The present invention concerns a new assay which allows the identification of compounds which inhibit the formation of complexes between a product of the double minute 2 gene (xe2x80x9cdm2xe2x80x9d) and p53 but not between p53 and DNA. Both the complex formation of labeled DNA, C-terminally truncated p53 and dm2 and disruption of dm2 from the labeled DNA-p53 complex by an inhibitor of the p53-dm2 interaction can be detected by a gel shift assay procedure. This assay permits the selection of compounds which, besides their inhibitory property, do not alter p53 specific DNA binding and do not disturb p53 conformation required for DNA binding or formation of active tetramer.

The present invention relates to an assay for testing inhibitors of the interaction between proteins p53 and hdm2.
The protein encoded by the human double minute 2 gene, hdm2, forms a complex with the tumor suppressor gene product p53 both in vitro and in vivo. In some human cancers hdm2 is overexpressed and binds most of the cellular p53. Formation of this complex is favoring nucleoplasmic transformation since the complexed p53 looses the tumor suppressor activity. Compounds which prevent the interaction between p53 and hdm2 will release p53, promoting its tumor suppression activity within these cancerous cells. Similar results could also be obtained with animal cancer cells, e. g. in mouse. The mouse homologue to hdm2 is mdm2.
To search for inhibitors of p53 -hdm2 interaction, a high throughput primary binding assay, for example ELISA, can be used to select compounds and to initiate a medicinal chemistry program. However, assays which can be used for such a primary screening of p53-hdm2 binding have the disadvantage that artefacts may occur, i. e. wrong positive reaction can be obtained because of artefactual results due to the chemical properties of the tested substances.
In addition, compounds which inhibit the interaction between p53 and hdm2 can also alter p53 specific DNA binding, which is a totally undesired effect because DNA binding is a prerequisite of p53 tumor suppressor activity.
For example, p53 is sensible to several chemical agents that inhibit its activity. The main criteria of activity of p53 is the DNA binding which reveals that the protein is properly folded and not aggregated or unfolded. Compounds which like metal chelators precipitate p53 might be considered as true inhibitors of the p53 -hdm2 interaction in a classical binding assay because the precipitated p53 cannot form complexes.
Therefore, additional testing of the impact of the substance on p53-DNA binding is important because compounds inhibiting p53-DNA binding are not good candidates for therapeutic uses. However, in a high through put assay it is not possible to test whether a compound which inhibits p53-hdm2 interaction prevents p53 specific DNA binding or disturbs the p53 conformation so that p53 can no more fulfill the desired biological function.
To avoid these two problems and to start a chemistry program based on more relevant lead compounds, the use of a good confirming assay is crucial.
A confirming assay according to the present invention could, for example, be a gel shift assay. A gel shift of a p53-DNA complex in an agarose gel after incubation with adeno-virus E1B protein is described in Yew et al. [Genes and Dev. 8, 190-202, 1994].
In Wang et al. [PNAS 91, 2230-2234, 1994] the detection of the binding of HB virus X protein to p53 by measuring the inhibition of p53-DNA binding is described. However, none of the prior art publications describes an assay in which the DNA binding property of p53 remains if p53 is complexed with a double minute 2 protein.
So far, all the in vitro assays described in the literature to study the interaction between p53 and hdm2 are immunoprecipitation assays for testing the binding of hdm2 to p53 [Leng et al. , Oncogene 10:1275(1995)]. None of these assays simultaneously show that hdm2 binds to p53 and does not disturb its specific DNA binding.
In the present invention it was surprisingly found that p53-DNA binding is maintained after complex formation with hdm2 and that it is possible to measure in one and the same reliable assay the effect of a substance on both the p53-hdm2 and p53-DNA binding.
It is the object of the invention to provide a reliable test method for compounds which inhibit the formation of complexes between hdm2 and p53 but which do not inhibit binding of DNA to p53 or disturb the p53 conformation so that p53 can no more fulfill the desired biological function.
The present invention concerns a new assay which allows the identification to compounds which inhibit the formation of complexes between a product of the double minute 2 gene (xe2x80x9cdm2xe2x80x9d), for example human hdm2 or mouse mdm2, and p53 but not between p53 and DNA. Both the complex formation of labeled DNA, C-terminally truncated p53 and dm2 and disruption of dm2 from the labeled DNA-p53 complex by an inhibitor of the p53-dm2 interaction can be detected by a gel shift assay procedure. This assay permits the selection of compounds which, besides their inhibitory property, do not alter p53 specific DNA binding and do not disturb p53 conformation required for DNA binding or formation of active tetramer.
The invention further concerns a test kit for testing the effect of a substance on the binding of a dm2 protein to p53, comprising (a) a p53 or functional equivalent thereof having DNA-binding, oligomerisation and hdm2-binding properties, (b) a hdm2 or functional equivalent thereof having the p53 binding domain, and (c) a DNA sequence specifically binding to the p53 binding domain.
The present invention concerns a test method for a substance inhibiting the formation of a complex between p53 and a product of the double minute 2 gene (xe2x80x9cdm2xe2x80x9d), for example human (h)dm2 or mouse (m)dm2, while not inhibiting the formation of a complex between p53 and DNA. The method comprises measuring complex formation in a mixture of p53, dm2 and DNA binding to p53 in the presence and in the absence of a substance to be tested. In the presence of the desired property of the tested substance, a complex between p53 and DNA is formed (xe2x80x9cdouble complexxe2x80x9d), while in the absence of the desired property either a complex between p53, DNA and dm2 (xe2x80x9ctriple complexxe2x80x9d; if no inhibiting activity is present) or no complex (if the tested compound inhibits both the dm2-p53 and p53-DNA complex formation or if the tested substance destroys the p53 conformation so that it is no more DNA binding) is formed. While any method being able to discriminate between the different conditions (triple complex, double complex, no complex) is suitable for performing the present assay, in a preferred embodiment of the invention the assay performed is a gel shift assay.
Thus, the test system essentially comprises a p53, a dm2, and DNA. While the use of the human proteins or active variants thereof is most preferred, the invention is not limited to the use of the human proteins. The corresponding proteins from other species can also be used, e. g. from mouse. However, it is preferred that both the p53 and dm2 protein used in the assay originate from the same species.
For performing the present invention, a p53 protein must be used which both is able to bind DNA and dm2.
p53 according to the present invention can be a recombinant form of p53 or purified from the original organism. It is, however, not necessary to use a full length p53 for performing the present invention. Accordingly, the p53 form used herein also means any useful variant or fragment of p53, preferentially of human p53. The features of such a useful variant or fragment are clear from the description hereinafter.
For DNA binding, p53 must be able to form tetrameric complexes. Consequently, for DNA binding both an active p53 DNA binding domain (e. g. residues 102-292 of p53) and a p53 functional oligomerisation domain (e. g. residues 325-356 of p53) must be present in the p53 form used in the present invention. For improving DNA binding properties of p53, the protein can be activated by interaction with a specific antibody (for example the monoclonal antibody Pab421 known in the art which binds to the amino acid stretch between amino acid 372 and 380 of the human p53), phosphorylation by kinases (casein kinase 11 phosphorylating Ser392 of human p53 or protein kinase C phosphorylating Ser 370 and Ser 375 of human p53) or, more preferably, truncation of its C-terminus (deletion of maximal 38 amino acids of the C-terminus of the natural p53 sequence). An example for the latter is p53D30, i. e. natural p53 lacking the C-terminal 30 amino acids, used in the Examples hereinafter.
In another embodiment of the invention, a p53-DNA complex for studying inhibitors of dm2-p53 interaction can also be obtained by the use of high affinity binding DNA elements (like the RGC and the BC sequences described in Kern et al. , Science 252:1708, 1991, and Halazonetis et al., EMBO J 12:1021, 1993, respectively). p53 can be directly purified from various sources (for example from bacteria, baculovirus or mammalian cells).
For being able to form complexes with hdm2, a human p53 suitable for use in the present invention contains residues 1 to 52 of the natural p53 sequence, more preferentially residues: 18 to 23, even more preferentially residues 19, 22 and 23.
The concentration of p53 which is preferentially used in the present invention depends on the amount of dm2 used in the assay. Normally, a five fold excess of dm2 protein is used. A very clear signal in detection of radioactive label is obtained with about 50 to 100 ng of p53D30. However, it is also possible to use higher amounts if it is possible to tolerate in the test assay that some of the proteins precipitate.
A dm2 protein for use in the present invention can be recombinant or purified from the original organism.
A dm2 protein for use in the present invention can be either the full length form or a truncated form or any hybrid protein which contains the minimal p53 binding domain of the dm2. dm2 in context with the present invention means preferentially a dm2 from the same species as the p53 used in the assay is derived from. In particular, if human p53 is used, a human dm2 (hdm2) or analogue thereof containing the minimal p53 binding domain is used, and if mouse p53 is used, a mouse dm2 (mdm2) or analogue thereof containing the minimal p53 binding domain is used. For hdm2, the region from residue 1 to residue 102 of the natural sequence is identified so far as minimal p53 binding domain. For example, in an embodiment of the invention a fusion protein consisting of the N-terminal 188 amino acids of hdm2 (comprising the p53 binding domain) and the full length glutathione S-transferase from Schistosoma japonicumprepared in the Examples (named herein G-M fusion protein) can be used for the assay. The fusion protein is obtainable by expressing the DNA encoding the N-terminal 188 amino acids of hdm2 in the expression vector pGEX-2T (Pharmacia).
The DNA element of the test system can be any DNA fragment which specifically binds to p53, e. g. such containing a p53 binding element degenerated or not. It can be a synthetic oligonucleotide, a DNA fragment isolated from living organisms or a DNA element inserted in a plasmid.
The optimal p53 to hdm2 ratio may vary depending on the purity and specific binding activity of the used proteins and, thus, should be determined for each protein variant used.
In the case that a gel shift assay is performed, the DNA element should be such that a DNA band can be detected which shifts in the gel when the DNA is incubated with p53. For detection, the DNA element can be either radiolabeled or possibly labeled by a non radioactive method.
For obtaining a satisfactory detection signal, p53 should be satured with DNA. For example, the KD of full length p53 activated by antibody Pab421 is about 5xc3x9710xe2x88x9210 M
For 50 ng p53D30 used in the Examples, 0.1 to 0.5 pmole of DNA should be sufficient.
For gel shift assay, the gel can be an agarose gel or, preferably, a native polyacrylamide gel, preferably such having 4 to 5% acrylamide. The buffer can be any buffer in which p53 is active for specific DNA binding since the complex p53 -DNA is less stable than the p53 -hdm2 complex. Preferred buffers are HEPES in a concentration of 20 to 50 mM or buffered Tris solution in a concentration of 10to 50 mM.
In a preferred embodiment the pH of the buffer is 7.1 to 8.0. In a preferred embodiment of the invention a salt is present in the buffer. If a salt is used, it should preferentially be KCl at 50 to 100 mM or NaCl at 50 to 175 mM. Moreover, the buffer can optionally contain a substance selected from Glycerol (up to 20%), DTT (up to 0.5 mM), MgCl2 (e. g. about 6 mM), ZnSO4 (e. g. about 0.1. mM), ZnOAc (e. g. about 0.1 mM), detergent NP40 (up to 0.1%), Triton X-100 (up to 0.1%), bovine serum albumin (up to 1 mg/ml), EDTA (up to 1 nM), and a competitor DNA, e. g. poly dl-dc, poly dA-dT or salmon sperm DNA, e. g. in a concentration of 25 to 100 xcexcg/ml.
The invention further concerns a test kit for testing the effect of a substance on the binding of a dm2 protein to p53, said test kit essentially comprising (a) a p53 or functional equivalent thereof having DNA-binding, oligomerisation and hdm2-binding properties, (b) a hdm2 or functional equivalent thereof having the p53 binding domain, and (c) a DNA sequence specifically binding to the p53 binding domain. The preferred ingredients of the test kit are as above. The test kit optionally contains instructions for its use.

