clays, silica gel, activated alumina, and crystalline molecular sieves. Of these adsorbents, crystalline molecular sieves such as silicoaluminophosphates, aluminophosphates and aluminosilicate zeolites have been particularly useful because of their uniform pore size.
In many instances it is desirable to have the solid adsorbent deposited on a substrate as a coating instead of being contained in particulate form as pellets, beads, or other particles. There are several reasons why solid adsorbent coatings have been used including for example, to improve the catalytic or adsorption properties of the solid adsorbent by improving the surface area to weight ratio, to reduce the amount of solid adsorbent required, to protect the underlying substrate material from a harmful environment, to achieve a particular strength or form, and, to perform the particular adsorptive or catalytic function over the entire coated surface of the substrate.
Not surprisingly, there have been a diversity of end uses for solid adsorbent coatings. Moreover, the methods for applying the coatings have been varied and somewhat dependent on the particular end use.
For instance, in the area of corrosion prevention, U.S. Pat. No. 3,788,880 discloses a method of inhibiting corrosion of metal surfaces wherein a metal surface, e.g. of brass, is coated with a precipitate of a corrosion-retarding inorganic salt, e.g., a calcite from water, i.e., preferably ordinary utility water containing the salt and under the electrochemical effect of local polarity differences along the metal body, where upon the corrosion-inhibiting layer is used to bond, by ion-exchange interaction, an ion-exchange substance to the surface. Together, the corrosion-inhibiting and ion-exchange substances, i.e., a natural or synthetic zeolite, form a three-dimensional stable coating which is adherent and prevents localized corrosion.
Moreover, numerous lacquer or pigment type coatings have also been used in corrosion prevention, some of which contain zeolites. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,758,281 discloses a corrosion inhibiting pigment which comprises particulate zeolite that can be used in protective coatings for metals, e.g. paints, varnishes, lacquer, water-borne coatings, etc.
Also related to corrosion prevention, U.S. Pat. No. 4,610,700 discloses absorbent compositions useful in retarding corrosion in mufflers and sets forth at col. 5, line 10 to line 18, that:
"Coatings of tubes, bulkheads and/or internal surface with adsorbent is also feasible. Simulated coatings can be accomplished with an adsorbent loaded material or heat-resistant tape. Actual slip coatings made of silica-rich slurries of adsorbent powder can also be used to coat surfaces. Such a slurry can be used to dip, spray or otherwise cover any surface. The coating is hardened by heating the part to about 200.degree. C. either during production or on the vehicle." PA1 "In one aspect this invention provides a process for the preparation of a zeolite layer upon a substrate which does not have the same crystalline structure as the zeolite, in which process the substrate is contacted with a reaction mixture for forming a zeolite and the reaction mixture is heated to bring about zeolite formation, in which the substrate is tumbled within the reaction mixture during heating so as to cause zeolite formation preferentially as a layer on the surface of the substrate. PA1 The invention enables the zeolite to be formed as a layer on the substrate in preference to it being formed as pure zeolite particles within the body of the reaction mixture. It is believed that the mixing technique employed results in the preferential formation of nucleation centers upon the substrate surface rather than within the reaction mixture. Moreover, the product of the process of the invention comprises discrete substrate bodies coated with zeolite rather than agglomerates of separate zeolite particles with substrate bodies." PA1 "The slip for the first layer . . . is then applied on the metal substrate and dried at a temperature not exceeding 350.degree. C. to form the first coating. PA1 Next, a second slip comprising a frit and an oxidizing catalyst for the second layer is applied on the dried first coating. The application of the second slip is ordinarily made by spraying. The second slip coating is also dried, and then both the first and the second coatings are fired at the same time. PA1 For the metal substrate of the mild steel sheet for enamel, the firing is made at a temperature between 780.degree. C. and 820.degree. C. for 3 to 5 minutes. For the metal substrate of the aluminized steel sheet, the firing is made at a temperature between 520.degree. C. and 600.degree. C. for 3 to 5 minutes."
Solid adsorbent coatings have also been used as catalysts in chemical processes. For example, zeolite coated substrates intended for use in fluidized bed reactors have been prepared by a process wherein the zeolite itself is crystallized on the substrate in a reaction mixture. U.S. Pat. No. 4,578,372 discloses at col. 3, lines 5 to line 23 that:
Some self-cleaning cooking ovens utilize zeolite catalyst layers coated on the internal surfaces of the oven to catalyze the cleaning action. U.S. Pat. No. 4,460,630 relates to a method of forming porcelain enamels on aluminized steel wherein a zeolite-coating porcelain enamel layer is applied to an underlying ground coating of porcelain enamel on the aluminized steel. The abovementioned patent sets forth a coating method at col. 5, line 38 to line 53 wherein;
The term "slip" is generally used in porcelain enamel engineering to mean a slurry comprising a frit which consists of glass compositions that soften upon firing to form the porcelain enamel layer, and a binder as well as other additives.
Despite the diversity of coating methods and end uses known to exist, new methods are sought which can be used to coat aluminum substrates with solid adsorbent without the use of adsorbent formation reactions, frits and enamels, paints, varnishes and the like, in order to provide adsorbent-substrate composites that have physical and performance properties suitable for general use.
Some thermodynamic processes for cooling and heating by adsorption of a refrigerating fluid on a solid adsorbent use zeolite, and other sorption materials such as activated carbon and silica gel. In these processes, the thermal energy from adsorbing zeolite in one place is used to heat desorbing zeolite located in another place. U.S. Pat. No. 4,138,850 relates to a system for such solar heat utilization employing a solid zeolite adsorbent mixed with a binder, pressed, and sintered into divider panels and hermetically sealed in containers. U.S. Pat. No. 4,637,218 relates to systems for a heat pump using zeolite as an adsorbent wherein the zeolite is prepared by slicing natural zeolite rock with a carbide saw, or by pressing slightly-wetted, powdered zeolite into bricks. The bricks used in U.S. Pat. No. 4,637,218 are preferably not more than 10 mm in thickness.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,548,046 relates to an apparatus for cooling or heating by adsorption of a refrigerating fluid on a solid adsorbent. The operations employ a plurality of tubes provided with parallel radial fins filled or covered with solid adsorbent such as Zeolite 13X located on the outside of the tubes.
The thermodynamic aspects of developing a zeolite-water adsorption refrigeration unit are well known. An article entitled, "Thermodynamic Analysis of a Solar Zeolite Refrigeration System," by S. Chang and J. A. Roux, which appeared in the Journal of Solar Energy Engineering, August 1985, Volume 107, pages 189-194 provides a discussion of the main parameters, including adsorber properties. The above mentioned patents and articles are incorporated herein by reference.
Prior methods of using zeolite adsorbents in devices for cooling or heating by adsorption of a refrigerating fluid on a solid adsorbent have been inefficient and difficult to prepare. Those methods of preparation included cutting natural rock into thin bricks and mounting these bricks on to heat exchange surfaces or casting powdered zeolites and mixtures thereof with clays into panels or slabs for direct contact with fluids. Methods are sought to improve the operating efficiency of these devices, and to improve the way in which the solid zeolite adsorbent is employed in these devices.

Method of coating aluminum substrates with solid adsorbent


A non-volatile memory structure having a higher gate-coupling ratio. The structure includes a substrate, shallow trench isolation layers, buried source/drain terminals, tunnel oxide layers, a floating gate with a three-dimensional structure, dielectric layers and a control gate. A portion of the floating gate is located inside an opening in the dielectric layer so that a three-dimensional structure formed. Since the subsequently formed control gate has a larger effective surface area, a higher gate-coupling ratio is obtained.

