The present invention relates to wireless communications. More especially it relates to wireless packet data communications. Particularly it relates to latency reduction by distinguishing connection initiation of circuit switched and packet switched connections, respectively.

Multiplexing of a plurality of users on a common resource is well known in prior art. FDM (Frequency Division Multiplex), TDM (Time Division Multiplex) and CDM (Code Division Multiplex) are well known examples of multiplexing principles.
Also a number of queuing disciplines are known for scheduling traffic on the multiplexed resource.
Kenth Fredholm, Kristian Nilsson, 'Implementing an application for communication and quality measurements over UMTS networks,' LiTH-ISY-EX-3369-2003, Linköping 2003, describes simulations of voice over IP (Internet Protocol) in UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System). The master thesis includes concepts such as QoS (Quality of Service), AMR (Adaptive Multi Rate), RTP (Real-time Transport Protocol), RTCP (Real-time Transport Control Protocol) and SIP (Session Initiation Protocol).
AMR can operate at various bit rates including, e.g., 12.2 and 4.75 kbit/s. Background noise is produced at 1.8 kbit/s. An AMR frame comprises an AMR header, AMR auxiliary information and an AMR core frame.                The AMP header comprises                    frame type, and            frame quality indicator.                        The AMR auxiliary information comprises                    mode indication,            mode request, and            CRC parity bits.                        The AMR core frame comprises comfort noise data or speech data divided into three classes of data bits,                    Class A,            Class B, and            Class C.
Comfort noise is transmitted in Class A bit field. Speech data classified in Class A bits are hits considered most important and Class C bits least for a resulting (decoded) speech quality. In UMTS, SCR (Source Controlled Rate) operation is mandatory for AMR and controls transmission data rate.
RTP supports various lower level protocols but typically runs over UDP (User Datagram Protocol) as illustrated in FIG. 1. Both RTP and UDP are generally referred to as protocols of transport layer in a protocol stack as that in FIG. 1. AMR frames of a multimedia application, in the application layer, are sent in RTP packets. FIG. 3.2 in the master thesis illustrates an overview of initiation of an end-to-end communications session between two AMR enabled phones over a UMTS network.
Hossam Fattah, Cyril Leung, 'An Overview of Scheduling Algorithms in Wireless Multimedia Networks,' IEEE Wireless Communications, pp. 76-83, June 2002 describes a plurality of scheduling algorithms and among of things scheduling in CDMA networks. One algorithm, Scheduled CDMA, reveals data exchange between BS and MS in fixed-size unit called capsule, comprising one or more packets. For uplink scheduling, a capsule transmission request is sent to base station by mobile station whenever the MS has new packets to transmit. For each time slot the scheduler selects capsule transmission requests from a common queue ordered according to priority or delay sensitivity. The base station sends transmission permission capsules to selected mobile stations to inform them of their capsule transmission times and power levels.
U.S. Patent Application US2004/0184461 reveals a packet-switched data network providing streaming mode service, such as a GPRS network providing VSS (Voice Streaming Service), includes a server assisting the VSS, a VSS server. The VSS server gathers information about the functioning of the packet-switched network and communications conditions in the various parts of the network. When a terminal A connected to the network wants to establish a voice connection with a second terminal B, it receives, during connection set-up, information from its base station concerning the link between the base station and the terminal A. The information is used for selecting appropriate operating mode, store-and-play mode or streaming mode.
3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP): Technical Specification Group Core Network, Mobile radio interface layer 3 specification, (Release 1998), 3GPP TS 04.08 v7.21.0, France, December 2003, specifies procedures for Radio Link Control, RLC, and specifies the procedures used at the radio interface for Call Control, CC, Mobility Management, MM, Radio Resource, RR, management and Session Management, SM. Paragraph 188.8.131.52.2 describes initiation of packet access procedure and channel request. A mobile station initiates a packet access procedure by scheduling sending of CHANNEL REQUEST messages on RACH and leaving the packet idle mode. The RR entity of the mobile station schedules CHANNEL REQUEST messages on RACH.
3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP): Technical Specification Group GSM/EDGE Radio Access Network, General Packet Radio Service (GPRS), Mobile Station (MS)—Base Station System (BSS) interface, Radio Link Control/Medium Access Control (RLC/MAC) protocol, (Release 1999), 3GPP TS 04.60 v8.25.0, France, September 2004, specifies the procedures used at the radio interface (Reference Point Um) for the General Packet Radio Service, GPRS, Medium Access Control/Radio Link Control, MAC/RLC, layer. The present document provides the overall description for RLC/MAC layer functions of GPRS and EGPRS (General Packet Radio Service and Enhanced General Packet Radio Service) radio interface Um. Within this TS the term GPRS refers to GPRS and EGPRS unless explicitly stated otherwise. Paragraph 220.127.116.11.1 relates to access persistence control on PRACH. The PRACH Control Parameters IE contains the access persistence control parameters and shall be broadcast on PBCCH (Packet Broadcast Control Channel) and PCCCH (Packet Common Control Channel). The parameters included in the PRACH Control Parameters IE are                MAX_RETRANS, for each radio priority i(i=1,2,3,4);        PERSISTENCE_LEVEL, which consists of the PERSISTENCE_LEVEL P(i) for each radio priority i (i=1,2,3,4), were P(i) ε{0, 1, . . . 14, 16}. If the PRACH Control Parameters IE does not contain the PERSISTENCE_LEVEL parameter, this shall be interpreted as if P(i)=0 for all radio priorities;        S used to determine next TDMA frame; and        TX_INT, the value, T, of which is used to determine next TDMA frame.
The mobile station shall make maximally M+1, where M is received value of parameter MAX_RETRANS for a particular priority, attempts to send a PACKET CHANNEL REQUEST (or EGPRS PACKET CHANNEL REQUEST) message. After sending each PACKET CHANNEL REQUEST (or EGPRS PACKET CHANNEL REQUEST) message, the mobile station shall listen to the full PCCCH (corresponding to its PCCCH13 GROUP).
The mobile station shall start timer T3186 at the beginning of the Packet Access Procedure. At expiry of timer T3186, the packet access procedure shall be aborted, packet access failure shall be indicated to upper layers and the mobile station shall return to packet idle mode. The first attempt to send a PACKET CHANNEL REQUEST (or EGPRS PACKET CHANNEL REQUEST) message, may be initiated at the first available PRACH block on the PDCH defined by the PCCCH_GROUP for the mobile station. The mobile station shall choose one of the four TDMA frames within the selected PRACH block randomly with a uniform probability distribution. For each attempt, the mousse station shall draw a random value R with uniform probability distribution in the set {0, 1, . . . 15}. The mobile station is allowed to transmit a PACKET CHANNEL REQUEST message if P(i), where i is the radio priority of the TBF being established, is less than or equal to R. After each attempt, the S and T parameters are used to determine the next TDMA frame in which it may be allowed to make a successive attempt. The number of TDMA frames belonging to the PRACH on the PDCH defined by the PCCCH_GROUP for the mobile station between two successive attempts to send a PACKET CHANNEL REQUEST (or EGPRS PACKET CHANNEL REQUEST) message excluding the TDMA frames potentially containing the messages themselves is a random value drawn for each transmission with uniform probability distribution in the set {S, S+1, . . . , S+T−1}. Paragraph 188.8.131.52 describes uplink TBF establishment during downlink RLC data block transfer. The mobile station may request establishment of an uplink transfer during a downlink TBF by including a Channel Request Description information element in. the PACKET DOWNLINK ACK/NACK message. Initiation is triggered by a request from upper layers for transfer of an LLC PDU. The request from upper layers specifies a Radio Priority to be associated with the packet transfer. Upon such a request,                if access to the network is allowed, the mobile station initiates the packet access procedure.        otherwise, the RR sub-layer in the mobile station rejects the request.
The mobile station initiates the packet access procedure by sending the Channel Request Description information element in a PACKET DOWNLINK ACK/NACK message on the PACCH and starting a timer.
3GPP TS 44.060 describes an alternative to the procedure in specifications 3GPP TS 04.08 and 3GPP TS 04.60.
3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) Specification Group GSM/EDGE Radio Access Network, General Packet Radio Service (GPRS), Mobile Station (MS)—Base Station System (BSS) interface, Radio Link Control/Medium Access Control (RLC/MAC) protocol (Release 5), 3GPP TS 44.060 v5.13.0, France, September 2004, specifies procedures for Radio Link Control, RLC, layer and Medium Access Control, MAC, layer, including physical link control functions of the radio interface between GSM/EDGE Radio Access Network, GERAN, and Mobile Station, MS. An Uplink State Flag, USF, is used on Packet Data Channel(s) PDCH(es) to allow multiplexing of uplink radio blocks from different mobile stations. An RR (Radio Resource) connection is a physical connection established between a mobile station and the network to support exchange of information flows. A TBF (Temporary Block Flow) is, in A/Gb mode, a physical connection used by the two RR peer entities to support the unidirectional transfer of LLC (Logical Link Control) PDUs on packet data physical channels. (A/Gb mode is a mode of operation of the MS when connected to the Core Network, CN, via GERAN and the A and/or Gb interfaces; the A interface being the interface between a BSS (Base Station Subsystem) and a 2G MSC (Mobile Switching Center) and the Gb interface being the interface between a BSS and a 2G SGSN (Serving GPRS Support Node).) In Iu mode, a TBF is a logical connection offered by two MAC entities to support the unidirectional transfer of RLC PDUs on basic physical sub-channels. (Iu mode is a mode of operation of the MS when connected to the CN via GERAN or UTRAN and the Iu interface; the Iu interface being the interface between a BSS or an RNC (Radio Network Controller) and a 3G MSC or a 3G SGSN.) In extended uplink TBF mode, the uplink TBF may be maintained during temporary inactive periods, where the mobile station has no RLC information to send.
The mobile station shall initiate a packet access procedure by scheduling sending of PACKET CHANNEL REQUEST messages on PRACH (Packet Random Access Channel) corresponding to its PCCCH_GROUP (Packet Common Control Channel Group) and simultaneously leaving the packet idle mode. While waiting for a response to the PACKET CHANNEL REQUEST message, the mobile station shall monitor the full PCCCH (Packet Common Control Channel) corresponding to its PCCCH_GROUP. While monitoring the full PCCCH, the mobile station shall decode any occurrence of the PERSISTENCE_LEVEL parameter included in a message received on PCCCH. When the mobile station receives the PERSISTENCE_LEVEL parameter, the value of the PERSISTENCE_LEVEL parameter shall be taken into account at the next PACKET CHANNEL REQUEST attempt that follows. The parameter PERSISTENCE_LEVEL comprises a persistence level P(i) for each radio priority i (i=1,2,3,4); where P(i) ε {0, 1, . . . 14, 16}. The first attempt to send a PACKET CHANNEL REQUEST (or EGPRS PACKET CHANNEL REQUEST) message, may be initiated at the first available PRACH block on the PDCH (Packet Data Channel) defined by the PCCCH_GROUP for the mobile station. The mobile station shall choose one of four TDMA frames within he selected PRACH block randomly with a uniform probability distribution. For each attempt, the mobile station shall draw a random value R with uniform probability distribution in the set {0, 1, . . . 15}. The mobile station is allowed to transmit a PACKET CHANNEL REQUEST message provided that P(i) is less than or equal to R. Consequently, the smaller P(i), the greater is the per
The mobile station generally operates with a sliding transmission window of RLC data PDUs. In the extended uplink TBF mode of Technical Specification 3GPP TS 44.060, if there is no RLC data block available within the window, the mobile station shall stop sending RLC data blocks. The mobile station shall continue sending RLC data blocks when an RLC data block becomes available in the window.
A UMTS correspondence of TBFs in GSM/GPRS and GSM/EGPRS are RABs (Radio Access Bearers).
3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP): Technical Specification Group GSM/EDGE Radio Access Network, Multiplexing and multiple access on the radio path (Release 5), 3GPP TS 45.002 v5.12.0, France, April 2004, defines the physical channels of the radio sub system required to support the logical channels. It includes a description of the logical channels and the definition of frequency hopping, TDMA (Time Division Multiple Access) frames, time-slots and bursts. In the uplink part for channels other than PACCH (Packet Associated Control Channel) transmitted as access bursts on PRACH (Packet Random Access Channel) or CPRACH (Compact Packet Random Access Channel), the logical channel type shall be indicated by the message type contained in the block header part. For PACCH transmitted as access bursts, the logical channel type is indicated by the corresponding polling message on the downlink. For the PRACH or CPRACH case the logical channel type is indicated by the USF, set on the downlink on a block-by-block basis.
The MAC layer is responsible for sharing of communications resource (the air interface) common to data and voice users, according to an allocation strategy.
In e.g. GSM/GPRS, MAC of BSS (Base Station Subsystem) is responsible for management of uplink and downlink scheduling of RLC blocks belonging to different TBFs over available time slots, resolving conflicts due to e.g. request collisions, assigning uplink TBFs to requesting MTs (Mobile Terminals) if there are time-slots available, notifying of uplink TBF deallocation if MT has been inactive during a predefined period, associating respective voice calls to a pair of time-slots and signaling as need be for deallocating of a TBF to render the time-slot pair available for speech communications. In uplink direction, MAC of MT is responsible for initiating transmission of requests of uplink TBFs to BSS for transfer of data for which no TBF is yet established. Once the TBF setup is acknowledged, MAC of MT forwards RLC PDUs, carrying one or more segmented LLC PDUs, over a time-slot allocated by BSS. MT continues sending until there is no more data to send, or it has transmitted a maximum number of PLC blocks allowed. The TBF is then released. Each TBF is assigned by the network a temporary flow identity, TFI, which is unique in both directions.
FIG. 2 illustrates schematically segmentation/reassembly of LLC PDUs and RLC PDUs. The LLC PDU comprises a frame header <<FH>>, LLC data or control information <<Information field>>, and a frame check sequence <<FCS>>. A radio block consists of a 1-byte MAC header <<BH>> followed by PLC data <<Info field>>, or an RLC/MAC control block <<Info field>>, finalized by a 16-bit block check sequence, <<BCS>>. The radio block is carried on the physical channel by four normal bursts.
None of the cited documents above discloses allowing Channel Requests to be sent immediately when a mobile station initiates setup of a PS connection.