Assay for identifying inhibitors of the interaction between proteins p53 and dm2


The present invention relates to medical treatment devices. In particular, according to one embodiment, the present invention a medical treatment device that includes, for example, a tube member, a treatment member by way of which energy can be transmitted in connection with performance of a medical procedure, a sleeve, and a hub member. In this example, the treatment member is positioned within the tube member and the tube member thus affords a degree or protection to the treatment member. The combination of the treatment member and the tube member is configured to be partially received within, and secured by, the hub member. In particular, the hub member includes a securement portion and a delivery portion which are releasably attached to each other.

The present invention relates to medical treatment devices. In particular, the present invention relates to an introducer sheath and hub for use with medical treatment devices that emit energy in connection with the performance of medical procedures. The present invention also relates to an introducer sheath and hub that may be used with other devices, such as those used in medical procedures.
One such medical device using energy is for vein ablation. Vein ablation is a procedure that may be used to treat varicose veins. Varicose veins exist because valves in the blood veins fail, allowing blood to stagnate. This stagnation causes pain and noticeable purple or red traces of the vein visible from the outside of the skin. During a normal vein ablation procedure for varicose veins, a practitioner first identifies a vein or veins for the procedure. The veins are then mapped as a guide for the practitioner in order for him to perform the procedure. Once the veins are mapped, the practitioner prepares the vein for ablation by introducing a sheath into a far end of the vein, in preparation for introduction of a treatment device, such as a laser or radio frequency device.
The treatment device is introduced into the vein at the distal end and extended in the vein to a junction with a healthy branch of a larger vein to ensure that the entire damaged vein is treated. In a laser treatment procedure, a fiber-optic member is covered by a sheath for introduction and for the treatment procedure. As fiber-optic members are usually very slender fibers of glass, it is not desirable to introduce the fiber-optic member without a covering because the fiber can break off in the patient, or can puncture the vein walls, damaging surrounding tissues.
Thus, the fiber-optic member is introduced in a sheath or catheter and advanced to the beginning of the treatment area. The practitioner can determine the location of the tip of the fiber-optic member in the patient by ultrasound imaging, transillumination of the anatomy using an aiming or targeting beam, by feel, and/or by estimating the location based on a calculated position inside of the vein targeted for treatment. Once the fiber-optic member reaches the beginning of the treatment area, the practitioner exposes a terminal portion of the fiber-optic member by extending the fiber-optic member out of the end of the sheath, exposing about 2 cm of fiber. To expose the end of the fiber, a practitioner looks at marks positioned on the fiber near a hub, indicating to the practitioner a position where the end of the fiber is inside of the sheath, and where the fiber is extended out of the sheath about 2 cm. The laser is then activated and transmits energy through the fiber, thereby heating the tissue and fluid around the end of the treatment fiber, effectively destroying the vein and preventing further filling of the vein with stagnant blood. The ablation procedure removes the appearance of the varicose vein, alleviates the pain caused by the varicose vein, and prevents further complications.
Additionally, in a traditional ablation procedure, a practitioner needs to monitor the energy expended by the laser to ensure sufficient treatment of the target veins. One way to see where the end of the treatment catheter is located inside of the patient is by seeing light through the patient's skin before or during the laser treatment of the target area. Light in the visible spectrum, which may be a targeting light, may be used. Thus, practitioners often dim the lights, allowing better viewing of the monitors and of the treatment location in the patient. However, the low-light conditions make seeing the marks on the fiber difficult, creating the possibility of errors because of misreading the marks. Thus, in placing a fiber for treatment into a patient in a traditional ablation procedure, a practitioner needs to identify markings on the fiber in very low light, simultaneously monitoring treatment, location of treatment, and patient comfort.
Some previous efforts to solve some of the problems associated with vein ablation procedures include, for example, a device and method disclosed in U.S. Patent Publication No. US 2006/0142747. In the disclosed device, a split straw is used to maintain a fiber inside of a sheath during insertion and prior to using the laser. The split straw includes a portion over the fiber, preventing the fiber from advancing in the sheath past a point where the terminal end of the fiber would be exposed outside of the sheath. The split straw also includes a second handle portion to aid in removing the split straw from the fiber, allowing a terminal end of the fiber to be advanced outside of the sheath.
However, the split straw can easily disconnect from the fiber during manipulation, such as during insertion of the sheath into the patient. For example, the handle portion can easily catch on other objects, removing the split sheath, or by pushing the fiber and sheath together, the angle of the split straw can cause the split straw to pop off of the fiber. If the split straw comes off prematurely, the split straw may become unusable by touching a non-sterile surface. Additionally, having the small split straw become disengaged from the fiber would cause problems for the practitioner in positioning the fiber correctly and completing the procedure.
Thus what is needed is a device that aids the practitioner by providing a fiber positioning system that is easy to use in low-light conditions and that can be employed without requiring the used of a removable piece that is easily lost or tends to premature deployment.


A compound represented by Formula 1 below may be used in an organic light emitting diode. Additionally, in some embodiments, an organic light-emitting diode includes a first electrode, a second electrode, and an organic layer between the first electrode and the second electrode and including the compound represented by Formula 1.

1. Technical Field
One or more embodiments of the present invention relate to compounds for organic light-emitting devices and to organic light-emitting devices including the compounds.
2. Description of the Related Art
Organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) are self-emitting devices having advantages such as wide viewing angles, good contrast, quick response times, high brightness, and good driving voltage. OLEDs can provide multicolored images.
In general, an OLED has a structure including a substrate, an anode, a hole transport layer (HTL), an emission layer (EML), an electron transport layer (ETL), and a cathode, which are sequentially stacked on the substrate. In this regard, the HTL, the EML, and the ETL are organic thin films formed of organic compounds.
An operating principle of an OLED having the above-described structure is as follows.
When a voltage is applied between the anode and the cathode, holes injected from the anode move to the EML via the HTL, and electrons injected from the cathode move to the EML via the ETL. The holes and electrons recombine in the EML to generate excitons. When the excitons drop from an excited state to a ground state, light is emitted.
The most important factor for determining the luminous efficiency of an OLED is the light-emitting material. Fluorescent materials or phosphorescent materials have been used as the light-emitting material, but OLEDs including such light-emitting materials do not exhibit satisfactory efficiency, driving voltage and lifetime.

