A sputtering apparatus includes a sputtering process chamber, a sputtering target assembly, and an adjustable magnetron assembly. The sputtering target assembly includes heating/cooling passages within the sputtering target assembly. A first side of a heat exchanger/pressure relieving plate is attached to a target backing. A second or opposing side of the heat exchanger/pressure relieving plate is attached to an insulation cover to form, within the sputtering target assembly, pressure relieving vacuum passages. The target assembly completely covers and seals against a high-vacuum-compatible insulator resting over and sealed to a top flange of the process chamber. A magnetron assembly resting over the target assembly, is independent from vacuum, or vacuum components, and provides means to move or scan a magnetron or magnet array over the target assembly. The distance between the magnetron and target assembly is adjustable throughout the useful life of the target independent from vacuum, or vacuum components.

This invention relates to a magnetron sputtering apparatus employing a thin integral cooling and pressure relieving sputtering cathode, and an adjustable magnetron drive mechanism that allows for plasma/erosion pattern optimization throughout the useful life of the target.
One of the most important commercial processes for depositing thin films of a desired material onto a substrate is sputter deposition, also known as sputter coating or sputtering. Sputter deposition is used extensively in many industries including the microelectronics, data storage and display industries to name but a few.
Generally, the term sputtering refers to an xe2x80x9catomisticxe2x80x9d process in which neutral, or charged, particles (atoms or molecules) are ejected from the surface of a target material through bombardment with energetic particles. A portion of the sputtered particles condenses onto a substrate to form a thin film. The science and technology of sputtering is well known and described for example in Vossen, J. L., Kern, W., Thin Film Processes, Academic Press (1978). Sputtering can be achieved through several techniques. Generally, in xe2x80x9ccathodicxe2x80x9d (xe2x80x9cdiodexe2x80x9d) sputtering the target is at a high negative potential relative to other components, usually through application of a negative bias from a power supply, in a vacuum chamber system, typically containing an inert gas or mixture of gases at low pressure. A plasma containing ionized gas particles is established close to the target surface and ionized gas particles are accelerated by the action of the electric field towards the target surface. The bombarding particles lose kinetic energy through momentum exchange processes with the target atoms, some of the latter particles gain sufficient xe2x80x9creversexe2x80x9d momentum to escape the body of the target, to become sputtered target particles. Note a sputtered particle may be an atom, atom cluster or molecule either in an electrically neutral or charged state. A flux of sputtered particles may contain any one or any mixture of such entities.
Coating high aspect ratio structures is of critical importance, e.g., in emerging submicron semiconductor interconnect metalization and high density data storage media applications. In such cases the bounds of application of magnetron sputter deposition is approaching its limit. For example, in coating via type structures in microelectronics interconnect applications, it is well known that sputter deposition suffers from film buildout at the upper edges of the via resulting in a trapped void, xe2x80x9ckeyholexe2x80x9d type film defect as well as other film defects. See, for example, Rossnagel, S., J.Vac. Sci. Tech.B., Vol.16, No.5, p. 2585 (1998). This effect is exasperated with reducing dimensionality and increased aspect ratio. Proponents of current commercial PVD processes assert they can confornally cover relatively high aspect ratio features, or fill relatively high aspect ratio channels or vias, having a critical dimension of at least 0.18 micron, or perhaps greater than 0.13 micron.
Several sputter PVD techniques, many of them developed commercially relatively recently, attempt to control the directionality of the incident sputtered particle flux at a substrate e.g., physical collimation techniques, hollow cathode sputtering, arc sputtering, self ionized sputtering, ionized physical vapor deposition (IPVD) and long throw methods. The latter two techniques probably represent state of the art commercial technologies. The scope, scalability, efficiency and cost considerations of directional sputter technologies have been reviewed by Rossnagel, S., J.Vac. Sci. Tech.B., Vol.16, No.5, p. 2585 (1998). The best techniques utilize tooling and/or process attributes to achieve a degree of control over the angular distribution of incident sputtered particles. These methods are in fact expressly designed to overcome what are believed to be inherent deficiencies in basic magnetron cathode sputter deposition characteristics and target materials design which limit control of the substrate incident angular sputtered flux distribution.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,948,215; U.S. Pat. No. 5,178,739; and Patent Cooperation Treaty published application No. WO 98/48444 disclose ionized plasma vapor deposition processes, and are incorporated herein by reference.
Long throw methods utilize ballistic (i.e., collisionless) transport and a long throw path to the substrate to xe2x80x9copticallyxe2x80x9d filter the magnetron cathode emitted flux such that only relatively low angle components of the emitted flux (i.e., those close to the target normal) are incident at the substrate. The long throw process is clearly inefficient through flux dilution and suffers from inherent asymmetries in the incident flux. See Rossnagel, S., J. Vac. Sci. Tech. B., Vol.16, No.5, p. 2585 (1998).
Planar Magnetron Sputtering apparatuses are well known Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD) tools commonly used in, for example, the semiconductor industry for the deposition of thin films of metals such as aluminum and its alloys, refractory metals, and ceramics onto a substrate; for example, a silicon wafer or glass sheet being processed. In general, the process of Planar Magnetron Sputtering involves creating and confining a plasma of ionized inert gas over the consumable surface of an energized Cathode Assembly in order to dislodge, by momentum transfer, atoms or molecules from the consumable surface. The consumable surface of a cathode assembly consists of the material to be sputtered and is commonly called a sputter xe2x80x9ctargetxe2x80x9d in Industry. The target is placed a relatively short distance from the substrate in order to improve collection of the ejected target atoms onto the substrate.
Initially, a discharge caused by primarily electrons emitted from the surface of the target, produced by gas ion bombardment of the target resulting from ionization of the gas by natural background ionizing radiation, strike or ignite the plasma. The target is energized by an applied electric field (DC, RF, or both) in an evacuated chamber that is backfilled with an inert gas to typically the 10xe2x88x924-10xe2x88x921 millitorr pressure range. Then, both electrons emitted by the target surface and electrons created by ionizing impacts with the inert gas will be confined near the target surface by means of the magnetron""s magnetic field; which is applied crosswise to the electric field. The created ions accelerate towards the surface of the target and dislodge atoms or molecules from it; many of these atoms or molecules will be directed towards the substrate creating a thin film onto the substrate.
It is well known, that maximum erosion of a target occurs where lines of magnetic flux are parallel to the consumable surface of the target. To increase the sputter-deposition rate for a given applied electric field to the cathode, the magnetron should also ride as close as possible to the side opposite to the consumable surface of the target such that the intensity of the parallel component of magnetic field lines above the target is maximized. Therefore, a design goal is to design a target assembly with as thin a cross-section as possible.
In addition, film-properties, for example uniformity on the substrate, depend greatly on the uniformity of erosion of the target; therefore, other design goals are to design a magnetron that can produce a uniform plasma intensity, and design a drive mechanism that can sweep the magnetron uniformly over the entire target surface.
As the magnetron is swept over the target, considerable energy is dissipated in the form of heat by the ions striking the surface of the target; therefore, the target must be cooled in order to avoid melting the cathode assembly or damaging the equipment. The target in the cathode assembly is normally mounted over a backing plate and cooling means provided to it.
The target assembly in a magnetron sputtering device is generally placed over a sputtering opening of a process chamber to seal the process chamber such that it can be evacuated and then maintained at the low pressures required for the sputter process. The large forces acting on the target assembly due to the pressure differential between ambient atmospheric pressure and the vacuum inside the process chamber require that the target assembly, in particular the backing plate, be designed of considerable thickness to overcome the resultant bending forces. Earlier prior art cathodes were also designed to overcome the bending forces produced by coolants impinging onto the backing plate.
As demand for processing larger substrates continues, and the size of the cathode assembly is scaled accordingly, prior art solved the target assembly bending problems associated with coolants impinging on one side of the backing plate by fitting the target assembly with internal cooling channels.
More recently, prior art has solved the target assembly pressure differential problems associated with applying vacuum from only the process chamber side by evacuating the magnetron housing enclosure which is normally mounted over the target assembly.
FIG. 1 is a simple representation of a sputtering device, shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,433,835, showing a processing chamber 1 that encloses a substrate 5 to be sputter coated. The substrate 5 is surrounded by a dark space or deposition shield 4 to prevent deposition of material from beyond the edge of the target. A lower insulating ring 2 rests on the top flange of the processing chamber 1. A laminated target assembly 8 is-located on the lower insulating ring 2. Inlet and outlet cooling lines 3,9 provide coolant to the internal cooling channels of target assembly 8. An upper insulating ring 7 insulates the top chamber 6 from the target assembly 8. Top chamber 6 is evacuated to equalize the vacuum forces exerted on target assembly 8 by processing chamber 1.
The above mentioned reference, and related U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,487,822 (Jan. 30, 1996), U.S. Pat. No. 5,565,071 (Oct. 15, 1996), U.S. Pat. No. 5,595,337 (Jan. 21, 1997), U.S. Pat. No. 5,603,816 (Feb. 18, 1997), U.S. Pat. No. 5,676,803 (Oct. 14, 1997), U.S. Pat. No. 5,799,860 (Sep. 1, 1998) solved cooling and pressure differential problems by providing internal cooling channels to the target assembly 8 and fitting a top vacuum chamber 6 over it to essentially equalize the forces imparted by the process vacuum chamber 1; however, the techniques employed introduced several disadvantages.
Main disadvantages are:
The top chamber 6 has to be designed rigid enough to overcome the vacuum forces; therefore introducing design complexity and cost,
