An optical wavelength locking system is provided that includes a plurality of optical signal generating units for generating optical signals corresponding to a plurality of channels, and an optical wavelength locking unit for receiving the optical signals corresponding to the plurality of channels and sequentially controlling a wavelength fluctuation exhibited by the optical signal of each channel. Since one optical wavelength locking unit is used for a plurality of optical sources, production costs are reduced, a better utilization of available space can be achieved and the reliability of the system is improved.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical communication system, and more particularly, to an optical wavelength locking apparatus and method for a multi-channel optical communication system to stabilize the wavelength of an optical source.
2. Background of the Related Art
In general, in order to obtain ultra-high speed communication through an optical fiber, an optical communication system employs an optical multiplexing method such as optical time division multiplexing (OTDM), wavelength division multiplexing (WDM), or optical frequency division multiplexing (OFDM).
Among the multiplexing methods, the WDM method is used to divide/transfer an input channel to mutually different wavelength bands (e.g., 1.3 mm and 1.5 mm). WDM has advanced to a dense WDM (DWDM) method in which the wavelength bands are more closely spaced. DWDM can be used, for example, to divide/transfer the 1.5 mm wavelength band to a plurality of closely spaced wavelength bands.
Typically, an optical communication system employing the DWDM method uses an optical wavelength locking apparatus to restrain losses between optical channels. In this respect, if the wavelength spacing between optical channels is 0.4 nm, an optical wavelength locking circuit is needed in order to restrain wavelength fluctuations of the transmission optical source to within ±20 pm.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an optical wavelength locking apparatus for a single-channel system, in accordance with the related art.
As shown in FIG. 1, a related art optical wavelength locking apparatus for a single-channel system includes a laser diode 10 for converting transmission data into an optical signal, an optical tap 12 for separating a portion of the optical signal output from the laser diode 10, an optical wavelength locking unit 14 for analyzing the separated optical signal and outputting a control signal (ITEC) to control a wavelength fluctuation (δλ) of the optical signal, and a thermoelectric cooler (TEC) 16 for controlling the temperature of the laser diode 10 according to the control signal (ITEC) output from the optical wavelength locking unit 14.
The optical wavelength locking unit 14 includes an optical wavelength filter (OWF) 50 for outputting current signals (IA, IB) in proportion to the wavelength fluctuation (δλ1) of the optical signal, and a control circuit 52 for outputting a control signal (ITEC) to drive the TEC 16 according to the current signals (IA, IB) output from the OWF 50.
The operation of the conventional optical wavelength locking apparatus for a single-channel system constructed as described will now be explained.
The laser diode 10 converts data to be transmitted into an optical signal, and outputs the optical signal to an optical fiber 11. The optical tap 12 separates a portion of the optical signal [P(λ+δλ)] transmitted through the optical fiber 11 and sends it to the optical wavelength locking unit 14.
The OWF 50 of the optical wavelength locking unit 14 receives the optical signal [P(λ+δλ)] output from the optical tap 12 and outputs current signals (IA, IB) in proportion to the wavelength fluctuation (δλ). The control circuit 52 generates a control signal (ITEC) according to a difference between the current signals (IA, IB). The difference between the current signals (IA, IB) is proportional to the wavelength fluctuation (δλ).
Accordingly, the TEC 16 controls a temperature of the laser diode 10 according to a control signal (ITEC) output from the control circuit 52. That is, the TEC 16 is cooled or heated according to a polarity of the control signal (ITEC), and thereby controls the temperature of the laser diode 10. By adjusting the temperature of the laser diode 10, the wavelength fluctuation (δλ) of the optical signal emitted from the laser diode 10 may be controlled.
As described above, the related art optical wavelength locking apparatus for a single-channel system includes one optical wavelength locking unit 14 for one transmission optical source (e.g., laser diode 10) to control the wavelength fluctuation of the optical signal emitted from the laser diode 10.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a related art optical wavelength locking apparatus for a multi-channel system. As shown in FIG. 2, the related art optical wavelength locking circuit for a multi-channel system includes a plurality of optical wavelength locking units, with each optical wavelength locking unit being similar to the one used in the single channel system illustrated in FIG. 1.
That is, optical taps (12-1˜12-N), optical wavelength locking units (14-1˜14-N) and TECs (16-1˜16-N) are respectively used for each of a plurality of laser diodes (10-1˜10-N), so as to control the wavelength fluctuation of optical signals emitted from each of the plurality of laser diodes (10-1˜10-N). Thus, in the related art optical wavelength locking apparatus for a multi-channel system, an optical wavelength locking unit is provided for every laser diode. Accordingly, if there are N number of transmission channels, then N number of optical wavelength locking units are required.
The optical wavelength filter used in each optical wavelength locking unit is a very expensive precision optical component. Thus the production costs involved in implementing an optical wavelength locking apparatus in a multi-channel system are high.
In addition, in the related art optical wavelength locking apparatus for a multi-channel system, since every laser diode needs a respective optical wavelength locking unit, installation space is increased. Further, since the wavelength fluctuation of optical signals in each channel is controlled by a different optical wavelength locking unit, the reliability of the system is degraded.
Another related art optical wavelength locking apparatus for a multi-channel system uses an arrayed waveguide grating (AWG). However, AWGs have limited wavelength resolution and precision.
The above references are incorporated by reference herein where appropriate for appropriate teachings of additional or alternative details, features and/or technical background.

Optical wavelength locking apparatus and method for a multi-channel optical communication system


Described and disclosed is a system and method for routing and delivering medical phone messages efficiently in a hospital or clinic setting. The invention includes extending a call resource accessible to medical personnel and patients through an application programming interface and recording communications between users of the system. Messages may then be routed to an appropriate user. Employed is a dual-tone multi-frequency signaling system and setting a sample rate using a global parameter, sample rate and a frame size. The system and method have ability to leave a message mid-call based on the dual-tone multi-frequency signaling wherein the system leaves a generic message while the user is navigated to leave an actual voice message all in a “in-call” process that is transparent to the user.

Today, physicians, patients, and/or nurses have to deal with phone tag, missed calls and lost voicemails in their day to day communications. Considering the busy schedules of medical professionals and their patients, such phone tag and lost communication is almost unavoidable. In addition, medical professionals face unique problems related to a temporal urgency regarding the personal and private nature of health care related communications. Communications between physicians and patients is highly urgent and needs to be timely conveyed for optimum care. In addition, physicians face problems related to liability, urgency, and privacy in dealing with their communications with other physicians, medical professionals and patients. There is also an emotional aspect to such communications as it deals with sensitive and personal health care matters and as such needs to be tightly controlled and disseminated in a proper manner. Physicians also have to deal with liability issues related to their communications and their exposure to malpractice is often dependent on prompt and careful dissemination of important, time sensitive and private health care information.
Present day messaging systems in the medical space involve a physician navigating to his or her voicemail, another physician's voicemail system or directly contacting or having a nurse call a patient via telephone. A message for a physician may sit on a voicemail system until it is retrieved by the physician and/or his or her nurse. In addition, a physician or patient might not know if a particular message has been listened to. In order to listen to the message, the physician and/or user may have to call back into the messaging system. The current invention is active throughout the complete cycle of the messaging process. It specifically addresses the problems with phone tag, busy lines, and lost voicemails and makes left messages more productive and traceable.
The current invention turns day to day phone tag, busy lines, and lost voicemails into productive communications where messages are archived and maintained for easy retrieval. Current messaging and archival systems only work for users who are using the same messaging system. The present invention is agnostic to the type of end user. It accommodates both subscribed and unsubscribed users. Other systems are generally stand alone and do not allow integration into existing workflows. This invention extends several APIs (Application Programming Interface) which allows a user to add in Call Bridging, Call Conferencing and/or Call Surveys into any programming platform. In addition, these APIs may be all WSDL (Web Services Description Language) compliant.

Patient communication and monitoring method and system


The present invention provides a liquid crystal display device capable of reducing the number of steps and material costs and a method of producing the liquid crystal display device. A liquid crystal display device (100) of the present invention includes a liquid crystal display panel (105); and a touch panel (106). Out of the liquid crystal display panel (105) and the touch panel (106), one panel serves as a reference for alignment between the liquid crystal display panel (105) and the touch panel (106) and the other panel is aligned with the one panel. The other panel is provided with a second alignment mark that is aligned with a first alignment mark of the one panel. The second alignment mark is constituted by a transparent member.