Compound for organic light-emitting diode and organic light-emitting diode including the same


An AC-to-DC adapter provides power to information handling systems at different power levels based on the power rating of the information handling system. An adapter manager sets a first lower level at an over current protection circuit unless the information handling system sends identification information that indicates the information handling system is rated to accept a second higher power level, such as by sending a low signal pulse through a serial communication line. While the identification information is present and external power is applied to the adapter, the adapter manager sets a second higher level at an over current protection circuit to allow output of a second higher power level.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to the field of information handling system power subsystems, and more particularly to a system and method for adjusting information handling system over current protection.
2. Description of the Related Art
As the value and use of information continues to increase, individuals and businesses seek additional ways to process and store information. One option available to users is information handling systems. An information handling system generally processes, compiles, stores, and/or communicates information or data for business, personal, or other purposes thereby allowing users to take advantage of the value of the information. Because technology and information handling needs and requirements vary between different users or applications, information handling systems may also vary regarding what information is handled, how the information is handled, how much information is processed, stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the information may be processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in information handling systems allow for information handling systems to be general or configured for a specific user or specific use such as financial transaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage, or global communications. In addition, information handling systems may include a variety of hardware and software components that may be configured to process, store, and communicate information and may include one or more computer systems, data storage systems, and networking systems.
Many of the components used to process information in an information handling system operate on direct current (DC). To power DC components, information handling systems typically have an AC-to-DC power adapter that converts alternating current (AC) provided from an external source, such as a wall socket, into direct current. Desktop or tower information handling systems typically integrate the AC-to-DC adapter into the system housing. Integrated AC-to-DC adapters are generally designed to meet the power needs of the information handling system based upon the expected amount of power that the system will draw. Typically, a number of safeguards, such as over current protection circuits, are disposed in the power subsystem to ensure that the information handling systems will not draw more power than the adapter is designed to provide.
Portable information handling systems also have components that run on DC power, however, portable information handling systems typically do not integrate an AC-to-DC adapter into their housings. Instead, portable information handling systems usually have an external AC-to-DC power adapter that is separate from the system housing. Using an external power adapter improves system portability by eliminating the external power source from the system housing when the system operates on internal battery power. Portable information handling system AC-to-DC adapters have a plug that inserts into AC electrical sockets to accept external power and a second plug that inserts into a DC socket of the information handling system housing to provide DC power to the information handling system. Portable information handling system AC-to-DC adapters provide a range of power outputs that depend upon the power consumption of the system supported by the adapter. For instance, typical AC-to-DC adapter power outputs vary from less than 60 Watts to greater than 240 Watts.
One difficulty with the use of an AC-to-DC adapter that is separate from an information handling system housing is that an end user may attempt to power a portable information handling system with an inappropriate adapter. If an adapter's power output is less than the power required for the information handling system, the information handling system will likely run but have degraded performance. If an adapter's output is greater than the power required for the information handling system, a danger exists that an over current condition might occur, causing damage to the information handling system or injury to an end user. To avoid the use of an incompatible adapter and information handling system, a variety of different adapter plug configurations are used for adapters of different power outputs. For example, an adapter that outputs greater than 240 Watts of power has a plug that will not fit into an information handling system that is not configured to accept that much power. Although this prevents the use of incompatible adapters and information handling systems, it also promotes the use of a wide array of adapter plugs that increase the cost of adapters and tend to confuse end users.

System and method for adjusting information handling system over current protection with a common power cable


A crisis response system including a throw module and a command unit connected by a communication cable. The throw module includes at least one covert video camera hidden from view. The covert video camera provides a video signal to the command unit showing the current conditions that exist in the immediate area surrounding the throw module. The throw module further includes a covert microphone hidden within the throw module that transmits an audio signal including the sounds occurring the immediate vicinity of the throw module. The crisis response system includes a cellular phone jamming circuit contained within the throw module that is selectively activated by a switch contained on the command unit. The cellular phone jamming circuit prevents cellular communication within a prescribed radius surrounding the throw phone.

The present invention relates to a hostage negotiation system to provide secure communication between a law enforcement agent and an extortionist. More specifically, the invention relates to a crisis response system including numerous covert features to provide additional information to the law enforcement agent and a hidden cell phone jamming device that can be remotely activated by the law enforcement agent.
Law enforcement agencies are frequently confronted with situations in which an extortionist has barricaded himself in a particular location and it is impractical for the police to enter that location for an arrest without risking the safety of hostages or those in the immediate vicinity, including the officers. In this type of situation, it is often times necessary for the law enforcement agency to communicate with the extortionist in order to determine the extortionist's demands and requests.
In the past, many types of negotiation units have been used in connection with existing telephone wires to speak with the extortionist. In these types of situations, the law enforcement agency typically taps into the existing phone wires and the extortionist uses the telephone located in the building in which the hostages are being held. However, this type of crisis response unit has several drawbacks, in that the communication with the extortionist may not be secure or there may not be an existing telephone in the building in which hostages are being held.
To address several of these problems, direct connected crisis response negotiation systems including two telephone handsets hard wired together are used. In this type of system, one of the handsets is thrown into the building, while the second handset is retained by the law enforcement agency. Through this hard wire connection, the law enforcement agency can contact and communicate with the extortionist holding the hostages.
While this type of system has worked reasonably well, it is desired to enhance the crisis response system to provide the law enforcement agency with additional information to enhance the position of the law enforcement agency in any hostage negotiation that may occur.
One example of an improved crisis response system is shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,442,240 entitled "Hostage Negotiation System" and assigned to Professional Safety, Inc., the assignee of the present disclosure. The '240 patent is incorporated herein by reference.
In the crisis response system of the '240 patent, the command unit used by the law enforcement agency is hard wired to a throw module that is provided to the extortionist. The throw module includes at least one covert video camera that provides video feedback to the command unit that can be monitored by the law enforcement agency. The crisis response system further includes at least one covert microphone in the throw module such that the law enforcement agency at the command unit can receive audio signals from within the hostage situation without the extortionist's knowledge. During normal usage of the crisis response system, the extortionist communicates with the law enforcement agency over the telephone handset provided in the throw module such that the communication between the law enforcement agency and the extortionist is controlled.
Oftentimes during a hostage situation, the law enforcement agency severs the land communication link to the building in which the hostage is being held. This step eliminates the possibility of the extortionist communicating to outside of the building and focuses the entire communication to the communication taking place over the crisis response system.
Presently, cellular phones have become common place and it is very likely that an extortionist will have a cell phone with him or her during the negotiation process. Therefore, it is desirable for the law enforcement agency to have a means and device to prevent cellular phone communication by the extortionist during the hostage negotiations.
Various other features, objects and advantages of the invention will be made apparent from the following description taken together with the drawings.

Crisis response system including cell jamming device


A system and method for determine which threads to execute at a given time in a multi-threaded computer system. A thread prioritizer determines execution fairness between pairs of potentially executing threads. A switch enabler determines forward progress of each executing thread. The resulting indicators from the thread prioritizer and switch enabler may aid in the determination of whether or not to switch a particular potentially executing thread into execution resources.

Many modern computer systems are able to execute more than one distinct software program, or "thread", without having to explicitly save the state for one thread and restore the state for another thread. For this reason they are referred to as "multi-threaded" computer systems. In one older approach, called sequential multi-threaded operation, the operating system or other control mechanism permits the several threads to share resources by permitting each thread that is a candidate for execution to operate in sequence on the processor. Changing between threads may be referred to as thread switching. In some of these older approaches, threads are switched when the currently executing thread executes for a certain period or reaches a point when it cannot proceed, such as waiting for a memory access or an I/O transfer to finish. The selection of the next thread to be switched in (permitted use of execution resources) may be made on the basis of strict priority. In other approaches, a round-robin approach may be used in thread switching.
Several modern microprocessors support what is known as simultaneous (or concurrent) multi-threaded operation. In these processors, several threads may execute simultaneously sharing resources in parallel rather than in sequence. However, in many cases there will still be more threads that need to be executed than there are hardware execution resources for thread execution. Therefore there will still be a need for thread switching, at least with respect to some resources, when using these processors.
One problem that may arise when thread switching is deadlock. Deadlock may be defined as the condition when a set of processes using shared resources or communicating with each other are permanently blocked.
A similar problem is livelock. Livelock may be defined as the condition when attempts by two or more processes to acquire a resource run indefinitely without any process succeeding.
Thus deadlock and livelock are two examples of potential problems that may arise when switching threads in a multi-threaded system. Improved algorithms for controlling switching threads and algorithms that address deadlock or livelock concerns may continue to be desirable for their ability to improve overall multi-threaded execution.