The magnetron drive (not shown in FIG. 1) resides inside the top chamber 6; therefore, several vacuum seals must be provided to couple the drive components inside the top chamber 6 to the external components that energize them.
Any maintenance or service to the magnetron-drive mechanism, enclosed by top chamber 6, requires that the whole system be brought to atmosphere in order to avoid bending the now thinly designed target assembly; resulting in increased downtime for the tool.
In order to reduce costs, the same pump is generally used to evacuate or rough both the process vacuum chamber 1 and the top chamber 6. In such case, lubrication to the magnetron drive inside the top chamber 6 needs to be vacuum compatible in order to avoid contaminating the rough pump and high-vacuum components. Vacuum-compatible lubricants are generally more expensive and their lubricating properties normally inferior to standard lubricants.
FIG. 2 shows a detail cross-sectional view of an embodiment of U.S. Pat. No. 5,876,573, a more recent prior art design-variation that also addresses the problems of cooling and pressure differential associated with large target assemblies that seal to the opening of a process chamber; however, at the expense of yet considerable design complexity, as will be explained shortly.
According to this embodiment, a magnetron sputtering system 10 is used to perform sputtering of a target material from a target onto a substrate. The target 16 is mounted to a backing plate 18 that includes several internal cooling conduits 19, the assembly is positioned within a vacuum (processing) chamber 11 defined by chamber walls 39, and held in place by retainer ring 13 which is coupled to bearing support 36. A coolant manifold 12 connects to cooling conduits 19 on the backing plate 18, and to several conduit tubes 40 attached to coolant manifold 12. The conduit tubes 40; which also energize the backing plate 18 and target 16, extend through magnetron assembly housing 21, third insulator ring 35, and bearing support 36 as shown in FIG. 2.
Insulating jacket 34 electrically insulates conduit 40 from magnetron assembly housing 21. A magnet array 15 is positioned above backing plate 18, and enclosed by magnetron assembly housing 21, which provides a housing for the entire magnetron assembly 24, and sits on top of chamber 11.
The magnetron assembly housing 21 is formed to enclose the magnet array 15 and form a space, on the magnet array chamber 22, within the magnetron assembly housing 21. Magnet array chamber 22 comprises a space within magnetron assembly 24 that lies above backing plate 18. In operation, the pressure within the magnet array chamber 22 can be reduced to a pressure much lower than atmospheric by operating a pump through pump port 20 that connects to magnet array chamber 22.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,876,573 seems to retain all of the above-mentioned disadvantages of U.S. Pat. No. 5,433,835; that is:
The magnetron assembly housing 21 has to be designed to withstand the vacuum forces,
Driving the magnet array 22 requires vacuum seals to couple to the motor 38, e.g. ferrofluidic feed-thru 27, etc.
Any service to components enclosed by magnetron assembly housing 21 require that the whole system be brought to atmosphere in order to avoid bending the now thinly designed backing plate 18.
Lubricants used (to extend the life of the bearing) with the KAYDON (Kaydon Corp., Muskegon, Mich.) bearing enclosed by magnetron assembly housing 21 should be vacuum compatible if the pump port 20 is in communication with the (processing) chamber 11; else, an additional pump should be dedicated to evacuate the magnet array chamber 22.
Energized conduit tubes 40 extending through magnetron assembly housing 21, third insulator ring 35, bearing support 36, and mating with coolant manifold 12 need to be kept at atmosphere, as shown by the enclosing sealing devices. These additional sealing devices are required to avoid arcing or glow discharging from the energized conduit tubes 40; which would be the case if conduit tubes 40 were to be exposed to the evacuated magnet array chamber 22.
Additionally, as it has been shown without electrical insulation in U.S. Pat. No. 5,876,573, the exposed to vacuum surfaces of a once energized backing plate 18 within magnet array chamber 22 would very likely either arc to the magnet array 15 or produce a parasitic glow discharge in the evacuated magnet array chamber 22.
The disadvantages of the existing sputtering target systems as described above continue to inhibit the wide use of sputtering as an efficient and cost-effective means for applying surface coatings, particularly to large area substrates.
This invention relates to an improved configuration for a high productivity sputtering device including a target or cathode assembly which has a thin integral cooling and pressure relieving structure, and an adjustable magnetron drive mechanism that can be maintained or serviced without affecting the vacuum components, or the vacuum integrity within the target assembly and process chamber. This configuration overcomes many of the drawbacks of the previous configurations and provides a structure and method to improve sputtering coverage of large-area substrates.
In particular, the present invention provides a sputtering apparatus comprising a sputtering target assembly comprising:
a sputtering target and target backing plate assembly having opposed first and second sides, the first side providing material for sputtering,
a pressure relief plate having opposed first and second sides, the target and target backing plate assembly second side being in contact with the first side of the pressure relief plate;
heat exchange passages selected from at least one member of the group consisting of:
heat exchange passages defined between the opposed sides of the sputtering target and backing plate assembly or between the opposed sides of the pressure relief plate, and
heat exchange passages defined by heat exchange cavities formed in at least one member of the group consisting of the first side of the pressure relief plate and the second side of the target and target backing plate assembly, wherein the heat exchange passages are formed between the first side of the pressure relief plate and the second side of the target and target backing plate assembly which enclose the heat exchange cavities,
the heat exchange passages having one or more inlet and outlet openings;
an insulation cover unit having opposed first and second sides;
wherein the second side of the pressure relief plate is in contact with the first side of the insulation cover unit to form a vacuum pressure space therebetween capable of maintaining a vacuum therein and the vacuum pressure space has one or more vacuum ports.
Typically, the heat exchange passages are defined by having heat exchange cavities formed in the first side of the pressure relief plate such that, when the first side of the pressure relief plate is contacted to the second side of the target and target backing plate assembly, the heat exchange passages are formed between the heat exchange cavities in the pressure relief plate and the target and target backing plate assembly enclosing those heat exchange cavities, and/or the heat exchange passages are defined by having heat exchange cavities formed in the second side of the target and target backing plate assembly such that, when the first side of the pressure relief plate is contacted to the second side of the target and target backing plate assembly, the heat exchange passages are formed between the heat exchange cavities in the target and target backing plate assembly and the pressure relief plate enclosing those heat exchange cavities.
There is contact of opposed sides of the target and target backing plate assembly and the pressure relief plate in excess of contact of peripheral areas of the target and target backing plate assembly and the pressure relief plate. There is also contact of opposed sides of the pressure relieving plate assembly and the insulation cover in excess of contact of peripheral areas of the target and pressure relieving plate assembly and the insulation cover. This contact in the non-peripheral (e.g., central) portions of these opposed sides bordered within the respective peripheral areas can be achieved by these sides having fins/walls extending from the respective sides to contact opposed fin/wall surface or other surface area of the respective opposed side. These contacts in these nonperipheral portions help the target assembly to withstand pressure forces upon or within it.
For example, one embodiment of the sputtering apparatus of the present invention primarily comprises a sputtering process chamber, a sputtering target assembly, an adjustable magnetron assembly, and provides a sputtering target assembly with integral heating/cooling and pressure relieving passages. A series of cavities/grooves and fins/walls are constructed on both sides of a heat exchanger/pressure relieving plate within the sputtering target assembly. A first side of the heat exchanger/pressure relieving plate is attached to a target backing plate to form heating/cooling passages within the sputtering target assembly. A second or opposing side of the heat exchanger/pressure relieving plate is attached to an insulation cover to form, within the sputtering target assembly, pressure relieving passages with the sputtering process chamber. The target assembly completely covers and seals against a high-vacuum-compatible insulator resting over and sealed to the top flange of the sputtering processing chamber. A magnetron assembly, e.g., a planar magnetron. assembly, resting over the target assembly, is independent from vacuum, or vacuum components, and provides means to move or scan about a magnetron or magnet array over the target assembly.
The distance between the magnetron and the target assembly can be adjusted throughout the useful life of the target independent from vacuum, or vacuum components. Depending upon the use, it may be desirable for the magnetron or magnet array to produce an intense, narrow plasma field for an improved target erosion pattern. However, such intense, narrow plasma fields are not necessary, and depending upon the use might not be desired. An insulating sleeve that also centers the target assembly to the sputtering process chamber protects the perimeter of the energized target assembly. In this way large substrates can be sputtered effectively and uniformly without adverse sputtering effects due to target deflection and cooling deficiencies, and without affecting the vacuum integrity in the sputtering process chamber due to service requirements to the magnetron assembly.
These sputtering assemblies may be employed in magnetron sputtering generally. In some instances they may assist to achieve directional emission characteristics which can be maintained through ballistic transport of the emitted particles and simple geometric considerations, which promote a high degree of directionality to the substrate incident sputtered particle flux. Directional emission refers to an angular distribution of as-emitted sputtered particles whose flux intensity is characterized by a distribution of particles in which the majority of emitted particle flux is contained within a narrow peak, or peaks, superimposed upon a low level background angular distribution. Ideally, the directionally emitted material arrives at the substrate at about the same one or few narrow ranges of angles most characteristic of emission from the target material. This makes it much easier to uniformly coat high aspect ratio features on the substrate.