In recent years, there have been provided high-performance liquid crystal display devices, each of which includes a liquid crystal display panel to which a touch panel function is imparted in addition to an information displaying function so as to improve convenience for users (for example, refer to Patent Literature 1).
A specific example of such liquid crystal display devices is the one including (i) a liquid crystal display panel serving as a display section in which information including characters and images is displayed and (ii) a touch panel assembled to a display surface or to a surface opposite to the display surface of the liquid crystal display panel.
Because of its information displaying function achieved by the liquid crystal display panel and its another function of receiving input via the touch panel, such a liquid crystal display device is capable of providing users with various services such as displaying of information corresponding to input of instructions by the uses.
Specifically, the liquid crystal display device is configured such that (i) the liquid crystal display device displays an input screen on the display surface of its liquid crystal display panel and (ii) the touch panel detects an input operation carried out by a user with respect to the input screen. The liquid crystal display device is arranged such that user's desired information can be displayed by changing, according to the result of detection by the touch panel, the input screen displayed on the display surface to a screen showing information that the user instructed via the input screen.
Meanwhile, a high-value-added liquid crystal display device, which includes an in-cell capacitive touch panel (multi-touch) in a liquid crystal display panel, is highly likely to be produced, and is expected to be able to significantly reduce the number of steps and material costs as compared to a conventional liquid crystal display device having a touch panel function. The following description discusses such a liquid crystal display device.
FIG. 11 is a view schematically illustrating a configuration of the aforementioned liquid crystal display device. As illustrated in FIG. 11, this liquid crystal display device 500 includes a liquid crystal display panel 505 and a touch panel 506. The liquid crystal display panel 505 is constituted by a TFT substrate 501, a color filter substrate 502 and a glass substrate 503. The touch panel 506 is constituted by the glass substrate 503 and a protection film 504.
As illustrated in FIG. 11, the liquid crystal display device 500 is configured such that the liquid crystal display panel 505 and the touch panel 506 are arranged in this order. As described earlier, the touch panel 506 is an in-cell touch panel included in the liquid crystal display panel 505.
According to this configuration, alignment is required between an existing pattern on the color filter substrate 502, which existing pattern is positioned on the back surface-side of the glass substrate 503, and a design pattern under the protection film 504, which design pattern is positioned on the front surface-side of the glass substrate 503. This is to optimally set the relative position of the patterns. The following description discusses such alignment.
FIG. 12 is a view for describing alignment between the back surface-side and the front surface-side of the glass substrate 503. As illustrated in FIG. 12, an alignment mark 51 is provided on the color filter substrate 502. The alignment mark 51 is in the shape of a cross when viewed from above (refer to I in FIG. 12).
A design pattern on the glass substrate 503 is aligned with the alignment mark 51 which serves as a reference.
On the glass substrate 503, a design pattern optimally positioned relative to the alignment mark 51 is formed. The design pattern includes an alignment mark 52. The alignment mark 52 is also in the shape of a cross when viewed from above (refer to J in FIG. 12).
Such alignment marks 51 and 52 can be formed for example in the following manner. FIG. 13 is a view for describing the steps of forming the alignment marks 51 and 52.
First, as illustrated in (a) of FIG. 13, a metal film 52b is stacked on the glass substrate 503. The metal film 52b is stacked on the entire surface of the glass substrate 503.
Next, as illustrated in (b) of FIG. 13, a resist pattern 53 is formed on the metal film 52b. The resist pattern 53 is a pattern for removing the metal film 52b which is stacked above an alignment region where a plurality of alignment marks 51 are provided on the color filter substrate 502. Note that a design pattern of the resist pattern 53 is not aligned with the alignment mark 51 which serves as a reference.
Next, as illustrated in (c) of FIG. 13, the metal film 52b is removed according to the resist pattern 53. That is, the metal film 52b above the alignment region of the color filter substrate 502 is removed. After the metal film 52b is removed in this manner, the resist pattern 53 is removed.
Next, as illustrated in (d) of FIG. 13, a resist pattern 54 is formed on a remaining metal film 52b. The resist pattern 54 is a pattern for forming the alignment mark 52. A design pattern of the resist pattern 54 is aligned with the alignment mark 51 which serves as a reference.
Next, as illustrated in (e) of FIG. 13, the metal film 52b is removed according to the resist pattern 54. That is, the alignment mark 52 is formed on the glass substrate 503.
Next, as illustrated in (f) of FIG. 13, after the metal film 52b is removed, the resist pattern 54 is removed.
Lastly, as illustrated in (g) of FIG. 13, the protection film 504 is stacked on the glass substrate 503 and the alignment mark 52.
Alternatively, the alignment marks 51 and 52 as shown in FIGS. 11 and 12 can be formed in the following manner. FIG. 14 is a view for describing the steps of forming the alignment marks 51 and 52.
First, as illustrated in (a) of FIG. 14, a metal film 52b is stacked on the glass substrate 503. The metal film 52b is stacked under the condition where a stack prevention mask 55 is provided above the alignment region of the color filter substrate 502 so that no metal film 52b is stacked above the alignment region. Since the alignment region of the color filter substrate 502 is hidden behind the stack prevention mask 55 when viewed from above, no metal film 52b is stacked above the alignment region.
Next, as illustrated in (b) of FIG. 14, after the metal film 52b is stacked, the stack prevention mask 55 is removed.
Next, as illustrated in (c) of FIG. 14, a resist pattern 54 is formed on the metal film 52b. The resist pattern 54 is a pattern for forming the alignment mark 52. A design pattern of the resist pattern 54 is aligned with the alignment mark 51 which serves as a reference.
Next, as illustrated in (d) of FIG. 14, the metal film 52b is removed according to the resist pattern 54. That is, the alignment mark 52 is formed on the glass substrate 503.
Next, as illustrated in (e) of FIG. 14, after the metal film 52b is removed, the resist pattern 54 is removed.
Lastly, as illustrated in (f) of FIG. 14, the protection film 504 is stacked on the glass substrate 503 and the alignment mark 52.
Further, there is another kind of the aforementioned liquid crystal display device as below. FIG. 15 is a view schematically illustrating another configuration of the aforementioned liquid crystal display device. As illustrated in FIG. 15, this liquid crystal display device 600 includes a touch panel 605 and a liquid crystal display panel 606. The touch panel 605 is constituted by a protection film 601 and a glass substrate 602. The liquid crystal display panel 606 is constituted by the glass substrate 602, a color filter substrate 603 and a TFT substrate 604.
As illustrated in FIG. 15, the liquid crystal display device 600 is configured such that the touch panel 605 and the liquid crystal display panel 606 are arranged in this order. As described earlier, the touch panel 605 is an in-cell touch panel included in the liquid crystal display panel 606.
According to this configuration, alignment is required between an existing pattern on the protection film 601, which existing pattern is positioned on the back surface-side of the glass substrate 602, and a design pattern under the color filter substrate 603, which design pattern is positioned on the front surface-side of the glass substrate 602. This is to optimally set the relative position of the patterns. The following description discusses the alignment.
FIG. 16 is a view for describing alignment between the back surface-side and the front surface-side of the glass substrate 602. As illustrated in FIG. 16, an alignment mark 61 is provided on the protection film 601. The alignment mark 61 is in the shape of a cross when viewed from above (refer to K in FIG. 16).
A design pattern on the glass substrate 602 is aligned with the alignment mark 61 which serves as a reference.
On the glass substrate 602, a design pattern optimally positioned relative to the alignment mark 61 is formed. The design pattern includes an alignment mark 62. The alignment mark 62 is also in the shape of a cross when viewed from above (refer to L in FIG. 16).
Such alignment marks 61 and 62 can be formed for example in the following manner. FIG. 17 is a view for describing the steps of forming the alignment marks 61 and 62.
First, as illustrated in (a) of FIG. 17, a metal film 62b is stacked on the glass substrate 602. The metal film 62b is stacked on the entire surface of the glass substrate 602.
Next, as illustrated in (b) of FIG. 17, a resist pattern 63 is formed on the metal film 62b. The resist pattern 63 is a pattern for removing the metal film 62b which is stacked above an alignment region where a plurality of alignment marks 61 are provided on the protection film 601. Note that a design pattern of the resist pattern 63 is not aligned with the alignment mark 61 which serves as a reference.
Next, as illustrated in (c) of FIG. 17, the metal film 62b is removed according to the resist pattern 63. That is, the metal film 62b above the alignment region of the protection film 601 is removed. After the metal film 62b is removed in this manner, the resist pattern 63 is removed.
Next, as illustrated in (d) of FIG. 17, a resist pattern 64 is formed on a remaining metal film 62b. The resist pattern 64 is a pattern for forming the alignment mark 62. A design pattern of the resist pattern 64 is aligned with the alignment mark 61 which serves as a reference.
Next, as illustrated in (e) of FIG. 17, the metal film 62b is removed according to the resist pattern 64. That is, the alignment mark 62 is formed on the glass substrate 602.
Next, as illustrated in (f) of FIG. 17, after the metal film 62b is removed, the resist pattern 64 is removed.
Lastly, as illustrated in (g) of FIG. 17, the color filter substrate 603 is formed on the glass substrate 602 and the alignment mark 62.
Alternatively, the alignment marks 61 and 62 as shown in FIGS. 15 and 16 can be formed in the following manner. FIG. 18 is a view for describing the steps of forming the alignment marks 61 and 62.
First, as illustrated in (a) of FIG. 18, a metal film 62b is stacked on the glass substrate 602. The metal film 62b is stacked under the condition where a stack prevention mask 65 is provided above the alignment region of the protection film 601 so that no metal film 62b is stacked above the alignment region. Since the alignment region of the protection film 601 is hidden behind the stack prevention mask 65 when viewed from above, no metal film 62b is stacked above the alignment region.
Next, as illustrated in (b) of FIG. 18, after the metal film 62b is stacked, the stack prevention mask 65 is removed.
Next, as illustrated in (c) of FIG. 18, a resist pattern 64 is formed on the metal film 62b. The resist pattern 64 is a pattern for forming the alignment mark 62. A design pattern of the resist pattern 64 is aligned with the alignment mark 61 which serves as a reference.
Next, as illustrated in (d) of FIG. 18, the metal film 62b is removed according to the resist pattern 64. That is, the alignment mark 62 is formed on the glass substrate 602.
Next, as illustrated in (e) of FIG. 18, after the metal film 62b is removed, the resist pattern 64 is removed.
Lastly, as illustrated in (f) of FIG. 18, the color filter substrate 603 is formed on the glass substrate 602 and the alignment mark 62.