This application claims the priority benefit of Taiwan application serial no. 90105104, filed Mar. 6, 2001.
1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a memory structure. More particularly, the present invention relates to a non-volatile memory structure having a high gate-coupling ratio.
2. Description of Related Art
In integrated circuit applications, erasable and programmable read only memory (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable read only memory (EEPROM) and flash memory are commonly used non-volatile memories. Each of these non-volatile memories utilizes the application of a positive or a negative voltage to its control gate to control the injection of charges into the floating gate or the removal of charges from the floating gate. Data is stored as electric charges inside the memories. Hence, data is retained even if power source for driving the memory is cut.
In general, most gate structures of a non-volatile memory unit has a stacked gate design that includes a floating gate for holding electric charges, an oxide-nitride-oxide (ONO) structure serving as a dielectric layer and a control gate form controlling data access. The memory unit utilizes either hot carrier effect or tunneling effect to drive electric charges into the floating gate of the stacked gate structure so that a logic xe2x80x980xe2x80x99 or xe2x80x981xe2x80x99 is represented. To change the data inside the memory, a reverse voltage is applied to the control gate so that the accumulated charges inside the floating gate are channeled away.
Among the conventional non-volatile memory structures, the so-called twin cell design is quite common. FIGS. 1A through 1D are schematic cross-sectional views showing the progression of steps for forming the stacked gate of a conventional twin cell non-volatile memory unit. As shown in FIG. 1A, a semiconductor chip 10 that includes a silicon substrate 12 is provided. A pair of shallow trench isolation (STI) structures 14 are formed in the substrate 12. A thermal oxidation layer (not shown), a polysilicon layer (not shown) and a silicon nitride layer (not shown) are sequentially formed over the silicon substrate 12. After performing a photolithographic and etching process, a pair of tunnel oxide layers 16, a pair of polysilicon layers 18 and a pair of silicon nitride layer 20 are formed.
As shown in FIG. 1B, an ion implantation of the substrate 12 is conducted while using the silicon nitride layer 20 and the pair of STI layers 14 as a mask. A high-temperature oxidation treatment is carried out to activate the doped ions, thereby forming a pair of ion-doped layers 22 at a pre-determined depth to serve as a drain terminal and a source terminal, respectively. In the meantime, a thermal oxidation layer 24 is formed over each ion-doped layer 22. Hence, one ion-doped layer 22 of the pair forms a buried drain (BD) while the other ion-doped layer 22 forms a buried source (BS) respectively.
As shown in FIG. 1C, the silicon nitride layer 20 is completely removed. A pair of polysilicon layers 26 are formed in pre-defined regions above the semiconductor chip 10. Each polysilicon layer 18 and its overlying polysilicon layer 26 together form a floating gate 28 of the non-volatile memory unit.
As shown in FIG. 1D, an oxide-nitride-oxide (ONO) structure, serving as a dielectric layer 30, is formed over the silicon substrate 12. The ONO structure is a composite layer. Finally, a control gate 32 is formed over the silicon substrate 12. The control gate 32 covers the dielectric layer 30 within the pre-defined regions and the thermal oxidation layers 24.
The floating gate 28, the dielectric layer 30 and the control gate 32 together form the stacked gate 34 of a non-volatile memory unit. The pair of floating gates 28 between the pair of field oxide layer is a pair of storage units of the twin-cell structure. When a high voltage is applied to the control gate 32 of the stacked gate 34, carrier multiplication occurs at the junction between the drain terminal 22 and the silicon substrate 12 leading to the generation of hot electrons. A portion of the hot electrons is driven past the tunnel oxide layer 16 into the floating gate 28 so that the floating gate 28 is negatively charged. Such negative charges are trapped inside the floating gate 28 due to the surrounding dielectric layer 30 and the tunnel oxide layer 16. This completes a data input operation.
Because the conventional process uses a high-temperature oxidation step to form the thermal oxide layers 24, a bird""s beak structure is formed at each end of the thermal oxide layer 24. This leads to a variation of thickness in the thermal oxidation layer 24 in addition to lattice structure damages near the surface of the silicon substrate 12. Ultimately, reliability of the twin-cell unit is greatly affected. Furthermore, dimensions of a device are severely limited by the thermally formed oxide layer 24.
In addition, the high-temperature process may also over-drive ions into the drain terminal and the source terminal 22, leading to a shortening of channel length underneath the tunnel oxide layer 16. This will increase the frequency of punchthrough between the drain terminal and the source terminal. Consequently, electrical properties of the twin-cell unit may be severely affected, resulting in a lowering of the yield rate in the production process.
Accordingly, one object of the present invention is to provide a non-volatile memory structure having a higher gate-coupling ratio. The structure includes a substrate having a pair of shallow trench isolation (STI) layers, a pair of tunnel oxide layers, a pair of buried source/drain regions, a first dielectric layer, a pair of floating gates, a second dielectric layer and a control gate. The pair of tunnel oxide layers is formed on the upper surface of the substrate between the STI layers. The buried source/drain regions are formed within the substrate between the STI layers and the tunnel oxide layers. The first dielectric layer is formed above the substrate covering the buried source/drain regions. The first dielectric layer has an opening above each of the tunnel oxide layers. Each floating gate comprises a first polysilicon layer and a second polysilicon layer. The first polysilicon layer is embedded within the opening. The second polysilicon layer is formed over a portion of the first polysilicon layer and is electrically connected with the first polysilicon layer. The second dielectric layer is formed on the upper surface of the floating gate and the control gate is formed over the second dielectric layer.
Instead of forming a thermally grown oxide layer, the dielectric layer deposited around the first polysilicon layer serves as an insulation layer above the buried source/drain regions. Hence, unevenness of the insulation layer above the buried source/drain region is prevented. In addition, thickness of the buried source/drain regions and channel length underneath each stacked gate in each semiconductor chip can be accurately controlled. Consequently, reliability problems caused by device miniaturization can be avoided.
Furthermore, the opening in the dielectric layer creates a concave three-dimensional structure for the floating gate so that a subsequently formed control gate can have a greater contact area. Hence, the gate-coupling ratio (GCR) of the semiconductor device is increased and ultimately the electrical characteristic of the semiconductor product is improved.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary, and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed.

High gate coupling non-volatile memory structure


A system and method for reconciling a payment to a merchant (e.g., from a credit card issuer or processor) with a set of credit card transactions corresponding to the payment. A reconciliation facilitator assigns unique transaction IDs to credit card transactions submitted by the merchant. The reconciliation facilitator issues authorization requests for some or all of the transactions, and also submits a settlement request for authorized transactions, wherein one or both types of requests include the unique transaction IDs of the associated transactions. When a set of transactions is settled, their unique IDs are received as part of the settlement data, and the reconciliation facilitator can identify the settled transactions to the merchant (e.g., through his accounting or point-of-sale software).

Merchants that accept credit cards from customers for sales transactions receive little assistance in matching payments from their credit card service provider with the corresponding sales transactions. This has been an unavoidable consequence of the way credit card transactions are processed.
In particular, when a merchant accepts a credit card as the means of payment for a good or service, the card is first authorized (e.g., by the credit card's issuer). The sales transaction proceeds if the authorization is successful. At some later time, a settlement request is forwarded to the issuer (or a credit card processor) to recoup payment for the transaction. Upon settlement, funds are generally transferred to the merchant (e.g., to the merchant's bank) as a lump sum corresponding to any number of sales transactions; there is no indication of which transaction or transactions the funds are for.
Traditionally, if a merchant wished to reconcile a settlement payment with corresponding sales transactions, the merchant had to manually identify a set of transactions having an aggregate amount that matches the amount of the payment. This is very imprecise, especially for merchants that handle a large number of credit card transactions, as many permutations of transaction amounts could be represented by a single payment. For example, a payment of $100 could be for a single $100 transaction, two $50 transactions, a $50 transaction and two $25 transactions, etc.
In addition, because the settlement of a specific transaction is rarely specifically reported to a merchant, the merchant cannot quickly and easily identify transactions that failed (e.g., stolen card, possible fraud) or that were reversed (e.g., via chargeback).

System and method for reconciling credit card payments with corresponding transactions


A method is presented for utilizing tape storage media segmentation to improve data access performance. A segmented tape storage medium within a tape cartridge having a first and second segment is utilized. A selection module allows a user to select a user-defined capacity of the tape storage medium that is less than the usable capacity of the tape storage medium. The user-defined capacity allows the user to prefer improved data access over tape storage capacity. Data, when written to the tape, is written only within the user-defined capacity. Data may be written exclusively on the first segment or written on both the first segment and second segment allowing data access to be improved. In addition, the user-defined capacity may correspond to the full capacity of the tape storage media.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to tape storage media and more particularly, to utilizing tape storage media segmentation to improve data access performance in a tape storage system.
2. Description of the Related Art
With each new generation of tape storage technology, the capacity of available tape storage medium increases. The total storage capacity of a tape depends on many factors, including the physical dimensions of the tape, the data compression, if any, used to write data to the tape, the number of tracks across the width of the tape, and so forth. Another factor that may distinguish physical capacity from usable capacity is that the usable capacity is often defined to be slightly less than the physical capacity. This is due, in part, to servo tracks, data block headers, and other metadata blocks throughout the tape.
As total tape storage capacity increases, however, so too does the time required to access data on a tape. For many data storage uses, such as a data backup, longer access time to the data is acceptable. However, many other data storage applications would at, benefit from faster data access times even though tapes of greater capacity and increased data access times are used in the storage system.
For tape storage applications, data is typically stored onto a magnetic tape medium, such as a metallic ribbon, within a tape cartridge using a tape drive. The tape medium conventionally is designed to include a plurality of tracks that are distributed across the physical width of the tape medium and run the physical length of the tape medium. A tape write head within the tape drive is typically capable of writing up to sixteen tracks at one time, starting at one end of the tape and moving along the length of the tape. When the tape write head reaches the end of the tape, the head is aligned over the proximate track set, the direction of the tape is reversed, and the write head writes an additional sixteen tracks in the opposite direction. This "serpentine" pattern may continue until all tracks have been written.
The process for reading data from the tape medium is essentially the same. A tape read head moves across the tape medium and reads sixteen tracks from one end of the tape medium to the other. The tape read head then realigns to read an additional sixteen tracks and moves over the second set of tracks in the opposite direction.
Given the large capacity of conventional tape storage devices, various data blocks may be stored on a single tape medium. The location of each of these data blocks may be marked on the tape using block header information, data pads (areas of tape where data is intentionally not written), and other conventional identification means and methods. The tape read head is able to locate a particular block of data by using one or more servo tracks that are written onto the tape storage medium.
More recently, manufacturers of tape storage products have directed their attention in part to improving data access time using tape storage drives and cartridges. One method that has been employed to address the problem of increased data access time is to employ various levels of transparent buffering in which tape data may be stored in connection with other storage mediums, such as a direct access storage device (DASD) or an optical disk. If the requested tape data is stored on a DASD cache, data retrieval time may be improved greatly. However, the storage capacity of a DASD cache is typically significantly less than that of a tape storage system, and the DASD cache must migrate much of the data to tape cartridges in order to be able to buffer more recent data. For this reason, a DASD cache only improves data retrieval time for data that is in the DASD cache at the time of the data request, but does not improve the time for much of the data that has been migrated to tape and demoted from the cache.
In the case of storing data on an optical disk, data access times may be improved over that of a tape, but typically the storage capacity of an optical disk is much less than that of a tape cartridge. Currently, technology allows as much as 300 Gb of non-compacted data to be stored on a single, standard tape cartridge.
Another method of improving data access time is to segment the tape storage medium into two or more segments and to write data to the segments in a sequential manner. A tape segment may include a specified capacity, or physical length of tape, that is less than the total capacity of the tape. For example, a tape storage medium may be divided into two segments. When writing data to the tape, the data is written to the first segment and then to the second segment. This method improves data access time in that the first segment may be written to or read from without physically forwarding all the way to the end of the tape storage medium.
The first segment may include, for example, only one fifth of the total tape storage capacity, and data access time is greatly improved when the first segment is located at the physical beginning of the tape. In this way, the tape drive need only advance one fifth of the way through the total length of the tape medium, rather than all the way to the physical end of the tape, before reversing direction. The data stored in the capacity of the first segment is located near the beginning of the tape, rather than being distributed along the entire length of the tape improving data access time. The data stored in subsequent segments is distributed further from the beginning of the tape which increases the data access time.
What is needed is a process, apparatus, and system for improving data access performance of a tape storage system using tape media segmentation. Beneficially, such a process, apparatus, and system would allow a user to take advantage of the tape media segmentation in order to quickly access specified data.