Magnetron sputtering apparatus with an integral cooling and pressure relieving cathode


A negative-pressure control device for an ink-supply system comprises a box, an ink-jet head, an adapter and a set of releasable check valve mutually communicated. The box has thereon a water outlet, and is provided therein with a liquid level gauge to control and maintain a constant level of the ink in the box; by operation of a releasable check valve set, air in the ink-jet head and the adapter presents the state of negative-pressure, this maintains a balance state preventing the ink from dropping when the ink in the ink-jet head and the water outlet is subjected to attraction of the air with the negative-pressure; when the ink-jet head jet prints downwards, it can automatically supplement ink to get an effect of continuous jet printing; the control device is suitable for a jet-drawing machine to place an advertising board with a propaganda paint or a poster etc. for printing.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to a negative-pressure control device for an ink-supply system, and especially to a structure provided with a negative-pressure ink-jet pipeline to prevent leakage of ink in an ink-jet head, and when the ink-jet head do jet printing downwards, it makes a predetermined amount of ink in the ink-supply structure flow into the ink-jet head for continuous jet printing; the present invention is suitable for a jet-drawing machine to place an advertising board with a propaganda paint or a poster etc. for printing.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In markets, to get the goal of marketing of various commodities, people engaging in packaging and planning normally present the effect of advertisement with outdoor measures including a large stage background, an exhibition by illuminating or a car body advertising, and with indoor measures including small decorative paints, commodity display promotion and showcase display etc., in order that they can attract consumers' eye sights to achieve the object of sale.
As to the above stated various advertisements, people in the art normally use a jet-drawing machine to jet print on a soft thing such as a cloth or a paper. A jet printing structure "a" of the jet-drawing machine can be horizontally displaced on the machine, as shown in FIG. 7. It mainly comprises an ink box "b" and a micro-piezoelectric jet head "c", these two are connected by means of a hose "d" fully filled with ink. When the jet head "c" has not yet be operated, the air pressure in the ink box "b" and the pressure of the atmosphere are in a balance state, hence the ink will not be jetted; when the jet head "c" jet prints outwards, the ink box "b" supplements ink for the jet head "c" to get the effect of jet printing.
Although the above stated jet printing structure "a" of the jet-drawing machine can get the effect of continuous jet printing on a soft material. By the fact that the soft material of a cloth or a paper is mounted on the jet-drawing machine in an inclined mode, the height of the ink box "b" is lower than that of the horizontal height of the jet head "c", the entire jet printing structure "a" forms an angle. And in practical application, the cloth or the paper can be bent at will to be coincident with the angle required for jet printing. This will not make any inconvenience for the soft material. However, for a hard plane board unable to be curved, a situation results: a small plane board often drops during jet printing, while a large plane board is unable to be placed on the machine for jet printing. Therefore, it is a problem hard to deal by a conventional jet-drawing machine with such hard plane boards.

Negative-pressure control device for ink-supply system


A foldable razor assembly includes a detachable razor blade embedded at the front end of a handle, a box base with its lateral side pivotally coupled to the rear end of the handle, a cavity defined by the box base and a lid for containing the handle and razor blade, and a box body. Since the handle is pivotally coupled to an end of the box base, the handle can be rotated directly to put the handle and the razor blade into the cavity of the box base, and the lid is turned to cover the cavity when the razor is not in use, so as to reduce the overall storage volume of the razor for an easy storage or carry. The invention can prevent the box body from being separated from the razor or missing, and also can keep the razor from being contaminated by the environment. When it is necessary to use the razor, the lid is opened and the handle is turned to combine with the box body. The invention can be folded or unfolded for easy storage or use.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a foldable razor assembly, and more particularly to a foldable razor assembly that overcomes the shortcomings of a prior art razor of occupying a relatively large volume and being not easy or inconvenient to carry and store, missing the box for containing the razor easily, and being contaminated by the environment. A foldable razor assembly according to the invention includes a detachable razor blade embedded into the front end of a handle, a box base with its lateral side pivotally coupled to the rear end of the handle, a cavity defined by the box base and a lid for containing the handle and razor blade, and a box body. Since the handle is pivotally coupled to an end of the box base, the handle can be turned directly to put the handle and the razor blade into the cavity of the box base, and the lid is turned to cover the cavity when the razor is not in use, so as to reduce the overall storage volume of the razor for an easy storage or carry. The invention can prevent the box body from being separated from the razor or missing, and also can protect the razor from being contaminated by the environment. When it is necessary to use the razor, the lid is opened and the handle is turned to integrate with the box body. The invention can be folded or unfolded for easy storage or use.
2. Description of the Related Art
The present razors sold in the market are generally in a T-shape, which usually include a handle and a blade disposed vertical to the handle and installed at the top of the handle. To prevent the razor from being contaminated by the environment, a box or housing is provided for containing the razor. However, the length of razors of this sort is relatively long and its volume is relatively large, and thus it is inconvenient for users to carry or store the razor. Furthermore, the razor is separated from the box or housing, when the razor is in use, and users may lose the box easily and the razor may be contaminated. Therefore, improvements are needed for the prior art razors.


Provided is an operator warning system for use in connection with a locomotive having a horn system with a horn activation actuator and a horn device for producing a noise. The operator warning system includes an onboard computer system with a database having grade crossing data and locomotive data thereon. The onboard computer system is in communication with the horn system. The operator warning system also includes a warning device for providing an audio, visual and/or tactile indicator to an operator of the locomotive based upon the grade crossing data, locomotive data and/or actuation condition of the horn activation actuator. A method for improving locomotive operator vigilance is also provided.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to locomotive horn systems and other similar warning systems that ensure safety as a locomotive traverses a track and, in particular, to an operator warning system and method that improves the vigilance of the locomotive operator at various portions and positions on the track, such as at grade crossings and the like.
2. Description of Related Art
In order to operate a locomotive or train, an operator must interact with a train control system. These train control systems, in turn, bear directly on a locomotive operator's ability to control the locomotive horn. Further, the locomotive operator, typically referred to as an engineer, is required to sound the horn at an intersection of a road in the railroad track, and such intersections are known as grade crossings.
A locomotive operator is required to manage his or her train within the operating limits of the railroad, and must also strive to control the train, such that stresses within the train consist are limited, and the train effectively arrives at the destination within a scheduled timeframe. Accordingly, the responsibility of managing a train, coupled with the distractions within the locomotive cab, can lead to decreased vigilance in the repetitive task of sounding the locomotive horn at grade crossings. To add to this problem, an operator must also be aware of the crossings that do not require horn activation, and crossings that require horn activation only within certain hours of the day or direction of approach to the grade crossing.
According to the prior art, certain systems have been developed to increase crew vigilance with the introduction of crew alerter devices in the locomotive cab. These devices monitor operator actions, such as changes in brake settings, throttle settings or manual horn activation. In the event that no operator activity is detected within a particular interval of time, the alerter device attempts to gain the attention of the crew through a visual or audible indication. Further, if after a longer interval of time passes and no action has been taken by the crew, or if the system cannot determine whether the train is still in the control of the operator, the alerter device may time out and automatically apply the locomotive brakes.
Computer-based train control systems have taken crew vigilance to an even greater level by providing an onboard computer system that monitors train speeds, limits of authority and other restrictions and enforces these parameters. The integration of a track database with an onboard navigation system provides for the ability to warn an operator of potential speed or authority violations, thereby increasing vigilance. However, neither the crew alerter systems nor current train control systems provide vigilance for the express purpose of reminding the operator to sound the locomotive horn at a grade crossing. Therefore, there remains a need in the art to provide such a system.
Further prior art systems include methods that automatically sequence the locomotive horn according to regulations at required grade crossings. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 6,609,049 to Kane et al. In particular, the system of this patent discusses the incorporation of an onboard database that includes grade crossings, a navigation system, a predictor that determines when to sound the horn according to the regulations and an interface to the locomotive horn. Although this system minimizes the potential for missed horn activations, it does not allow the operator to intervene or preempt the horn activation, as would be required during switching operations around grade crossings or other situations where the operator has greater situational awareness than the onboard computer. Therefore, there remains a need for a system that improves locomotive operator vigilance around grade crossings, but still provides the operational flexibility for an operator to perform his or her duty with respect to activation of the horn.

Operator warning system and method for improving locomotive operator vigilance


Techniques are described for controlling transfer of information in a secure manner across multiple network security domains. As described herein, cross-domain sharing may be facilitated by use of a common model that is shared by participants from the different network security domains. An example system is described in which a plurality of network domains comprises a respective set of client computing devices. A cross-domain object model specification specifies object classes for cross-domain objects accessible to the client computing devices. For each of the object classes, the cross-domain object model specification defines a plurality of data fields and specifies which of the data fields of the respective object class can be exposed to each of the respective network domains. A protected object repository positioned within each of the network domains stores an authorized portion of each of the cross-domain objects in accordance with the cross-domain object model specification.

A network security domain is a network for which every authorized user satisfies a certain level of trust (i.e., a security clearance) and all of the data is at least nominally considered to be of a certain level of sensitivity (i.e., a security classification). Different network security domains may be used to handle tasks of different security levels for a given organization. In some cases, network security domains might belong to a coalition of partners that are conducting joint operations.
In many situations, network security domains are connected to one another, but the different domains are extremely cautious about what information is allowed to pass between them. As a result, most cross-domain information flows require some human intervention to ensure that the requirements for releasability are met. In many cases the data traffic between network security domains is transferred by individual, authorized administrators after reliable human review. Such intervention is expensive and slow, and can form a bottleneck in operations. Unfortunately, fully automated sharing of information across security domain boundaries is also fraught with difficulties. This is particularly so when the data to be shared is arbitrary, or sufficiently free-form to encode a wide range of sensitive information.