Method and system of wireless communications


Disclosed herein is a selective method for the preparation of single positional isomers of monosulphonated metallo derivatives of compounds selected from the group consisting of monosulphophthalocyanines, monosulphonaphthobenzoporphyrazines and monosulphotetraphenylporphyrins.

Phthalocyanine, naphthobenzoporphyrazine and porphyrin derivatives (Pc's) are blue-green dyes which are photosensitive. These dyes are known as useful for a variety of industrial or bio-medical applications. For example, as photosensitizing agents, these compounds are particularly attractive for in vivo treatment of cancer and the in vitro photoinactivation of viruses in blood products. The effective photoinactivation of Streptococcus faccium and Candida albicans through damage at the membrane level, mediated by Pc's also suggests their usefulness in sterilization processes. In addition to medical applications, Pc's and their analogues can be useful as photocatalysts (chemically modified electrodes) for energy conversion processes. Another known application is found in the preparation of thin films useful for detecting volatile compounds even at very low concentrations. In this regard, the behaviour of monosulphonated Pc's featuring hydrophobic electron-withdrawing (F.sup.-) or electron-donating (t-Bu) substituents in the benzo rings, as in provided by the process of the present invention, are of major interest.
However, one of the most promising application of Pc's remains the photodynamic therapy (PDT) of cancer tumours. PDT is based on the use of a photosensitizing dye, such as Pc's which, upon localization at the tumour site and light activation in the presence of oxygen, produces cytotoxic species, including singlet oxygen, resulting in tumour necrosis.
The amphiphilic nature of Pc derivatives obtained in accordance with the process of the present invention allows them to easily interact with cells membranes which renders the derivatives particularly attractive photosensitizing agents for in vivo photodynamic therapy of cancer. Pc's tend to localize in tumours as opposed to healthy tissues such as muscles, skin, heart and lungs. The larger openings (500-1000 .ANG. in diameter) of tumour capillaries and the larger interstitial area of tumour cells renders tumours more permeable to Pc's than other parts of the body. Hence the Pc's accumulate in tumours. Their capacity to photo-inactivate cancer cells in vitro as well as in vivo is well documented and particularly mono/disulphonated, amphiphilic phthalocyanines, chelated with diamagnetic metal ions have been shown capable of inflicting direct tumour cell kill.
One of the major stumbling blocks in the preparation and use of Pc's has been their synthesis methods which has generally complicated, long and result in complex mixtures of compounds requiring difficult purification steps.
Known synthesis routes for the preparation of amphiphilic phthalocyanines mainly consist of one of following two methods:
(i) in situ synthesis of the phthalocyanines macrocycle, i.e. condensation of two differently substituted precursors in the appropriate stoichiometric ratio and PA0 (ii) partial sulphonation of substituted metallo phthalocyanines.
These methods can be inconvenient for several reasons. Thus, in the first known method, the syntheses of amphiphilic phthalocyanine via the mixed condensation method requires two types of precursors (hydrophillic and lipophilic), which differ substantially in their physical properties and reactivities, disfavouring selection of optimal reaction conditions and stoichiometry. Furthermore, the complexity of the resulting reaction mixture requires time consuming and tedious chromatographic separation procedures.
The second known method results in even more complex isomeric mixtures due to sulphonation either at 3- and 4-positions of the benzo rings of the phthalocyanine macrocycle. Also, electrophilic substitution requires harsh reaction conditions which may affect substituents, result in demetallation or decomposition of the macrocycle.
Accordingly, there is a great need for an improved process for preparing substantially pure, single positional isomers of phthalocyanines and analogous compounds such as naphtophthalocyanines and porphyrins.
A known method developed by Meerwein and co-workers, useful for converting aromatic amines to sulphonyl chlorides, involves treatment of the diazonium chloride in concentrated hydrochloric acid with sulphur dioxide in acetic acid, using the cupric ion as a catalyst (E. E. Gilbert, Sulphonation and Related Reactions, Interscience Publishers, New York, 1965, p. 171). However, the method was not thought to be applicable for the synthesis of Pc's due to the low solubility of the monodiazonium salts of phthalocyanines, naphthobenzoporphyrazines and tetraphenylporphyrins in water (or aqueous acetone).
In the present invention, it was surprisingly found that the Meerwein procedure could be ingeniously modified to accommodate the specific properties of the selected macrocyclic compounds. In accordance with the present invention, suspensions or solutions of monodiazo compounds were used and the completion of the reaction was established empirically. To optimize the use of the monodiazo compounds, the order by which reagents were added was reversed.

Process for the syntheses of monosulphonated phthalocyanines, naphthobenzoporphyrazines and porphyrins via a modified meerwein reaction


A coated article includes a metal substrate, a carbosiliconized layer formed on the metal substrate, a metal bonding layer formed on the carbosiliconized layer, and a color layer formed on the metal bonding layer. The carbosiliconized layer is formed by carbosiliconizing the metal substrate to enable elemental carbon and elemental silicon to penetrate into a surface layer of the metal substrate. The color layer consists of ceramic material. A method for making the coated article is also described.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to coated articles having high hardness coatings and a method for making the coated articles.
2. Description of Related Art
Films made by physical vapor deposition (hereinafter referred to as "PVD films") are often used on articles, such as housings of electronic devices. A coated article with a decorative PVD film having a thickness of about 2 μm-4 μm usually has a surface hardness of only about 600 HV 0.025. Therefore, an increased thickness of the decorative PVD film is needed to achieve an increased surface hardness. However, increasing the film thickness requires a high manufacturing cost. Moreover, an increased thickness causes a lower brightness appearance of the PVD film.
Therefore, there is room for improvement within the art.