Method for utilizing tape media segmentation

International Business Machines Corporation


4-Amino-1-((2R,3S,4S,5R)-5-azido-3,4-dihydroxy-5-hydroxymethyl-tetrahydro-furan-2-yl)-1H-pyrimidin-2-one (I:R1=R2=R3=R4=H) and prodrugs thereof are hepatitis C(HCV) polymerase inhibitors. Also disclosed are compositions and methods for inhibiting HCV and treating HCV-mediated diseases, processes for making the compounds and synthetic intermediates employed in the process.

The invention relates to nucleoside inhibitors of HCV replicon RNA replication. In particular, the invention is concerned with the use of pyrimidine nucleoside compounds as inhibitors of subgenomic HCV RNA replication and pharmaceutical compositions containing such compounds.
Hepatitis C virus is the leading cause of chronic liver disease throughout the world. (Boyer, N. et al. J. Hepatol. 2000 32:98-112). Patients infected with HCV are at risk of developing cirrhosis of the liver and subsequent hepatocellular carcinoma and hence HCV is the major indication for liver transplantation.
HCV has been classified as a member of the virus family Flaviviridae that includes the genera flaviviruses, pestiviruses, and hapaceiviruses which includes hepatitis C viruses (Rice, C. M., Flaviviridae: The viruses and their replication, in: Fields Virology, Editors: Fields, B. N., Knipe, D. M., and Howley, P. M., Lippincott-Raven Publishers, Philadelphia, Pa., Chapter 30, 931-959, 1996). HCV is an enveloped virus containing a positive-sense single-stranded RNA genome of approximately 9.4 kb. The viral genome consists of a 5′-untranslated region (UTR), a long open reading frame encoding a polyprotein precursor of approximately 3011 amino acids, and a short 3′ UTR. The 5′ UTR is the most highly conserved part of the HCV genome and is important for the initiation and control of polyprotein translation.
Genetic analysis of HCV has identified six main genotypes which diverge by over 30% of the DNA sequence. More than 30 subtypes have been distinguished. In the US approximately 70% of infected individuals have Type 1a and 1b infection. Type 1b is the most prevalent subtype in Asia. (X. Forns and J. Bukh, Clinics in Liver Disease 1999 3:693-716; J. Bukh et al., Semin. Liv. Dis. 1995 15:41-63).
Unfortunately Type 1 infections are more resistant to therapy than either type 2 or 3 genotypes (N. N. Zein, Clin. Microbiol. Rev., 2000 13:223-235).
Viral structural proteins include a nucleocapsid core protein (C) and two envelope glycoproteins, E1 and E2. HCV also encodes two proteases, a zinc-dependent metalloproteinase encoded by the NS2-NS3 region and a serine protease encoded in the NS3 region. These proteases are required for cleavage of specific regions of the precursor polyprotein into mature peptides. The carboxyl half of nonstructural protein 5, NS5B, contains the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase. The function of the remaining nonstructural proteins, NS4A and NS4B, and that of NS5A (the amino-terminal half of nonstructural protein 5) remain unknown. It is believed that most of the non-structural proteins encoded by the HCV RNA genome are involved in RNA replication
Currently there are a limited number of approved therapies are currently available for the treatment of HCV infection. New and existing therapeutic approaches to treating HCV and inhibition of HCV NS5B polymerase have been reviewed: R. G. Gish, Sem. Liver. Dis., 1999 19:5; Di Besceglie, A. M. and Bacon, B. R., Scientific American, October: 1999 80-85; G. Lake-Bakaar, Current and Future Therapy for Chronic Hepatitis C Virus Liver Disease, Curr. Drug Targ. Infect Dis. 2003 3(3):247-253; P. Hoffmann et al., Recent patents on experimental therapy for hepatitis C virus infection (1999-2002), Exp. Opin. Ther. Patents 2003 13(11):1707-1723; M. P. Walker et al., Promising Candidates for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C, Exp. Opin. investing. Drugs 2003 12(8):1269-1280; S.-L. Tan et al., Hepatitis C Therapeutics: Current Status and Emerging Strategies, Nature Rev. Drug Discov. 2002 1:867-881.

Ribavirin (1a; 1-((2R,3R,4S,5R)-3,4-Dihydroxy-5-hydroxymethyl-tetrahydro-furan-2-yl)-1H-[1,2,4]triazole-3-carboxylic acid amide; Virazole) is a synthetic, non-interferon-inducing, broad spectrum antiviral nucleoside analog. Ribavirin has in vitro activity against several DNA and RNA viruses including Flaviviridae (Gary L. Davis, Gastroenterology 2000 118:S104-S114). In monotherapy ribavirin reduces serum amino transferase levels to normal in 40% of patients, but it does not lower serum levels of HCV-RNA. Ribavirin also exhibits significant toxicity and is known to induce anemia. Viramidine 1b is a prodrug converted to 1a in hepatocytes
Interferons (IFNs) have been available for the treatment of chronic hepatitis for nearly a decade. IFNs are glycoproteins produced by immune cells in response to viral infection. Two distinct types of interferon are recognized: Type 1 includes several interferon alphas and one interferon β, type 2 includes interferon γ. Type 1 interferons is produced mainly by infected cells and protects neighboring cells from de novo infection. IFNs inhibit viral replication of many viruses, including HCV, and when used as the sole treatment for hepatitis C infection, IFN suppresses serum HCV-RNA to undetectable levels. Additionally, IFN normalizes serum amino transferase levels. Unfortunately, the effects of IFN are temporary. Cessation of therapy results in a 70% relapse rate and only 10-15% exhibit a sustained virological response with normal serum alanine transferase levels. (L.-B. Davis, supra)
One limitation of early IFN therapy was rapid clearance of the protein from the blood. Chemical derivatization of IFN with polyethyleneglycol (PEG) has resulted in proteins with substantially improved pharmacokinetic properties. PEGASYS® is a conjugate interferon α-2a and a 40 kD branched mono-methoxy PEG and PEG-INTRON® is a conjugate of interferon α-2b and a 12 kD mono-methoxy PEG. (B. A. Luxon et al., Clin. Therap. 2002 24(9):13631383; A. Kozlowski and J. M. Harris, J. Control. Release, 2001 72:217-224).
Combination therapy of HCV with ribavirin and interferon-α currently represent the optimal therapy. Combining ribavirin and PEG-IFN (infra) results in a sustained viral response in 54-56% of patients. The SVR approaches 80% for type 2 and 3 HCV. (Walker, supra) Unfortunately, the combination also produces side effects which pose clinical challenges. Depression, flu-like symptoms and skin reactions are associated with subcutaneous IFN-α and hemolytic anemia is associated with sustained treatment with ribavirin.
A number of potential molecular targets for drug development as anti-HCV therapeutics have now been identified including, but not limited to, the NS2-NS3 autoprotease, the N3 protease, the N3 helicase and the NS5B polymerase. The RNA-dependent RNA polymerase is absolutely essential for replication of the single-stranded, positive sense, RNA genome. This enzyme has elicited significant interest among medicinal chemists.
Nucleoside inhibitors can act either as a chain terminator or as a competitive inhibitor which interferes with nucleotide binding to the polymerase. To function as a chain terminator the nucleoside analog must be taken up be the cell and converted in vivo to a triphosphate to compete for the polymerase nucleotide binding site. This conversion to the triphosphate is commonly mediated by cellular kinases which imparts additional structural requirements on a potential nucleoside polymerase inhibitor. In addition this limits the direct evaluation of nucleosides as inhibitors of HCV replication to cell-based assays capable of in situ phosphorylation.
In WO 01 90121 published Nov. 29, 2001, J.-P. Sommadossi and P. Lacolla disclose and exemplify the anti-HCV polymerase activity of 1′-alkyl- and 2′-alkyl nucleosides of formulae 2 and 3. In WO 01/92282, published Dec. 6, 2001, J.-P. Sommadossi and P. Lacolla disclose and exemplify treating Flaviviruses and Pestiviruses with 1′-alkyl- and 2′-alkyl nucleosides of formulae 2 and 3. In WO 03/026675 published Apr. 3, 2003, G. Gosselin discloses 4′-alkyl nucleosides 4 for treating Flaviviruses and Pestiviruses. In WO2004003000 published Jan. 8, 2004, J.-P. Sommadossi et al. disclose 2′- and 3′ prodrugs of 1′-, 2′-, 3′- and 4′-substituted β-D and β-L nucleosides. Idenix has reported clinical trials for a related compound NM283 which is believed to be the valine ester 5 of the cytidine analog 2 (B=cytosine).

In WO02/05787 published Jul. 25, 2002, S. S. Carroll et al. disclose related 2α-methyl and 2β-methylribose derivatives wherein the base is an optionally substituted 7H-pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidine radical 6. The same application discloses one example of a 3β-methyl nucleoside. S. S. Carroll et al. (J. Biol. Chem. 2003 278(14):11979-11984) disclose inhibition of HCV polymerase by 2′-O-methylcytidine (6a).