Method and apparatus for ensuring fairness and forward progress when executing multiple threads of execution


One or more aspects of the disclosure pertain to an article including a film disposed on a glass substrate, which may be strengthened, where the interface between the film and the glass substrate is modified, such that the article retains its average flexural strength, and the film retains key functional properties for its application. Some key functional properties of the film include optical, electrical and/or mechanical properties. The bridging of a crack from one of the film or the glass substrate into the other of the film or the glass substrate can be prevented by inserting a crack mitigating layer between the glass substrate and the film.

This disclosure relates to articles including a glass substrate that has a film disposed on its surface, and a modified interface between the film and the glass substrate such that the glass substrate and/or the article substantially retains its average flexural strength, and the film retains key properties for its application.
Articles including a glass substrate, which may be strengthened or strong as described herein, have found wide usage recently as a protective cover glass for displays, especially in touch-screen applications, and there is a potential for its use in many other applications, such as automotive or architectural windows and glass for photovoltaic systems. In many of these applications it can be advantageous to apply a film to the glass substrates. Exemplary films include indium-tin-oxide ("ITO") or other transparent conductive oxides (e.g., aluminum and gallium doped zinc oxides and fluorine doped tin oxide), hard films of various kinds (e.g., diamond-like carbon, Al2O3, AlN, AlOxNy, Si3N4, SiOxNy, SiAlxOyNz TiN, TiC), IR or UV reflecting layers, conducting or semiconducting layers, electronics layers, thin-film-transistor layers, or anti-reflection ("AR") films (e.g., SiO2, Nb2O5 and TiO2 layered structures). In many instances these films must necessarily be hard and brittle, or otherwise their other functional properties (e.g., mechanical, durability, electrical conductivity, optical properties) will be degraded. In most cases these films are thin films, that is, they generally have a thickness in the range of 0.005 μm to 10 μm (e.g., 5 nm to 10,000 nm).
When a film, as defined herein, is applied to a surface of a glass substrate, which may be strengthened or characterized as strong, the average flexural strength of the glass substrate may be reduced, for example, when evaluated using ball-drop or ring-on-ring strength testing. This behavior has been measured to be independent of temperature effects (i.e., the behavior is not caused by significant or measureable relaxation of surface compressive stress in the strengthened glass substrate due to any heating). The reduction in average flexural strength is also apparently independent of any glass surface damage or corrosion from processing, and is apparently an inherent mechanical attribute of the article, even when thin films having a thickness in the range from about 20 nm to about 200 nm are utilized in the article. In view of this new understanding, there is a need to prevent films from reducing the average flexural strength of glass substrates and articles including the same.


Methods and apparatus for providing a secure optical communications link are disclosed. Communications information is encrypted with a security key. An optical beam is then modulated with both the security key and the encrypted communications information, with different modulation schemes being used for each. The dual-modulated optical beam is then transmitted to a receiver. At the receiver, the optical beam is split into first and second optical beams. First and second demodulators are then employed to demodulate the optical beams to recover the encrypted communications information and its data rate, and the security key and its data rate. The encrypted communications information, the security key, and the data rate information are then sent to decryption and timing circuitry which decrypts the encrypted communications information to obtain the original unencrypted communications information.

This invention relates to optical communications, and more particularly to secure free-space optical telecommunications links.
Free-space optical telecommunications offers an attractive alternative to hard-wired or radio communication in certain situations. For example, a telecommunications services provider who wants to enter a new geographical area may have little or no hard-wired plant in that area and may wish to avoid the cost and complexity of installing such plant to serve the new area. Similarly, radio communications resources are limited and regulated, and a new telecommunications services provider may not have sufficient rights to use those resources in a new geographical area.
Free-space optical telecommunications is therefore attractive because it avoids the need for hard-wired plant and because, unlike radio telecommunication, it is essentially unregulated. Optical telecommunication also has the advantage of very large information capacity. Thus optical telecommunications links can support a wide range of telecommunications services such as telephone, video, audio, and computer data transmission.
A possible problem with free-space optical telecommunications is that it is subject to compromise (i.e., theft through optical beam interception), especially if a spatially broad optical beam is being used. For example, an eavesdropper may compromise a line-of-sight free-space optical telecommunications link by intercepting a portion of the optical power being transmitted through the link (e.g., by using an inexpensive photodetector). If the amount of optical power intercepted is small, the optical telecommunications link will function normally despite the interception (e.g., there will be no indication that the link has been compromised).
While it may be difficult to prevent (or even detect) the interception of an optical beam used in a free-space optical telecommunications link, the information traveling via the telecommunications link may nonetheless be protected from compromise by employing encryption techniques. "Encryption" refers to the transformation of information (e.g., "plaintext" or any unencrypted information) into an incomprehensible, "encrypted" form (e.g., "cipher") by means a security key. Encrypted information can be "decrypted" (i.e., transformed back into comprehensible information) if the security key used to encrypt the information is known. Using encryption techniques, information traveling via a free-space optical link may be secured (i.e., may be made uncompromiseable) even if the optical beam transporting the information is intercepted.
Information is normally encrypted while in an electronic form by any variety of techniques well known in the art. The encrypted information is then converted into an optical form by modulating an optical beam with the encrypted information. The optical beam is then transmitted to a receiver. In order for the receiver to decrypt the encrypted information carried by the optical beam, however, the receiver must know the security key used during the encryption process. One method for ensuring that the receiver has the required security key for decryption is to send the security key with the encrypted information signal. This may be performed electronically by combining the electronic encrypted information with an electronic security key to form a hybrid electronic signal which is then used to modulate the optical beam. However, such a system requires additional electronic circuitry at both the transmitter and receiver for combining and separating the encrypted communications information and the security key, and fails to take advantage of the ease and simplicity by which optical beams may be modulated/demodulated and the coherent nature of the light sources typically used in optical communications links (e.g., lasers).
In view of the foregoing, it is an object of this invention to improve optical telecommunications links.
It is a more particular object of this invention to reduce the complexity of secure free-space optical telecommunications links by providing a simplified method for transmitting both encrypted communications information and a security key with the same optical beam.
It is yet another object of this invention to utilize the phase coherence possessed by optical telecommunications light sources in order to simplify the transmission of encrypted communications information and a security key across an optical telecommunications link.

Methods and apparatus for secure optical communications links


A rotor 16 rotatably installed on a casing 10 is in contact with a container hole 11 of the casing 10, and the rotor 16 is equipped with a rotating shaft 17 which rotates around a rotation center O.sub.2 at a position deviated from a reference axis O.sub.0 of a container chamber by a distance E. An eccentric bearing 25 is rotatably attached to the casing 10, and has a rotation center O.sub.1 at a position deviated from both the rotation center O.sub.2 and the reference axis O.sub.0 by a predetermined distance. The eccentric bearing 25 rotates in accordance with rotation of the rotating shaft 17, and the rotor 16 is thereby brought into contact with the sliding contact portion 11a with a predetermined stress. As a result, it is possible to set large tolerances of processing precision of components of a driving device having a rotating member and a casing containing the rotating member.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a bearing apparatus which supports a rotating shaft for rotatably supporting a rotating member assembled in a casing.
2. Related Art Statement
A hydraulic pump is used to convert a rotational motion of an electric motor or the like into kinetic energy of a non-compressible fluid such as an oil, and a compressor is used to convert the motion into kinetic energy of a compressible fluid such as air.
Hydraulic pumps include a gear pump, a vane pump, a screw pump, and a radial piston pump. The gear pump is a pump which obtains a pumping effect by a movement of a volume surrounded by a tooth space and a casing and is divided into a circumscribed type and an inscribed type. A vane pump is a pump which obtains a pumping effect by a change of a volume defined between a plurality of vanes inserted in a groove of a rotor. A screw pump is a pump which moves forwards a fluid in an axial direction by rotating a shaft where a threaded surface is formed, and is divided into a one-shaft type, a two-shaft type, and a three-shaft type. An IMO type pump is known as a screw pump of the three-shaft type.
A piston pump is a pump of a type which suctions and discharges a liquid with use of a volume change caused by a reciprocal movement of a piston. An axial piston pump is equipped with a piston parallel to the axis of a cylinder block, while a radial piston pump is equipped with a piston arranged radially in a cylinder block.
As a compressor which use a compressible fluid such as air to obtain a compressed fluid of a predetermined value or higher, there is a compressor of a volume type. This type of compressor is divided into a rotation type which pressurizes a gas suctioned by rotation of a rotor in a casing like the vane type and the screw type of a hydraulic pump, and a reciprocation type which pressurizes a gas by a movement of a piston reciprocating in a cylinder. These hydraulic driving devices and air-pressure driving devices are described in, for example, KABUSHIKIKAISHA OHM-SHA, "SHINBAN YUATSU-BINRAN", pages from 204 and pages 445 to 451, Feb. 25, 1989.
A fluid-pressure driving device such as a pump or a compressor as described above have a rotor or a rotating member which is rotated and driven by a drive shaft connected to the motor. The rotor is brought into contact with a sliding surface such as a inner circumferential surface of the casing. If an unnecessarily excessive clearance is created between the casing and the rotor, the device cannot maintain its performance. If the rotor comes into collision with the inner surface, the device stops operating. Therefore, it is important to set a contact pressure and a pressure between the rotor and the inner surface to optimum values.
Thus, to manufacture a driving device such as a pump, the outer diameter of a rotor and the size of an inner circumferential surface of a casing must be processed to have predetermined precision, and how precisely respective components constituting the driving device can be processed is a significant point in view of maintaining performance of the device. It is therefore necessary to strictly manage tolerances of processing precision of respective components, and hence, problems occur in that the manufacturing steps are complicated and the manufacturing costs are increased.