Coated article and method for making same

SHENZHEN FUTAIHONG PRECISION INDUSTRY CO., LTD.


A polygonal semiconductor device includes a substrate and a wiring layer. The substrate includes semiconductor circuit elements. The wiring layer includes a dielectric sealing layer, a plurality of first electrodes, and a plurality of second electrodes. The first and second electrodes both extend through the dielectric sealing layer in its thickness direction. The first electrodes are electrically connected to the semiconductor circuit elements. Each of the corners of the polygonal device is formed, throughout the thickness of the wiring layer, by one of the second electrodes. The corners of the device are thereby reinforced, as the electrode material is tougher than the dielectric sealing material.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a small semiconductor device, such as a device with a chip-scale package, and its manufacturing method.
2. Description of the Related Art
Semiconductor devices with chip-scale package structures have been proposed in Japanese Patent Application Publication Nos. 2003-158217 (paragraphs 0030-0031 and FIGS. 2(a) and 2(b)) and 2005-14286 (paragraphs 0027-0030 and FIGS. 1(a) to 1(c)).
A problem with these proposed semiconductor devices is that the four corners of each semiconductor chip are partly or completely formed from hardened resin layers that can easily be damaged if the chip is particularly small or thin.

Semiconductor device and manufacturing method thereof


The earthquake control operation system for an elevator includes: an earthquake information delivering device for calculating a predicted arrival hour of earthquake waves in accordance with a position of a registered building based on an emergency earthquake bulletin including at least a seismic center of an earthquake and an hour of occurrence of the earthquake; an earthquake information receiving device for receiving the predicted arrival hour through an Internet and calculating an earthquake arrival need time as a time required for the earthquake waves to reach the building based on the predicted arrival hour; and an elevator control panel for performing an operation of stopping an elevator car at a safety floor when the elevator car is traveling toward the safety floor, a car call for the safety floor is registered, and a stop time at the safety floor is shorter than the earthquake arrival need time.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an earthquake control operation system for an elevator for allowing passengers in an elevator installed in a building to get off promptly in the event of an earthquake, and more particularly, to an earthquake control operation system for an elevator for ensuring the safety of passengers before an earthquake strikes the elevator and for minimizing the damage caused to its components.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional earthquake control operation system for an elevator is provided with a P-wave earthquake sensor for detecting a preliminary tremor of an earthquake or an S-wave earthquake sensor for detecting a principal motion of an earthquake, and performs a control operation. That is, the conventional earthquake control operation system stops the elevator at the nearest floor when the earthquake sensor is operated, or brings the elevator to a sudden halt when an earthquake of a high seismic intensity is detected by the S-wave earthquake sensor.
In one known earthquake control operation system for an elevator as described above, operation information of earthquake sensors is transferred from a building to a management station. A control command is delivered from the management station as for the elevator to perform a control operation. As a result, the number of earthquake sensors can be reduced, and an earthquake control operation can be performed reliably (e.g., see JP 2002-46953 A).
In another known earthquake control operation system for an elevator, the operating states of earthquake sensors installed in various spots of the country are delivered via the Internet and information on an earthquake is thereby acquired in advance instead of performing an earthquake control operation in response to the operation of an earthquake sensor installed in a building. As a result, passengers are allowed to get off a car of the elevator at a safety floor or the nearest floor before the arrival of earthquake waves (e.g., see JP 2004-284758 A and JP 2004-224469 A).
In the conventional earthquake control operation system for the elevator, the earthquake control operation is performed after the earthquake sensor has been operated, so the elevator must be moved even when the occurrence of an earthquake motion has caused a collision of components in a hoistway or strong vibrations of a rope. In many cases, therefore, the components in the hoistway and a rail are damaged.
In the earthquake control operation system in which information on an earthquake is delivered via the Internet, an operation of stopping the elevator at a safety floor is performed if the elevator can be stopped at the safety floor when the information on the earthquake has been received, so the elevator is caused to travel toward the safety floor through a change of direction even when it is traveling away from the safety floor. For this purpose, the car of the elevator needs to be stopped temporarily. Thus, there is a problem in that the car starts traveling again despite temporary stoppage thereof.
In addition, since an attempt to stop the car at the nearest floor is made regardless of whether the car can be stopped at the nearest floor or not, the operation of stopping the car at the nearest floor may not be completed in a situation requiring a long time to stop the car at the nearest floor as in the case of an express zone. As a result, the elevator may still be traveling when the earthquake waves have arrived. This situation causes a problem in that passengers are locked up in the elevator due to sudden stoppage thereof or a restoration is delayed as a result of a damage caused to the components in the hoistway.

Earthquake control system for elevator and elevator system using predicted arrival hour


Provided are a back-sideways alarming system and an alarming control method, which are capable of reducing the generation of a false alarm by detecting a driving road environment of a vehicle and preventing an unnecessary alarm caused by target information generated at a centerline of a road and an outside of a road. The back-sideways alarming system includes: an image acquiring unit configured to acquire road information of a vehicle; a collecting unit configured to collect target information on targets located around the vehicle; and an electronic control unit configured to recognize a lane based on the road information acquired by the image acquiring unit, reset an alarm area according to information on the recognized lane and the road information, and generate an alarm when the target information is located in the reset alarm area.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a back-sideways alarming system and an alarming control method thereof, and more particularly, to a back-sideways alarming system and an alarming control method, which are capable of reducing the generation of a false alarm by detecting a driving road environment of a vehicle and preventing an unnecessary alarm caused by target information generated at a centerline of a road and an outside of a road.
Description of the Related Art
Recently, systems for preventing various safety accidents during driving have been developed and mounted on vehicles. One example of these systems is a back-sideways alarming system that alarms a risk of collision between a self-vehicle and a back-sideways object.
Back-sideways alarming systems are disclosed in Korean Patent Publication No. 10-1998-0021413 (Document 1) and Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2007-0004300 (Document 2). Such back-sideways alarming systems are designed to ensure the safety of a vehicle and a driver in a blind spot where the field of vision of the driver is obstructed during a lane change, parking, or driving.
However, according to the related art, including the above-mentioned patents, all predetermined areas around a vehicle are set as alarm areas, without considering a driving lane. Therefore, it is inconvenient for a driver because an alarm is generated even when a false alarm happens due to a vehicle across a centerline or a guardrail or a diffused-reflection noise signal.
In particular, if a false alarm is generated in a road environment like a two-way single lane, a driver promptly confirms the fact of the false alarm. Therefore, the influence of the false alarm becomes more significant.
If the generation of the false alarm is repeated, the reliability of the back-sideways alarming system from the driver is lowered. Therefore, there is a need for a back-sideways alarming system that is capable of generating an alarm in a necessary area by resetting an alarm area according to an actual road environment.

Back-sideways alarming system for vehicle and alarming control method thereof


A processing system which enables automation of processing of sheet bodies with a view to raising efficiency of operations, from stacking to packing. A plurality of paper sheaves, which have been produced by cutting and chopping, are transported in a width direction, sequentially fed to a transfer conveyor, transported from the transfer conveyor in a length direction, and fed to a cover sheet application device. At the cover sheet application device, the paper sheaves are superposed with cover sheets, and fed to an inversion apparatus. At the inversion apparatus, the paper sheaves are inverted such that the cover sheets are at upper sides, and are fed out to another cover sheet application device. At this cover sheet application device, the cover sheets are superposed with lower face sides of the paper sheaves. Hence, the paper sheaves, with the cover sheets superposed at both upper and lower faces thereof, are bagged.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sheet-processing apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, with the spread of digital cameras, the spread of inkjet-type printers and the like, demand for inkjet paper has risen. Hence, increases in efficiency of a series of operations, from cutting and chopping of inkjet paper to packing (bagging up predetermined numbers of sheets), are sought after.
Sheets of inkjet paper are formed by cutting sheets, which have been drawn out from an original web (for example, an original material in the form of a roll), to a width matching a width dimension of the sheets, and chopping to a length matching a length dimension of the sheets. These sheets are then stacked and packed.
For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JPA) No. 10-58384 discloses a sheet-processing process in which large sheets, which are produced by chopping a long sheet, are piled up, sheaves of sheets with a predetermined size are produced by cutting a sheaf of these large sheets, and these sheet sheaves are bagged up.
However, operations to move the sheaf of large sheets before steps of cutting and chopping are rather troublesome, and moreover, there are problems such as equipment becoming larger in accordance with the size of the large sheets, and the like.
As another example, JP-A No. 5-39140 discloses a sheet sheaf transport apparatus which includes gripping means, at which a gripping pawl is attached, for gripping, lifting and transporting an end portion of a sheaf of sheets which have been placed on a transport table. In this apparatus, in order to prevent a lowermost sheet from sticking to the conveyance table, air is fed between that sheet and an upper face of the transport table.
However, transporting sheaves of sheets, whose end portions are susceptible to becoming uneven, with the gripping pawl is rather difficult. Moreover, there is room for improvement in the area of transport efficiency.