Modification of nucleosides by substitution at the 4′-position has been less prevalent, most like due to the added synthetic challenges associated with their synthesis. Maag et al. (Anti-HIV Activity of 4′-Azido and 4′-Methoxynucleosides, J. Med. Chem. 1992 35:1440-1451) disclose the synthesis of 4′-azido-2-deoxyribonucleosides and 4-azido nucleosides. C. O'Yang, et al. (Tetrahedron Lett. 1992 33(1):37-40 and 33(1):41-44) disclose the synthesis 4′-cyano, 4′-hydroxymethyl- and 4′-formyl nucleoside compounds substituted nucleosides. These compounds were evaluated as anti-HIV compounds.
In WO02/100415 published Dec. 19, 2002 (US 2003/0236216 A1), R. R. Devos et al. disclose 4′-substituted nucleoside compounds that exhibit HCV activity. Four compounds explicitly identified include the 4′-azido compound, 7a, the 4′-ethynyl compound 7b, the 4′-ethoxy compound 7c and the 4′-acetyl compound 7d. Modifications to the ribose moiety exemplified include the 2′-deoxy 8a derivative, 3′-deoxy derivative 8b, the 3′-methoxy derivative 8e, the 3′-fluoro derivative 8c and the 2′,2′-difluoro derivative 8d. In WO2004/046159 published Jun. 3, 2004 (US 2004121980), J. A. Martin et al. disclose prodrugs of 7a useful for treating HCV-mediated diseases. Both US applications are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. While compounds with the arabinose configuration fall within genus, these compounds are not among specifically disclosed, exemplified, or included in the preferred list of nucleosides in the specification.

U.S. application Ser. No. 10/167,106 filed Jun. 11, 2002 entitled "4′-Substituted Nucleoside Derivatives as Inhibitors of HCV RNA Replication", and U.S. application Ser. No. 10/717,260 file Nov. 19, 2003 disclose compounds related to the present invention. Both applications are incorporated herein in their entirety by reference.
Y.-H. Yun et al. (Arch. Pharm. Res. 1985 18(5):364-35) disclose the synthesis and antiviral activity of 4′-azido-2′-deoxy-2′-fluoro-arabinofuranosyl nucleosides (9: R=H, Me and Cl).

G. S. Jeon and V. Nair (Tetrahedron 1996 52(39): 12643-50) disclose the synthesis 4′-azidomethyl-2′, 3′-deoxyribonucleosides 10 (B=adenine, thymine and uracil) as HIV reverse transcriptase inhibitors.
Several computational studies of 4′-azidonucleosides have been reported: D, Galisteo et al., J. Mol. Struct. 1996 384(1):25-33; J. Pepe et al., Eur. J. Med. Chem. 1996 32(10):775-786; E. Estrada et al., In silico studies toward the discovery of New Anti HIV Nucleoside, J. Chem. Info. Comp. Sci. 2002 42(5): 1194-1203;
I. Sugimoto et al. disclosed the synthesis and the HIV and H. simplex bioassay of 4′-ethynyl-2′-deoxycytidine (11) and other two-carbon substituents at the 4′-position (Nucleosides and Nucleotides. 183. Synthesis of 4′ α-Branched Thymidines as a New Type of Antiviral Agent, Bioorg Med. Chem. Lett. 1999 9:385-88). T. Wada et al. (Nucleosides & Nucleotides 1996 15(1-3):287-304) disclose the synthesis and anti-HIV activity of 4′-C-methyl nucleosides.
In WO 01/32153 published May 10, 2001, R. Storer discloses methods of treating or preventing Flaviviridae viral infection by administering dioxolane analogs of nucleosides
In WO02/18404 published Mar. 7, 2002, R. Devos et al. disclose novel and known purine and pyrimidine nucleoside derivatives and their use as inhibitors of subgenomic HCV replication and pharmaceutical compositions containing said nucleoside derivatives. The compounds disclosed consist of nucleosides with substituted purine and pyrimidine bases.
Several references have reported the synthesis and use of fluoro-nucleosides with the arabinose configuration for therapy of viral diseases. There have been several reports of 2-fluoro-β-D-arabinofuranosyl nucleosides that exhibit activity against hepatitis B and herpes. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,348,587 B1 (R. F. Schinazi et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 4,666,892 (Fox, et al.); U.S. Pat. No. 4,211,773 (Lopez, et al); Su, et al., Nucleosides. 136, Synthesis and Antiviral Effects of Several 1-(2-Deoxy-2-fluoro-β-D-arabinofuranosyl)-5-alkyluracils. Some Structure-Activity Relationships, J. Med. Chem. 1986 29:151-154; Borthwick, et al., Synthesis and Enzymatic Resolution of Carbocyclic 2′-Ara-fluoro-Guanosine: A Potent New Anti-Herpetic Agent, J. Chem. Soc., Chem. Commun. 1988; Wantanabe, et al., Synthesis and Anti-HIV Activity of 2′-"Up"-Fluoro Analogues of Active Anti-Aids Nucleosides 3′-Azido-3′-deoxythymidine (AZT) and 2′,3′-dideoxycytidine (DDC), J. Med. Chem. 1990 33:2145-2150; Martin, et al., Synthesis and Antiviral Activity of Monofluoro and Difluoro Analogues of Pyrimidine Deoxyribonucleosides against Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV-1), J. Med. Chem. 1990 33:2137-2145; Sterzycki et al., Synthesis and Anti-HIV Activity of Several 2′-Fluoro-Containing Pyrimidine Nucleosides, J. Med. Chem. 1990; and Montgomery, et al., 9-(2-Deoxy-2-fluoro-β-D-arabinofuranosyl)guanine: A Metabolically Stable Cytotoxic Analogue of 2′-Deoxyguanosine. U.S. Pat. No. 5,246,924 discloses a method for treating a hepatitis infection that includes the administration of 1-(2′-deoxy-2′-fluoro-β-D-arabinofuranosyl)-3-ethyluracil). U.S. Pat. No. 5,034,518 discloses 2-fluoro-9-(2-deoxy-2-fluoro-β-D-arabinofuranosyl)adenine nucleosides which exhibit anticancer activity by altering the metabolism of adenine nucleosides by reducing the ability of the compound to serve as a substrate for adenosine. EPA 0 292 023 discloses that certain β-D-2′-fluoroarabinonucleosides are active against viral infections
It has also been disclosed that L-FMAU (2′-fluoro-5-methyl-β-L-arabinofuranosyluracil) is a potent anti-HBV and anti-EBV agent. See Chu, et al., Use of 2′-Fluoro-5-methyl-β-L-arabinofuranosyluracil as a Novel Antiviral Agent for Hepatitis B Virus and Epstein-Barr Virus Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, 1995 39(4):979-98; Balakrishna, et al., Inhibition of Hepatitis B Virus by a Novel L-Nucleoside, 2′-Fluoro-5-Methyl-β-L-arabinofuranosyl Uracil, Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, 1996 40(2):380-356; U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,587,362; 5,567,688; and 5,565,438.
EPA Publication No. 0 352 248 discloses a broad genus of L-ribofuranosyl purine nucleosides for the treatment of HIV, herpes, and hepatitis. A similar specification is found in WO 88/09001, filed by Aktiebolaget Astra.
European Patent Application 0 357 571 discloses a broad group of β-D and α-D pyrimidine nucleosides for the treatment of AIDS which among the broad class generically includes nucleosides that can be substituted in the 2′ or 3′-position with a fluorine group.

H. Ohrui et al. (Antimicrobial Agents and Chemother. 2001 45(5):1539-1546; see also S. Koghgo et al., Tennen Yuki Kagobutsu Toronkai Koen Yoshishu 2000 42:835 (Chem. Abs. 2001:102156 anad H. Ohrui et al. WO2000069876 published Nov. 23, 2000) disclose the synthesis and anti-HIV activity of 4′-C-ethynyl-β-D-arabino- and 4′-C-ethynyl-2′-deoxy-β-D-ribo-pentofuranosyl pyrimidines and -purines. 4-Ethynyl-cytarabine (12a) exhibits good anti-HIV activity while the corresponding nucleoside wherein the base was thymine 12b was inactive. Several 4′-C-ethylnyl-2′-deoxy-β-D-ribo-pentofuranosyl pyrimidines and -purines were potent inhibitors of HIV reverse transcriptase (HIV-RT).
K. Kitano et al. (Tetrahedron 1997 53(39): 13315-13322) disclose the synthesis 4′-fluoromethyl 2-deoxy-D-erythro-, ribo- and arabino-pentofuranosyl cytosines and anti-neoplastic activity.
Intensive effort has focused on the identification of non-nucleoside inhibitors of HCV NS5B polymerase. The results of these efforts have been reviewed (J. Z. Chen and Z. Hong, Targeting NS5B RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase for Anti-HCV Chemotherapy, Curr. Drug Targ. Inf Dis. 2003 3(3):207-219). The non-nucleoside inhibitors are not related to the present invention.
The object of the present invention is to provide new compounds, methods and compositions for the treatment of a host infected with hepatitis C virus.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A display device, including a display panel displaying an image; a chip on film (COF) connected to the display panel and on which a driving integrated circuit is mounted; and a printed circuit board (PCB) connected to the COF and including a driving circuit for driving the display panel, in the COF, on a film, a first pad portion being connected to the driving integrated circuit by a first wiring line, a second pad portion being connected to the driving integrated circuit by a second wiring line, and a solder resist being applied to the first and second wiring lines, the second pad portion being spaced from and offset from the first pad portion, and the PCB including stepped portions at sides of first and second corresponding pad portions connected with the first and second pad portions, respectively, to receive a portion of the solder resist.

1. Field
Embodiments relate to a display device.
2. Description of the Related Art
A liquid crystal display, which may include a liquid panel having a liquid crystal between upper and lower substrates, polarizers for polarizing light at both sides of the liquid crystal panel, a light source and for supplying a predetermined amount of light to the liquid crystal panel, and a light guide. Such a device may display images in response to image signals from the outside.
An organic light emitting diode display may include two electrodes and an organic light emission layer between the electrodes, in which an electron injected from a cathode, which is one of the electrodes, and a hole injected from an anode, which is the other electrode, may produce an exciton by being bonded and the exciton may emit light while discharging energy.
Such an organic light emitting diode may display a characteristic of self-light emission and may not require a different or separate light source, unlike a liquid crystal display, and its thickness and weight may be reduced. An organic light emitting diode display may have excellent characteristics such as low power consumption, high luminance, and a high response speed.