A tow hitch assembly includes a draw bar and a hitch ball mount pivotally supported by the draw bar. A compression spring is disposed longitudinally between the draw bar and the hitch ball mount. The compression spring exerts a force that opposes a downward pivoting motion of the hitch ball mount when weight is placed on the hitch ball mount. The compression spring cooperates with an indicator configured to indicate to a user whether the weight placed on the hitch ball mount is within a predetermined weight range. The compression spring is removable and replaceable with a second compression spring that has a different spring constant. The second compression spring cooperates with the indicator to indicate to a user whether the weight placed on the hitch ball mount is within a second, different predetermined weight range.

This invention relates generally to hitch assemblies for coupling a trailer to a towing vehicle. More specifically, the invention relates to a hitch assembly that indicates to a user whether a pre-determined trailer tongue weight has been met when a trailer is attached to a tow vehicle.
Automobiles, trucks and other vehicles are regularly equipped for towing trailers. In doing so, it is important for the user to determine that the weight of the trailer tongue on the hitch meets the desired level of such weight for the particular trailer being towed.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus that allows a user to easily determine that such desired trailer tongue weight has been met.
It is another object of the present invention to provide such an apparatus that is relatively easy to manufacture and to use.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide such an apparatus that can be readily modified by a user to work with trailers having different desired tongue weight ranges.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description that follows, and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations pointed out in the appended claims.


A process for making a film from a nonwoven web by converting the nonwoven web into a film and films and unit dose products made therefrom are provided.

Casting processes for making films, especially water-soluble films and/or films comprising water-soluble film-forming materials, such as polyvinyl alcohol, are known in the art. Such casting processes utilize a solution of a solvent and a film-forming material, such as polyvinyl alcohol, that is deposited and/or flowed onto a casting surface, such as a metal wheel, roller or belt. The solvent is then removed from the solution, for example by drying. Once the solvent is removed from the solution, a film formed from the film-forming material remains on the casting surface. It is known that casting processes for making films are very time intensive as a result of the need to remove the solvent by drying.
An example of a prior art casting process 10 is shown in FIG. 1. A solution 12 comprising a solvent and a film-forming material is deposited onto an endless metal band 14. The endless metal band 14 transports the solution 12 into a dryer 16. As the solution 12 passes through the dryer 16 the solvent is removed from the solution 12 leaving the film-forming material in the form of a film 18 on the endless metal band 14. The film 18 is then removed from the endless metal band 14 and wound into a roll 19.
Non-water soluble films and/or films comprising non-water soluble non-water soluble filament-forming materials, such as polypropylene, polyethylene, and thermotropic polymers (i.e., polymers that form liquid-crystalline melts) have been produced by spinning a web of filaments of such non-water soluble filament-forming materials and then heat pressing the resulting web into a film, oftentimes a porous film. However, such non-water soluble films and/or films comprising non-water soluble filament-forming materials are unsuitable for uses and/or products that require water-soluble films.
Accordingly, there is a need for a process for making films, especially polar solvent-soluble (for example water-soluble) films and/or films that comprise polar solvent-soluble filament-forming materials and/or water-soluble filament-forming materials that avoids the negatives of known film casting processes, especially the slow rate at which a film is made from a cast solution comprising the solvent and the film-forming material and/or filament-forming material.

Process for making films from nonwoven webs


An apparatus is used to manually set a parameter of a lens of a television, video or studio camera, and especially to set the distance between the camera and an object which is to be photographed. The apparatus which is connectable with the camera, has a hand wheel that can be rotated about an axis of rotation, as well as an adjusting wheel that can be connected through a gear mechanism with the hand wheel to engage a corresponding wheel at the lens for setting the parameter. Two stops, which can be adjusted variably relative to one another and fixed at different angular positions, are provided for limiting the angle of rotation of the hand wheel. A counterstop, arranged in the path of the two stops, is connected torsionally rigidly with the hand wheel.

The invention relates to an apparatus and to a method for manually setting a parameter of a lens of a television, video or studio camera. In particular, the invention relates to an apparatus and a method for manually setting the distance between the camera and an object, which is to be photographed. Especially, it shall be possible to set the distance herewith for electronic camera with auto focusing.
The German utility patent 20308400 discloses a device, which has a holder, which can be connected with the camera, for a hand wheel, which can be rotated about an axis of rotation, and a gear mechanism, which is brought into engagement with an adjusting hand wheel in a corresponding wheel at the lens for setting the parameter and especially the distance. Between the hand wheel and the adjusting hand wheel, a wheel drive is provided, for example with gear wheels, so that this apparatus works absolutely without clearance.
For some photographing situations, it is necessary to switch the lens frequently between two distance values, for example, when photographing a discussion between two persons, for which the cameraman must adjust the lens for each new alignment of the camera, in order to achieve the desired sharpness or an intentional fuzziness.
This manual setting of the distance is particularly critical for modern electronic television, video or studio cameras with auto focusing. They have the advantage that a cameraman no longer has to set the desired distance between the camera and the object to be photographed manually and that, instead, this is done automatically, for example, by a contrast measurement or a phase comparison. In many cases, especially when the object to be photographed is not in the region of the field of view of the lens, which is the measuring region for the auto focusing, it is desirable to be able to set this parameter also manually, in order to set the sharpness and fuzziness selectively.
However, the known apparatus of the aforementioned DE 20308400, in conjunction with electronic cameras, cannot be taken over in this form for setting the distance manually. If, for example, a lens, aimed with the camera, is focused by the automatic focusing feature, the distance ring of the lens can be rotated manually, without changing the focusing thereby. This is the case especially when the setting limits of infinity and close up are reached, because a manual adjustment of the distance does not lead to a change in the distance setting in every case, but only to a loss of the reference point for the distance setting, so that the cameraman must focus the lens once again.
This is extremely tedious for a cameraman, for example, when two parties to an interview are photographed at different distances; each time the lens has to be focused or the desired fuzziness set once again.

Apparatus and method for setting a parameter of a lens of a television, video or studio camera