A detachable submersible pump with a modular design includes a motor module and a pump chamber module. The motor module includes an upper cover, a motor, a motor cover, and an impeller. The pump chamber module includes a housing, a water outlet, a connecting pipe, and a lock nut. The water outlet is arranged on one side of the housing. The lock nut is sleeved on the connecting pipe and is connected to the water outlet by threads. Each of two sides of the upper cover is provided with a pressable elastic buckle. Each of two sides of the housing is provided with a clamping hole. The impeller is placed inside the housing.

A submersible pump is a versatile tool for water treatment and differs from an ordinary pump in that the submersible pumps are designed for use underwater. The submersible pump generally includes a pump body, a motor and an impeller. The pump body is provided with a water inlet and a water outlet. The motor is activated to drive the impeller to rotate so that water is driven into the body of the pump via the water inlet, and then discharged via the water outlet. The hollow part inside the pump body forms a water flow channel. Before activating the pump, the suction pipe and pump must be filled with fluid. After activating the pump, the impeller rotates at a high speed. The fluid therein rotates with the blades and is separated from the impeller under the centrifugal action and ejected outwards. The ejected fluid in the diffusion chamber of the pump casing gradually slows down with increasing pressure, and then flows out of the outlet and discharge pipe of the pump. A vacuum low-pressure zone with neither air nor fluid is formed at the center of the blades since the fluid is thrown around. The fluid in the liquid pool flows into the pump through the suction pipe under the action of the atmospheric pressure of the pool surface. In such a way, the fluid is continuously pumped from the liquid pool and then continuously flows out of the discharge pipe.
In a majority of submersible pumps, however, the casing and the upper cover are integrally formed into a single unit by ultrasonic welding, which is not conducive to regular cleaning and maintenance. Moreover, it is normally not practical to repair the motor that has burned out and thus the motor has to be scrapped, which increases the running cost. It is, therefore, highly desirable to provide a new detachable submersible pump.

Detachable submersible pump with modular design


Phosphor coated with wide bandgap metal oxide which can be used for a plasma display panel (PDP) has a surface that is coated with a continuous, thin film of wide bandgap metal oxide. In preparing the phosphor coated with wide bandgap metal oxide, a pH of the wide bandgap metal oxide precursor solution containing an organic solvent and water is adjusted to 0.1–10 and heated under a reflux, thereby obtaining a metal hydroxide gel. The wide bandgap metal hydroxide gel is made to contact a phosphor for a PDP, thereby obtaining the gel-coated phosphor. The gel-coated phosphor is then dried and sintered.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a phosphor which is coated with a protective layer and which can be used for a plasma display panel (PDP), and more particularly, to a phosphor used for a PDP and coated with a continuous, thin protective layer, thereby improving the optical characteristics and the lifetime of the PDP.
2. Description of the Related Art
Since a PDP self-radiates on a similar principle to a fluorescent lamp, an image shown on the PDP has a uniform brightness, a relatively high contrast, and a viewing angle greater than 160 degrees even if a screen of a PDP is large. The PDP is known to best display a large screen of 42–60 inches. In addition, a PDP has upper and lower glass plates and a thickness no greater than 10 cm even if a driving circuit is provided, and is very light as compared to other display devices. Therefore, PDPs have been considered as the next generation of display devices.
The gradation of a cathode-ray tube (CRT) is determined in accordance with the energy of an electron beam incident on the surface of the phosphor. In contrast, a PDP adjusts the gradation using the number of discharges. In other words, the display operation of a PDP is performed only by an ON/OFF of a discharge, and a discharge "ON" state can be implemented when the voltage is higher than a predetermined level.
In the case of PDPs, since the surface of the phosphor is exposed to a discharge and vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) rays under discharge conditions, the luminance, the luminescence, and the life characteristics decrease as time elapses. To overcome this problem, the surface of the phosphor is coated with a material, such as Al2O3 or Y2O3, having a wide band gap as a protective layer. However, most protective coatings are particulate coatings in which a protective material is discontinuously deposited on the surface of the phosphor in the form of particles, but not in the form of a continuous film. Such a particulate coating is known to greatly decrease the luminance. Particularly, in the case of the phosphor for a PDP, since an exciting source is a VUV ray (147 nm), the depth of penetration provoking the luminescence is only several hundred nanometers. Accordingly, such a decrease in luminance is great. Consequently, particulate coatings used at present do not satisfactorily serve as a protective layer and greatly decrease the optical characteristics so that their practical use is problematic.
To prevent the optical characteristics of the phosphor from decreasing due to a particulate coating and to improve the lifetime of the phosphor, a protective coating to efficiently protect the phosphor from sputtering that occurs during the discharge and the VUV rays is needed.
In addition, efforts to form a continuous coating layer on the surface of an individual phosphor particle have been made to improve the performance of a lamp for maintaining luminance. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,585,673, 4,710,674, and 4,825,124 disclose methods of depositing a continuous coating layer on a phosphor particle within a fluidized bed. However, these methods require a very sophisticated apparatus. Other methods of forming a continuous layer on phosphor are deep coating, vaporization, and drying methods that are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,151,496, 4,287,229, and 4,339,501. Particularly, U.S. Pat. No. 4,339,501 discloses a method of forming a continuous silica film by treating the phosphor for a CRT with a solution obtained by dissolving silica in an organic alkali solution.
In addition, U.S. Pat. No. 5,196,229 discloses a method for improving and maintaining the luminance of the phosphor for a fluorescent lamp by suspending phosphor particles in a solution containing a metal alkoxide, such as an isopropoxy or an ethoxy compound, which is then caused to gel into a gelled suspension. The gelled suspension is aged and/or dried to form a dried cake which can be readily broken up into powder. During the gelling and drying processes, the alkoxide hydrolyzes and polymerizes and reacts to form an oxide coating on each of the phosphor particles. However, U.S. Pat. No. 5,196,229 discloses forming a continuous coating film for a type of the phosphor, such as a type 4450 phosphor (for example, calcium fluorochlorophosphate activated by antimony and manganese), zinc silicate phosphor, and zinc sulfide EL phosphor, that is used only in fluorescent lamps.
Consequently, there is no known method of forming a continuous, protective coating on the surface of the phosphor used in a PDP, which has different luminescent characteristics than the phosphor used in a fluorescent lamp, where the coating is formed using a sol-gel process.

Phosphor for a plasma display device coated with a continuous thin protective layer and method of manufacture


Various embodiments of the present invention relate to an input output balanced bidirectional buck-boost converter and associated system and method. In one example, a DC/DC bidirectional buck-boost power converter has both input and output voltages centered around chassis. This converter allows for overlapping input and output voltages, and allows for use of offset based leakage fault detection.

1. Field of the Invention
Various embodiments of the present invention relate to an input output balanced bidirectional buck-boost converter and associated system and method.
As described herein, a DC/DC bidirectional buck-boost power converter has both input and output voltages centered around chassis. This converter allows for overlapping input and output voltages, and allows for use of offset based leakage fault detection (see, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 6,678,132).
In one example, the converter (and associated system and method) may be used to interface any desired DC power source with any desired energy storage system.
2. Description of Related Art
Various conventional buck-boost converters are known. Some of these conventional buck-boost converters are bidirectional buck-boost converters.

Input output balanced bidirectional buck-boost converters and associated systems and methods


A boat hook anchor is provided. The boat hook anchor may include a metal tubing, such as electrical conduit metallic tubing. An insulating foam may be disposed within the metal tubing. The present invention may further include an anchor shackle attached to the second end of the metal tubing. The anchor shackle enables attachment of the anchor system to the boat. The anchor shackle may include a hoop securable to a rope attached to the boat.

The present invention relates to a boat anchor hook and, more particularly, to a hook used to anchor a boat to an above water structure.
Boaters find it difficult anchoring to above water surface structures. The only anchoring systems presently available for above water structures are ropes. The inabilities to get close enough due to sea conditions and water depth makes it difficult to use tradition boat anchoring systems. Damage to the boat and the risk of injury is a major concern.
As can be seen, there is a need for an improved device to hooking a boat to an above water structure.


The present invention relates to methods for preparing porous natural or synthetic material scaffolds with keratin for improving cell affinity.