A liquid crystal display device includes an insulative substrate; an active matrix element formed on the insulative substrate; wiring formed on the insulative substrate for supplying a signal to the active matrix element; an electrode formed on the insulative substrate so as to be electrically coupled to the active matrix element; an insulation layer formed so as to at least partially overlay the wiring and the active matrix element; a first electrode formed above the insulation layer so as to correspond to a channel region of the active matrix element; a second electrode formed so as to correspond to a display region of a pixel; a colored layer formed on the first electrode; and a colored layer formed on the second electrode.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a liquid crystal (LC) display device for use in audio-visual (AV) devices, office automation (OA) devices, etc., and a method for producing the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
A color LC display device for use in the display of a LC television apparatus, a lap-top type personal computer, a notebook type personal computer, or the like, typically incorporates a color filter such that the filter is formed of discrete colored layers disposed in a plane on an insulative substrate.
As a conventional color LC display device of the above-mentioned type, a device having the configuration shown in FIG. 5 is known. The color LC display device in FIG. 5 can be produced by sealing liquid crystal 24 between a color filter substrate 21 and a driving substrate 23 with a sealant 25. The color filter substrate 21 is produced by: forming respective colored layers 26 of the three primary colors, i.e., red (R), green (G), and blue (B); providing a black matrix 27 for preventing decrease in the contrast or color purity due to light leaking between the colored layers 26; smoothing the surface of the colored layers 26 and the black matrix 27 with a top coating 28; and providing a transparent electrode 29. The driving substrate 23 is produced by forming transparent driving electrodes 22 on a glass substrate 20.
The colored layers 26 of the color filter 21 may be produced by the following known methods, for example: a printing method, by which inks of RGB colors are printed on a glass substrate by means of a printing apparatus; a dispersion method, by which a ultraviolet-ray (UV ray) curable resist that contains pigments dispersed therein is applied on a glass substrate, followed by a repetition of a photolithography process for exposure through a mask and a heat curing process for each color of RGB, whereby pigment layers are formed; a dye method, by which a resist is formed through photolithography techniques for providing selective masking on gelatine so as to allow each color of RGB to be dyed with a dye; an electrodeposition method, by which an electrodeposition polymer material containing a pigment dispersed therein is applied on a substrate through electrodeposition by utilizing electrodes formed on the substrate; and a micell electrolysis method, by which a surfactant containing a pigment dispersed therein is electrolyzed by utilizing electrodes formed on a substrate.
A color LC display device is produced by attaching an active matrix substrate onto a color filter substrate, which requires positioning with high accuracy, thereby resulting in a decrease in the production yield. Furthermore, where the black matrix is designed with some margin, a decrease in the aperture ratio results.
In an attempt to solve the above-mentioned problems, Japanese Laid-Open Publication No. 64-21481 discloses a method for producing a color filter on an active matrix substrate by an electrodeposition method, which is illustrated with reference to FIGS. 6 to 8. FIG. 6 is a plan view illustrating a conventional LC display device. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the display device of FIG. 6 taken at line C--C. FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the display device of FIG. 6 taken at line D--D. With reference to FIG. 7, a gate electrode 5 (of Cr, Ta, or the like) is formed on an insulative substrate 1 (e.g., glass). A gate insulation film 6 (e.g., SiN.sub.x) is formed over the gate electrode 5. A semiconductor layer 7 of an undoped amorphous silicon, or the like, is formed on the gate insulation film 6 above the gate electrode 5, consecutively after which follows the formation of an insulation layer 10 on the semiconductor layer 7. Furthermore, over the respective ends of the semiconductor layer 7, amorphous silicon (n.sup.+ type a-Si) layers 8a and 8b doped with phosphorous (P), for example, are formed. On the n.sup.30 a-Si layers 8a and 8b, a source electrode 9a and a drain electrode 9b (of Ti or the like) are respectively formed. Thus, a thin film transistor (TFT) 3 functioning as a switching element is formed. Turning to FIG. 6, the gate electrode 5 is electrically coupled to a gate bus line 15 (of Ta or the like); the source electrode 9a is electrically coupled to a source bus line 16 (of Ta or the like); and the drain electrode 9b is electrically coupled to an electrode 12b for facilitating the formation of a color filter. The electrode 12b functions as a pixel electrode. The gate bus lines 15 and the source bus lines 16, which are formed in a matrix shape, are insulated from each other by the gate insulation film 6. Turning to FIG. 7, an organic resin protection film (insulation layer) 11 is further formed on the TFT 3, the gate bus lines 15, and the source bus lines 16 (not shown). A dye resist for forming a light-shielding layer 19 is formed on the insulation layer 11 by photolithography, and dyed black to form the light-shielding layer 19. Next, a voltage is applied to the gate bus lines 15 and the source bus lines 16 so as to activate the TFT 3, thereby allowing a color filter 13 to be formed in a desired color and in desired dot positions by electrodeposition. Furthermore, an alignment film 14 (of polyimide or the like) is formed on the color filter 13 and the light-shielding layer 19. The alignment film 14 is subjected to an alignment process through rubbing or other techniques.
On the other hand, a counter substrate may be prepared by forming a counter electrode 17 on an insulative substrate 2 (e.g., glass) with an alignment film 14 (of polyimide or the like) further formed there-upon. The alignment film 14 is subjected to an alignment process through rubbing or other techniques.
After the above-described processes, the substrate 1 having the color filter layers 13 and the TFTs 3 (i.e., switching elements) formed thereupon is attached onto the counter substrate having the counter electrode 17 thereon, with spacers (e.g., plastic beads) being dispersed in the interspace for retaining a constant distance between the substrates. The liquid crystal 4 is injected between the substrates, which are sealed with a sealant. Thus, a color LC display device has been produced.
According to this method, a color filter is formed on the active matrix substrate. Therefore, the effects of the color filter are well conserved regardless of possible positioning errors during the attachment of the active matrix substrate to the counter substrate. Since there is no need to allow any extra margin for the size of the color filter as such, the pixel aperture ratio can be improved.
However, according to the method described in Japanese Laid-Open Publication No. 64-21481, a dye resist is applied on the entire surface of the substrate so as to leave portions other than the pixel electrodes open to exposure, which is followed by dying the light-shielding layer 19 black. Since this exposure process is susceptible to some positioning error of the resist pattern, a light-shielding layer tends to also form on the pixel electrodes, thereby decreasing the effective pixel area (note that the pixel electrodes are utilized to define dots of the desired color filter during the electrodeposition process).
As a method for solving the above-mentioned problem, Japanese Laid-open Publication No. 7-72473 discloses an alternative method for forming a color filter on an active matrix substrate by electrodeposition. According to this method, active elements are activated so as to form a color filter including R, G, and B dots by electrodeposition; thereafter, a light-shielding layer is formed by a rear exposure method; and a light-shielding layer is further formed by electrodeposition on any electrode on which the rear exposure method cannot form a light-shielding layer. This method provides further improvement in the pixel aperture ratio.
However, the above method, which relies on a rear exposure method to form a light-shielding layer in an attempt to achieve a 100% effective pixel area, thus requires a further step of forming a light-shielding layer by electrodeposition on the light-shielding electrodes because the rear exposure method could not form a light-shielding layer thereon. This lengthens the production process and results in an increase in cost.
Moreover, in the case where there is a disruption in the wiring coupled to a signal electrode of R, G, or B is, the above method requires a correction process involving first fixing the disruption and then forming a color filter at least in the portions which were not appropriately colored due to the disruption, this process being repeated three times. As a result, the production process of the device may be considerably prolonged.

Liquid crystal display device with electrodes corresponding to channel region and display region and colored layers being formed on the electrodes


A replaceable lamp header for positioning a lamp within a reflector assembly includes a base member having first and second lateral portions, at least one first source connection coupled to each of the first and second lateral portions, at least one second source connection coupled to each of the first and second lateral portions, a first interconnect coupling the first source connections and being external to the base member, and a second interconnect coupling the second source connections and being external to the base member.

Digital projectors, such as digital mirror devices (DMD) and liquid crystal display (LCD) projectors, project high quality images onto a viewing surface. Both DMD and LCD projectors utilize high intensity lamps and reflectors to generate the light needed for projection. Light generated by the lamp is concentrated as a "fireball" that is located at a focal point of a reflector. This light is directed into a projection assembly that produces images and utilizes the generated light to form the image. The image is then projected onto a viewing surface. Misalignment of the focal point causes degradation of the image, since less light is captured, and creates "hot spots" on the screen instead of a uniform brightness.
Efforts have been directed at making projectors more compact while making the image of higher and higher quality. As a result, the lamps utilized have become more compact and of higher intensity. Higher intensity lamps produce high, even extreme heat. The outer surface of the lamps can approach temperatures of 900° C. As a result, projector designs must account for the intense heat. In addition, losses due to misalignment of the fireball with respect to the reflector are amplified in systems utilizing high intensity lamps.
Some designs attempt to account for the heat by permanently placing the lamp within the reflector. The use of a high temperature 'epoxy' holds the lamp relative to the reflector. When the lamp has surpassed its useful life, the costly reflector and lamp assembly, which can be considered as the light generation assembly, is discarded and replaced with a new assembly.

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


A choke ring apparatus for attenuation of electromagnetic waves in a mobile platform fuselage includes a ground plane mounted on a surface of the fuselage. The choke ring has an axial circular window and a series of concentric circular ring segments on the ground plane arranged coaxially about the axis of the window. The circular ring segments extend from the ground plane. The ring segments defining at least one groove therebetween. The ring segments have a flat ridge at the edge, and each groove has a depth defined by a pair of adjacent ring segments. The width of the flat ridge surfaces and a width of the groove between adjacent ring segments are approximately equal. The depth of the groove is determined based on a predetermined resonant frequency, such that the choke ring apparatus selectively attenuates electromagnetic waves in a region of the resonant frequency when propagating through the window.