The removal of heavy metals from aqueous solutions using metal-doped titanium dioxide nanoparticles is a method that comprises contacting the aqueous solution with metal-doped titanium dioxide nanoparticles. The three transition metals tungsten, vanadium and iron were selected for doping of titanium dioxide. Removal of the toxic heavy metals Pb(II), Zn(II) and Cd(II) was studied intensively by using metal-doped titanium dioxide to measure the isotherms and kinetics. The isotherms studies showed that the highest removal percentage of Pb(II) was achieved by W-doped titanium dioxide, while Fe-doped titanium dioxide and V-doped titanium dioxide performed better for removal of Zn(II) and Cd(II), respectively.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to water treatment methods, and particularly to a method for removal of heavy metals from aqueous solutions using metal-doped titanium dioxide nanoparticles, and particularly to the removal of lead, zinc and cadmium from aqueous solutions by photocatalytic degradation of heavy metals using metal-doped titanium dioxide nanoparticles.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, semiconductors have gained major attention in a vast number of physical and chemical applications such as devices manufacturing and modern electronics. This is because of the unique properties of these materials, including the band gap energy, surface area, pore volume and optical properties.
Among semiconductors, titanium dioxide, which is a white pigment with band gap energy of 3.2 eV, has been used intensively in many industrial applications, such as optical coatings, optoelectronic devices manufacturing, catalyst supports and photocatalysis. This wide range of applications comes as a result of its efficient catalytic activity, photosensitivity, non-toxicity and physical and chemical stability. When irradiated with UV light with energy higher than its band gap, it ejects an electron from the valence band to the conduction band on its surface, which reacts with electron acceptor. This ejection of electrons creates a hole (h+) in the valence band that leads to formation of highly reactive hydroxyl radicals by (h+). In addition, titanium dioxide has many superior characteristics, such as UV shielding capability which makes it an excellent prominent photocatalyst.
Generally, the photocatalytic activity of titanium dioxide is affected by the surface area, pore size and volume, the phase of the solid material, and the band gap energy. Therefore, in order to enhance this photocatalytic activity, it is inevitable to increase the surface area and pore volume of titanium dioxide, where it is hard to control the band gap energy. Thus, nano-level synthesized titanium dioxide can offer a significant improvement of photocatalytic performance.
Several synthetic routes including chemical vapor deposition, hydrolysis, micro-emulsion, template hydrothermal, sputtering and sol-gel synthesis are utilized for the synthesis of nanocrystalline titanium dioxide, and the choice of any of these methods depends on the required properties of the final catalyst and its applications.
The most commonly used techniques for synthesis of titanium dioxide and other semiconductors include the following.
Chemical vapor deposition (CVD): In this process, a substrate is exposed to precursors with higher relative volatility to allow the decomposition on the surface of substrate to produce the desired materials. The main advantage of this process is the ability to produce ultra-high purity materials with a very small particle size. The main drawback of CVD is the low yield.
Sputtering: In this technique, bombardment by energetic particles is used to eject atoms from the solid target materials in a vacuum chamber to produce semiconductors. It is a very efficient method to synthesize nano film with uniform thickness, but it is a high cost process due to the sophisticated equipment required.
Flame synthesis: This process utilizes a high temperature or plasma exposure of precursors to produce small size nano particles. It is commonly used for nano coating due to the mobility of the products as they were achieved by bombardment through the flame.
Because of the drawbacks of these processes, which are the high cost and equipment, the sol-gel technique emerges as the most promising technique due to its simplicity and ability to control the final catalyst properties. This can be attained by adjusting the process parameters, such as the ratio of precursor to acid and solvent, solution temperature, and sonication time.
To make the crystalline titanium dioxide more photocatalytically active, it is required to modify it to enhance both its surface area and photoactive wave length range. To do so, the modifications may include the incorporation of other transition metals oxides into titanium dioxide matrix to promote the catalyst surface in both physical and chemical ways. The transition metals, doped onto the surface of titanium dioxide, improve its photocatalytic activity by reducing the band gap energy. Hence, they make it more active towards the visible range. In addition, these metals prevent surface agglomeration by acting as physical promoters, and may also increase selectivity toward different materials in many applications. This is due to the higher affinity and physical interaction achieved by incorporating these metals.
Many studies have emerged concerning the application of photocatalysis in the field of environmental degradation of chemical pollutants, including organic and inorganic materials, as well as dyes. Toxic metals, which include heavy metals, are individual metals and metal compounds that negatively affect human and animal health. At trace levels, many of these elements are necessary to support life. However, at elevated levels they may build up in biological systems and become a significant health hazard.
Among the class of heavy metals that are classified by Environmental Protection agency (EPA) and Agency for Toxic Substances & Disease Registry (ATSDR), the top priority list of hazardous substances for removal from water includes lead, cadmium and zinc. These heavy metals are carcinogenic and have severe effects on the vital human organs, including lungs, kidneys and blood vessels. The maximum allowable limits of these metals vary according to the local regional regulations, but in general, they are limited to less than 20 ppm in most local regulations. Therefore, removal of these heavy metals from aqueous solution is required to maintain the water quality standards.
Several technological methods could be employed for treatment of water to remove heavy metals. Among these methods are chemical precipitation, ion exchange, membrane separation and adsorption. These methods are either costly, energy consuming or produce sludge that requires further treatment. Photocatalytic application on the other hand has gained major attention in this field, as it offers an efficient removal of a majority of pollutants with low cost of processing, as well as other features, including chemical stability and non-toxicity.
In addition to the conventional elimination of toxic metals from industrial waste effluents, the application of the light-driven processes that can occur on irradiated semiconductor photocatalysts gained in interest for the recovery of precious metals. These metals are reduced on the surface of the semiconductor particle, which is subsequently extracted from the slurry by mechanical and/or chemical means.
A more recent development in photocatalysis is the development of semiconductor nanofibers. These nanofibers have advantages over the regular semiconductors, as they have large surface areas and high reactivates. It can decrease the band gap of TiO2 from 3.2 eV to less than 2.32 eV, which demonstrates higher photo-conversion efficiency by absorbing visible light at wavelengths below 535 nm.
Thus, a method for the removal of heavy metals from aqueous solutions using metal-doped titanium dioxide nanoparticles solving the aforementioned problems is desired.

Removal of heavy metals from aqueous solutions using vanadium-doped titanium dioxide nanoparticles

KING FAHD UNIVERSITY OF PETROLEUM AND MINERALS

KING ABDULAZIZ CITY FOR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY


Disclosed is a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device whereby InAs(1-x)Sbx semiconductor layer is formed on an easily available and economical semiconductor substrate such as a GaAs substrate or a Si substrate. According to the method, a quantum dot layer is formed between a semiconductor substrate and a semiconductor layer to reduce defects caused by lattice mismatch between the semiconductor layer and the semiconductor layer. The method may improve the growth speed of the semiconductor layer. In addition, because the InSb layer provided by the present invention has an electron mobility greater at room temperature, it may improve the quality and productivity of the semiconductor device.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device and a semiconductor device using the same and, more particularly, to a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device and a semiconductor device using the same, which may improve productivity.
2. Description of the Related Art
Since In(As)Sb materials have high electron mobility and narrow band gap (approximately 78,000 cm2/Vs and 0.17 eV at room temperature) characteristics and are widely applied to a high speed Hall sensor and a long wavelength measuring device, they are attracting attention in various industrial fields. The importance, prior researches, and applications of an Sb based semiconductor are described in paper of B. R. Bennett [B. R. Bennett et al., Solid State Electronics vol. 49, pp. 1875, 2005].
An In(As)Sb layer can be manufactured by a liquid phase epitaxy (referred to as "LPE" hereinafter) method. However, the LPE method is an equilibrium growth method, which allows non-uniform mixing of materials. Thus, the LPE method is disadvantageous in that it requires high precision and depends on experiences of operators and performance of growth devices. Furthermore, since it is essentially difficult to control impurities and boundaries, only a few enterprises and research institutes are able to control the In(As)Sb layer based on unique experiences. Low quality In(As)Sb layer having a relatively low electron mobility (less than 20,000 cm2/Vs) is industrially produced by a sputtering method.
Meanwhile, because a molecular beam epitaxy (referred to as "MBE" hereinafter) method or a metal organic chemical vapor deposition (referred to as "MOCVD" hereinafter) method is a non-equilibrium growth method, which can overcome the non-uniform mixing phenomenon, they are gaining focus as substitute of the LPE method. However, so as to embody the MBE method and the MOCVD method, a high quality substrate is required. As shown in FIG. 1, which is a graph showing lattice constants and band gaps of group III-V compound semiconductors [B. R. Bennett et al., Solid State Electronics vol. 49, pp. 1875, 2005], a high quality substrate suitable for an In(As)Sb having a maximum lattice constant of 0.65 nm is commercially implausible. Thus, research on a method of growing In(As)Sb using GaAs (having a lattice constant of 0.565 nm) or Si (having a lattice constant of 0.543 nm), which are industrially easy to obtain and inexpensive, has been performed actively.
For example, a high quality InSb layer is prepared on a GaAs substrate by using a low temperature-high temperature processing method (LT-HT method) [Appl. Phys. Lett. vol. 84, pp. 4463, 2004 by T. Zhang et al.]. An InSb layer is grown on a GaAs substrate to have an intermediate layer of AlSb [Physica E vol. 21, pp. 615, 2004 by T. Sato, M. Akabori, S. Yamada]. Further, an InSb layer is successively grown on an Si, GaSb, or AlSb substrate [Appl. Phys. Lett. vol. 89, pp. 031919, 2006. by Y. H. Kim et al.].
According to the LT-HT method, a low quality InSb layer is grown at a temperature lower than an optimum growth temperature of an InSb layer in order to form the InSb layer on a GaAs substrate, and then the growth temperature of the InSb layer is increased to the optimum growth temperature, which leads to a formation of a high quality InSb layer.
FIG. 2 is a graph showing the thickness and the electron mobility of an InSb layer grown on a GaAs substrate by the LT-HT method, which is described in Physics E vol. 20, pp. 216, 2004 by T. Zhang et al. As shown in FIG. 2, in order to prepare an InSb layer having high electron mobility of 50,000 cm2/Vs by the LT-HT method, an InSb layer thicker than 3 um should be grown. Defects occur mainly at a lower portion of the InSb layer in the vicinity of the GaAs substrate due to the lattice constant difference (15%) between the GaAs substrate and the InSb layer. Accordingly, the thick InSb layer is formed to prevent the aforementioned defects. Consequently, the InSb layer is formed thickly to enhance the quality of an upper portion of the InSb layer. However, the thicker the InSb layer is formed, the longer manufacturing time is, thereby deteriorating the productivity.
And, in the process of forming the InSb layer, upon forming a lower layer of the InSb layer, the GaAs substrate has to be maintained at low temperature. Then, when forming an upper layer of the InSb layer, the GaAs substrate should be maintained at high temperature. This requires longer manufacturing time, which also leads to a reduction of the productivity.