Liquid crystal display device and method for manufacturing same


According to one embodiment, a recoil pad includes a base member configured to be mounted to a buttstock of a gun, and an amorphous material configured to be shaped into at least a portion of a cushion member. The amorphous material has a first surface configured to be physically coupled to the base member, and a second surface that is configured to be shaped around a portion of a shoulder of a user such that the second surface has a shoulder facing contour that matches a contour of the portion of the shoulder.

Clay pigeon shooting, also known as clay target shooting, and formally known as Inanimate Bird Shooting, is the art of shooting a firearm at a type of flying targets commonly known as clay pigeons (e.g., clay targets). In this competitive genre of sport, clay pigeon shooters shoot at the clay pigeons that have been thrown from mechanisms commonly referred to as traps. Clay pigeon shooting may have over twenty different forms of regulated competition called disciplines, although most can be grouped under the main headings of trap, skeet, and sporting clays.

Clay pigeon shooting system and method of using the same


A near-field scanning optical microscope is constructed so that a probe is placed close to a surface of a specimen and while the surface of the specimen is scanned with the probe, a region proximate to the surface of the specimen is measured with light. The microscope includes a mechanism for vibrating the probe in a direction nearly perpendicular to the surface of the specimen on scanning; a mechanism for detecting a distance between the surface of the specimen and the probe; and a mechanism for storing signals detected by scanning operation in the direction nearly perpendicular to the surface of the specimen as at least two measured data strings formed in accordance with a sampling table. In this way, the three-dimensional data on the surface of the specimen are acquired.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a near-field scanning optical microscope in which a probe is placed closed to the surface of a specimen and while the surface of the specimen is scanned with the probe, a region proximate to the surface of the specimen is measured with light.
2. Description of Related Art
A near-field scanning optical microscope (which is hereinafter abbreviated to NSOM), in contrast with an optical microscope whose resolving power is restricted by a diffraction limit, is designed so that a probe whose aperture or radius of curvature of the tip is smaller than the wavelength of light used for measurement is placed close to the surface of a specimen, which is scanned with the probe to measure optical properties in a minute area of the specimen. This NSOM is such that, for example, in an aperture probe, if the aperture diameter of its tip is 50 nm, the resolving power corresponds to about 50 nm, while in a scattering probe, the resolving power corresponds to the order of the radius of curvature of the probe tip (several tens of nanometers). In this way, the NSOM brings about the resolving power corresponding to the size of the outside diameter of the probe tip (several tens of nanometers). Thus, the application of the NSOM to the field of industry or medicine is particularly expected.
NSOMs are available in a variety of structural types. For example, in view of techniques of acquiring optical information, there are structures in which illumination light is rendered incident on the back surface of the specimen so that evanescent light produced above the front surface (which is hereinafter referred to simply as the surface) of the specimen is introduced through the probe; those in which illumination light is rendered incident on the surface of the specimen so that scattered light produced from the specimen is introduced into the probe with a minute aperture; and those in which illumination light is emitted from the probe with a minute aperture toward the specimen so that transmitted light or scattered light of the specimen is introduced.
The measurement of a distance between the surface of the specimen and the probe where a region proximate to the surface of the specimen is scanned, involves the use of a technique of utilizing intensity attenuation characteristics of evanescent light in a traveling direction of the evanescent light and a perpendicular direction to detect the evanescent light produced on the surface side of the specimen by rendering illumination light incident on the back surface of the specimen, or a technique of utilizing an atomic force microscope (AFM) to detect the displacement of the probe caused by a force exerted between the specimen and the probe.
In each of the NSOMs having the mechanisms mentioned above, the distance between the surface of the specimen and the probe, the position of the probe, or the intensity of light detected is held constant, and at the same time, the region proximate to the surface of the specimen is scanned. In this way, the NSOM is capable of measuring the surface profile of the specimen and a difference in an optical constant (absorptance, refractive index, etc.) to an order that cannot be done with an ordinary optical microscope.
For the measurement of a device, which diminishes in size, utilizing light (for example, an integrated optical device, such as a photoswitch, which has been considerably studied in recent years or a device having an angular component parameter such as a directivity pattern of radiation intensity of a minute emitting element), three-dimensional information on the surface of the device is required. A conventional NSOM, however, is capable of measuring nothing but a two-dimensional plane nearly parallel to the surface of the specimen in the region proximate to the specimen. Thus, for such a specimen in which the conventional NSOM is required to measure the three-dimensional information it becomes necessary for the position of the probe for scanning be shifted to make measurements many times and often. Moreover, the results of individual measurements must be synthesized for interpretation.
As mentioned above, whenever the position of the probe is shifted, the measurement must be done, and thus the conventional apparatus encounters the problem that unnecessary time is required for measurement. Furthermore, where for measurements such a material that properties of the specimen, including its profile, change with time (namely, the profile is always unstable), there is the drawback that the relation between data derived from individual measurements ceases to be maintainable.


Fluorescence imaging based on stimulated emission. In one example a system includes an excitation source (110) that excites fluorescent markers (122) in a sample (120) with an excitation beam (112), a stimulation source (130) that stimulates the excited fluorescent markers (122) to produce stimulated emission (124), and an objective lens (150) that receives the stimulation beam (132) and the stimulated emission (124). The system further includes a phase shifting and attenuation apparatus (200) configured to receive the stimulation beam (132) and the stimulated emission (124) from the objective lens (150), to attenuate the stimulation beam (132), and to induce a relative phase shift between a reference beam (optionally being at least a portion of the stimulation beam) and the stimulated emission, thereby causing constructive interference between the reference beam and the stimulated emission. The system further includes an optical apparatus (300) configured to focus the stimulated emission onto an image plane, and a detector (140) positioned at the image plane and configured to image the stimulated emission.

A fluorescence microscope is an optical microscope that uses fluorescence (or phosphorescence) instead of, or in addition to, reflection and absorption to study properties of organic or inorganic substances. For example, fluorescence microscopy is an invaluable tool for biologists that provides high-resolution, high-speed, protein-specific imaging in living cells, tissues, and animals. Fluorescence microscopy uses markers (also referred to as fluorophores) which absorb light and spontaneously re-emit that light at a different wavelength. In particular, a specimen to be imaged is illuminated with light of a specific wavelength (or wavelengths) which is absorbed by the fluorophores, causing them to enter an excited electronic state. Spontaneous emission is the process by which the fluorophores in the excited state relax to the ground state through radiation (emission) of fluorescent light of longer wavelengths (i.e., of a different color) than the absorbed light. The illumination light is separated from the much weaker emitted fluorescence through the use of a spectral filter. The nanosecond-scale lag between absorption and spontaneous emission limits how much light a fluorescent marker emits per second, which fundamentally limits the signal level ("brightness") and measurement speed. For example, seeing individual steps of a RNA polymerase as it moves along a DNA strand requires a marker that emits thousands of photons per millisecond, much more than typical fluorescent proteins can produce through spontaneous emission.
Spontaneous emission is not the only way for an excited fluorescent marker to emit light after absorption. If an excited marker is illuminated with light having an appropriate wavelength range (color), it can also be "stimulated" to emit. Since the rate of stimulated emission can be much faster than spontaneous emission, stimulated emission can be several orders of magnitude brighter than spontaneous emission. This offers an exciting possibility for improving fluorescent marker brightness. However, stimulated emission is difficult to distinguish from the stimulating light. Unlike the illumination light that induces spontaneous emission, which can be easily filtered because it is of a different color than the emitted light, the stimulating light is the same color, the same phase, the same polarization, as the stimulated emission, and, in bulk materials, propagates in the same direction. Noise and background from the stimulating beam is therefore difficult to reject, which negates the advantage of stimulated emission for increasing marker brightness.

Fluorescence microscopy system and methods based on stimulated emission


A system enhances a system design to incorporate safety measures. The system receives a system design for processing through various stages of design using design tools, for example electronic design automation tools for introducing safety features in a circuit design. The system receives safety requirements for the system design, the safety requirements specifying safety measures for the system design. The system generates from the safety requirements, a safety specification storing a set of commands. The system generates a system design enhanced with safety measures. The enhanced system design it generated for at least a subset of the plurality of tools. A tool processes the generated safety specification to implement safety measures in the system design according to the received safety requirements.

In a design flow for a system, a user analyzes possible failures, for example, safety hazards, and mitigates them through safety measures added to the design. Examples of such design flow include automotive design flow. The safety measures are noted and tracked in safety requirement management tools. This process requires the user to manually add the safety measures to the design and ensure that they are implemented and verified properly through the design cycle. Typically, in a design cycles, several design tools may be used. For example, in the design cycle of a circuit, several electronic design automation tools may be used including verification tools, synthesis and place and route tools, fault simulators, and so on. Implementing the safety measures consistently across such wide variety of tools is a tedious and error-prone process. If safety measures are not implemented properly, or missed altogether, the resulting loss of diagnostic coverage may be identified much later in the design cycle or may be missed completely. This results in significant waste of effort since several design processes may have to be repeated with a corrected design. Alternatively, if the inconsistency in implementation of safety measures is missed entirely, the resulting product may have a faulty design.