An enormous expenditure of health-care resources was required for the repair and replacement of diseased tissue structures and organs. The most common treatment, replacement with an autograft, produces less than optimal results. However, the supply of autograft, and even allograft, is very limited. Engineering tissues and organs with mammalian cells and a scaffolding material as emerged as a promising alternative approach in the treatment of malfunctioning or lost organs compared to the use of harvested tissues and organs (see Langer, R. S. and J. P. Vacanti, "Tissue engineering: the challenges ahead," Scientific American 280(4), 86 (1999)). In this approach, a temporary scaffold is needed to serve as an adhesive substrate for the implanted cells and a physical support to guide the formation of the new organs. Accordingly, the scaffold materials must be custom-engineered to match the biomechanical, biochemical, and biological needs of the specific tissue or organ they are designed to replace. Transplanted cells adhere to the scaffold, proliferate, secrete their own extracellular matrices (ECM), and stimulate new tissue formation (see Langer, R. and J. Vacanti, "Tissue Engineering", Science 260 (5110), 920-926 (1993); Hubbell, J. A., "Biomaterials in Tissue Engineering", Bio/Technology 13, 565 (1995); and Saltzman, W. M., "Cell interactions with polymers," Principles of Tissue Engineering, R. Lanza, R. Langer, and W. Chick, Editors (1997) Academic Press, R. G. Landes Company, Austin, Tex., 225). During this process, the scaffold must be degraded and eliminated gradually and disappears eventually. Therefore, in addition to facilitating cell adhesion, promoting cell growth, and allowing the retention of differentiated cell functions, the scaffold should be biocompatible, biodegradable, highly porous with a large surface/volume ratio, mechanically strong, and malleable into desired shapes. The biophysical and biomechanical properties of a biomaterial scaffold are crucial for the outcome of tissue engineering. In many circumstances, the material selection is a compromise among the many physical and biological requirements. Synthetic biodegradable polymers have been attractive candidates for scaffolding materials because they degrade as the new tissues are formed, eventually leaving nothing foreign to the body. And their physical and biological properties can be controlled and tailored through different synthetic conditions and methods.
Aliphatic polyesters are one class that consists of synthetic biodegradable polymers, such as poly(glycolic acid) (PGA), poly(lactic acid) (PLA), and their copolymer of poly-(DL-lactic-co-glycolic acid)(PLGA). PLA, PGA, and PLGA have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for some human clinical applications, such as surgical sutures and implantable devices. One of their potential advantages is that their degradation rate can be adjusted to match the rate of regeneration of the new tissue. With sufficient mechanical strength, they can keep this framework until the new tissue forms. They also can be fabricated to be the same complicated shapes or structures as the tissues or organs to be replaced.
Although such synthetic materials are widely used, they still have some disadvantages, such as hydrophobicity, the lack of cell-recognition signals, etc. These results show that there is no sufficient cell adhesion on the surface of these polymer materials. Their interactions with the host environment still have much potential for improvement. How to improve the biomaterial/cell interaction for eliciting the controlled cellular adhesion and maintaining differentiated phenotypic expression has become one of the major challenges in the field of tissue engineering.
To overcome the drawbacks associated with synthetic biodegradable polymer materials, much attention has focused on coating cell adhesion-enhancing agents on these materials, such as collagen, bone-like apatite, hydroxyapatite, on the surface of polymer materials.
It is an object of the present invention to overcome the disadvantages and problems in the prior art.
The following description of certain exemplary embodiment(s) is merely exemplary in nature and is in no way intended to limit the invention, its application, or uses.
Now, to FIGS. 1-5,
FIG. 1 is an embodiment of the method of the present invention. As a first step, keratin is mixed with a biomaterial 101. Keratins are the major structural fibrous proteins constructing hair, wool, nail, and so on, which are characteristically abundant in cysteine residues (7-20% of the total amino acid residues). As alternative natural proteinous biomaterials for collagen, wool keratins have been demonstrated to be useful for fibroblasts and osteoblasts, owing to their cell adhesion sequences, arginine-glycine-aspartic acid (RGD) and leucine-aspartic acid-valine (LDV), biocompatibility for modification targets. Moreover, they are biodegradable in vitro (by trypsin) and in-vitro (by subcutaneous embedding in mice). FIG. 1 is an embodiment of a scanning electron microscope image of wool keratin particles.
The biomaterial can be natural or synthetic, and is selected from the group consisting of poly(lactide-co-glycolide)(PLGA), poly(lactide)(PLLA), polyglycolic acid (PGA), polyanhydrides, poly(ortho ethers), poly caprolactone, polyethylene glycol (PEG), polyurethane, copolymers thereof, and mixtures thereof.
The keratin-biomaterial solution is then mixed with porogen 103. Porogen is selected from the group consisting of sodium chloride, sodium sulfate, potassium chloride, sodium iodide, sodium fluoride, potassium fluoride, sodium nitrate, sodium iodate, mixtures thereof, sodium hydroxide, fructose, saccharin, glucose, mixtures thereof, paraffin, beeswax, mixtures thereof, naphthalene, and gelatins. The porogen may be formed into any shape as desired and/or necessary. In a preferred embodiment, the predetermined shape is selected from the group consisting of cubic or other geometrically shaped crystals, spheres, fibers, discs, regular geometric shapes, irregular geometric shapes, and mixtures thereof.
The solution and porogen are then dried 105, and then the porogen is dissolved or leached out from the solution 107.
It is to be understood that the cell adhesion-enhancing keratin used in the present invention may include a liquid. Preferably, the cell adhesion-enhancing keratin when mixed is at least one of a solution, a suspension, a melt, a slurry, flowable powders, flowable fibers, flowable pastes, and mixtures thereof. It is to be understood that the natural or synthetic biomaterials may be any composition which flows adequately for blending purposes. In one preferred embodiment, the liquid is a solvent and the biomaterial, natural or synthetic, is a polymeric composition.
The method of the present invention may be performed continuously, i.e., it may be automated wherein the porogen is used to print the 3-D structure, or in batches, manually or automatically.

Biomaterial scaffolds with keratin for tissue engineering


A digitally controlled device is provided to interface between a user of adjustable power unit and an adjustable power module, where the user provides an analog user input signal for adjusting the performance of the adjustable module using a user defined standard. The digitally controlled device provides the adjustable power module an analog input signal adapted to the standard used by the module. The digital controller device for controlling adjustable power module that comprises at least one analog to digital converter for converting analog user input signal to digital input, a micro-controller adapted to receive the input digital information and operate at least one digital to analog unit in response to the digital input information and at least one digital to analog converter unit adapted to produce analog input signal for controlling adjustable module.

Electronic power supplies are commonly used. There are occasions where it is necessary to adjust some of the working parameters of the power supply such as the output voltage, the supplied current and so on. This is commonly done by applying an analog input signal to the analog input of an adjustable power supply module. For example, an adjustable power supply module capable of supplying voltage up to 100 V will produce its maximum voltage when applying 10 Volts to its analog input while application of 5 volts to the analog input will cause the power supply module to produce only 50 Volts.
Several standards are used to form the relation between the control input signals and the power supply operation, for example: the signal corresponding to the supply maximum voltage, the analog signal may be applied in the form of current instead of voltage or the analog input signal may be the application of specific resistance between input terminals of the power supply module.
In addition, some power supply modules are equipped with analog monitoring output or outputs for monitoring their operation. For example, it may be useful to monitor the current or the power drawn by the load. A monitoring analog output producing an analog output signal of a voltage proportional to the current drawn by the load, may be connected to a display unit for displaying and monitoring the supplied current.
In order to properly adjust and correctly monitor the operation of the adjustable power supply unit, it is necessary to provide it with the correct analog input signals and to be able to translate the analog monitoring output signal for meaningful interpretation of the power supply working parameters. Since several standards and proprietary translation methods are used in the industry, hardware alterations are needed to set up a power supply module for its specific use. Setting up may be done at manufacturing by soldering in components (usually resistors) of specific values, or in the field by configuring the system using switches and jumpers to select the desired value among several preinstalled components. These methods limit the flexibly of the system, are time consuming and necessitate manual handling of the system which may be hazardous when done by untrained user.
For example; Xantrex Technology manufactures the XPR series of analog-controlled power supplies for applications including burn-in, electroplating, battery charging, and steering magnets.
Analog control comes standard with the XPR Series for resistive or voltage programming of the output voltage and current limits.
Several models are available with voltage ranges of 0-3 V up to 0-30 KV and maximum current of 1 A up to 60 KA.
Standards used for analog inputs are set at the factory and selected among: Voltage input of 0-5 V or 0-10 V for full range of the supply output, Resistance input of 0-5 k or 0-10 k for full range of the supply output.
Analog monitoring signal proportional to the actual output voltage and current of the power supply is provided using one of two factory-defined standard of 0-5 V or 0-10 V for full range.
It is clear that a user analog input signal may produce undesirable output if the wrong signaling standard is used.
The Series has a straightforward front panel, featuring a seven segment LED display with several status and alarm indicators, and 10-turn knobs for voltage and current control. The front panel buttons allow users to conveniently set and view the over voltage protection set points, view the output voltage and current limits, enable output shutdown, and offer the flexibility of toggling control of the power supply between the front panel and remote analog control.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A semiconductor laser includes an n-type GaAs current blocking layer formed at both sides of a stripe portion made of an upper-lying portion of a p-type AlGaInP cladding layer, p-type GaInP intermediate layer and p-type GaAs cap layer to form a current blocking structure, and the p-type AlGaInP cladding layer has a thickness d.sub.1 at both sides of the stripe portion and a thickness d.sub.2 outside them (0<d.sub.1 <d.sub.2) to effect optical guide by transversely changing refractive indices. In this case, the semiconductor laser has a refractive index n.sub.1 in the stripe portion, a refractive index n.sub.2 at both sides of the stripe portion, and a refractive index n.sub.3 in further outer sides (n.sub.2 <n.sub.3 <n.sub.1). Width W.sub.G of a gain region inside a GaInP active layer and width W.sub.P of an optical guide region (W.sub.G <W.sub.P) are controlled independently, and a saturable absorbing region with a sufficient area is ensured.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a self-pulsation semiconductor laser.
2. Description of the Related Art
For using a semiconductor laser as a light source of an optical disc device, or the like, it is important to find how to suppress noise caused by return light. A known approach for suppressing return light noise is to use a so-called self-pulsation semiconductor laser configured to oscillate by self-excitation to cope with multi-mode operation. FIG. 1A is a cross-sectional view of such a conventional self-pulsation semiconductor laser. The self-pulsation semiconductor laser operative is shown here as being made of AlGaInP-based materials.
As shown in FIG. 1A, the conventional AlGaInP-based self-pulsation semiconductor laser is made by sequentially stacking on an n-type GaAs substrate 101 an n-type AlGaInP cladding layer 102, GaInP active layer 103, p-type AlGaInP cladding layer 104, p-type GaInP intermediate layer 105, and p-type GaAs cap layer 106. An upper-lying portion of the p-type AlGaInP cladding layer 104, p-type GaInP intermediate layer 105 and p-type GaAs cap layer 106 are made in a mesa-type stripe configuration extending in one direction. Numeral 107 denotes the stripe portion including the upper-portion of the p-type AlGaInP cladding layer 104, p-type GaInP intermediate layer 105 and p-type GaAs cap layer 106. Buried at both sides of the stripe portion 107 is an n-type GaAs current blocking layer 108 to thereby form a current blocking structure.
Formed on the p-type GaAs cap layer 106 and the n-type GaAs current blocking layer 108 is a p-side electrode 109 made of, for example, Ti/Pt/Au. On the other hand, an n-side electrode 110 made of AuGe/Ni/Au, for example, is formed on the bottom surface of the n-type GaAs substrate 101.
FIG. 1B is a schematic diagram showing distribution of refractive indices of the conventional AlGaInP-based self-pulsation semiconductor laser. In this diagram, distribution of refractive indices of the AlGaInP-based self-pulsation semiconductor laser, in a particular direction parallel to the p-n junction of and normal to the cavity lengthwise direction (the particular direction is hereinafter referred to as the transverse direction), is shown in a correspondence with FIG. 1A.
That is, as shown in FIG. 1B, the conventional AlGaInP-based self-pulsation semiconductor laser exhibits step-shaped distribution of refractive indices in the transverse direction in which the refractive index n.sub.1 ' at the portion corresponding to the stripe portion 107 and the refractive index n.sub.2.sup.1 ' at the portion corresponding to both sides of the stripe portion 107. In the conventional self-pulsation semiconductor laser, the transverse optical guide is effected by stepwise changing its transverse refractive index. In this case, the refractive index difference .DELTA.n'(=n.sub.1 '-n.sub.2.sub.2 ') between the the portion corresponding to the stripe portion 107 and the portion corresponding to both sides of the stripe portion 107 is chosen to be approximately 0.0003 or less, which is nearer to the value of a gain-guided semiconductor laser, 0, than the typical value of an ordinary real-index-guided semiconductor laser, 0.001. In this manner, the transverse optical confinement of the GaInP active layer 103 is made moderate.
During operation of the conventional self-pulsation semiconductor laser of this type, the width W.sub.P ' of the optical guide region 112 relative to the width W.sub.G ' of the gain region 111 in the GaInP active layer 103 becomes large, and a part of the optical guide region 112 outside the gain region 111 becomes a saturable absorbing region 113. In the conventional self-pulsation semiconductor laser, self-pulsated oscillation is realized by reducing the change in transverse refractive index to increase the extruded amount of transverse light and to enhance interaction between the light and the saturable absorbing region 113 inside the GaInP active layer 103. Therefore, it is important to make a sufficient area of the saturable absorbing region 113.
In the above-indicated conventional self-pulsation semiconductor laser, however, the extension of the saturable absorbing region 113 is determined by a small difference between the width W.sub.G ' of the gain region 111 and the width W.sub.P ' of the optical guide region 112 inside the GaInP active layer 103, and the following problem has been involved.
That is, in the conventional self-pulsation semiconductor laser, extension of electric current and extension of light in the transverse direction are controlled by precise control of the thickness d' of the p-type AlGaInP cladding layer 104 underlying the both sides of the stripe portion 107, which results in determining the width W.sub.G ' of the gain region 111 and the width W.sub.P ' of the optical guide region 112. However, since the thickness d' of the p-type AlGaInP cladding layer 104 underlying the both sides of the stripe portion 107 is liable to vary when it is fabricated, the yield of products acceptable for self-pulsated oscillation is low.
Moreover, when the conventional self-pulsation semiconductor laser is operated at a high temperature or for a high output power, self-pulsated oscillation is suppressed due to an excessive transverse extension of the electric current and a reduction of the saturable absorbing region 113.