Cross-domain object models for securely sharing information between network security domains


A device to measure a radiation dose, in particular an x-ray radiation dose, which absorbs radiation and provides an absorption-conditional output signal representing a measurement for the dose, has at least one absorption structure disposed on a foil-like carrier, made from thin-film layers disposed on top of one another that form at least one thin-film diode structure that supplies the output signal.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention concerns a device to measure a radiation dose, in particular an x-ray radiation dose, of the type that absorbs radiation and provides an output signal dependent on the absorption which represents a measure for the dose.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In radiation image acquisition systems, in particular in x-ray systems as they are primarily used in medical diagnostics, it is necessary to regulate as precisely as possible the dose of the radiation that hits the patient to be examined. Typically an automatic dose regulator (Automatic Exposure Control) is used for this purpose, with either the radiation dose striking the detector or the unabsorbed radiation dose still present behind the detector being measured. The voltage generator of the x-ray tube is then regulated using this measurement value. Generally the duration of the emitted x-ray pulse is varied.
Conventionally, an ionization chamber disposed in front of the x-ray detector or the film cassette is used for such an automatic dose regulation. This ionization chamber (that normally has a number of planar absorption regions) provides an output signal, dependent on the degree of the absorbed radiation dose, which controls the generator. A disadvantage of such an ionization chamber is its absorption in the beam path (which interferes in particular in mammography) as well as its thickness (of up to approximately 12 mm) and as well as its tendency towards microphony.
As described, ionization chambers arranged in front of the detector or the film cassette interfere with mammography exposures due to the chamber size and the chamber absorption, which is why in such cases the dose measurement device is arranged behind the detector or the film cassette, and why a silicon diode is used for this purpose that absorbs the remaining x-ray radiation that is, for example, transmitted by the film-foil system and transmits an electrical signal that is in turn used for regulation.


The present disclosure is directed to a backwater valve assembly comprising a main valve body, a flapper sub-assembly, and a cap. The main valve body has an inner wall that can define a recess into which the flapper sub-assembly can be removably secured. The flapper sub-assembly includes at least one flapper element that can pivot between an open position, in which the flapper element allows fluid to flow through the backwater valve assembly, and a closed position, in which the flapper element prevents fluid from flowing in the opposite direction. The flapper sub-assembly can be removably coupled to the cap to allow the flapper sub-assembly and cap to be installed in or removed from the main valve body together as a unitary assembly.

Backwater valve assemblies have a broad range of applications and can be used in any application where it is desired that fluid be permitted to flow freely in one direction but be prevented from flowing in the opposite direction as a result of a downstream blockage or backpressure. For example, backwater valve assemblies can be used to prevent sewage or wastewater from backing up into a building as a result of a blockage in a storm or sanitary sewer.
Many residences and buildings are connected to waste removal systems, such as storm or sanitary sewers, via one or more pipe or drain line. Backwater valve assemblies may be employed in one or more of the pipes or drain lines that connect the property to the waste removal system to prevent sewage or waste water from backing up into the building from an obstruction in the storm or sanitary sewer. Backwater valve assemblies generally freely permit sewage and wastewater to flow in a downstream direction away from the building. However, upon a blockage or overfilling of the storm or sanitary sewer, such backwater valve assemblies prevent such sewage or wastewater from flowing in the reverse upstream direction back into the building.


An electro-hydraulic unit (10) in particular for an automotive vehicle anti-locking wheel device, includes two separate parts:                an electronic control (13) within which is located particularly an electronic card (14), winding (17) as well as an electric motor (15) provided with a rotor and a stator, the motor being adapted to drive a pump, and        a hydraulic unit (11), including the pump and a plurality of valves (12), the whole electronically directed by the control (13),the electro-hydraulic unit being characterized in that it further includes a ferromagnetic circuit (22) common at least partially to the stator and to the winding (17).

An example of a unit of this type is described in EP 0 645 875.
Among the conditions which must be satisfied by these electro-hydraulic units, can be cited minimum size, sealing against external moisture and the cost of production.
The present invention has principally for its object to propose an electro-hydraulic unit whose size is substantially less than known units of the prior art.
It is for example already known, from FR 2 710 699, to position the electric motor and the electronic control in a same and single housing. However, the housing thus made has even greater size, because each portion is juxtaposed or inserted in another but retains all the same assembly of the usual components.
There is also known from EP 0 769 437 an electro-hydraulic unit in which, to reduce the number of parts, there is provided a ferrocircuit common to the winding (of the electrovalves) and to the stator (of the motor). However, this ferrocircuit is made by assembly on the one hand of the rear portion of the cover of the motor and on the other hand by the hydraulic block itself. It is thus a matter of a common ferrocircuit but made in two separate parts. According to this document, the hydraulic block is at least magnetizable as to its winding. However, it is not disclosed how to render magnetizable the hydraulic block.
In fact, two solutions are possible to have a magnetized hydraulic block: either the block is made of iron, or magnetic elements are added to it. The production of a hydraulic block of iron is unthinkable without substantial increase of cost. Thus, such a block is too long and too costly to machine. This is moreover the reason for which the hydraulic blocks known at present are made exclusively of aluminum. Aluminum is thus a metal which can be easily machined and above all rapidly, with conventional tools. However, given the shape and complexity of present hydraulic blocks, it is not conceivable to make them by molding.
On the other hand, it is much too costly to add either a magnetic material or a magnetic element inserted in an aluminum hydraulic block to render it magnetic. These techniques are too troublesome.

Electro-hydraulic unit, in particular for anti-lock devices for automotive vehicle wheels


A process for the production of ortho-aminophenolic analogs of chloramphenicol using a biocatalyst consisting of pure enzymes, partially purified enzymes, cell lysate, intact cells, or a metal reaction linked with a subsequent enzymatic reaction. The biocatalyst is an enzyme system that makes use of a nitroreductase enzyme that initially reduces the nitroarene to the hydroxylaminoarene and a mutase enzyme that converts the hydroxylaminoarene to an ortho-aminophenol. The biocatalyst can also consist of a coupled, two-step metal and enzyme reaction in which the metal, such as zinc, catalyzes the transformation of the nitroarene to the hydroxylaminoarene and the mutase then catalyzes the transformation of hydroxylaminoarene to the corresponding ortho-aminophenol.

The present invention relates to production of novel ortho-aminophenol analogs from chloramphenicol, and related substrate analogs.
Ortho-aminophenols are intermediates in the synthesis of polybenzoxazole polymers and biologically active compounds such as common phenoxazinones that exhibit anti-microbial properties. Microbes constantly acquire resistance to antibiotics; therefore, new antibiotics are required to combat the pathogenic strains of bacteria.
The common route for commercial chemical synthesis of aminophenols occurs in two steps, nitration of phenol followed by reduction of the nitro-group with a metal to make the amine. The influence of the hydroxyl moiety varies with each substrate. For example, for phenol the substitution is directed preferentially to the ortho-position, but for naphthalene the para-position is more readily attacked. In either case, yields are very low for mononitration of phenols and conditions needed are extreme.
Although, the use of whole cells is limited by the toxicity of the antibiotic substrate, the use of free enzymes obtained from microbes, such as the nitrobenzene reductase is employable if a continuous supply of the cofactor, NADPH, for catalytic activity is provided. The activity of nitrobenzene reductase and hydroxylaminobenzene (HAB) mutase in concert can be exploited to catalyze the conversion of a range of nitroaromatic compounds to yield novel ortho-aminophenols. Additionally, nitrobenzene can be reduced to HAB by a zinc-catalyzed chemical reduction reaction and a subsequent reaction containing the HAB mutase also yields novel ortho-aminophenols. However, the activity of enzymes and metal reactants are often optimal under dissimilar conditions, and so their combination in a single reaction system is often a limitation. Therefore, the use of sequential metal reaction and biocatalysts has recently started to receive attention and a few reports demonstrate the applicability of the approach. For example, the combined action of an immobilized glucose isomerase and a copper catalyst was reported for the conversion of D-glucose to D-mannitol. Encapsulated lipase enzymes are also reported in 'one-pot' reactions with rhodium catalysts for esterification and C-C bond hydrogenation reactions.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to couple a zinc chemical reaction and the HAB mutase enzymatic reaction for the continuous conversion of chloramphenicol, and its analogs to produce aminophenol analogs.
Other objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by means of the methods and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Biocatalytic process for the production of ortho-aminophenols from chloramphenicol and analogs

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force


A device and method for analyte detection is provided. In an embodiment, the device includes a multi-layer filter configured to receive a fluid-borne sample including at least one analyte in combination with one or more non-analyte components. The multi-layer filter includes a sample preparation layer configured to dissolve upon receiving a portion of the fluid-borne sample to produce a solution including at least a portion of the fluid-borne sample. The device also includes an analysis cartridge for determining a presence and/or a concentration of the analyte in the solution. The device may be configured as a wearable mask or as a part of a ventilation system. In some embodiments, the analyte is detected using a polymerase chain reaction and a detectable marker. The device and method may be used to quickly detect the presence of an analyte in real-time and on-location.