Implementing and verifying safety measures in a system design based on safety specification generated from safety requirements


A system to apply mainly phytosanitary products that use the principle of electrostatic attraction. A high static charge is imprinted on the microdrops in the nozzle with high flows of water using a simple industrial design and very low probabilities of failure. The system is very stable and reliable. An active water provider capillary tube is optionally used in the nozzles (as opposed to a fixed one), which results in a more efficient use of the air to micronize drops. The nozzles can be fixed or dirigible nozzles. A chemical product doser system is optionally used with injection in the nozzle itself.

Since long time ago, agricultural producers have looked for technical options to improve the application of phytosanitary products. The main difficulty has been to achieve efficiency, in order for the applied product to reach its target and fully cover it. The achievement of such efficiency directly affects the quality of fruits or crops as well as the production costs and, therefore, the expected profitability of such production.
The electrostatic concept consists of the application of an aqueous solution, which drop is micronized and turned into soft mist. This microdrop is driven by a very efficient carrier that is the air, which micronizes the drop that receives a strong positive electric charge upon getting out from the nozzle, fact that generates the polarity change of the solution since, due to the repulsion of charges, positive charges of the solution are repelled back, allowing only microdrops with negative charge to pass. At the same time, the cloud with negative drops creates a temporary unbalance of charges on the target of the application because its negative charges are repulsed and go to earth, leaving the target with momentary positive charge. In this way and due to the attraction of charges the negative microdrops are strongly attracted by the target, which is fully embraced and covered with this mist. This application technology manages to make the plant attract the products in the same manner as a magnet attracts pieces of metals. The microdrops are stuck to the target attracted by charge differences, thus reducing the losses due to leakage and deviation caused by the wind, which, in turn, results in an extraordinary cover and in a superior effect of the applied products. This permits a significant reduction in the quantity of chemical products to be applied per hectare due to the efficiency achieved and, therefore, it implies a strong reduction of the negative impact on the environment resulting from the use of pesticides. To sum up, the producer grows better and stronger fruit with better color, at lower costs and generating minimum damages to the environment.
In the case of the application with electrostatic effects, there is a drop micronization to sizes that are 800 to 1000 times smaller than the average of drops in a traditional application. The fact that each drop has the same static charge implies that the drops travel towards the target without getting together (equal charges repel each other) looking for a place to settle in an extremely uniform way. Only after attaching to the positive charge plant's surface, they lose their charge and get stuck to the plant without leaking. The electrostatic application coats the surface through a thin layer of microdrops well distributed on both sides of the leaves as opposed to conventional applications with variable drop size which get uneven coating of the plant, and surfaces that not face the application do not receive the product.
This technology has been used to carry out different activities for several decades. It has been widely used in painting, especially in the automotive industry where an extremely uniform layer is applied to print a distinctive touch on their valuable products. A few decades ago, the agricultural industry adopted this technology for spraying, which meant a great contribution. With these devices an excellent "enveloping effect" is obtained, which means that the sprayed product wraps and covers 100% of the plant. Each application of agrochemical product will cover the whole surface of the leaves, branches and fruits.
The electrostatic technology used in the agricultural industry revolutionizes the concepts of phytosanitary handling of orchards and crops, obtaining efficiencies in covering the foliage and in the deposit of products (meaning by deposit the amount of product left on the plant), that can only be reached through the use of this technology, which may increase up to five times the efficiency reached with conventional applications.
However, in spite of its important advantages, the electrostatic technology had been efficiently used only on a small portion of worldwide crops, because the volumes of water that had managed to use are significantly lower than the volumes required by most of them.
The low volume of water used by pre-existing electrostatic technology results from the fact that the technology used was adapted from technology used in other industries and not obtained due to the development of new technologies specifically made for the agricultural industry.
We can point out that currently the existing electrostatic technology has the following defects that are really important: it delivers a low electrostatic charge; therefore, low flows must be used in each nozzle. This means that in order to acceptably wet the surface it must be applied at slow speed. Lower charge means also lower electrostatic attraction. The issues mentioned above make the capacity of these devices to be insufficient to supply what is required by a great number of crops.
What was mentioned above results from the fact that up to this date there was no technology that could adequately charge high volumes of water. Such defect can be cured by the technology described herein.
This technology may be used in any kind of crops. From fruit orchards to important crops such as wheat, maize, field marigold and other crops that currently have not been handled efficiently with the new technologies.
There are many patents related to the use of the electrostatic technology for agricultural purposes but none of them refers to any invent with the characteristics and purposes of the equipment subject matter of this innovation. Some of such patents are the following:    U.S. Pat. No. 4,470,550—Electrostatic spraying process and apparatus—Sep. 11, 1984    U.S. Pat. No. 4,579,279—Electrostatic sprayers—Apr. 1, 1986    U.S. Pat. No. 6,354,522—Electrostatic sprayer—Mar. 12, 2002    U.S. Pat. No. 6,311,903—Hand-held electrostatic sprayer apparatus—Nov. 6, 2001    U.S. Pat. No. 4,579,279—Electrostatic sprayers—Apr. 1, 1986    U.S. Pat. No. 4,586,657—Malfunction detector for electrostatic spraying apparatus—May 6, 1986    U.S. Pat. No. 5,631,802—Control ring for input spray in electrostatic spray system—May 20, 1997    U.S. Pat. No. 7,360,724—Electrostatic spray nozzle with internal and external electrodes—Apr. 22, 2008    U.S. Pat. No. 6,138,922—Electrostatic spray module—Oct. 31, 2000    U.S. Pat. No. 6,682,004—Electrostatic spray device—Jan. 27, 2004    U.S. Pat. No. 7,150,412—Method and apparatus for electrostatic spray—Dec. 19, 2006    U.S. Pat. No. 4,398,672—Electrostatic spraying—Aug. 16, 1983    U.S. Pat. No. 5,314,123—Electrostatic spraying—May 24, 1994    U.S. Pat. No. 7,059,543—Liquid sprayers—Jun. 13, 2006    U.S. Pat. No. 5,172,861—Agricultural sprayer—Dec. 22, 1992    U.S. Pat. No. 4,613,075—Electrostatic spraying—Sep. 23, 1986    U.S. Pat. No. 4,664,315—Electrostatic spray nozzle—May 12, 1987    U.S. Pat. No. 5,485,956—Agricultural sprayer—Jan. 23, 1996
Likewise, in Chile there is only one patent related to the use of electrostatic applications in agriculture, but unlike our equipment, it is a device to specifically treat harvested fruit, this corresponds to the Request: 00055-2004, submitted on Jan. 15, 2004 and published in the Official Gazette on Dec. 24, 2004.

System to apply mainly phytosanitary products that use the principle of electrostatic attraction


There is disclosed block and graft copolymers, and hydrogels thereof, which, in one embodiment, contain both a temperature-sensitive polymer component and a pH-sensitive polymer component, and the use of such copolymers for topical drug delivery to a treatment area. The block and graft copolymers may be physically mixed with one or more drugs (or with other polymers) to form a copolymer-drug mixture. These mixtures may be applied as solid particles suspended in a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, or as a liquid which gels upon contact with the treatment area. Upon contact with the treatment area, the pH-sensitive polymer component hydrates and swells, thereby causing release of the drug from the mixture. In addition, such hydration and swelling causes the pH-sensitive polymer component to adhere to the tissue of the treatment area, thus prolonging contact time. The temperature-sensitive polymer component resists hydration and swelling of the mixture, thereby imparting a sustained and controlled release of the drug to the treatment area. In another embodiment of this invention, block and graft copolymers, and hydrogels thereof, are disclosed having broad industrial applicability.