A mask for forming a metal line and a via contact, and a method for fabricating a semiconductor device using the same, minimizes misalignment. The mask includes a first mask region having a dark tone for light shading, a second mask region having a half tone, being disposed within the first mask region to form the metal line, and a third mask region having a clear tone, being disposed within the second mask region to form the via contact.

Generally, two masks are used to form a metal line and a via contact in a semiconductor device as shown in FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B. FIG. 1A shows a phase shifting mask (PSM) having about 6% transmittance to form the metal line, according to a related art. FIG. 1B shows a PSM having about 6% transmittance to form the via contact, according to a related art.
FIG. 2A and FIG. 2B are sectional views showing the processes of forming the metal line and the via contact according to a related art. As shown in FIG. 2A, a metal layer 20 made from aluminum or copper is vapor-deposited over a wafer 10. A first photoresist film of a positive tone is applied over the metal layer 20. After that, exposure and developing are performed using the PSM of FIG. 1A, thereby patterning the first photoresist film. In this way, a first photoresist pattern 30 may be formed over the position for forming a metal line.
As shown in FIG. 2B, the metal layer 20 is etched by using the first photoresist pattern 30 over the metal layer 20 as a mask. Accordingly, a metal line 20a is formed over the wafer 10. The first photoresist pattern is then removed. In FIG. 2C, next, an insulating layer 40 such as a tetra ethyl ortho silicate (TEOS) is vapor-deposited over the whole surface of the wafer 10.
In FIG. 2D, next, a second photoresist layer of a positive tone is applied over the insulating layer 40. The second photoresist layer is patterned by performing exposure and developing using the PSM of FIG. 1B, thereby forming a second photoresist pattern over the position to form a via hole. Next, the insulating layer 40 is etched using the second photoresist pattern over the insulating layer 40 as a mask, thereby forming a via hole 50. The second photoresist pattern is then removed. In FIG. 2E, next, a via contact 60 is formed by embedding metal such as aluminum or copper in the via hole 50.
As described above, different PSMs are used in forming the metal line 20a and the via hole 50, respectively, which may induce misalignment between the metal line 20a and the via hole 50 as shown in a section A of FIG. 2D. Such misalignment may affect the resistance characteristics of the device. Without a margin between the metal line 20a and the via hole 50 considered in the design rule, the resistance characteristics may be seriously deteriorated. However, possibility of the misalignment is inevitable according to the related-art method which uses different masks for the metal line 20a and the via hole 50, and accordingly a solution to this issue has been required.

Mask and method for fabricating semiconductor device using the same


A cooler includes a circular pipe member through which a heating medium circulates, and being in thermal contact with a power module to cool the power module with the heating medium flowing through an interior of the circular pipe member. An axially extending channel formation member between which and an inner circumferential surface of the circular pipe member a narrow channel for the heating medium is formed is provided in the circular pipe member.

Conventionally, a cooler provided within a heating medium channel through which a heating medium circulates, such as a refrigerant circuit, and configured to cool a heat generating component, such as a power module, with a heating medium circulating through the cooler has been used (see, for example, PATENT DOCUMENT 1). The cooler includes a circular pipe connected to a suction pipe of a refrigerant circuit which performs a vapor compression refrigeration cycle, and forming a portion of the suction pipe, and a heat transfer plate used to mount a power module to the circular pipe. The cooler cools the power module by releasing heat generated from the power module through the heat transfer plate to a low-temperature refrigerant flowing through the circular pipe.

Cooler and refrigerating apparatus including the same


A portable subscriber device that is arranged and constructed to augment and facilitate interfaces to the device includes a wireless local area transceiver; an internal user interface; and a controller coupled to the internal user interface and the wireless local area transceiver. These elements are cooperatively operable for executing the method including: detecting an external device that is capable of providing an interface to the portable subscriber device; determining whether the external device is available as an interface to the portable subscriber device; and when available as an interface, establishing a wireless link between the portable subscriber device and the external device that will support the interface.

Subscriber devices and other personal use devices and user interfaces thereto are known. Usually these user interfaces are limited in size and capability relative to many other user interfaces. For example many cellular handsets have a display that is capable of showing only four lines and a very small keypad with a limited number of user activated keys. Similarly interfaces to, for example, a modem, if available at all are wired interfaces typically using special cables or adapter devices. The desire to have small, portable and long battery life subscriber devices has mandated, or at least led to, these limited interfaces for the subscriber devices. Clearly a need exists for a more user friendly and flexible interface for subscriber devices.

Subscriber device and method therein for enhancing interfaces thereto


A dual-port memory is accessed via a fast read port through p-channel access transistors and via a slow read/write port through n-channel access transistors. To reduce the disturbances resulting from a read operation through the read/write port, the row-line voltage applied to the gates of the n-channel access transistors is reduced to a value (e.g., 3 volts) below the value used for a write operation (e.g., 5 volts). In this manner, the lowered conductance of the n-channel access transistors during a read operation minimizes the effects of the pre-charged column conductors on the memory cell. Problems that could occur with a simultaneous read from the fast port, among others, are reduced.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an integrated circuit having a dual-port memory.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A dual-port memory allows access to a memory cell to perform a read or a write operation from two functionally independent ports. One form of dual-port memory used in computer graphics applications includes "slow" and "fast" ports. The "slow" port allows both reading information from, and writing information to, the memory cell, and hence is also referred to as a "read/write" port. The "fast" port allows only reading information from the memory cell, and hence is also referred to as a "read-only" port. These speed designations are relative, and in one present-day integrated circuit technology, the cycle times for these operations are 100 nanoseconds and 7 nanoseconds, respectively. Furthermore, increases in speed will be achieved in future generations of technology. This type of dual-port memory is useful in graphics-display type applications that require a read/write port for interaction with a microprocessor or other device that supplies information to be displayed. The read-only port supplies data to a digital-to-analog converter for display on a video screen.
A problem in implementing a dual port memory having a fast read-only port and a slow read/write port concerns disturbances that could degrade a fast read operation. One type of disturbance between the ports, and one type of solution, is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,905,189. However, the solution provided therein requires extra transistors in the cell to isolate disturbances, which are said to be between a write operation and a simultaneous read operation. Also, both ports communicate to the cell through n-channel access devices, which causes added complexity to the cell layout when the two row-line conductors are located adjacent to each other. The cell layout area is typically increased as a result. It would therefore be desirable to obtain a dual-port memory that minimizes disturbances between the ports while allowing for a compact cell layout and a reduced number of devices.