Point-of-collection chemical and biological analyte detection is of ever increasing importance. The form factor for the collection tool may be sized to promote practical use and capable of chemical and biological analyte collection, detection, and analysis. Often biological samples received for point-of-collection analysis will include biological and/or physical contaminants. Traditionally, biological sample preparation entails extensive treatment of biological samples to reduce these contaminants, which is both time-consuming and labor intensive.
DNA and RNA analysis is a tool for various applications, such as detection of disease vectors, identification of samples, and the like. The nature of nucleic acid sequences allows for the detection of biological agents with a high degree of specificity. Given that the concentration of DNA or RNA in biological samples is low, the concentration is often increased, i.e., amplified, to more easily detect the presence and/or concentration of the DNA or RNA. The most common method to amplify nucleic acids is the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). In PCR, a nucleic acid-containing solution is mixed with primer strands that bracket the sequence that will be amplified, free nucleotides, a polymerase enzyme, and buffer solution. The mixture is cycled through a series of temperatures that allow the nucleic acids to separate, anneals the primers to separated strands, and then extends the sequence using the free nucleotides and the polymerase enzyme. As the cycles continue, the total concentration of nucleic acid in the sample doubles, causing the concentration to be exponentially amplified.

Point-of-collection sample preparation device and method


Method envelope-invariant for audio signal synthesis from elementary audio waveforms stored in a dictionary wherein:. the waveforms are perfectly periodic, and stored as one of their period, PA1 synthesis is obtained by overlap-adding of the waveforms obtained from time-domain repetition of the periodic waveforms with a weighting window whose size is approximately two times the period of the signals to weight, and whose relative position inside of the period is fixed to any value identical for all the periods, each extracted from a reharmonized and thus periodic waveform, obtained by modifying, without changing the spectral envelope, the frequencies and amplitudes of harmonics in the spectrum of a frame of the original continuous speech waveform,. whereby the time shift between two successive waveforms obtained by weighting the original signals is set to the imposed fundamental frequency of the signal to synthesize.

The invention described herein relates to a method of synthesis of audio sounds. To simplify the description, focus is mainly made on vocal sounds, keeping in mind that the invention can be applied to the field of music synthesis as well.
In the framework of the so-called "concatenative" synthesis techniques which are increasingly used, synthetic speech is produced from a database of speech segments. Segments may be diphones, for example, which begin from the middle of the stationary part of a phone (the phone being the acoustic realization of a phoneme) and end in the middle of the stationary part of the next phone. French, for instance, is composed of 36 phonemes, which corresponds to approximately 1240 diphones (as a matter of fact some combination of phonemes are impossible). Other types of segments can be used, like triphones, polyphones, half-syllables, etc. Concatenative synthesis techniques produce any sequence of phonemes by concatenating the appropriate segments. The segments are themselves obtained from the segmentation of a speech corpus read by a human speaker.
Two problems must be solved during the concatenation process in order to get a speech signal comparable to human speech.
The first problem arises from the disparities of the phonemic contexts from which the segments were extracted, which generally results in some spectral envelope mismatch at both ends of the segments to be concatenated. As a result, a mere concatenation of segments leads to sharp transitions between units, and to less fluid speech.
The second problem is to control the prosody of synthetic speech, i.e. its rhythm (phoneme and pause lengths) and its fundamental frequency (the vibration frequency of the vocal folds). The point is that the segments recorded in the corpus have their own prosody that does not necessarily correspond to the prosody imposed at synthesis time.
Hence there is a need to find a means of controlling prosodic parameters and of producing smooth transitions between segments, without affecting the naturalness of speech segments.
One distinguishes two families of methods to solve such problems: the ones that implement a spectral model of the vocal tract, and the ones that modify the segment waveforms directly in the time domain.
In the first family of synthesis methods, transitions between concatenated segments are smoothed out by computing the difference between the spectral envelopes on both sides of the concatenation point, and propagating this difference in the spectral domain on both segments. The way it controls the pitch and the duration of segments depends on the particular model used for spectral envelope estimation. All these methods require a high computational load at synthesis time, which prevents them from being implemented in real time on low-cost processors.
On the contrary the second family of synthesis methods aims to produce concatenation and prosody modification directly in the time domain with very limited computational load. All of them take advantage of the so-called "Poisson's Sum Theorem", well known among signal processing specialists which demonstrates that it is possible to build from any finite waveform with a given spectral envelope, an arbitrarily chosen (and constant) pitch. This theorem can be applied to the modification of the fundamental frequency of speech signals. Provided the spectrum of the elementary waveforms is close to the spectral envelope of the signal one wishes to modify, pitch can be imposed by setting the shift between elementary waveforms to the targeted pitch period, and by adding the resulting overlapping waveforms. In this second family, synthesis methods mainly differ in the way they derive elementary waveforms from the pre-recorded segments. However, in order to produce high-quality synthetic speech, the overlapping elementary waveforms they use must have a duration of at least twice the fundamental period of the original segments. Two classes of techniques in this second family of synthesis methods will be described hereafter.
The first class refers to methods hereafter referred to as `PSOLA` methods (Pitch Synchronous Overlap Add), characterized by the direct extraction of waveforms from continuous audio signals. The audio signals used are either identical to the original signals (the segments), or obtained after some transformation of these original signals. Elementary waveforms are extracted from the audio signals by multiplying the signals with finite-duration weighting windows positioned synchronously with the fundamental frequency of the original signal. Since the size of the elementary waveforms must be at least twice the original period, and given that there is one waveform for each period of the original signal, the same speech samples are used in several successive waveforms: the weighting windows overlap in the audio signals.
Examples of such PSOLA methods are those defined in documents EP-0363233, U.S. Pat. No. 5,479,564, EP-0706170. A specific example is also the MBR-PSOLA method as published by T. Dutoit and H. Leich, in Speech Communication, Elsevier Publisher, November 1993, Vol. 13, N.degree. 3-4, 1993. The method described in document U.S. Pat. No. 5,479,564 suggests a means of modifying the frequency of an audio signal with constant fundamental frequency by overlap-adding short-term signals extracted from this signal. The length of the weighting windows used to obtain the short-term signals is approximately equal to two times the period of the audio signal and their position within the period can be set to any value (provided the time shift between successive windows is equal to the period of the audio signal). Document U.S. Pat. No. 5,479,564 also describes a means of interpolating waveforms between segments to concatenate, so as to smooth out discontinuities. This is achieved by modifying the periods corresponding to the end of the first segment and to the beginning of the second segment, in such a way as to propagate the difference between the last period of the first segment and the first period of the second segment.
The second class of techniques, hereafter referred to as `analytic`, is based on a time-domain modification of elementary waveforms that do not share, even partially, their samples. The synthesis step still uses shifting and overlap-adding of the weighted waveforms carrying the spectral envelope information. These waveforms are no longer extracted from a continuous speech signal by means of overlapping weighting windows. Examples of these techniques are those defined in documents S. Vajma U.S. Pat. No. 5,369,730 and C. R. Lee, et al. BG 2261350 (also U.S. Pat. No. 5,617,507), as well as by T. Yazu, K. Yamada, "The speech synthesis system for an unlimited Japanese vocabulary", in proceedings IEEE ICASSP 1986, Tokyo, pp. 2019-2022.
In all these `analytic` techniques, the elementary waveforms are impulse responses of the vocal tract computed from evenly spaced speech signal frames, and resynthesized via a spectral model. The present invention falls in this class of methods, except that it uses different elementary waveforms, obtained by reharmonizing the envelope spectrum.
An advantage of analytic methods over PSOLA methods is that the waveforms they use result from a true spectral model of the vocal tract. Therefore, they can intrinsically model the instantaneous spectral envelope information with more accuracy and precision than PSOLA techniques, which simply weight a time-domain signal with a weighting window. Moreover, it is possible with analytic methods to separate the periodic (voiced) and aperiodic (unvoiced) components of each waveform, and modify their balance during the resynthesis step in order to modify the speech quality (soft, harsh, whispered, etc).
In practice, this advantage is counterbalanced by an increase of the size of the resynthesized segment database (typically a factor 2 since the successive waveforms do not share any samples while their duration still has to be equal to at least two times that of the pitch period of the audio signal). The method described by M M. Yazu and Yamada precisely aims at reducing the number of samples to be stored, by resynthesizing impulse responses in which the phases of the spectral envelope are set to zero. Only half of the waveform needs to be stored in this case, since phase zeroing results in perfectly symmetrical waveforms. The main drawback of this method is that it greatly affects the naturalness of the synthetic speech. It is well known, indeed, that producing significant phase distortion has a strong effect on speech quality.
Aim of the Invention
The present invention aims to suggest a method for audio synthesis that avoids the drawbacks presented in the state of the art and which requires limited storage for the waveforms while avoiding important distortions of the natural phase of acoustic signals.
Main Characteristic Elements of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for audio synthesis from waveforms stored in a dictionary characterized by the following points:
the waveforms are infinite and perfectly periodic, and are stored as one of their periods, itself represented as a sequence of sound samples of a priori of any length; PA1 Synthesis is carried out by overlapping and adding the waveforms multiplied by a weighting window whose length is approximately two times the period of the original waveform, and whose position relatively to the waveform can be set to any fixed value; PA1 all the periods stored in the segment database have the same length, which leads to a very efficient period to period differential coding scheme; PA1 the use of a spectral model for spectral envelope estimation allows the separation of harmonic and stochastic components of the waveforms. When the energy of the stochastic component is low enough compared to that of the harmonic component, it may be completely eliminated, in which case only the harmonic component is resynthesized. This results in waveforms that are more pure, noiseless, and exhibit more regularity than the original signal, which additionally enhances the efficiency of ADPCM coding techniques. PA1 very efficient coding techniques which account for the fact that: PA1 Ability to produce sound variants by interpolating between base and replacement segments. For each base segment, for instance, two additional periods are stored, corresponding to the beginning and end of the segment and taken from a replacement segment. This enables the synthesis of more natural sound voices.
The time shift between two successive weighted signals obtained by weighting the original waveforms is equal to the fundamental period requested for the synthetic signal, whose value is imposed. This value may be lower or greater than that of the original waveforms.
The method according to the present invention, basically differs from any other `analytic` method by the fact that the elementary waveforms used are not full impulse responses of the vocal tract, but infinite periodic signals, multiplied by a weighting window to keep their length finite, and carrying the same spectral envelope as the original audio signals. A spectral model (hybrid harmonic/stochastic model, for instance, although the invention is not exclusively related to any particular spectral model) is used for resynthesis in order to get periodic waveforms (instead of the symmetric impulse responses of M M. Yazu and Yamada) carrying instantaneous spectral envelope information. Because of the periodicity of the elementary waveforms produced, only the first period need to be stored. The sound quality obtained by this method is incomparably superior to the one of M M. Yazu and Yamada, since the computation of the periodic waveforms does not impose phase constraints on the spectral envelopes, thereby avoiding the related quality degradation.
The periods that need to be stored are obtained by spectral analysis of a dictionary of audio segments (e.g. diphones in the case of speech synthesis). Spectral analysis produces spectral envelope estimates throughout each segment. Harmonic phases and amplitudes are then computed from the spectral envelope and the target period (i.e. the spectral envelope is sampled with the targeted fundamental frequency).
The length of each resynthesis period can advantageously be chosen equal for all the periods of all the segments. In this particular case, classical techniques for waveform compression (e.g. ADPCM) allow very high compression ratios (about 8) with very limited computational cost for decoding. The remarkable efficiency of such techniques on the waveforms obtained mainly originates from the fact that:
To further enhance the efficiency of coding techniques, the phases of the lower-order (i.e., lower frequency) harmonics of each stored period may be fixed (one phase value fixed for each harmonic of the database) for the resynthesis step. The frequency band where this setting is acceptable ranges from 0 to approximately 3 kHz. In this case, the resynthesis operation results in a sequence of periods with constant length, in which the time-domain differences between two successive periods is mainly due to spectral envelope differences. Since the spectral envelope of audio signals generally changes slowly with time, given the inertia of the physical mechanisms that produce them, the shape of the periods obtained in this way also evolve slowly. This, in turn, is particularly efficient when it comes to coding signals on the basis of period to period differences.
Independently of its use for segment coding, the idea of imposing a set of fixed values for the phases of the lower frequency harmonics leads to the implementation of a temporal smoothing technique between successive segments, to attenuate spectral mismatch between periods. The temporal difference between the last period of the first segment and the first period of the second segment is computed, and smoothly propagated on both sides of the concatenation point with a weighting coefficient continuously varying from -0.5 to 0.5 (depending on which side of the concatenation point is processed).
It should be noted that although the efficient coding properties and smoothing capabilities mentioned above were already available in the MBR-PSOLA technique as described in the state of the art, their effect is drastically reinforced in the present invention as opposed to the waveforms used by MBR-PSOLA, the periods used here do not share any of their samples, allowing a perfect separation between harmonically purified waveforms, and waveforms that are mainly stochastic.
Finally, the present invention still makes it possible to increase the quality of the synthesized audio signal by associating, with each resynthesized segment (or `base segment`), a set of replacement segments similar but not identical to the base segment. Each replacement segment is processed in the same way as the corresponding base segment, and a sequence of periods is resynthesized. For each replacement segment, for instance, one can keep two periods corresponding respectively to the beginning and the end of the replacement segment at synthesis time. When two segments are about to be concatenated, it is then possible to modify the periods of the first base segment so as to propagate, on the last periods of this segment, the difference between the last period of the base segment and the last period of one of its replacement segments. Similarly, it is possible to modify the periods of the second base segment so a to propagate, on the first periods of this segment, the difference between the first period of the base segment and the first period of one of its replacement segments. The propagation of these differences is simply performed by multiplying the differences by a weighting coefficient continuously varying from 1 to 0 (from period to period) and adding the weighted differences to the periods of the base segments.
Such a modification of the time-domain periods of a base segment so as to make it sound like one of its replacement segment can be advantageously used to produce free variants to a base sound, thereby avoiding the monotony resulting from the repeated use of a base sound. It can also be put to use for the production of linguistically motivated sound variants (e.g., stressed/unstressed vowels, tense/soft voice, etc.)
The fundamental difference between the method described in the state of the art, which according to our classification is a `PSOLA` method, and the method of the present invention originates in the particular way of deriving the periods used. As opposed to the waveforms extracted from a continuous signal as proposed in the state of the art, the waveforms used in the present invention do not share any of their samples (hence, they do not overlap). It therefore benefits from the typical advantages of other analytic methods:
periods can be harmonically purified by completely eliminating their stochastic component; PA2 when resynthesizing periods, the phase of low-frequency harmonics can bet set constant (i.e., one fixed value for each harmonic throughout the segment database)