There is concern in the aviation industry that portable electronic devices (PEDs) can interfere with mobile platform electronics systems (also referred to as avionics in mobile platform and space vehicle electronic applications). Mobile platforms as used herein include aircraft and space vehicles, as well as land-based and nautical transportation vehicles. Measurements of radiated energy levels in PEDs have been known to exceed earlier mobile platform equipment qualification standards, which afford less protection than current equipment standards and mobile platform certification requirements. This, combined with the increasingly widespread use of cell phones, could pose a threat to air safety.
There are two types of PEDs. First, there are those PEDs that intentionally transmit a signal, known as intentional transmitters. Intentional transmitters transmit a signal in order to accomplish their function. Intentional transmitters include cell phones; pagers; two-way radios; and remote-control toys. The second type of PED is the non-intentional transmitter. Non-intentional transmitters do not have to transmit a signal in order to accomplish their function. However, like most electrical devices, they emit some level of radiation. Examples of non-intentional transmitters include compact-disc players; tape recorders; hand-held games; laptop computers and personal digital assistants (PDAs); and laser pointers.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and other international aviation regulatory agencies have expressed concern that PEDs may interfere with navigational instruments aboard the mobile platform. There have been numerous anecdotal reports of incidents in which the use of PEDs apparently created anomalous or erroneous instrumentation signals in passenger mobile platform. The PEDs most frequently reported as being a source of interference are laptop computers. The most frequent mobile platform systems reportedly affected by a suspected PED interference source are the navigation systems. The FAA has implemented rules restricting the use of PEDs on commercial airlines. Such rules prohibit operation of a PED on an airplane unless the airline has determined that the device will not cause interference with the navigation or communication systems of the mobile platform. There are some exceptions, for example, portable voice recorders, hearing aids, heart pacemakers, and electric shavers, which may be used, and the rules do not apply at all in some cases, e.g., private planes flying under visual flight rules.
The FAA also recommends that the use of PEDs be prohibited during the takeoff and landing phases of flight below 10,000 feet, in order to avoid potential electronic interference with aircraft systems, and to avoid the potential for passengers to miss safety announcements. In response to the incidents and government regulations, airlines have attempted to restrict the use of portable electronic devices. Airline policies generally divide PEDs into three categories: those that may never be used, those that may always be used, and those that may be used only at certain times. PEDs such as hearing aids, pacemakers, electronic watches, and one-way pagers may generally be used at any time during flight. Conversely, most airlines prohibit certain PEDs at any time, e.g., AM/FM radios, television sets, two-way pagers, and CB radios. A third category of PEDs may be operated at specified times, i.e., prior to departure and after the mobile platform has reached an altitude of 10,000 feet. In particular, when the mobile platform is descending all PEDs in this category must be turned off. The PEDs subject to these restrictions include CD players, laptop computers, electronic video games, and GPS navigation sets. The pilot must be notified that all PEDs have been turned off before departure and/or descent. As for the use of cellular phones, many airlines permit passengers to place and receive calls onboard while the mobile platform is still at the gate. Otherwise, cell phones may not be used during airline takeoff and landings, or during flight.
As the use of passenger carry-on portable electronic devices (PEDs) becomes more prevalent, it may become considerably more difficult to maintain Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) between these devices and the mobile platform communications and navigation systems. The portability of these devices further makes it increasingly difficult to successfully implement traditional Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) solutions. The present invention provides a novel method and device with which to reduce or eliminate the potential for PED-to-mobile platform antenna coupled EMI that may occur through the coupling paths of the mobile platform fuselage window. The present invention may be implemented in new aircraft production as well as a retrofit application for aircraft in the field.
With the beginning of a multitude of inexpensive PEDs—i.e., electronic communications and data devices, it is likely that PEDs will consume more and more of the electromagnetic spectrum, whether by design, or unintentionally, e.g., in the form of harmonic or spurious signal emissions. In concert with an increase in the number of users and total emitter power, some of which utilize spread spectrum technology and increased power spectral content, mobile platform systems may be even more susceptible to EMI. Traditional mobile platform design does not incorporate EMI shielding in the mobile platform windows, thus allowing the possibility that electromagnetic energy can be coupled through the windows and into the externally-mounted mobile platform antennas. For example, the new Boeing 787 mobile platform design includes enlarged windows in the fuselage that may cause higher levels of PED-to-antenna coupled EMI through the windows.
As the quantity of PEDs in use during a flight increases, and in order to increase window size for passenger enjoyment, adequate space loss (attenuation) to mobile platform antennas may become nearly impossible. While traditional solutions, such as powering off of PEDs, may address interference at critical flight times, they do not address the potential for EMI during normal inflight conditions.
Choke ring ground planes have been employed in applications such as global positioning system (GPS) or various directional antennas, to reject multi-path signals from interfering with the primary signal being received by the antennas. As examples, U.S. Pat. No. 6,278,407 discloses dual-frequency choke-ring ground planes having an antenna mounted in the center of multiple grooved surfaces, and an electromagnetic filter structure which makes the depth of each groove appear to be different for each of two frequency bands, and also discloses using a groove depth which is either slightly less than a quarter-wavelength or greater than a quarter-wavelength of the second bandwidth L2. Also, U.S. Pat. No. 6,040,805 discloses a low profile ceramic choke for GPS antenna systems having concentric ring segments arranged coaxially about a circular antenna.
While the metallic structure of the fuselage provides shielding between internal EMI and externally mounted antennas, the windows that are positioned along the walls of the fuselage for passenger enjoyment do not adequately shield EMI from interfering with external antennas. Moreover, as mobile platform are designed to be more aesthetically pleasing to passengers, many mobile platform are designed with even larger windows. Therefore, there is a need for a means of attenuating signals that are generated within an enclosed structure such as a mobile platform, from interfering with the operation of external antenna from receiving direct signals, for example, navigation or communications signals from ground-based or satellite-based sources.

Electromagnetic compatability with window-choke rings


Sample-holding devices and systems for efficiently utilizing relatively small-volume fluid samples.

This application incorporates by reference the following PCT Patent Applications: Ser. No. PCT/US98/23095, filed Oct. 30, 1998; Ser. No. PCT/US99/01656, filed Jan. 25, 1999; and Ser. No. PCT/US99/03678, filed Feb. 19, 1999.
This application incorporates by reference the following publication: JOSEPH R. LAKOWICZ, PRINCIPLES OF FLUORESCENCE SPECTROSCOPY (1983).
The invention relates to sample-holding devices and systems, and more particularly to sample-holding devices and systems for efficiently utilizing relatively small-volume fluid samples.
Certain techniques in biology, chemistry, and medicine require processing large numbers of samples; such techniques include the high-throughput luminescence screening of candidate drug compounds, which may involve analyzing hundreds of thousands of samples. Processing large numbers of samples can be facilitated by packaging samples together into high-density holders, such as xe2x80x9cmicroplates,xe2x80x9d so that the samples may be analyzed together in an automated device.
Microplates are substantially rectangular holders that include a plurality of sample wells for holding a plurality of samples. These sample wells typically are cylindrical in shape, although some are rectangular. These sample wells typically are disposed in rectangular arrays. The xe2x80x9cstandardxe2x80x9d microplate includes 96 cylindrical sample wells disposed in an 8xc3x9712 rectangular array on 9 millimeter (mm) centers.
Microplates may be used in a variety of assays, including various luminescence assays. In luminescence assays, a sample is positioned in a sample well and emission light from the sample is monitored. In photoluminescence assays, emission light is stimulated by illuminating the sample with excitation light. In chemiluminescence assays, emission light is stimulated by a chemical reaction made to take place within the sample.
Although microplates are of demonstrated utility in automated screening, they suffer from a number of shortcomings. For example, sample wells in microplates and other sample holders for luminescence assays may have regions that are optically inaccessible, from which luminescence neither can be excited nor detected. Sample in such regions effectively is wasted because it does not contribute to the analysis. Wasted sample can translate into significant extra cost, particularly for assays that are performed in large numbers and that use expensive reagents. Sample wells also may have walls or other regions that are themselves detectable optically, increasing background if such regions luminesce.
The present invention provides sample holders configured to support a sample so that the shape of the sample conforms to the shape of at least a portion of a sensed volume.
The invention provides a number of new microplate designs that are useful for high-efficiency sample analysis. In one embodiment a microplate includes a frame portion, and a top portion. An array of wells are formed in the top portion. The wells are organized in a density of at least about 4 wells per 81 mm2. Each well has a bottom wall that is elevated at least about 7 millimeters above a plane defined by a bottom edge of the frame.
Another microplate design has an array of conical wells organized in a density of at least about 4 wells per 81 mm2.
Another embodiment has an array of conically-shaped wells, each well having a maximum volume capacity of less than about 55 microliters. A preferred small-volume well design has a volume capacity of 1-20 microliters.
Another microplate design has an array of wells in the top portion, wherein each well has a maximum volume capacity of less than about 55 microliters, and a well bottom that is elevated at least about 7 millimeters above a plane defined by a bottom edge of the frame.
A further microplate embodiment has an array of wells in the top portion, organized in a density of at least about 4 wells per 81 m2. Each well has a conical portion characterized by a cone angle of at least about 8xc2x0.
Another microplate configuration has an array of wells that are conically-shaped and characterized by a cone angle xcex8 wherein xcex8=2arcsin (NA/n), NA being equal to or greater than about 0.07.
Another microplate design has an array of wells organized in a density of at least about 16 wells per 81 mm2. Each well has a frusto-conical bottom portion and a substantially cylindrical upper portion.
The invention provides a system for detecting light transmitted from a sensed volume. The system comprises (1) an optical device capable of detecting light substantially exclusively from a sensed volume, and (2) a sample holder configured to support a sample so that the shape of the sample conforms to the shape of at least a portion of the sensed volume. The sample holder may be a sample well in a microplate and may have a conical or frusto-conical shape, so that the sample conforms to a portion of an hourglass-shaped sensed volume.
The invention also provides a microplate comprising (1) a frame, and (2) a plurality of frusto-conical sample wells disposed in the frame. The sample wells may be characterized by a cone angle of at least about 8xc2x0. The microplate further may include a reference fiducial that provides information to facilitate sample analysis.
The invention also provides methods for improving signal detection in luminescence assays. One such method comprises (1) selecting an optical device capable of detecting light from a sensed volume, (2) selecting a sample holder having a shape configured to conform to the shape of the sensed volume, and (3) performing a luminescence assay using the optical device and the sample holder.
The invention will be understood more readily after consideration of the drawings and the detailed description of the invention that follow.