This invention relates generally to block and graft copolymers, and more specifically, to block and graft copolymers which are effective in drug delivery, including copolymer-drug mixtures for the delivery and controlled release of a drug by topical application.
The effective and efficient delivery of a therapeutic drug to a patient is a goal of pharmaceutical science. Targeted drug delivery, such as topical application of a therapeutic drug to a site of action, has many advantages over systemic drug delivery. Typically, adverse side effects associated with systemic delivery may be greatly reduced when a therapeutic drug is delivered locally to the site of action by topical administration. Therapeutic drugs which are systemically administrated are dispersed relatively non-selectively throughout the patient""s body and metabolized, thus reducing their therapeutic effectiveness with respect to dosage, as well as increasing the likelihood of adverse reaction. In contrast, an effective dosage of a topically administrated therapeutic drug is often significantly less than that required through systemic administration. The diminution of dosage accompanying topical administration reduces the possibility of adverse reaction to the drug. In addition, drug metabolism of topically administered therapeutics is also minimized, thereby increasing their effectiveness.
While advantageous to systemic delivery, topical administration of a therapeutic drug is far from ideal. Perhaps the greatest single drawback to topical drug administration is the actual delivery of the therapeutic drug to the tissue to be treated. The absorption of the therapeutic drug by the tissue is often a slow process, and therefore requires a relatively long contact time between the tissue and the topical formulation containing the therapeutic drug. For example, topical administration of solutions of therapeutic drugs can be rather problematic. The use of viscous solutions, gels, ointments, lotions, patches, and inserts containing therapeutic drugs is a routine alternative to the administration of therapeutics in solution. These alternative formulations serve to enhance the contact time between the therapeutic drug and the tissue to be treated, thereby increasing the effectiveness of the topical treatment.
Ophthalmic drug delivery presents unique problems. Traditionally, eyedrops are the preferred mode of topical delivery of therapeutic drugs to the eye. Indeed, solutions of therapeutic drugs are routinely administered by this technique. However, it is well known that a major loss of drugs administered to the eye is via the lacrimal drainage system. This drainage is so effective that only a small fraction of the therapeutic drug remains in contact with the eye for any extended period of time. Consequently, topical delivery of therapeutic drugs to the eye via an eyedrop solution is relatively ineffective and requires repetitive treatments. The usual alternatives to the administration of solutions, such as the use of ointments and lotions to prolong tissue contact, are not particularly suitable for drug administration to the eye. Ointments and lotions are physically difficult to administer to the eye, and drug dosage is therefore difficult to control. The use of solid inserts has also been utilized to deliver therapeutic drugs to the eye. While this technique does assure a slow, effective release of the drug, patients often experience difficulty in placing and removing the insert into the cul-de-sac of the eye.
An alternative approach to ophthalmic drug delivery is the use of therapeutic drug formulations which are liquids at room temperature and which are transformed into gels upon warming through contact with tissue. These formulations, deliverable to the eye as liquid drops, may be readily dispensed and their dosage controlled. More significantly, once the liquid formulation is transformed into a gel on the surface of the eye, drainage of the therapeutic drug is retarded and its residence time on the eye is prolonged. The gelling of these formulations is attributable to polymer components which undergo solution-to-gel transitions in response to relatively small changes in environmental conditions (also called xe2x80x9ctriggersxe2x80x9d), such as temperature or pH. Polymers which undergo solution-to-gel transition upon changes in temperature are often referred to as xe2x80x9cthermally gelling polymersxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9ctemperature-sensitive polymers.xe2x80x9d Similarly, polymers which undergo solution-to-gel transition as a result of a change in pH are generally referred to as xe2x80x9cpH-sensitive polymers.xe2x80x9d
Temperature-sensitive polymers which form gels upon warming undergo a solution-to-gel transition at their lower critical solution temperature (xe2x80x9cLCSTxe2x80x9d), also referred to as the xe2x80x9ccloud point.xe2x80x9d The formation of the gel is believed to result from the gathering of portions of the temperature-sensitive polymers into hydrophobic micro-domains which are maintained in the aqueous gel phase by the hydrophilic portion of the polymer. Such temperature-sensitive polymers, although water soluble at low temperature, generally possess some hydrophobic character. The polymer""s hydrophobic character is imparted by part of the monomer or repeat unit from which the polymer is derived. For example, poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (xe2x80x9cNIPAAmxe2x80x9d) is well known to change its structure in response to temperature in aqueous solutions (see, e.g., Heskins et al., J. Macromol. Sci. Chem. A2, 1441-45, 1968). At temperatures below the LCST of NIPAAm (i.e., 32xc2x0 C.), polymer chains of NIPAAm hydrate to form an expanded structure, while at temperatures above the LCST the chains form a compact structure which excludes water. Thus, gel formation is due to the association of the relatively hydrophobic isopropyl groups of the NIPAAm polymer.
Temperature-sensitive polymers have been employed as vehicles for ophthalmic drug delivery. For example, block copolymers of ethylene oxide and propylene oxide have been disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,188,373 for this purpose. However, in this system, the concentration of the polymer must be adjusted to provide the desired solution-to-gel transition temperature. The drawback to this system is that in order to achieve a solution-to-gel temperature suitable for gelling at body temperature, the polymer must be present at a relatively low concentration. Thus, the ability to obtain a gel with the desired properties is limited by the desired physiologically useful temperature range. The necessity for a low polymer concentration, in turn, limits the amount of drug that may be administered by such a polymer system.
Polymers which are sensitive to changes in pH, such as polyacrylic acid (xe2x80x9cpolyAAcxe2x80x9d), have also been utilized to form gels in situ, including use as vehicles in ophthalmic compositions. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,888,168 discloses a composition containing the homopolymer polyAAc, and gel formation occurs upon the subsequent addition of an acidic component. Gel formation results in this case by an increase in viscosity associated with the protonation of the carboxylic acid groups at low pH. In water at neutral pH, the carboxy groups of polyAAc are ionized and the polymer is a liquid-in-water solution. Lowering the pH to 4.3-4.5 by the addition of an acid, such as citric acid, results in gel formation due to formation of H-bonded crosslinks between xe2x80x94COOH groups. An undesirable limitation of this system for use as an ophthalmic drug delivery vehicle is that gel formation requires sequential addition of two solutions (i.e., a first polyAAc solution and a second acid solution). In addition, the pH of such an acid solution is undesirable to the eye.
Due to the drawbacks of existing temperature-sensitive and pH-sensitive polymers to provide suitable vehicles for topical drug delivery, researchers have studied random copolymers containing these components for use as a vehicle for topical drug delivery. Such random copolymers, however, have not proved suitable for physiological application. In particular, random copolymers of temperature-sensitive and pH-sensitive monomers quickly lose their temperature sensitivity upon increasing the content or ratio of the pH-sensitive monomers relative to the temperature-sensitive monomers. Thus, by employing a ratio of the pH-sensitive component sufficient to impart pH sensitivity to the random copolymer, such a ratio destroys the temperature sensitivity sought by incorporation of the temperature-sensitive components. In addition, cross-linking such random copolymers to form a hydrogel does not alleviate the problem. For example, cross-linked hydrogels of a random copolymer of acrylic acid (xe2x80x9cAAcxe2x80x9d) and NIPAAm, when used as a vehicle for drug delivery, releases the drug at a more rapid rate as the AAc content of the random copolymer is increased (Dong and Hoffman, J. Controlled Release 15:141-152, 1991).
Similarly, attempts have been made to employ aqueous solutions containing a mixture of temperature-sensitive and pH-sensitive polymers for ophthalmic drug delivery. Such mixtures, however, have also been met with only limited success. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,252,318 is directed to physical mixtures of temperature-sensitive and pH-sensitive reversibly gelling polymers. At physiological temperature and in buffered saline, such physical mixtures, when used for drug delivery, tend to separate as the temperature-sensitive polymer precipitates and the pH-sensitive polymer ionizes. Thus, such polymer mixtures are largely ineffective due to loss of drug through drainage from the eye.
Despite the advantages associated with the use of gel-forming polymers as vehicles for topical ophthalmic drug delivery, limitations to their utility persist. As mentioned above, these formulations are delivered as solutions and are thus susceptible to drainage from the eye before gel formation can be effected. Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a simple, dosage reliable, topically administrable composition which provides for delivery of a therapeutically effective amount of a drug which does not suffer rapid drainage from the treatment area. In addition, there is a need in the art for methods relating to the use of such compositions for topical drug delivery. The present invention fulfills these needs, and provides further related advantages.
In brief, environmentally-sensitive block and graft copolymers are disclosed. The environmentally-sensitive copolymers of this invention respond to environmental changes in, for example, temperature, pH, pressure, light, solvent or solvent concentration and ions or ionic strength. Accordingly, the environmentally-sensitive polymers of this invention include pH-sensitive, temperature-sensitive, pressure-sensitive, photo-sensitive, solvent-sensitive, solvent concentration-sensitive, ion-sensitive and ionic strength-sensitive polymer components. Such copolymers are particularly useful as vehicles for the controlled release of therapeutic drugs. In one embodiment, this invention is directed to graft copolymers comprising a backbone pH-sensitive polymer component with a pendant temperature-sensitive polymer component grafted thereto, or a backbone temperature-sensitive polymer component with a pendant pH-sensitive polymer component grafted thereto. In either case, the graft copolymers may have a lower solution critical temperature (xe2x80x9cLCSTxe2x80x9d), a melting temperature or glass transition temperature (collectively referred to herein as xe2x80x9ca critical temperaturexe2x80x9d) ranging from 20xc2x0 C. to 40xc2x0 C. at physiological pH.
In a related embodiment, there is disclosed block copolymers comprising a pH-sensitive polymer component and a temperature-sensitive polymer component joined thereto. As with the graft copolymers, the block copolymers of this invention may also have a critical temperature ranging from 20xc2x0 C. to 40xc2x0 C. at physiological pH.
The pH-sensitive polymer component of the block and graft copolymers preferably comprises a polymer which has bioadhesive properties, such as a carboxylic acid-containing polymer component derived from polymerizable carboxylic acids (such as acrylic acid and methacrylic acid), and preferably are either homopolymers or copolymers containing only a limited quantity of comonomer. The temperature-sensitive polymer component preferably has critical temperature ranging from 20xc2x0 C. to 40xc2x0 C. at physiological pH, and may be a homopolymer or a random or block copolymer. The pH-sensitive or temperature-sensitive polymer components may also be lightly cross-linked, resulting in cross-linked block and graft copolymer hydrogels.
In another embodiment, the present invention is directed to a physical mixture of a block or graft copolymer or hydrogel with a pharmaceutically acceptable drug to form a copolymer-drug mixture. For topical application to a treatment area, the copolymer-drug mixture is applied as a solid particle suspended in a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. Alternatively, the copolymer may be dissolved in a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier in combination with the pharmaceutically acceptable drug and applied as a liquid copolymer-drug mixture. Upon contact with the treatment area, the copolymer of the copolymer-drug mixture forms a gel. Thus, this invention also discloses compositions containing particles of the copolymer-drug mixture suspended in a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, as well as compositions containing the copolymer and drug in combination with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. In yet a further embodiment, there are disclosed methods for topically delivering a drug to a treatment area by administering such a composition thereto.
In yet a further embodiment, a block or graft copolymer may be lightly cross-linked to form a hydrogel. Suitable graft copolymer hydrogels comprise a backbone bioadhesive or pH-sensitive polymer component with a pendent temperature-sensitive component grafted thereto, or a backbone temperature-sensitive component with a pendent bioadhesive or pH-sensitive component grafted thereto. In addition, block copolymer hydrogels are also disclosed comprising a bioadhesive or pH-sensitive polymer component joined to a temperature-sensitive polymer component. Such hydrogels may contain one or more pharmaceutically acceptable drugs in, for example, a dissolved or dispersed form.
In yet another embodiment, there is disclosed a graft copolymer in which both the backbone and pendant polymer components are temperature-sensitive polymer components. Such graft copolymers may also have a critical temperature ranging from 20xc2x0 to 40xc2x0 C. and are useful for the controlled release of therapeutic drugs.
In still another embodiment, a graft copolymer hydrogel in which both the backbone and pendant polymer components are pH-sensitive polymer components is disclosed. These hydrogels are also useful for the delivery of therapeutic drugs.
In a further embodiment, graft and block copolymers having photosensitive polymer components are disclosed. In these copolymers, photosensitive moieties are incorporated into the copolymer such that the copolymer undergoes light induced phase transition. Such copolymers are useful in therapeutic drug delivery.
In yet a further embodiment, there are disclosed pressure-sensitive copolymers useful in adhesive applications. The pressure-copolymers undergo amorphous (adhesive) to crystalline (non-adhesive) phase transitions as a function of temperature and as such as temperature-sensitive copolymers. These copolymers are graft copolymers having long carbon chain pendant polymer components.
Still a further aspect of this invention involves block or graft copolymers (including hydrogels of the same) for general industrial use, including, for example, use as lubricants, moisturizers, bulk-formers and/or absorbents. In this context of the present invention, the block and graft copolymers may used over a wide pH and temperature range.
Other aspects of the present invention will become evident upon reference to the attached figures and following detailed description. To this end, various references are noted herein which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.