Envelope-invariant analytical speech resynthesis using periodic signals derived from reharmonized frame spectrum


A method for the register correction of a processing machine for processing a continuous material, in particular a shaftless printing press, with which the continuous material is processed by at least two processing units with at least one compensator for adjusting the length of the continuous material in the continuous material section being provided upstream of each of the at least two processing units. In order to adjust the register of a first processing unit, the length of the continuous material of the continuous material section upstream of the first processing unit is adjusted by the compensator provided in this first continuous material section. To adjust the register of the first processing unit, the length of the continuous material of the continuous material section upstream of a second processing unit is also adjusted by the compensator provided in this second continuous material section. A related processing machine carries out the inventive method.

The present invention relates to a method for the register correction of a processing machine, and a related processing machine, a related computer program, and a related computer program product.
Although the text below refers mainly to printing presses, the present invention is not limited thereto, but rather is directed to all types of processing machines with which a continuous material and/or a material web is processed. The present invention may be used, in particular, with printing presses such as newspaper presses, jobbing presses, gravure presses, printing presses for packaging or currency, and processing machines such as bagging machines, envelope machines, or packaging machines. The continuous material may be paper, cardboard, plastic, metal, rubber, or foil, etc.
With the related processing machines, in particular printing presses, a continuous material is moved along by driven axles (web conveyance axles or devices), such as tension rollers or feed rollers, and by non-driven axles, such as breaker rollers, guide rollers, drying rollers, or cooling rollers. The continuous material is simultaneously processed, e.g., it is printed on, punched, cut, folded, etc., using processing axles, which are usually also driven. The driven axles influence the web tension and the processing register, e.g., a color or longitudinal register.
With printing presses, e.g., gravure presses, the longitudinal register is controlled, for instance, in order to obtain an optimal print result. A compensator is often used as the adjusting axle for the register correction. The compensator is a mechanical device located in the continuous material flow upstream of the printing unit that influences the length of the continuous material in the continuous material section upstream of the printing unit.
With color printing presses, in particular with gravure presses, colors must be printed directly one over the other in order to obtain a good printing result. If register deviations occur in the longitudinal register (color register), a register control may typically be carried out using compensators. In this case, the compensator upstream of the printing unit with the register deviation is displaced, which results in a shortening or lengthening of the path of the continuous material, i.e., the length of the continuous material in the particular material section upstream of the printing unit. As a result, the printed image produced by the printing unit is shifted in a stationary manner directly behind the compensator in proportion to the printed images produced by the other printing units.
At the instant when the shift is carried out, the web tension changes only in the web section located upstream of the printing unit with the register deviation. Due to the web conveyance, the change in web tension propagates into the subsequent web sections, which results in a register deviation and activates the register control of the subsequent printing units. Since this register deviation dies out, in principle, once the stationary state is reached, even without being regulated, control strategies are also known with which the register control of the subsequent printing units is deactivated until the deviation dies out.
The known solutions therefore have the disadvantage that the displacement of a compensator for longitudinal register correction is not decoupled. Due to the web conveyance, the difference in web tension propagates into the subsequent web sections, which results in the register control of the subsequent printing units being triggered, and/or it results in waste.

Method for register correction of a processing machine, and a processing machine


The contrast of an image is enhanced by converting the digital signal representation of the image according to a conversion function that is derived from a parameterized conversion function q(x) by giving specific values to the parameters of the function. Specific values for parameters that depend on the examination type to which the image relates are exclusively derived from the digital signal representation itself. No input of examination type dependent parameters is required.