A transformer with laminated sheet cores consists of a coil bobbin having a core hole, and a plurality of laminated sheet cores, each having a middle leg inserted into the core hole and a fixing member such as a cover fixed to the coil bobbin, receiving the ends of the sheet cores so as to prevent the sheet cores from being removed from the cover. The laminated sheet cores are fixed to the core bobbin without being pressed in the direction of their total thickness and without lowering the core characteristic. The transformer has a smaller number of the cores and can be manufactured at smaller processes.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a transformer with laminated sheet cores, and more particularly to a transformer for communication in which the sheet cores require a high .mu. value.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, a transformer with laminated sheet cores consists of laminated cores, a coil bobbin and a coil whose whole portions except for terminal portions are connected together by means of varnish or the like. Several laminated core fixing structures other than such a resin fixing structure are disclosed in the following documents:
First, Japanese Laid-open Utility Model Application Publication No. 1-73909 discloses a fixing structure for securing laminated cores to a coil bobbin by tightly inserting, into the core hole of the coil bobbin, both the laminated cores and a holding plate having side walls for preventing the removal of the laminated cores.
Secondly, Japanese Laid-open Utility Model Application Publication No. 58-195405 discloses a structure in which a sheet core intentionally bent is disposed at the outermost end of the core hole of a bobbin. In this arrangement, the bent sheet core is resiliently pressed against the inner wall of the core hole of the bobbin. Thus, the cores are fixed to the coil bobbin.
Thirdly, Japanese Laid-open Patent Application Publication No. 60-133712 discloses a structure in which a semi-cured type resin sheet is wound around the leg portions of laminated sheet cores so as to follow their contour and a thermal shrinkage tape of fabric having a high strength is wound around the semi-cured type resin sheet so as to uniformly wrap the sheet, and then the thermal shrinkage tape is thermally cured. In this way, the cores are fixed to a coil bobbin.
Since the above mentioned prior art discloses the technique of fixing laminated cores to a core bobbin by pressing the laminated cores in the direction of their thickness, there may occur problems in that .mu. of Permalloy, in particular, is lowered and magnetic distortion increases because the seat cores are pressed. In order to compensate deterioration of characteristic, the number of laminated core sheets must be increased. This enhances the cost of material and the machining cost.


A system or method for thermal storage includes a recess or containment unit having a first storage layer and a second storage layer comprising a permeable filler material. An intermediate layer is disposed between the storage layers. A primary well traverses the layer in the recess. The primary well is in thermal communication with the first permeable filler material and the second permeable filler material. A heat source is provided for heating an inlet fluid. An input pump is in fluid communication with the primary well and the heat source. The primary well receives heated inlet fluid from the inlet pump and injects the fluid into the second layers. The heated inlet fluid transfers heat to the respective permeable filler material radially from the primary well toward an outer periphery of the thermocline recess.

The application generally relates to thermal energy storage systems. The application relates more specifically to a radial particle-based terrestrial thermocline for high temperature thermal energy storage.
Intermittent renewable energy sources such as wind and solar are increasing on the electrical power grid. Load fluctuations may cause excess power generation or shortages, and intermittent sources may be unable to meet peak loads after the sun sets or when wind speeds decrease. If the grid is to meet the time-shifting demands of renewable energy generation and peak loads there must be a means of providing energy storage. The cost and capacity of current energy storage batteries, e.g., lithium-ion technology, may be prohibitive for large-scale systems in metropolitan areas. These power systems strive for carbon-free energy production in the future, and expected requirements range from tens to hundreds of gigawatt-hours (GWh) to sustain both diurnal and multi-day storage needs. Seasonal conditions may require storage charges of weeks to months of energy saved during the summer months for use in the winter when renewable energy may not be as plentiful.
Thermal energy storage has been developed as an inexpensive method for providing large-scale energy capacity greater than 1 GWh for over 10 hours. Currently, large-capacity thermal-energy storage systems utilize molten salt in concentrating solar power systems. However, molten-salt systems suffer from freezing at relatively low temperatures, leakage, damaging stresses on storage vessels, and decomposition at temperatures above 600° C.
Rock-based thermocline storage systems have been suggested as a means to lower the costs of energy storage. A single tank holds a bed of rocks while a heat-transfer fluid, e.g., air, oil or molten salt, is passed through the bed to charge the system with heat. When energy is needed, thermal flow is reversed and the heat is discharged from the thermocline. More recently, a rock-bed thermocline storage systems using air as the heat transfer fluid has been disclosed. In these past thermocline systems, the heat-transfer fluid flows through a packed bed along an axial direction. In a cylindrical tank, the fluid flows along the vertical axis of the tank. Axial-flow thermoclines suffer from an unstable interface between the hot and cold fluids during charging and discharging. The temperature interface becomes diffuse due to instabilities, and the premature degradation of the discharging fluid temperature decreases the performance of the power generation or heat utilization system.
In contrast to axial-based thermocline storage systems, radial-based thermoclines have been disclosed as a less expensive and reliable alternative. Prior radial-based thermoclines disclose a surface-based system, wherein a hot air injection well is disposed in the middle of a rock pile to thermally charge the rock bed or discharge heat to provide thermal energy. The radial-based system suffers from buoyancy-induced flow and mixing within the rock pile, which degrades the temperatures and subsequent performance of the power generating or heat utilization systems.
The present invention seeks to overcome these past challenges associated with higher cost and reduced performance by utilizing a radial thermocline storage system with improved temperature and flow control in a bed of porous materials, having one or more layers or zones of different particle sizes, materials, and/or injection/extraction wells. This system may be terrestrial based to provide inexpensive energy storage with larger capacity suitable for intermittent renewable energy needs.
What is needed is a system and/or method that satisfies one or more of these needs or provides other advantageous features. Other features and advantages will be made apparent from the present specification. The teachings disclosed extend to those embodiments that fall within the scope of the claims, regardless of whether they accomplish one or more of the aforementioned needs.

Radial particle-based terrestrial thermocline for high temperature thermal storage

National Technology & Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC


The present invention proposes light-weight and easy-to-handled deodorizing material that has a large contact area with bad smell-causing gas as well as better deodorizing performance and also that enjoys a smooth circulation of that gas with a lower permeation resistance. A single-faced corrugated fiberboard made of a cellulose-based substance is allowed to contain ferrous sulfate, which is subsequently oxidized into basic ferric sulfate.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the deodorizing material that can eliminate the bad smell given off by the wastes from animals and human beings as well as the bad smelling components existing in the rooms, refrigerators, garbage cans, or other environments.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various kinds of deodorizing material have been proposed and put to practical application. Most of them, however, cannot eliminate the smell from the wastes of human beings or animals, having rather modest effects.
To guard against this, one of the inventors of the present invention has earlier worked out deodorizing material to eliminate the smell from the wastes of human beings or animals, wherein the cellulose-based substance or its formation member contains ferrous sulfate which is subsequently oxidized into basic ferric sulfate, and has already obtained the patent right (laid-open patent publication 1642383).
This deodorizing material combines cellulose and basic ferric sulfate, coming in sheet, paper, lump, cotton, cloth, and clothing in geometry. The lump-shaped material in particular has extremely large deodorizing effects in elimination of the bad smell from the toilets or the cars carrying human wastes.
Thus, the above-mentioned deodorizing method is generally combined with an air blower to send exhaust gas upward through a barrel charged with the above-mentioned lump-shaped deodorizing material so that the gas may come in contact with that material, thereby eliminating the bad smell. This method, however, has rather poor permeability and suffers from rather a high permeation resistance while deodorizing, requiring an increased capacity of an air blower, which in turn brings about an undesirable environment problem of the resultant rotation noise.
Originally, the deodorizing material has its effects only when it comes in contact with smell causing gas, so that such method as mentioned above has a large permeation resistance and therefore produces large noise, being not so light enough in weight although it is light as compared to the conventional material.


A circuit for providing electrical current to an electrically operated bicycle device comprises a current supply circuit that supplies DC current from the power supply to the bicycle device along a current path and a current limiting circuit that includes an active resistance circuit that limits electrical current flowing through the current supply circuit when voltage applied to the current limiting circuit is above a minimum value.

The present invention is directed to bicycles and, more particularly, to bicycle devices that include an electrical component powered by a power supply.
Bicycle-mounted gearshift systems, and automatic gearshift systems in particular, comprise running condition (e.g., speed) detecting means for detecting the running condition of the bicycle, a gearshift apparatus, and gearshift control means for upshifting and downshifting the gearshift apparatus in accordance with the running condition of the bicycle. The gearshift control means typically comprises a motor or other electronic actuating device that automatically operates the gearshift apparatus. The electrical components usually are powered by a common DC power supply such as a dynamo or secondary cell. Bicycle computers used with such systems often have a liquid crystal display (LCD), for example, for displaying various types of information to the rider. Such information may include time, the bicycle speed, running distances, cadence (crank RPM), the gearshift position, and other information related to the running conditions.
Because the surrounding brightness differs between daytime and nighttime, there are cases when it is convenient to have the display operate differently when riding the bicycle at these times. For example, at night it is more difficult to view the display, so some bicycle computers are equipped with a backlight. The backlight may comprise a reflective panel disposed behind the liquid crystals of the display, and a light-emitting diode (LED) that directs light onto the reflective panel.