Block and graft copolymers and methods relating thereto


A composition for the controlled release of an active substance comprises a polymeric particle matrix, where each particle defines a network of internal pores. The active substance is entrapped within the pore network together with a blocking agent having physical and chemical characteristics selected to modify the release rate of the active substance from the internal pore network. In an exemplary embodiment, drugs may be selectively delivered to the intestines using an enteric material as the blocking agent. The enteric material remains intact in the stomach but will degrade under the pH conditions of the intestines. In another exemplary embodiment, the sustained release formulation employs a blocking agent which remains stable under the expected conditions of the environment to which the active substance is to be released.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to compositions and methods for the controlled release of an active substance and, in particular, to the use of porous particles having the active substance entrapped therein where the release rate of the substance is modified by the presence of a blocking agent in the pores.
Compositions and methods for the release of an active substance, such as a drug, from a reservoir over time are known, and numerous specific approaches exist to achieve such controlled release. Two widely practiced approaches are of particular interest to the present invention. In the first such approach, a solid core of an active substance is encapsulated in a sustained release coating. The sustained release coating is usually a permeable membrane material which remains intact as the drug diffuses therethrough at a desired rate. Such sustained release coatings are very useful for controlling the release rate of many substances, but are much less useful with soluble and low viscosity substances. Moreover, the release rate is generally not responsive to various environmental conditions, such as pH, ionic strength, and the like.
In the second approach, drugs or other active substances are encapsulated or coated with a material which dissolves or degrades in response to a change in environmental conditions. For example, pH-responsive coatings (referred to as enteric coatings) may be provided on drugs to protect the drug in the low pH environment of the stomach but dissolve when the pH rises as the drug passes to the intestines. Such coatings include cellulose acetate phthalate, polyvinyl acetate phthalate, hydroxypropylcellulose phthalate, methylcellulose phthalate, and the like. Although these coatings are very effective in protecting drugs in the stomach, they do not generally provide a controlled release rate once the drug reaches the intestines.
A less widely employed delivery approach utilizes porous polymeric particles for absorbing and releasing drugs and other active substances at a controlled release rate. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 4,692,462, discussed below. In such systems, the diffusion rate of the drug or other active substance through the pores determines the release rate. The diffusion rate, of course, depends on pore size, drug viscosity, temperature, and the like. In the case of drug delivery, drugs absorbed in porous polymeric particles are usually combined in an adhesive or other matrix material as part of a transdermal drug delivery system. In another example, drugs have been adsorbed onto porous resin beads which are then coated with a membrane diffusion barrier, e.g., ethylcellulose, in order to effect sustained release. See, European patent application 171 528, discussed below.
One difficulty with all of these delivery systems has been modifying the system release characteristics in order to achieve a desired release rate for particular active substance. The physical characteristics of drugs and other active substances may vary widely, including changes in viscosity, charge characteristics, molecular weight, and the like, and the release rate in any delivery system may vary widely depending on the nature of the substance which is being delivered. This problem is particularly evident when employing porous particle delivery systems where modification of the pore characteristics can be achieved only within certain limitations.
Thus it would be desirable to provide compositions and methods for the delivery of drugs and other active substances. It would be particularly desirable if the compositions could be readily modified to achieve a desired release rate for active substances having a wide variety of physical and chemical characteristics. It would be further desirable if the compositions could be modified to control the release rate of such divergent active substances under a variety of different external conditions, such as pH, temperature, ionic strength, and the like.

Blocked polymeric particles having internal pore networks for delivering active substances to selected environments


A cruising aeration apparatus and a method are described. The cruising aeration apparatus comprises an aeration device for circulating the water in an aquatic pool, at least one conducting element connected to the aeration device for conducting the aeration device along a traveling route, and a controller. The at least one conducting element can be a rope or a float loop used as a separation line of a swimming pool. The pool water is drawn and pressurized by the aeration device and then ejected from nozzles of the aeration device. The nozzles on the front side and the rear side of the traveling route of the aeration device produce different counterforce. The aeration device is driven along the traveling route by the difference between the counterforce of the front side and the rear side of the traveling route. At least one switch is installed to control the opening and the closing of the nozzles, and is located on the side of the aeration device providing larger counterforce. The on/off of the at least one switch is controlled by the controller, so that the counterforce magnitude of the front side and the rear side of the aeration device can be interchanged to drive the aeration device to move reciprocally.

Aquatic pools, fishponds or fishing farms usually requires aeration devices to maintain the concentration of dissolved oxygen (DO), which is absolutely necessary and important to the breathing of aquatics, underwater organisms and microorganisms, the stabilization of water quality, and the ecological balance of aquatic pools. Microorganisms have to absorb dissolved oxygen from the water to decompose the redundant organic material and to perform nitrification, which transforms ammonia of higher toxicities into nitrous or nitric acid (NO2−, NO3−) of lower toxicities. A paddlewheel, a typical conventional aeration device, splashes the water into the air by its vane wheels driven by a motor, and it increases the exposed time and surface area between the water droplets and air, so as to achieve the purposes of aeration and increasing the dissolved oxygen.
An aerobic treatment pool of a waste water treatment factory of the general environmental protection and the chemical industries also use microorganisms to decompose the organic materials in the water. In these applications, a blowing machine, an air pipe and air vents of ecoflex discs are typically used to transport air to the bottom of the pool, at which the air is transformed as a plurality of small air bubbles and liberated at the pool bottom. The mixing of small air bubbles and water increases the concentration of dissolved oxygen of the pool water, and, therefore, promotes the decomposition rate of the organic materials by microorganisms.
Although the traditional paddlewheel has been widely used in aquatic pools for a long history, its aeration effect on increasing the concentration of dissolved oxygen is quite small, especially for the region close to the bottom of the pool or those not very close to the paddlewheel. Therefore, aquatic pools of wider areas usually require a number of conventional paddlewheel, which are installed in different locations to increase the concentration of dissolved oxygen (DO) in the pool. However, the power consumption is large due to its poor aeration efficiency, and the cost is expensive since a number of paddle wheels are required.

National Huwei University of Science and Technology


Disclosed is a method of fabricating memory devices. By the method, a silicon nitride layer is used as a mask to form oxide layers on the lateral sides of the word lines through high-temperature heat treatment as source/drain annealing or oxidation. An etching process is subsequently used to remove the silicon nitride layer so as to expose the polysilicon layer on the word lines. After that, metal, preferably aluminum, is selectively grown the exposed polysilicon layer, which allows the resistance of the word lines to be significantly lowered thereby increasing access speed of the memory device.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to fabrication of semiconductor devices, and more particularly, to a method for fabricating semiconductor memory devices.
2. Description of Prior Art
Memory devices have become indispensable and also the most widely used device in computer-related systems. In the current information age, memory devices are compact in package with high storage capacity and processing speed. A non-volatile memory device is one that retains its data even when it is not supplied with power. This characteristic allows the non-volatile memory device to serve as a fixed data storage device that permanently stores repeatedly used programs and/or tables of data.
Conventional methods for fabricating non-volatile memory devices involve many steps which are complicated and time-consuming to perform. In general, most non-volatile memory devices are similar in structure except for the specific data to be permanently stored therein. Accordingly, a semiconductor manufacturer usually fabricates the nonvolatile memory device to a semi-finished product without performing the factory-programming step to store the permanent data. The semi-finished product is then stocked in a warehouse waiting for a customer order. After a customer-specified programming is received, the factory-programming step is then performed. This allows the non-volatile memory device product to be delivered to the customer in a short time. Alternatively, some sophisticated customers prefer to program the semi-finished product themselves. Thus, the un-programmed semi-finished product is delivered to the customer.
FIG. 1 (Prior Art) is a top view of a conventional non-volatile semiconductor memory device, which is a mask-programmed read-only memory (ROM) device having buried bit lines. This ROM device includes lengthwise interleaved source/drain areas 10, 11, 12, 13 (referred to as "buried bit line") and crosswise interleaved polysilicon gate areas 20, 21, 22, 23 (referred to as "word line"). Suppose that the data readout operation is to be performed on a memory cell 55, a high voltage is fed to the word line 21 and to bit line 11. A low voltage is fed to the bit line 12. By conventional methods the word lines have high resistance and an RC delay will be high if the distance between the memory cell 55 and the voltage source is too long. This delay will cause the data readout operation to be slow and overall system efficiency is affected.
There is a need to enhance the performance of the non-volatile memory devices. Various approaches have been tested, but none of them provide a perfect solution to the high-resistance problem that causes signal delays in the word lines. Another approach is to use a substrate of different material such as GaAs which allows the transistors thus fabricated to have higher switching speed than those fabricated based on a silicon substrate, whereby the data readout speed from the ROM device is enhanced. However, in this approach the aforementioned high-resistance problem which causes signal delay on the word lines still exists. The signal delay is a result of RC delay due to high resistance of the word lines and the capacitance of the insulators and which is existent regardless of which material is used as the substrate.