Method of manufacturing In(As)Sb semiconductor on lattice-mismatched substrate and semiconductor device using the same

Korea Institute of Science and Technology


One aspect of the present invention thinning-reads pixel signals from the multiple pixels according to a thinning pattern from an image pickup element, or extracts pixel signals from the multiple pixels according to the thinning pattern from a color image that is read from the image pickup element and corresponds to the color filter array, and acquires a thinned color image. Then, moving image data is generated on the basis of the thinned color image. Adoption of the thinned color image as a target image to be subjected to moving image processing can facilitate reduction in processing time per frame, and prevent the frame rate from decreasing. Furthermore, thinning-reading pixels from the image pickup element can facilitate reduction in time of reading an image from the image pickup element.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an imaging device and an image processing method and, in particular, to an imaging device and an image processing method that perform moving image generation and focus adjustment based on phase difference in parallel.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, automatic focus adjustment (phase difference AF) has been known where first and second phase difference pixels on which a subject image having passed through left and right regions of an imaging lens is pupil-divided and image-formed are provided in a part of an image pickup element, the phase difference between output signals of the first and second phase difference pixels are detected, and the focus position of a focusing lens is adjusted on the basis of the detected phase difference.
An image pickup element described in PTL 1 (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2009-89144) includes a typical Bayer array color filter. In the horizontal direction and the vertical direction, first pixels for detecting the focal position (pixels on the left side of pupil division) and second pixels for detecting the focal position (pixels on the right side of pupil division) are alternately arranged at a predetermined period (at a period of six pixels in the horizontal direction, and at a period of three pixels in the vertical direction). The first and second pixels for detecting the focal position are arranged on pixel positions where green (G) filters are arranged.
In the case of detecting the focal point, an electronic camera described in PTL 1 thinning-reads an image on lines (line image) where the first and second pixels for detecting the focal point are arranged, detects the focus position on the basis of the image signal of the first and second pixels for detecting the focal point in the thinning-read line image, and controls the position of the focusing lens, while performing live view display in real time on the basis of the image signal of the thinning-read line image (including the first and second pixels for detecting the focal point). In the case of not detecting the focal point, a line image where the first and second pixels for detecting the focal point are not arranged is read, and live view display is performed on the basis of the image signal of the line image.
In the case of detecting the focal point, the electronic camera described in PTL 1 pairs the first or second pixels for detecting the focal point (G pixels) and red pixels (R pixels) or blue pixels (B pixels) that are adjacent to the G pixels with each other and extracts signals from the thinning-read line image, and performs live view display on the basis of the image signal of the extracted pixels. Accordingly, image signals of typical G pixels (G pixels other than the first or second pixels for detecting the focal point) are not used for live view display in the case of detecting the focal point.

Imaging device, and image processing method


A low voltage link for converting on/off orders between a relay building and remote high or medium voltage electrical disconnection apparatus, the link being mainly constituted by a bundle of electrical lines extending from the building to the remote apparatus, each line serving to convey an on/off order in the form of a voltage step. The voltage step transmitted on each line is converted, at the end of the line close to the electrical apparatus, into a two-state optical signal by an electro-optical conversion unit associated with said line, said optical signal then being delivered to an opto-electronic conversion unit associated with the electro-optical conversion unit in order to deliver a two-state electrical control signal to the apparatus. A crosstalk reduction device is provided at the terminals of each electro-optical conversion unit to reduce the level of a crosstalk voltage peak received at the terminals of said unit by use of a capacitive circuit forming a voltage divider, and to subtract a certain voltage from the reduced voltage peak by use of a zener diode so that the voltage peak received at the terminals of the electro-optical conversion unit is not detected thereby.

Such an apparatus is opened or disengaged and closed or engaged by powering one of two control coils associated with the apparatus. Traditionally, each coil is powered by a low voltage electrical signal produced from the relay building by closing an order-transmitting contact, e.g., a local control pushbutton or a contact of a remote protection relay.
On/off orders are conveyed over a low voltage link constituted mainly by a bundle of conductive cables forming as many electrical lines extending between the building and the apparatus, with each line serving to convey a single on/off order in the form of a voltage step of about 250 volts. Such a link is relatively long, about 100 meters to 200 meters. In addition, signals indicating the state of the electrical apparatus (in particular whether it is in the engaged state or the disengaged state) as delivered by auxiliary contacts of the kind described in French patent application No. 92/06920 are returned via these electrical lines to enable the operator to make decisions concerning engagement and disengagement.
Auxiliary contacts are now designed around electronic circuits as described in French patent application No. 94/11638, and coil control relays have been replaced by static switches based on transistors. Under such conditions, it is necessary to isolate the electronic circuits from the high voltages in common mode that can appear on the electrical lines used for transmitting on/off orders. To avoid any risk of the electronic circuits being destroyed, consideration has therefore been given to isolating the electronic circuit of the electrical lines proper by a system comprising two stages of electrical/optical conversion. More particularly, as shown in FIG. 1, at the end of each electrical line such as the line 1, there is connected in series an electro-optical conversion unit 11 which thus converts a voltage step into an optical signal having two logic states, and an opto-electrical conversion unit 12 connected to the unit 11 via an optical fiber 10 which serves to convert the optical signal output by the unit 11 into a two-state electrical signal suitable for use as a control signal by a processor such as 13, the processor being connected to auxiliary contacts such as 14 and to static switches for controlling the coils such as 15 of the apparatus 16. These orders, in particular commands, must be transmitted to the apparatus with as little delay as possible.
In such a setup, a problem of crosstalk has been observed between adjacent electrical lines in the link, which problem can give rise to general malfunction of the control of the electrical apparatus.
More particularly, with reference to FIG. 1, when contact C2 close to the relay building BR is closed, a voltage step S2 is applied to the line 2, and this electrical signal is received by the associated electro-optical conversion unit (not shown) to be converted into an electrical control signal for the processor 13.
However, because the link cables are not shielded from one another and because the link is relatively long, transmission of voltage step S2 of level V on line 2 causes a voltage peak S1 of level V to be conveyed on adjacent line 1 even though contact C1 had remained open. This voltage peak S1 tapers off (as shown in the figure) in application of a relationship that depends on the structure of the unit 11 connected to the end of the line 1 (relationship may be exponential, for example, if the unit 11 can be approximated as a resistance). The peak is detected by the unit 11 and then converted into an optical signal for the unit 12, with this relatively short optical signal nevertheless being detected by the unit 12 because of the intrinsic speed and sensitivity thereof, and finally being converted into an electrical control signal for the processor 13. This means that a wrong order is applied to the processor 13 and that can be detrimental to proper operation of the system.

Low voltage link for transmitting on/off orders


A locking system for an opening leaf of a motor vehicle includes an opening leaf and a handle which contains a framework which is designed to be fixed to the opening leaf, a grab lever which commands the opening of a lock of the opening leaf, a grab element which is arranged on an exterior side of the opening leaf and which is designed to allow a user to actuate the grab lever, the grab element being longitudinally delineated by a front end and a rear end, at least one first inertial security system which is mounted on the framework and which contains a rocker which bears an inertial mass, wherein the axis of rotation of the grab lever extends vertically overall at the front of the front end of the grab element, the inertial mass being arranged longitudinally forward of the axis of rotation of the grab lever.

The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.
There is known a handle for a motor vehicle door leaf which includes a frame fastened to the door leaf, a gripping lever and a transmission lever.
The gripping lever comprises a gripping element which is arranged on the outer side of the door leaf to enable the gripping thereof by a user in order to open the door leaf.
The gripping lever is mounted movable in rotation relative to the frame about a first axis, between at least one rest position and a control position for the opening of a lock of the door leaf.
Also, the transmission lever is pivotally mounted relative to the frame about a second axis of rotation, between a rest position and an actuation position in which the transmission lever actuates the opening of the lock, the transmission lever being driven in rotation by the gripping lever.
For safety concerns, it is known to associate an inertial safety system with the handle to avoid inadvertent actuation of the handle in the event of an impact of the vehicle.
In particular, there is known an inertial safety system which is described in document WO2004/042177.
This inertial safety system includes a rocker which extends from a first end which carries an inertial mass, up to a second end which forms a blocking finger.
The rocker is pivotally mounted between a rest position and a blocking position in which the blocking finger of the rocker is positioned on the path of the actuation lever so that the blocking finger cooperates with a blocking face of the actuation lever to prevent the rotation of the transmission lever, and therefore the opening of the door leaf.
The pivoting of the rocker is caused by the acceleration force that is applied on the inertial mass in the event of an impact against the vehicle.
Although the handle described in document WO2004/042177 has an effective inertial system, the reactivity of the inertial system can be improved.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Locking system equipped with a handle and with a remotely situated inertial system


A transmitter is disclosed for transmitting a digital information signal having a specific first sampling frequency (f.sub.s1) via a transmission medium. The digital information signal is lowpass filtered (10) and down sampled (12) so as to obtain a low frequency component of the digital information signal. This signal is transmitted via the transmission medium (TRM). Further the low frequency component is upsampled (22) and filtered (28) and subsequently subtracted (34) from the original digital information signal. The difference signal thus obtained is also transmitted.