Nowadays several medical image acquisition techniques and systems exist that render a digital signal representation of a medical image, e.g. a radiographic image.
One example of such a system is a computed radiography system wherein a radiation image is recorded on a temporary storage medium, more particularly a photostimulable phosphor screen. In such a system a digital signal representation is obtained by scanning the screen with radiation of (a) wavelength(s) within the stimulating wavelength range of the phosphor and by detecting the light emitted by the phosphor upon stimulation.
Other examples of computed radiography systems are direct radiography systems, for example systems wherein a radiographic image is recorded in a solid state sensor comprising a radiation sensitive layer and a layer of electronic read out circuitry.
Still another example of a computed radiography system is a system wherein a radiographic image is recorded on a conventional x-ray film and wherein that film is developed and subsequently subjected to image scanning.
Still other systems such as a tomography system may be envisaged.
The digital image representation of the medical image acquired by one of the above systems can then be used for generating a visible image on which the diagnosis can be performed. For this purpose the digital signal representation is applied to a hard copy recorder or to a display device.
Commonly the digital signal representation of the image is subjected to image processing prior to hard copy recording or display.
In order to convert the digital image information optimally into a visible image on a medium on which the diagnosis is performed, a multi-resolution image processing method has been developed by means of which the contrast of an image is enhanced.
According to this multi-resolution image processing method an image represented by an array of pixel values is processed by applying the following steps. First the original image is decomposed into a sequence of detail images at multiple scales and a residual image.
Next, the pixel values of the detail images are modified by applying to these pixel values at least one non-linear monotonically increasing odd conversion function with a slope that gradually decreases with increasing argument values. In a specific embodiment the slope of the conversion function is gradually decreasing with the exception that it may be constant or increasing in a lower subrange which is assumed to represent mostly noise.
Finally, a processed image is computed by applying a reconstruction algorithm to the residual image and the modified detail images, the reconstruction algorithm being such that if it were applied to the residual image and the detail images without modification, then the original image or a close approximation thereof would be obtained.
The above image processing technique has been described extensively in European patent EP 527 525, the processing being referred to as MUSICA image processing (MUSICA is a registered trade name of Agfa-Gevaert N.V.).
The described method is advantageous over conventional image processing techniques such as unsharp masking etc. because it increases the visibility of subtle details in the image and because it increases the faithfulness of the image reproduction without introducing artefacts.
In practice the contrast enhancement processing is adapted to different types of images, e.g. to different examination types.
The state of the art workflow is commonly as follows.
A digital representation of a radiation image acquired by an image acquisition system as described higher is applied to an image-processing module together with a code indicative of the examination type. In the image processing module parameter settings for different examination types and examination sub-types, identifiable by means of the code, are stored in advance for example in the form of a look up table. Upon entry of a code, the parameters corresponding with the examination type identified by the code are retrieved from the look up table and the image processing including the contrast enhancement processing is controlled by the retrieved parameter settings.
Determining the optimal parameter values for each examination type is highly time-consuming because before a set of processing parameters can be accepted for a certain examination type, this set of parameters has to be evaluated on a large number of test images of that specific examination type.
The number of individual examination types is rather large since for each anatomic region (e.g. thorax) a number of examination subtypes exist (bed, paediatric, etc.).
Hence the total number of parameters to be determined is large.
In most-large hospitals a centralised, radiology specific information system (RIS) is available so that the information on the examination type can be sent via this RIS.
If such a system is not available, the information on the examination type must be entered manually into an identification system. This kind of identification is more error prone than the RIS system.
In the former years the use of computed radiography systems was to a large extent limited to large radiography centres in the western market. Nowadays more smaller hospitals and private practices started to use digital systems. In addition also in non-industrialised regions computed radiography is gaining importance.
The adjustment and control of the image processing parameters demands for extensive knowledge of medical applications, which knowledge is often not available in or too expensive for these smaller and/or less industrialised centres.
The fact that in prior art methods the processing parameters had to be determined in advance and had to be fed to the processing apparatus thus constitutes a drawback of prior art methods.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Method for enhancing the contrast of an image


An actuator for controlling joint movement of a robot includes a first deceleration module and a second deceleration module, which receives and outputs driving force by being in gear with the first deceleration module. The first deceleration module includes a driving motor, a first print circuit board for controlling the driving motor by feeding back the output of the second deceleration module, at least one first reduction gear which is rotated by a driving motor, and a housing on which the driving motor, the first print circuit board, and the first reduction gear are mounted. The second deceleration module includes at least one other reduction gear, which rotates by being in gear with the first reduction gear, and a case on which the second reduction gear is mounted and which is connected to the housing.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an actuator for controlling motion.
2. Description of the Related Art
Robots, from industrial robots to humanoid robots, are widely used and can perform flexible articulated motions through actuators having a deceleration function.
In particular, within the robotics industry, which has rapidly developed in recent times, robotics mechanisms that have only been used in specific industrial fields are also being applied to broader industrial fields leading to a convergence of technologies. For example, home cleaning robots, programmable education robots, robot toys, entertainment robots, and so on, are being further developed and produced.
An actuator related to driving within robot technology is a very important part. Further, a major component that constitutes the actuator may be a decelerator. Various kinds of decelerators such as a gear-type decelerator, a rolling ball-type decelerator, a cycloid decelerator, and so on, may be used as the decelerator.
Here, the gear-type decelerator, which is a widely used general decelerator, is a decelerator using an involute tooth form; the rolling ball-type decelerator is a decelerator in which a ball rolls in a guide groove having an epicycloid curve and a hypocycloid curve facing each other to perform deceleration rotation; a harmonic drive decelerator is a decelerator in which, when an oval wave generator assembly is rotated, an elliptically moving portion is transmitted to a flexspline by an elliptically revolving bearing and the flexspline is slowly rotated while skipping the outermost ring gear to induce deceleration; and the cycloid decelerator is a decelerator in which a trochoid gear serving as a planetary gear is eccentrically rotated while fixing a pin, and only the trochoid gear is rotated by a pinhole and the pin disposed in a trochoid at the same angular interval to obtain deceleration rotation.
Among these, in particular, since the cycloid decelerator can implement various deceleration ratios and is advantageous for high precision and high deceleration, the cycloid decelerator is widely used in fields that require precise control. Related technologies of the decelerator are disclosed in Korean Utility Model Registration No. 0325018 and Korean Patent Laid-open Publication Nos. 2010-0038146 and 2011-0068500.
However, considering the various decelerators including the above-mentioned related technologies, since the deceleration gear is installed in one housing, the size of the decelerator is increased and a user cannot easily set the deceleration ratio. In addition, the user cannot flexibly select his/her requirements (e.g., a center distance, a gear-type, a gear ratio, and the like).


Methods, systems, and computer-readable storage media for enforcing access control in encrypted query processing. Implementations include actions of obtaining a set of user groups based on the user credential and a user group mapping, obtaining a set of relations based on the query, obtaining a set of virtual relations based on the set of user groups and the set of relations, receiving a first rewritten query based on the set of virtual relations and a query rewriting operation, encrypting the first rewritten query to provide an encrypted query, and transmitting the encrypted query to at least one server computing device over a network for execution of the encrypted query over access controlled, encrypted data.

Encrypted databases provide data protection (security) in cloud platforms and/or database-as-a-service settings. In encrypted databases, data (cleartext) can be encrypted at the client to provide encrypted data (ciphertext), which can be provided to the database for storage. In some examples, a third-party provides the database for interaction with one or more applications, although the stored data is encrypted. That is, the database is outsourced to the third-party.
Outsourcing a database offers efficient resource management and low maintenance costs for clients, but exposes outsourced data (client data) to a service provider (the third-party providing the database and its agents). To ensure data confidentiality, data owners seek to prevent unauthorized access, while data is stored or processed. Storing data on an untrusted database requires protection measures against, for example, curious personnel working for the service provider or outside attackers exploiting software vulnerabilities on the database server. In addition, data owners also seek to control data access for their own personnel.

Access control for encrypted query processing


The present disclosure relates to adenovirus protein modifications to augment immune response to a transgene of a recombinant adenovirus and to circumvent pre-existing anti-adenovirus immunity. Some embodiments are directed to a recombinant adenovirus derived from a recombinant adenovirus plasmid vector, wherein the recombinant adenovirus plasmid vector comprises a nucleotide sequence encoding a Plasmodium circumsporozoite protein, or antigenic portion thereof, operably linked to a heterologous promoter and a modified capsid or core protein, wherein an immunogenic epitope of Plasmodium circumsporozoite is inserted into or replaces at least part of a capsid or core protein. Other embodiments are directed to a pharmaceutical composition or a malaria vaccine composition comprising a recombinant adenovirus according to the above embodiments. Further embodiments include a method of treating, preventing, or diagnosing malaria, comprising administering a therapeutic amount of the pharmaceutical composition or malaria vaccine composition in accordance with the above embodiment.