Method of fabricating a semiconductor device


A method expands a bandwidth of an audio signal by determining a magnitude time-frequency representation |G(ω, t) for example audio signals g(t). A set of frequency marginal probabilities PG(ω|z) 221 are estimated from |G(ω, t)|, and a magnitude time-frequency representation |X(ω, t)| is determined from an input signal audio signal x(t). Probabilities P(z), PX(z) and PX(t|z) are determined using PG(ω|z)|X(ω, t)|. |Ŷ(ω, t)| is reconstructed according to PzPX(z)PG(ω|z)PX(t|z), and |Ŷ(ω, t)| is transformed to a time domain to obtain a high-quality output audio signal ŷ(t) corresponding to the input audio signal x(t).

Bandlimited Audio Signals
Increasingly, audio signals, such as pod casts, are transmitted over networks, e.g., cellular networks and the Internet, which degrade the quality of the signals. This is particularly true for networks with suboptimal bandwidths.
Audio signals, such as music, are best appreciated at a full bandwidth. A low frequency response and the presence of high frequency components are universally understood to be elements of high quality audio signals. Quite often though, a wide frequency audio signal is not available.
Often audio signals are sampled at a low rate, thereby losing high frequency information. Audio signals can also undergo processing or distortion, which removes certain frequency regions. The goal of bandwidth expansion is to recover the missing frequency band information.
Most methods attempt to recover missing high frequency components when the signal is sampled at a low rate. However, recovering high frequency data is difficult. Typically, this information is lost and cannot be inferred. The problem of bandwidth expansion has hitherto been considered chiefly in the context of monophonic speech signals.
Typically, the bandwidth of telephonic speech signals only contain frequency components between 300 Hz and about 3500 Hz, the exact frequencies vary for landlines and mobile telephones, but are below 4 kHz in all cases. Bandwidth expansion methods attempt to fill in the frequency components below the lower cutoff and above the upper cutoff, in order to deliver a richer audio signal to the listener. The goal has been primarily that of enriching the perceptual quality of the signal, and not so much high-fidelity reconstruction of the missing frequency bands.
Data Insensitive Methods
The simplest methods for expanding the spectrum of an audio signal apply a memory-less non-linear function, such as a sigmoid function or a rectifier, to the signal, Yasukawa, "Signal Restoration of Broadband Speech using Non-linear Processing," Proceedings of the European Signal Processing Conference (EUSIPCO), pp. 987-990, 1996. That has the property of aliasing low-frequency components into high frequencies.
Synthesized high-frequency components are rendered more natural through spectral shaping and other smoothing methods, and adding the synthetic components back to the original bandlimited signal. Although those methods do not make any explicit assumptions about the signal, they are only effective at extending existing harmonic structures in a signal and are ineffective for broadband sounds such as fricated speech or drums, whose spectral textures at high frequencies different from those at low frequencies.
Example-Driven Methods
The example-driven, approach attempts to derive unobserved frequencies in the audio signal from their statistical dependencies on observed frequencies. These dependencies are variously acquired through codebooks, coupled hidden Markov model (HMM) structures, and Gaussian mixture models (GMM), Enbom et al., "Bandwidth Expansion of Speech based on Vector Quantization (VQ) of Mel Frequency Cepstral Coefficients," Proceedings IEEE Workshop on Speech Coding, pp. 171-173, 1999, Cheng et al., "Statistical Recovery of Wideband Speech from Narrowband Speech," IEEE Trans, on Speech and Audio Processing, Vol, 2, pp. 544-548, October 1994, and Park et al., "Narrowband to Wideband Conversion of Speech using GMM Based Transformation," Proceedings of the IEEE International Conference on Audios, Speech and Signal Processing, pp. 1843-1846, 2000.
The parameters are typically learned from a corpus of parallel broadband and narrow-band recordings. In order to acquire both, the spectral envelope and the finer harmonic structure, the signal is typically represented using linear predictive models that can be extended into unobserved frequencies and excited with the excitation of the original signal itself.
The following U.S. Patent Publications also describe bandwidth expansion: 20070005351 Method and system for bandwidth expansion for voice communications, 20050267741 System and method for enhanced artificial bandwidth expansion, 20040138876 Method and apparatus for artificial bandwidth expansion in speech processing, and 20040064324 Bandwidth expansion using alias modulation.
Limitations of Conventional Methods
Most of the above methods are directed primarily towards monophonic signals such as speech, i.e., audio signals that are generated by a single source and can be expected to exhibit consistency of spectral structures within any analysis frame.
For instance, the signal in any frame of speech includes the contributions of the harmonics of only a single pitch frequency. It may be expected that aliasing through non-linearities can correctly extrapolate this harmonic structure into unobserved frequencies. Similarly, the formant structures evident in the spectral envelopes represent a single underlying phoneme. Hence, it may be expected that one could learn a dictionary of these structures, which can be represented through codebooks, GMMs, etc., from example data, which could thence be used to predict unseen frequency components.
However, on more complex signals such as polyphonic music, which may contain multiple independent spectral structures from multiple sources, those methods are usually less effective for two reasons. Audio signals, such as music, often contain multiple independent harmonic structures. Simple extension of these structures through non-linearities introduces undesirable artifacts, such as spurious spectral peaks at harmonics of beat frequencies. In addition, spectral patterns from the multiple sources can co-occur in a nearly unlimited number of ways in the signal. It is impossible to express all possible combinations of these patterns in a single dictionary. Explicit characterization of individual sources through dictionaries is not practical because every possible combination of entries from these dictionaries must be considered during bandwidth expansion.
Therefore, it is desired to provide bandwidth expansion method that provides quality results for complex polyphonic signals as well as simple monophonic signals.

Method for expanding audio signal bandwidth

Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories, Inc.


A method for cleaning a reaction chamber is conducted after depositing an oxide, nitride, or oxynitride film on a substrate in a reaction chamber having interior surfaces on which oxide, nitride, or oxynitride is accumulated as a result of the deposition, said oxide, nitride, or oxynitride being selected from the group consisting of silicon oxide, silicon nitride, silicon oxynitride, metal oxide, metal nitride, and metal oxynitride. The method includes: oxidizing or nitriding the oxide, nitride, or oxynitride is accumulated on the interior surfaces of the reaction chamber, by RF-excited plasma of an oxygen- or nitrogen-containing gas in the absence of halide gas as a pre-cleaning step; and cleaning the interior surfaces of the reaction chamber, by RF-excited plasma of a halide cleaning gas.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a method of cleaning a reaction chamber, particularly cleaning silicon- or metal-oxide, nitride, or oxynitride deposits from the reaction chamber.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a single-substrate processing apparatus, while depositing a silicon- or metal-oxide or nitride film on a substrate, a film is not only formed on the substrate but also on inner surfaces of a reaction chamber. Unwanted film on the inner surfaces produces particles which deposit on the substrate during film deposition processing which as a result deteriorate the quality of the film on the substrate. Thus, the reaction chamber is cleaned periodically by using an in-situ cleaning process. Accumulation of adhesive products on surfaces of electrodes may affect plasma generation or distribution over a substrate and may cause damage to the electrodes. The materials deposited in these areas can affect the deposition rate from substrate to substrate and the uniformity of the deposition on the substrate.
Several methods for cleaning reaction chambers have been developed. For example; when unwanted titanium deposits are built up on the interior surfaces of a reaction chamber, cleaning is conducted using a chlorine gas in combination with temperature control (U.S. Pat. No. 5,983,906). Also, for cleaning an HDP-CVD processing chamber, two-step cleaning is conducted using fluorine-containing gas (U.S. Pat. No. 7,588,036).
However, the above conventional methods using a halide cleaning gas are not effective in cleaning metal oxide or metal nitride, and it is difficult to reduce generation of particles and to reduce a metal contamination level in a film deposited on a substrate after the cleaning.
Any discussion of problems and solutions involved in the related art has been included in this disclosure solely for the purposes of providing a context for the present invention, and should not be taken as an admission that any or all of the discussion were known at the time the invention was made.