Dual-port memory with read and read/write ports


There is provided a case of an electronic device having an antenna pattern embedded therein, the case including: a radiator frame injection molded so that a radiator including an antenna pattern part and formed on a film is formed on one surface thereof; a case frame injection molded upwardly of the radiator frame and provided with the radiator embedded between the radiator frame and the case frame; and a boundary part forming a boundary between the radiator frame and the case frame and having a groove formed inwardly of the case frame.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electronic device case having an antenna pattern frame embedded therein, a mold therefor and a method of manufacturing thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
Electronic devices such as mobile communications terminals, for example, cellular phones, PDAs, navigation devices, notebook computers, or the like, supporting wireless communications, are necessities in modern society. Mobile communications terminals have been developed to include a variety of functions, such as CDMA, wireless LAN, GSM, DMB, or the like. One of the most important parts of an electronic device that enables these functions is an antenna.
The antenna used in the mobile communications terminal has evolved from an exterior type antenna, such as a rod antenna or a helical antenna, to an interior type antenna mounted within the terminal.
However, the exterior type antenna is vulnerable to external impacts, while the interior type antenna increases the volume of the terminal.
In order to solve these defects, research into integrating the antenna into the mobile communications terminal has been actively conducted.
As a method of integrating the antenna into the mobile communications terminal, a method of adhering a flexible antenna to a body of the mobile communications terminal itself using an adhesive, or a method of molding an antenna film so that the antenna film is formed on an outer surface of the mobile communications terminal, has recently been suggested.
However, in the case of simply adhering the flexible antenna to the body of the mobile communications terminal using an adhesive, when the adhesive force thereof is reduced, the reliability of the antenna is deteriorated. In addition, the appearance thereof may be defective, providing unsatisfactory emotional appeal to consumers.
In addition, in the case of molding the antenna film so that the antenna film is formed on the outer surface of the mobile communications terminal, the security of a product is ensured; however, the antenna film may be separated from an injection molding product due to the elasticity of the antenna film itself.

Case of electronic device having antenna pattern frame embedded therein, mold therefor and method of manufacturing thereof


A spring-loaded shelf for an existing beverage cooler, which obviates the need for a user to reach more deeply within the confines of the cooler for a beverage as the contents of the cooler become depleted. The spring-loaded shelf has a base, a platform pivotally attached to the base by two scissor-type linkages, and a lifting mechanism for selectively and automatically raising the platform with respect to the base upon the scissor-type linkages, as the weight of the beverages placed upon the platform gradually decreases. Use of the spring-loaded shelf prevents injury to the user while retrieving a beverage from the cooler, and also provides for increased accessibility and visibility of the contents of the cooler.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention generally relates to an accessory for an existing cooler, and in particular relates to a spring-loaded shelf which is selectively positioned within an existing beverage cooler, having a platform which gradually vertically rises as beverages are removed therefrom, thereby obviating the need for a user to reach deeply within the confines of the cooler in order to retrieve a beverage.
2. Description of the Related Art
Top-loading beverage coolers are used by various business establishments for storing bottled and canned beverages, and for maintaining the beverages at low temperatures. While top-loading coolers are extremely useful for storing beverages until they are needed, they have a notable drawback. In particular, as the contents of the top-loading cooler become depleted, it becomes increasingly necessary for a user to reach deeply within the confines of the cooler to retrieve a beverage therefrom, which may strain the shoulder, arm, and stomach muscles of the user. Moreover, the user may accidentally cut his/her hand upon a broken bottle that may be resting, unseen, at the bottom of the cooler. Accordingly, there is a need for a spring-loaded shelf which is selectively positioned within an existing top-loading beverage cooler, having a platform which gradually vertically rises as beverages are removed therefrom, thereby obviating the need for a user to reach more deeply within the confines of the cooler for a beverage as the contents become depleted, and thereby preventing straining the muscles of the user or otherwise injuring the user.
A variety of coolers and cooler accessories have been devised. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,269,965 to White appears to show a cooler insert for an existing portable cooler or ice chest, having a platform with apertures for supporting flanged food receptacles by their upper flanges, in order to present the contents of the receptacles for better visibility and accessibility to the public. Moreover, U.S. Pat. No. 5,605,056 to Brown et al appears to show a portable cooler with a suspended grate for ice-free storage areas.
In addition, various lifts have been devised for selectively raising an object that has been placed thereupon. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,722,513 to Rowan appears to show a scissor lift having a pair of leg assemblies pivotally connected to a base, wherein relative movement between the legs and the base is opposed by spring assemblies that may be selectively connected to the carriage to vary the bias on the legs. What's more, U.S. Pat. No. 5,771,816 to Zaguroli, Jr. appears to show a lift table having an air actuator bellows for raising and lowering a load platform with a scissors linkage.
While these devices may be suitable for the particular purpose employed, or for general use, they would not be as suitable for the purposes of the present invention as disclosed hereafter.


An apparatus for dispensing fluid includes a fluid source; a nozzle having an inner layer and an outer layer, the inner layer defining a bore in fluid communication with the fluid source; and a plurality of pins each moveable to be in physical contact with the outer layer, wherein the plurality of pins is operable to apply a force towards the outer layer to adjust a cross-section of the bore.

The semiconductor integrated circuit (IC) industry has experienced exponential growth. Technological advances in IC materials and design have produced generations of ICs where each generation has smaller and more complex circuits than the previous generation. In the course of IC evolution, functional density (i.e., the number of interconnected devices per chip area) has generally increased while geometry size (i.e., the smallest component (or line) that can be created using a fabrication process) has decreased. This scaling down process generally provides benefits by increasing production efficiency and lowering associated costs. Such scaling down has also increased the complexity of processing and manufacturing ICs.
As the technology of semiconductor fabrication progresses, the formation of precise photolithographic patterns more relies upon the application of uniform coating of photoresist materials. A uniform coating of photoresist materials is important because thickness variations may impact subsequent processing steps. The photoresist material is a liquid that is coated to form a thin layer on top of a substrate surface, such as on a semiconductor wafer. Several dispensing methods have been employed to apply liquid coating materials onto wafer substrates. In some applications, spinning wafers are flooded with liquid coating materials dispensed from nozzles. The dispensing nozzles often have orifices with circular cross-sections. As presently practiced, however, the fluid flow onto the substrate may not be smooth; the uniformity of the fluid spread during dispense may be poor; and relatively large excess volumes of fluid may be required to achieve acceptable film thickness uniformities, which can also be time consuming. Therefore, a need exists for a nozzle and a method for dispensing liquid coating materials that delivers a uniform coating layer while reducing waste and increasing efficiency.

Dispensing nozzle design and dispensing method thereof

TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.


A rotary engine is provided. The engine has a main body that fits within a housing to form an annular chamber. A piston moves within the annular chamber along an annular path. A door assembly operates to block and unblock the annular chamber, opening to unblock the chamber as the piston approaches the door and closes to block the chamber after the piston has travelled past the door. A temporary combustion chamber is formed between the closed door and the piston as the piston moves away from the door.

Reciprocating steam engines were first invented by James Watt who used the property of expansion of gases in conjunction with sliding plate valves to control the path of steam and water squirted into a cylinder to make the steam contract and move a piston. The development of this basic engine led the way to the plethora of steam engines that would power the industrial revolution.
The development of more modern engines began with an engine principle proposed in 1862 by Beau de Rochas, which was later modified by Nicholas Otto and patented in 1876. That contrivance was further developed to become much later the modern Otto engine that is widely used today to power automobiles, ships and planes.
The Otto engine has four strokes in two revolutions of the engine for one sequence cycle that may be either self ignited (diesel) or spark ignited. The strokes are, in order, input stroke, compression stroke, power stroke, and exhaust stroke.
Two stroke engines, used on today's motor bikes, were a later development, and combined the four strokes to occur in one revolution of the engine. A problem with such engines has been that exhaust gases mix with incoming fuel/air gases during the input/compression stroke, and this contamination limits the engine efficiency.
The development of engines was accelerated by the world wars, which led to supercharger Otto engines for planes, jet engines, and liquid fueled engines for rockets. Jet engines and rocket engines produce high output thrust but at a cost of high fuel usage.
The expansion properties of gases have been used to drive all of the aforementioned engines. However, as the world's supply of accessible fossil fuels becomes depleted, and high quality fuels for automobiles becomes more expensive, there is an ever increasing demand for improved output from smaller and more efficient engines.
Although the world's attention is gradually focusing on alternative energy sources to combustible fossil fuels, and there is a desire in some circles to replace engines with electric motors for automobiles, current technology is not at a stage where engines can be replaced with, say, fuel cell or battery powered electric cars. A smaller and more efficient engine using fossil fuels (and especially low grade fuels) to power automobiles, electric generators and other machinery would be a great advantage.
Properly developed rotary engines are ideally placed to serve this purpose. A rotary engine was patented in 1912 using sliding doors in a four stroke emulation of the four stroke Otto reciprocating principle, but in a rotary chamber. There have been many subsequent developments using the same system of partitioning the chamber space, such as by using sliding doors or rotating disc doors to block and unblock the swept chamber space into compartments, thereby emulating the four strokes of the Otto engine.
It is a serious limitation of such rotary engines that the doors are moved whilst there is still pressure within the chamber. The presence of high chamber pressures slows the opening of the doors because of the creation of high frictional loads on the doors. To be most efficient, the doors must be moved very quickly, and this requires lowering the frictional resistance that presently acts upon the doors as they move under high chamber pressures.
It has been found by the present inventor that this limitation can be overcome by providing a rotary engine that is so assembled and operated to release chamber pressure into an exhaust path from the chamber as the piston moves towards the doors but just before the doors begin to be opened.
It is another limitation of prior art rotary engines that their use of cam rollers further reduces their efficiency by increasing the time the doors are in motion, as the cam rollers effectively widen the cam lobes.
There are numerous other limitations of prior art rotary engines which the present inventor has overcome by the present invention.