Circuit for providing electrical current to a bicycle device


A method, a device, and a non-transitory storage medium comprising instructions that provide steering of roaming services based on connection state data pertaining to Diameter connections between visited networks and an internetwork. The steering of roaming services include accepting or denying a request of a roaming user seeking to attach to a visited network and managing and deploying preferred visited network lists to user devices.

Roaming allows mobile wireless users to receive services when users are outside of a service area covered by the users' home network provider. Mobile wireless service providers enter into roaming agreements with each other so that their users are able to roam and receive seamless service regardless of their users' location.

Connection state-based long term evolution steering of roaming


An organic light-emitting panel includes a data line, a scan line, a voltage applying line, a switching device, an organic light emitting device and a driving device. The voltage applying line satisfies a condition expressed as

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a light emitting panel and a light emitting apparatus having the light emitting panel, and more particularly to a light emitting panel having reduced cross talk and a light emitting apparatus having the light emitting panel.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, a cathode ray tube (CRT) display device and a liquid crystal display device are widely used as display devices. The cathode ray tube has a heavy weight and a large size. The liquid crystal display device has a low luminance, a low light using efficiency and a narrow viewing angle. Thus, both of the cathode ray tube and the liquid crystal display devices are not satisfactory.
One of next display devices is a light emitting apparatus. The light emitting apparatus (or electro-luminescent display apparatus) has a high light efficiency, a thin thickness and a light weight. The light emitting apparatus includes an inorganic light emitting display device and an organic light emitting device.
The organic light-emitting device displays an image by electroluminescence of a specific organic matter (or a polymer), so that the organic light-emitting apparatus needs no back light assembly. Therefore, the organic light-emitting apparatus has a thin in thickness, a wide viewing angle and a high luminance.
FIG. 1 is an equivalent circuit diagram of a general organic light-emitting panel.
Referring to FIG. 1, a general organic light-emitting panel includes a switching transistor QS, a storage capacitor CST, a driver transistor QD and an organic light-emitting device OLED. A voltage applying line VDD is elongated in parallel with a data line. A plurality of pixels is electrically connected to the voltage applying line VDD. The number of pixels is equal to the number of the gate lines.
A luminance of the organic light-emitting apparatus is low in comparison with the cathode ray tube display device.
According to a method of driving, the organic light emitting apparatus classified into both active and passive matrix types.
A passive matrix organic light-emitting device is easily manufactured, and its driving method is very simple. However, the passive matrix organic light-emitting device consumes much power. Furthermore, an increasing in scan lines leads to complexity in the passive matrix driving method.
Therefore, an active matrix organic light-emitting device (AMOLED) is widely used. An amount of light emitted from an activation layer of the light-emitting cell is substantially proportional to a density of a current applied to the activation layer.
When an organic light-emitting panel is operated, a cross talk occurs along the voltage applying line VDD.
FIG. 2 is a schematic view showing a cross talk occurring on a general organic light-emitting panel.
The organic light-emitting panel of FIG. 2 corresponds to the organic light-emitting panel having the voltage applying line VDD in parallel with the data line.
Referring to FIG. 2, a column 'A' is a region corresponding to a dark color (or gray color). A column 'B' is a region corresponding to bright region (or white color).
An amount of a voltage drop of the column 'A' is small, but an amount of a voltage drop of the column 'B' is large due to the bright region R2. Therefore, a region R3 above (or below) the bright region R2 becomes darker than the region R1, although the region R3 is intended to have the same brightness as in the region R1.
As described above, pixels disposed near the white pixels are influenced by the white pixels. Therefore, as an area corresponding to white color increases, the luminance of the organic light-emitting panel decreases. Further, the brightness of the image is distorted along the voltage applying lines.

Light emitting panel and light emitting apparatus having the same

Abstract: Δ                                                            V                                (            max            )                              n        <          A                                                        Δ                                                                                Vdata                        GS                    n                                                  [        Volt        ]              ,wherein ΔVmax is a maximum voltage drop, ‘n’ is a number of pixels that are electrically connected to the voltage applying line, ‘A’ is a correction coefficient that is in range from about 1 to about 4, ΔVdata is a voltage difference between the gray scales, and GS is a number of gray scale. According to the organic light-emitting panel, the voltage drop of the voltage applying line is reduced.


The present invention includes methods for preventing endometrial hyperplasia associated with estrogen therapy through the administration of a progestin agent. The methods presented may include starting the administration of a progestin agent at a high dose, and then lowering the dose.

Natural menopause typically occurs in women during middle age and is often described as an ovarian shutdown. Menopause is associated with a profound decrease in circulating levels of estrogens. Currently, there are a large variety of disorders and conditions that are attributed to the reduction of estrogen levels. These disorders and conditions include hot flashes, dryness and atrophy of the vagina, parathesia, dyspareunia, osteoporosis, female sexual dysfunction, and an increase in cardiovascular disease. In an effort to reduce these disorders and conditions, estrogens are administered to women in a so-called "estrogen replacement therapy". Estrogen replacement therapy continues to be the primary treatment of such disorders and conditions associated with menopause.
Women, particularly perimenopausal, menopausal and postmenopausal women, often experience a wide variety of conditions and disorders attributable to estrogen deprivation. Estrogen deprivation is most often the result of loss of ovarian function. Providing dosages of estrogen is effective for the control or prevention of such conditions, particularly in controlling or preventing hot flashes and vaginal atrophy, along with retarding or preventing osteoporosis. Estrogen is typically administered alone or in combination with progestin.
As disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. Re. 36,247 to Plunkett et al., estrogen alone, given in small doses, on a continuous basis, is partially effective in patients for the control of the above symptoms and problems associated therewith. However, women who continuously take low-dose estrogen may risk developing endometrial hyperplasia, possibly leading to uterine carcinoma.
Approximately ten percent of women who are administered cyclic estrogen replacement therapy experience withdrawal bleeding between the cycles of the estrogens prescribed. To help reduce the development of endometrial hyperplasia, a progestin agent is often administered during the last 7-10 days of each estrogen cycle (of 28 to 30 days). When the progestin agent is administered cyclically, for example, during the last seven to ten days of the cycle, withdrawal bleeding regularly occurs. See, Whitehead, Am. J. Obs/Gyn., 142, 6, 791-795 (1982). When the progestin agent is administered continuously, random bleeding occurs, which is referred to as "breakthrough bleeding".
There are numerous other estrogen/progestin regimens that have been suggested for treatment of menopausal symptoms. For example. U.S. Pat. No. 4,425,339, issued to Pitchford, discloses a method for treating menopausal symptoms including a four phase sequence of estrogen and progestogen administration. U.S. Pat. No. 5,043,331, issued to Hirvonen et al., discloses a lengthy three step process of estrogen and progestogens. U.S. Pat. No. 5,827,843, issued to Koninckx, discloses a preparation for substitution therapy and oral contraception wherein at least one progestogen and at least one estrogen is administered. U.S. Pat. No. 5,891,867, issued to Lanquetin et al., relates to a method of treating estrogen deficiencies in menopausal women using three different sequences of an estrogen followed by an estrogen progestogen combination and a placebo over the duration of a month. U.S. Pat. No. 5,108,995, issued to Casper et al., discloses a hormone preparation and method wherein the doses are arranged in alternating estrogen dominant phases and progestin dominant phases and each phase consists of from one to four consecutive daily unit doses. Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 5,208,225, issued to Boissonneault et al., discloses compositions that contain fixed combinations of a synthetic estrogen and a synthetic progestogenic agent. However, despite the administration of the above therapies there is room for improvement to treat vasomotor symptoms. Thus, it may be desirable to relieve vasomotor symptoms through alternative methods of estrogen therapy using a progestin agent.

Treatment of conditions relating to hormone deficiencies by administration of progestins


A system and method for generating a context block using system parameters. The system parameters include objective parameters, functionality parameters, and interface definitions. Context field definitions are received. The system parameters and context fields definitions may be used to determine context fields and context entries. The system parameters may be used to determine context fields and number of context entries. The context module hardware description may be created using context fields, number of context entries, and context field definitions.

When electronics communicate over a network, a networking device may include a context module that allows the networking device to store and retrieve information about the network communication. The context block may reduce the amount of data that is sent over the network. For example, in a typical request/response cycle over a network, a context module may store information about the request such that when the response is returned, less information is transmitted about the request. For example, the context module may create an ID for the request and use this ID to retrieve information when a response is returned. Network communication may occur between components in an integrated circuit (IC) using a network-on-chip (NoC), between IC chips, between circuit boards, between electronic devices, and any combination of the preceding.
Multiprocessor systems implemented in systems-on-chips (SoCs) communicate through networks, such as a network-on-chip (NoC). Intellectual Property (IP) blocks or elements or cores are used in chip design. The SoCs include instances of intellectual property (IP) blocks. Some IP blocks are masters. Some IP blocks are slaves. Masters and slaves communicate through a network, such as a NoC.
When an electronic designer creates a context module, the designer is required to specify low-level implementation details, e.g., width for various bit fields, field set/clear conditions, field driver, width of signals, context entries, context fields, naming of the desired bit fields to store in the context, properties, etc. Having to specify the low-level implementation details creates a challenge when optimizing the system level performance, e.g., circuit area, power used by circuit, timing, performance, bandwidth, etc. Furthermore, as ICs grow exponentially in complexity so does the number of low-level implementation details which further increases the difficulty in optimizing the system level performance. Therefore, what is needed is a system and a method, which given system parameters (e.g., functionality and performance goals), for creating a context module that is at least partially based on the system parameters.

System and method for generating and using a context block based on system parameters