Method for cleaning reaction chamber using pre-cleaning process


A fixed-focal-length lens system includes first and second lens groups arranged in order from front to rear. The first lens group consists of a plurality of lenses and has a negative refracting power and the second lens group consists of a plurality of lenses and has a positive refracting power. The fixed-focal-length lens system satisfies the following conditions EQU 0.58<.vertline.f.sub.1 /f.vertline.<0.95 (1) EQU 0.50<.vertline.f.sub.1 /f.sub.2 .vertline.<1.0 (2) EQU 1.6<Bf/f<2.9 (3) EQU 1.1<f.sub.2 /f<1.45 (4). wherein f represents the focal length of the fixed-focal-length lens system, f.sub.1 represents the focal length of the first lens group, f.sub.2 represents the focal length of the second lens group and Bf represents the back focus of the lens system.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a fixed-focal-length lens system which is suitable for use as a projector lens in an enlarger or the like.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In a photographic enlarger for printing images borne by a negative film on a photographic paper, there has been used an orthometer type fixed-focal-length lens system due to easiness in correction of aberrations such as distortion.
However the known orthometer type fixed-focal-length lens system is disadvantageous in that the back focus (the distance between the negative film and the lens surface nearest to the negative film) is short and a mirror which is positioned between the lens system and the negative film to lead light transmitted through the negative film to a light measuring circuit for color correction makes it difficult for the operator to view the negative film when printing images borne by the negative film on a photographic paper.
Though, in a retro-focus type fixed-focal-length lens system, the back focus can be relatively long as compared with its focal length as disclosed, for instance, in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication Nos. 64(1989)-61714 and 61(1986)-188512, the retro-focus type fixed-focal-length lens system is short in its focal length itself (10 mm or so) and accordingly its back focus cannot be sufficiently long. Further the retro-focus type fixed-focal-length lens system is disadvantageous in that it is difficult to correct aberrations when used at high magnifications due to an asymmetric arrangement with respect to the stop.


The present invention relates to a method for controlling system overload in a wireless communication system. The method comprises: a first step in which a mobility management entity (MME) that has received a tracking region update request message from a first terminal transmits a location update request message to a home subscriber server (HSS); a second step in which, if the HSS has determined that a system overload has occurred, the HSS sets MME-backoff time for preventing the transmission of a request message to the HSS, and transmits a location update rejection message including said MME-backoff time to the MME; and a third step in which the MME drives a backoff timer corresponding to said MME-backoff time and rejects a TAU update request message from a terminal received prior to the completion of the driving of the backoff timer.

Mobile communication systems were developed to provide the subscribers with voice communication services on the move. With the rapid advance of technologies, the mobile communication systems have evolved to support high speed data communication services beyond the early voice-oriented services. However, the limited resource and user requirements for higher speed services in the current mobile communication system spur the evolution to more advanced mobile communication systems.
In order to meet such requirements, Long Term Evolution (LTE) and LTE-Advanced (LTE-A) are under the standardization by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) as one of the next generation mobile communication systems. LTE is a technology for realizing high-speed packet-based communications with the data rate of up to 100 Mbps. In order to accomplish this, a discussion is being held on several schemes: one scheme for reducing the number of nodes located in a communication path by simplifying a configuration of the network, and another scheme for maximally approximating wireless protocols to wireless channels.
Recently, with the introduction of LTE to the hot spot area, various wireless communication networks such as LTE, Global System for Mobile communications (GSM), and Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) coexist in the same area. Accordingly, the terminal is configured to support multiple Radio Access Technologies (RATs) including GSM and UMTS as well as LTE radio. Also, the networks are operating in the multi-RAT environment such that the terminal operates in such a way of selecting one of multiple RATs.
However, if an error occurs at the control node managing some RATs or if the system reboot occurs with the necessity of system upgrade, the terminals operating with the corresponding RAT select different RATs simultaneously so as to cause overload to the system temporarily.
There is therefore a need of a method for controlling the system overload which may occur in the above situation.

Method and apparatus for controlling system overload in a wireless communication system


An operating system monitoring tool has two components: a hyperkernel that augments the operating system of a target multiprocessing system; and a graphical front end for implementing the user interface. The hyperkernel component is annexed to the operating system by: intercepting all interrupts and redirecting them from the operating system to the hyperkernel; and substituting a jump to the hyperkernel for each point in the operating system that returns back to the application code. Associated with the hyperkernel are buffers, located on the respective processors, that accumulate information pertaining to calls to the operating system. On demand, or when the buffers fill, the accumulated information is relayed to the graphical front end for filtering, manipulation, and display.

Multiprocessor architectures are attracting growing attention as a design approach for making computer systems faster. However, it is difficult for human programmers of multiprocessor systems to keep track of the execution of their programs. Moreover, it is generally desirable to practice multithreading of the computer programs, in order to take maximum advantage of the parallel architecture. However, the gain in speed potentially achievable through multithreading is at least partially set off by the increased Operating System (OS) overhead incurred by the multithreading setup. Thus, a judgment needs to be made as to when, and at what granularity, multithreading will be worthwhile. There is a need for a software development tool that will help the programmer make such a judgment, by, e.g., keeping track of calls to the OS made by the program, and by gathering statistics that describe the execution of the program on the multiprocessor system. (A program intended to perform an external task will hereafter be referred to as an "application".)
In fact, certain software development tools, known as "profiling tools," are commercially available. These tools add some form of instrumentation, such as counters, to the executable code for measuring or estimating the number of times each basic block of code is executed. Under the assumption that cpu time is allocated with perfect efficiency, these measurements or estimates can be used to infer the amounts of time spent executing various parts of the code. However, the assumptions that underlie the use of these tools are seldom fully justified. Moreover, these tools achieve a resolution of several milliseconds, which is not fine enough for many code optimization problems. Still further, these tools provide no cross-processor coverage, and they provide only limited cross-process coverage.
Also available commercially are analysis tools that can show the user the percentages of time spent in user mode, system mode, and idle time. However, tools of this kind do not reveal how or where (i.e., in which calls to the OS) the application is spending its time when it is in system mode. These tools also fail to provide a comprehensive view of what is occurring, within a given time window, in all of the various processors at once.

Method for monitoring a digital multiprocessor


A button key assembly of an operation panel includes button key units. Each button key unit includes button keys and a frame member. The button keys are arranged corresponding to switches on a substrate provided at the operation panel. The frame member supports the button keys via elastic arm members. The button key units are superposed one over the other to form the button key assembly. At least one of the button key units includes a supporting space having a width sufficient for supporting the button keys via the elastic arm members, and a vacant space disposed adjacent to the supporting space on a side closer to the elastic arm members and having a width narrower than the width of the supporting space. A button key of another button key unit superposed on the at least one button key unit is arranged in the vacant space.

The present disclosure relates to a button key assembly in which button keys are attached to a frame member via elastic arm members, an operation panel including the button key assembly, and an image forming apparatus including the operation panel.
An operation panel has heretofore been provided in an image forming apparatus, such as a copying machine, facsimile machine, and multi-function machine, for setting various functions of the apparatus. Arranged in the operation panel are a display unit including a liquid crystal display, which displays status of operations and settings of an apparatus, and a plurality of button keys for setting various functions, for example. In addition, the operation panel includes a button key assembly where the button keys are arranged.
Conventional button key assemblies of this kind are known, such as those integrally forming a plurality of button keys that is arranged in the lateral direction at the same height by connecting the button keys to a frame member via plastic arm members, and those independent button keys arranged individually.
Since an elastic arm member is formed horizontally between adjoining button keys, the above conventional button key assemblies pose a problem that it is difficult to decrease a pitch between the adjoining button keys and downsize the operation panel.
In addition, since the number of the components and the number of steps of assembly work increase if the independent button keys are arranged individually, a problem rises that it is difficult to implement cost down measures for the apparatus.

Button key assembly, operation panel, and image forming apparatus


In some embodiments, the invention involves a network controller having a pattern matching unit to identify whether boot file requested from a network accessible storage device for booting are stored locally in non-volatile memory accessible to the network controller. When required boot files are stored locally, the locally stored files are sent to the processor to boot the operating system. In an embodiment, retrieved boot files are automatically cached by the network controller in the accessible non-volatile memory. In other embodiments, a service operates to ensure coherency between locally store boot files and the boot filed stored on the network accessible storage. In another embodiment, data other than boot files may be stored and retrieved from the non-volatile memory. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Various mechanisms exist for booting an operating system (OS) on a computing device. In devices having no disk, or hard drive storage, the OS files must be stored externally, and retrieved during launch of the OS. This type of diskless device may be called a "thin client."
Current diskless client personal computer (PC) devices use network booting to enable diskless operation of the thin client. A minimal amount of data is stored locally on the thin client while the majority of the operating system (OS) boot files are stored remotely on a network accessible device (NAS). The thin client stores enough information in the network interface card (NIC) Option ROM (O-ROM) to start the network and begin fetching OS data, after which all local processing on the thin client is performed on remote data files; the thin client has no bulk storage. Due to the large sizes of modern OSes, for instance the Windows Vista® OS requires approximately 4 GB of data files to boot successfully, network boot performance is limited by network performance. On a 54 Mbit WLAN, network booting the Windows Vista® OS would require nearly 10 minutes of data transfer time (not counting the overhead of network processing). Users expect boot times on the order of seconds, not minutes. Therefore, a more efficient method for booting in a diskless environment is desired.

System and method to accelerate access to network data using a networking unit accessible non-volatile storage