Malaria is a severe disease that ranks among the most prevalent infections in tropical areas throughout the world. Approximately 300-500 million people become infected yearly, with relatively high rates of morbidity and mortality. Severe morbidity and mortality occur particularly in young children and in adults migrating to a malaria endemic area without having undergone prior malaria exposure. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 2-3 million children die of malaria in Africa alone, every year. The widespread occurrence and the increasing incidence of malaria in many countries, caused by drug-resistant parasites (Plasmodium falciparum, recently also Plasmodium vivax) and insecticide-resistant vectors (Anopheles mosquitoes), underscore the need for developing new methods for the control of this disease (Nussenzweig and Long 1994).
Malaria parasites have a complicated life cycle consisting of pre-erythrocytic, erythrocytic and sexual parasitic forms, representing a potential target for the development of a malaria vaccine. The pre-erythrocytic and erythrocytic forms are found in the host, while the sexual forms occur in the vector. Immunization with live-attenuated irradiated sporozoites (IrSp) has been shown to induce sterile protection (i.e., complete resistance against parasite challenge) in mice (Nussenzweig et al. 1967), non-human primates (Gwadz et al. 1979) and human (Clyde et al. 1973, Edelman et al. 1993). Protection conferred by IrSp is mediated by sporozoite neutralization by both humoral (B cell) and cellular (T cell) immune responses (Tsuji et al. 2001). Although an IrSp vaccination is an attractive solution, the only way to obtain sporozoites is by dissecting mosquito salivary glands, and there is currently no known technology to grow large numbers of sporozoites in vitro. Therefore, an alternate vaccine vector that can elicit an equally strong protective immunity against malaria is needed.
One promising target for such a vaccine vector is the circumsporozoite (CS) protein, which is expressed on the surface of the sporozoite. Effective neutralizing antibodies are directed against the immunodominant, species specific, repeat domains of the circumsporozoite (CS) protein. In Plasmodium falciparum (human malaria parasite), the repeats (NANP)n are conserved among isolates from all areas of the world. This central repeat contains multiple repeat of B cell epitopes, and, therefore, the CS protein can induce a strong humoral immune response by triggering B cells (Tsuji et al. 2001). At the C-terminal region of the CS protein, there are several T cell epitopes, which can induce a significant cellular immune response (Tsuji et al. 2001). The humoral (antibody) response can eliminate parasites by interacting and neutralizing the infectivity of sporozoites (extra-cellular parasite) prior to entering hepatocyte, whereas the cellular (T cell) response can attack EEF (an intra-cellular parasite) by secreting interferon-gamma. These immune responses prevent the EEFs from maturing and dividing rapidly to form thousands of merozoites that reenter the blood and infect erythrocytes causing the disease we recognize as malaria.
One CS-based malarial vaccine that is currently undergoing human trials is GlaxoSmithKline's RTS, S, fusion protein of the Hepatitis B surface antigen and a portion of Plasmodium falciparum circumsporozoite protein (PfCSP) in a form of virus-like particle (International Patent Application No. PCT/EP1992/002591 to SmithKline Beecham Biologicals S.A., filed Nov. 11, 1992), has been shown to decrease malaria infection in clinical trials (Alonso et al. 2004, Alonso et al. 2005, Bejon et al. 2008). RTS, S induces an anti-PfCSP humoral immune response, but a relatively weak PfCSP-specific cellular (CD8+) response (Kester et al. 2008), which might be the reason for the relatively weak protection by RTS, S. In contrast, adenovirus-based malaria vaccines can induce a protective cellular immune response (International Patent Application No. PCT/EP2003/051019, filed Dec. 16, 2003, Rodrigues et al. 1997). However, there are currently two obstacles that limit the use of an adenovirus-based platform as a malaria vaccine: (1) lack of a capability of inducing a potent humoral response against a transgene product, and (2) pre-existing immunity to adenovirus, especially adenovirus serotype 5, which hampers the immunogenicity of adenovirus-based vaccine.
One approach that has recently been taken in an attempt to augment adenovirus-induced humoral response is to insert a B cell antigenic epitope (e.g., a bacterial or viral epitope) in adenovirus capsid proteins such as Hexon, Fiber, Penton and pIX (Worgall et al. 2005, McConnell et al. 2006, Krause et al. 2006, Worgall et al. 2007).
In addition, to circumvent pre-existing immunity to adenovirus serotype 5 (Ad5), other adenovirus serotypes with lower seroprevalence, such as adenovirus serotype 11, 35, 26, 48, 49 and 50, have been evaluated as a vaccine platform and shown to induce immune response to a transgene in spite of the presence of anti-Ad5 immunity (International Patent Application No. PCT/EP2005/055183 to Crucell Holland B.V., filed Oct. 12, 2005, Abbink et al. 2007). Substitution of Ad5 Hexon, which is the target capsid protein of neutralizing antibody, with that of other serotypes has also been constructed in order to escape pre-existing anti-Ad5 immunity (Wu et al. 2002, Roberts et al. 2006).
There is, however, no improved adenoviral vector reported to have overcome the two obstacles at the same time in applying an adenoviral vector to a malaria vaccine mentioned above. Given that seroprevalence to Ad5 is high in malaria endemic areas (Ophorst et al. 2006.), there is a need for an adenovirus-based malaria vaccine that induces both protective humoral and cellular immune responses even in the presence of pre-exiting immunity to adenovirus.

Modification of recombinant adenovirus with immunogenic plasmodium circumsporozoite protein epitopes


The invention is concerned with the MD18 and MD20 polypeptides of Marek's Disease virus which can be used to vaccinate poultry against MD.. The invention also relates to nucleic acid sequences encoding the MD18 or MD20 polypeptides. Said sequences can be used for the preparation of a subunit or vector vaccine.

The present invention is concerned with a nucleic acid sequence encoding a Marek's Disease virus polypeptide, a recombinant nucleic acid molecule comprising such a nucleic acid sequence, a vector virus comprising said nucleic acid sequence, a host cell transformed with such a nucleic acid sequence, a Marek's Disease virus polypeptide and antibodies reactive therewith, as well as a vaccine against Marek's Disease.
Marek's Disease (MD) is a malignant, lymphoproliferative disorder of domestic fowl caused by a herpesvirus: Marek's Disease Virus (MDV). MD is ubiquitous, occurring in poultry-producing countries throughout the world. Chickens raised under intensive production systems will inevitably suffer losses from MD. MD affects chickens from about 6 weeks of age, occurring most frequently between ages of 12 and 24 weeks.
Three forms of MD are recognized clinically, classical MD, acute MD and transient paralysis.
Classical MD is characterized by peripheral nerve enlargement caused by lymphoid infiltration and demyelination, and paralysis is the dominant clinical sign. Mortality is variable but normally under 10-15 percent.
In the acute form there are multiple and diffuse lymphomatous tumors in the visceral organs. Mortality from this form of MD is usually higher than from the classical form. An incidence of 10-30 percent is common in unvaccinated flocks and outbreaks involving up to 70% of the flock may be encountered. The pathological lesions in both classical and acute MD are essentially similar, involving the proliferation and infiltration of malignantly transformed T-lymphoblasts into normal tissues, peripheral nerves in the case of the classical form and visceral organs in the case of the acute form.
Furthermore, the MDV has been shown to be responsible for encephalitis of young chickens characterized by sudden paralysis.
Serological classification of MD related viruses yielded three serotypes:
______________________________________ Type I naturally occurring virulent strains of Marek's disease virus which are pathogenic and tumorigenic to chickens, and attenuated nonpathogenic strains derived therefrom Type II naturally occurring nonpathogenic strains of Marek's disease virus; and Type III herpesvirus of turkeys ("HVT"), which is nonpathogenic to chickens. ______________________________________
Serial passage of pathogenic strains of MDV serotype I was found to result in loss of pathogenicity and oncogenicity, but not of immunogenicity. Attenuated strains derived from HPRS-16 and CVI-988 strains have been applied as vaccines. SB-I and HN-I MDV strains (serotype 2) have also been shown to be useful in vaccination. HVT, first isolated from turkeys, is apathogenic in turkeys and domestic fowls, antigenically related to serotype 1 and 2 MD viruses and extensively used as a vaccine against MD.
There are no methods of treatment of MD and control is based on management methods which isolate growing chickens from sources of infection, the use of genetically resistant stock, and vaccination. However, management procedures are normally not cost-effective and the progress has been disappointing with respect to the selection of poultry stock with increased genetically controlled resistance. Nowadays, control of MD is almost entirely based on vaccination.
Current vaccines comprise chemically inactivated virus vaccines or modified live-virus vaccines. However, inactivated vaccines require additional immunizations, disadvantageously contain adjuvants, are expensive to produce and are laborious to administer. Further, some infectious virus particles may survive the inactivation process and may cause disease after administration to the animal.
In general, attenuated live virus vaccines are preferred because they evoke an immune response often based on both humoral and cellular reactions. Up to now, such vaccines based on MDV serotype I strains could only be prepared by serial passage of virulent strains in tissue culture. However, because of this treatment uncontrolled mutations are introduced into the viral genome, resulting in a population of virus particles heterogeneous with regard to virulence and immunizing properties. Overattenuation during passage in cell culture can also be a problem with these vaccines. One must achieve a delicate balance between ensuring that the vaccine is not virulent while making certain that it is still protective. In addition it is well known that such traditional attenuated live virus vaccines can revert to virulence resulting in disease outbreaks in inoculated animals and the possible spread of the pathogen to other animals. The occurrence of very virulent field strains of MD virus against which live HVT vaccines provided poor protection have now been isolated and are responsible for excessive losses in various parts of the world. Bivalent vaccines consisting of serotype 2 and serotype 3 strains are reasonably effective against very virulent field isolates in some cases. Multivalent vaccines containing serotype antigens should be even more effective at eliciting immunity against these very virulent strains.
Improved vaccines might be constructed based on recombinant DNA technology. These vaccines would only contain the necessary and relevant MDV immunogenic material which is capable of eliciting a protective immune response against the MDV pathogens, or the genetic information encoding said material, and would not display above mentioned disadvantages of the live or inactivated vaccines.