The present invention comprises a group of related lipid molecules, and methods for their use, that maybe used to treat inflammation and certain inflammation related diseases. The group of related lipid molecules are capable of inhibiting certain enzyme systems including phospholipase A2, and cyclooxygenase-2. The group of related lipid molecules of the invention may be characterized by specific structural characteristics, or by specific biological activity, including inhibition of the previously listed enzymes.

The present invention relates to a group of compounds and a method for inhibiting certain enzyme systems that mediate a variety of physiological responses in mammals. More particularly, the present invention relates to a compound and method for inhibition of phospholipase A2, and cyclooxygenase-2, which are enzymes that catalyze a cascade of biochemical reactions that lead to the mediation of pain, fever, inflammation and other functions.
Human beings and other mammals spend energy continuously defending against a vast array of invasive pathogenic organisms including bacteria, viruses, fungi and other intracellular and extra-cellular parasites in addition to other potentially harmful agents that are capable of upsetting homeostasis. In response, humans and other mammals maintain many mechanisms capable of processing and defending against such antigens and agents. The biological response to attack and injury is mediated through the formation of a series of structurally related compounds called eicosanoids, which include the prostaglandins, the leukotrienes, and the thromboxanes. Master enzymes known as phospholipase A2 and phospholipase C regulate the formation of these highly potent compounds.
Phospholipase A2 is a heat-stable, calcium dependent enzyme that catalyses the hydrolysis of the 2-acyl bond of 3-n-phosphoglycerides. It has a molecular weight of about 30,000 Daltons. Phospholipase A2 has been found in many human tissues including platelets, chondrocytes, placenta, cartilage, peritoneal calls and peritoneal fluid and spleen. (Vades, p., Puzanski, W., Soluble phospholipase A2 in human pathology: clinical-laboratory interface. Biochemistry, molecular biology, and physiology of phospholipase A2 and its regulatory factors. Ed AB Mukherjee, Plenum Press, New York, 1990.) High levels of phospholipase A2 are found in synovial tissue and it has been shown that activity of rheumatoid arthritis significantly correlated to the levels of serum phospholipase A2. (Vadas, P., Pruzanski, W. and Stefanski, E., Characterization of extracellular phospholipaseA2 in human synovial fluids. Life Sci. 36: 579, 1985.)
Substantial evidence has been found (above reference) that excessive concentrations of extra-cellular phospholipase A2 may initiate and propagate inflammation and cause cellular damage. In addition phospholipase A2 was also found to modulate various aspects of phagocytic activity, vascular tone and permeability. A strong correlation between phospholipase A2 activity and certain human diseases have also been identified. A few such diseases are listed in table 1 below.
FIG. 1 illustrates the key role that phospholipase A2 and cyclooxygenase-2 are currently understood to play in the formation of potent, biologically active substances that mediate a variety of conditions and disease states. The process of the formation of prostaglandin""s, leukotrienes, lipoxins, and thromboxanes in addition to lysosomal enzyme release, bactericidal activity, pro-inflammatory eicosanoids, PAF and lysophosphatides and reactive oxygen species, begins on the surface of specialized cells including osteoblasts, endothelial cells, chondrocytes, synoviocytes, and renal mesangial cells. The major constituents of these, and all other, cell membranes are phospholipids. The biochemical conversion of these important molecules to arachidonic acid is catalyzed by phospholipase A2. Arachidonic acid is further converted to leukotrienes, lipoxins, thromboxanes and prostaglandins. The latter two species are formed by way of chemical conversion catalyzed by two other important enzymes known as cyclo-oxygnease-1 and cyclooxygenase-2. The arachidonic acid cascade is a well know pathway leading to the mediation of pyrogenicity, vasoconstriction, increased vascular permeability, contraction of smooth muscle, inflammation, and pain.
Found in every cell of the human body, albeit to varying degrees, prostaglandins have profound physiologic effects including mediation of pain and inflammation. The prostaglandins (PG) are a family of lipid-soluble hormone-like molecules produced by different cell types in the body. For example, macrophages and monocytes are large producers of both PGE2 and PGF2, neutrophils produce moderate amounts of PGE2, and masts cells produce PGD2. It is important to note that, unlike histamine, prostaglandins do not exist free in tissues vacuoles, but have to be synthesized and released in response to an appropriate stimulus. This synthesis is dependent on phospholipase A2 and cyclooxygenase-2.
Thromboxanes are produced by monocytes and macrophages, as well as by platelets. Thromboxanes are involved in causing platelets to aggregate and constrict blood vessels and airways. These effects are some what opposed by the action of prostacyclin (PGI2), which is a potent vasodilator.
Leukotrienes (LT) exist in a number of varieties, and cause the chemotaxis (directed locomotion) and/or chemokinesis (general cell movement) of a number of cell types including neutrophils. The synthesis of LTB4 is inhibited by colchicines, an anti-flammatory agent used for treatment of gout. The mixture of LTC4, LTD4 and LTE4 originally called slow reacting substance of anaphylaxis is produced by a wide variety of smooth muscle, mainly in the bronchus, and have effects on mucous secretions. Inhibition of the formation of these substances is a useful therapeutic modality in asthma.
Lipoxins (LX) are a family of molecules that are thought to stimulate changes in microcirculation. For example, LXA4 induces rapid arteriolar dilation and can also antagonize LTD4-induced vasoconstriction. This suggests that LXA4 may regulate the action of vasoconstrictor leukotrienes. LXA4 can block neutrophil chemotaxis induced both LTB4 and N-formyl-oligopeptieds. Both LXA4 and LXB4 inhibit cytoxicity of natural killer T cells and thus there inhibition can be useful in allowing the immune system to remain intact while fighting infections and cancer.
Inflammation is a complex response of the body in response to damage of its cells and vascular tissues. The elucidation of the detailed processes of inflammation has revealed a close relationship between inflammation and the immune response.
Basic symptoms of inflammation include redness, swelling, heat, pain, and deranged function. These signs and symptoms are thought to be due to extravasation of plasma and infiltration of leukocytes into the site of inflammation, as a result of cell damage. Early investigators considered inflammation a primary host defense system. Indeed inflammation is the key reaction of the immune response, but in fact, inflammation is more than this, since it can lead to death, as anaphylactic shock, or debilitating diseases, as in arthritis or gout.
What is needed is a novel lipid compound that is capable of reducing inflammation and certain related disease conditions, while avoiding disadvantages of the prior art, preferably without unacceptable side effects.
The present invention comprises a group of related lipid molecules, and methods for using the group of related lipid molecules, for inhibiting certain enzyme systems including phospholipase A2 and cyclooxygenase-2, for the mediation of pain, fever, inflammation and other functions including phospholipase A2 and cyclooxygenase-2. The ability of the group of related lipids of the invention to inhibit enzyme systems including phospholipase A2 and cyclooxygenase-2 was surprising and unexpected. The group of related lipid molecules of the invention may be characterized by specific structural characteristics, or by specific biological activity, including inhibition of the previously listed enzymes. The group of related lipid molecules of the invention may be synthesized using known chemical methodologies, or isolated and purified from biological materials using known methods for isolating desired lipids. The group of related lipid molecules of the invention may be altered by known chemical means to produce various derivatives or analogues. This invention also relates to forms of the lipids of the invention which, upon administration to a patient, undergo biotransformation into an active form.
With regard to the structural characteristics, the group of related lipid molecules of the invention share and may preferably be characterized by the following three structural features: a backbone or linking structure, a polyethyleneglycol (PEG) chain, and a tail group having two long chain fatty acids. The long chain fatty acids preferably range between 11 and 25 (inclusive) carbons in length, and may be saturated, unsaturated, or polyunsaturated. Each long chain fatty acid is preferably of the same length, and saturation, but in some embodiments the chains may differ. The PEG groups may be various lengths, but is preferably between 100 and 5,000 daltons, and more preferably between 500 and 2,000 daltons. While a glycerol backbone or linking structure is preferred, in alternate embodiments, backbone structures including only two carbon, or more than three carbons may be useable. Furthermore, related compounds only a single long chain fatty acid or three long chain fatty acid s, instead of two long chain fatty acids, may also be effective in inhibiting phospholipase A2 and cyclooxygenase-2, and are considered part of the current invention.
In a preferred embodiment, the lipid molecules of the invention, and compounds and mixtures thereof, may be administered to an animal or a humans as a pharmaceutical composition, a foodstuff, a food additive, a dietary supplement, or a cosmetic. The composition of the invention may be administered selectively or systemically, and delivery methods include but are not limited to oral and topical. The compound of the invention may be particularly suited for delivery as a component of a liposome or micelle. Useable systemic delivery methods may include but are not limited to use of the compound of the invention in -the form of a tablet, a capsule, a syrup, a dragee, a suspension, an elixer, a solution, a powder, granules, an emulsion, microspheres, nanospheres, lipid vesicles, polymeric vesicles, or an injectable. Useable topical delivery methods may include but are not limited to use of the compound of the invention in the form of an ointment, a cream, a milk, an impregnated pad, a gel, a spray, and a lotion.
The invention also includes methods for administering the lipids of the invention in effective amounts through a variety of know means including as a pharmaceutical, foodstuff, dietary supplement, or cosmetic.
Inflammation related diseases that may be treated include but are not limited to rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, psoriasis, monoarthritis, gout, collagen vascular disease, pancreatitis, peritonitis, sepsis and shock, renal failure.

Compounds and methods for inhibition of phospholipase A2 and cyclooxygenase-2