The invention relates to a transmitter for transmitting a digital information signal having a specific first sampling frequency, to a receiver for receiving a transmission signal from a transmission medium and generating a digital information signal therefrom, to a record carrier obtained with the transmitter, when in the form of an apparatus for recording information on a record carrier, and to a transmission method.
Prior art transmitters aim at transmitting a digital information signal having a specific second sampling frequency which is smaller than the first sampling frequency mentioned above. Corresponding receivers are capable of retrieving the digital information signal having the second sampling frequency from the transmission signal and to supply the signal to an output, eg. for reproduction via one or more loudspeakers.

Transmission of a digital information signal having a specific first sampling frequency


A side impact beam for a passenger vehicle, particularly for a vehicle door, includes a hat-shaped profiled section which is open toward the external panelling of the passenger vehicle and has at least one web facing away from the external panelling, two legs connected to the web and directed toward the external panelling and two flanges connected to the ends of the legs and facing away from each other, wherein, starting from the transverse plane in the middle of the beam, the height of the profiled section decreases continuously toward the ends of the beam provided with increased width flanges serving for securing the beam to the vehicle chassis. The height of the profiled section may decrease in accordance with a uniform or non-uniform curve pattern.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a side impact beam for a passenger vehicle, particularly for a vehicle door.
2. Description of the Related Art
Side impact beams composed of hat-shaped profile sections which are open toward the external panelling of a passenger vehicle, particularly the external panelling of a vehicle door, have been found to be preferred door reinforcements because of their high stiffness, their good deformability and high sectional stability in the case of concentric loads.
Because of practical requirements, when a concentric load is applied to side impact beams, approximately the same bending stresses should occur along its entire length. Consequently, in the ideal case, the section modulus would have to linearly decrease from a maximum in a center transverse plane usually located in the middle of the door toward the points where the side impact beam is fastened to the vehicle chassis, particularly at the A-crosstie, B-crosstie and C-crosstie of the vehicle chassis. However, side impact beams constructed in this manner do not have a sufficient stiffness because they resiliently yield too much in the elastic range. On the other hand, side impact beams having a maximum constant section modulus along its entire length have a high stiffness in the elastic range but they buckle prematurely.
In a side impact beam known from PCT/SE 93/00760 with a hat-shaped cross-sectional profile, the resistance is to be ensured by providing the side impact beam with at least one beam portion in which the width of the web decreases in the direction toward a beam end, while the cross-sectional height remains essentially constant. In addition, at least one additional beam portion is provided in which the height decreases in the direction toward the beam end, while the width of the web remains essentially constant. This configuration of the side impact beam is not sufficiently able to meet the criteria expected of such a side impact beam.

Side impact beam for a passenger vehicle


Some implementations include receiving an application binary file for an application to be tested. One or more static analysis operations may be performed on the application binary file to identify application parameters. In some cases, keywords may be associated with individual application parameters, and the keywords may be used to query a test case repository in order to identify test cases. The identified test cases may be used to generate a test plan, and at least a portion of the test plan may be automatically executed in some cases. A test report may be generated that includes a list of test case failures and potential solutions, and the test report may be sent e.g., to a third-party developer or an approval engineer for review.

There may be numerous challenges associated with developing and testing a software application, particularly in cases where the application is being developed by a third-party developer. For example, it may be difficult for a third-party developer to know how to develop an application on a particular platform, what to test, and how to fix issues in the application before submitting the application for launch (e.g., via an application store). Further, it may be difficult for a tester (e.g., an approval engineer) to verify compatibility of an application developed by a third-party developer prior to launch. For example, the tester may have a large number of applications developed by third-party developers for review, and the tester may not have low-level information on the application. As such, it may be difficult for the tester to determine what to test for a particular application, without potentially devoting a large amount of time to the particular application.

Automated test case generation for applications


In a coupling device for the connection of tubes for medical purposes, a first coupling-part (1) within which is mounted an axially adjustable hollow pin (2) provided with radial inlet openings (19) for the attachment of an initial tube piece, which pin (2) when in an operating position runs through an absorbent insert (9) impregnated with disinfectant and opens by way of its radial inlet openings (19) into a second coupling part (5) connected in detachable fashion to the first coupling part (1), while the second coupling part (5) exhibits at least an attachment point (7) and a vent (8), the second coupling part (5) exhibits a longitudinally adjustable sealing component (11) for a centrally positioned vent (8), while the hollow pin (2) exhibits an extension (29) serving the adjustment of the sealing component (11).

The invention relates to a coupling device for connecting tube lines used in medicine, with an initial coupling part within which is mounted an axially adjustable hollow pin exhibiting outlet openings and serving to attach an initial coupling part which in operating position runs through a sponge that can be impregnated with disinfectant and which opens by way of its outlet openings into a second coupling part connected in detachable form to the first coupling part, while the second coupling part exhibits at least two attachment openings.
A device of this type is known to the prior art from WO 90/07953. In the known procedure of sterilely connecting tube lines for medical purposes, a hollow pin is held in axially adjustable position in a coupling part, while with the axial adjustment of the pin the free end, facing away from the tube-connecting end of the pin, moves through elastically deformable inserts, which can be impregnated with disinfectant, into the second coupling part. This second coupling part which can be connected to the first coupling part exhibits two openings: a central vent, which is closed by an extension of the pin when the latter is moved into its terminal position, and a second opening of the second coupling part, which can be used to connect infusion bottles, bags, and the like, directly to the patient. In devices like that of WO 90/07953 the replacement of such infusion bottles, bags, and the like, required only that the pin again be moved through the lip seal and through the wiping areas to its initial position in order to assure that there was a tight seal for the infusion solution during replacement of the infusion equipment or the like, to thereby reduce the danger of infection. After changing the infusion bottles, bags, etc., the hollow pin could again be moved into its adjusted position and infusion solutions, or the like, again be fed to the patient by producing an open connection between the infusion bottle and the hollow pin. In order to seal the vent when adjusting the pin it was necessary in the known design to press the hollow pin and its extension into the vent under high mechanical pressure.

Coupling device for the connection of tube lines used for medical purposes


Methods of fabricating thinned comb MEMS devices are disclosed. A comb drive device in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present invention can include a number of interdigitated comb fingers some of which have a reduced thickness along at least a portion of their length relative to other comb fingers.

Electrostatic comb drive devices are utilized to provide motion in microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) devices. Such drive devices are employed, for example, in the fabrication of MEMS-type accelerometers, gyroscopes, and inertia sensing devices where rapid actuation is often necessary to effectively detect and measure motion and/or acceleration, or in the design or where size and/or weight are important design considerations. In the design of navigational and communications systems, for example, such devices are useful in measuring and/or detecting slight variations in linear and rotational motion of an object traveling through space. Other applications employing drive systems such as Steered Agile Beam (STAB) modules may also use electrostatic comb drive devices to provide a more precise alignment and orientation control of structures such as MEMS micro-mirrors and/or lenses.
In a typical comb drive device, a proof mass is supported over an underlying support substrate using a number of suspension beams or springs. The proof mass typically includes a number of drive elements that can be used to electrostatically move the proof mass above the support substrate in a particular manner. In certain designs, for example, the drive elements can include a number of interdigitated comb fingers spaced apart from each other by a relatively small gap (e.g. 1 to 2 microns), forming an overlapping region between adjacent comb fingers. During operation, an electrical charge can be applied to the comb fingers to induce an electrostatic charge between each overlapping region, converting electrical energy into mechanical energy. By varying the voltage signal applied, the proof mass can be configured to electrostatically oscillate back and forth in a desired manner, allowing one or more sense electrodes to measure up/down displacement of the proof mass induced by movement of the device about a rate axis.
In one illustrative embodiment, fabrication of electrostatic comb drive devices may begin with a silicon wafer substrate. In one embodiment, a boron-doped epitaxial (p++) layer is grown over the wafer substrate, which can then be patterned to form the desired microstructures using photolithography and etching techniques. The etched layer may be then bonded to an underlying support substrate (i.e. a "handle wafer") using a suitable bonding process such as anodic bonding. The support substrate may include a number of mesas that support the proof mass and drive elements above the support substrate while allowing movement thereon. After bonding, the silicon substrate can be removed using a boron-selective etchant, leaving only the patterned p++ silicon mechanism bonded to the handle wafer. A number of suspension beams, springs, or other flexural elements are also typically used to constrain motion of the proof mass in a particular direction above the support substrate.
During fabrication, stresses induced between the epitaxial layer and wafer substrate, as well as fabrication imperfections, can result in imperfect alignment of the comb fingers, flexural elements, as well as other components, causing the proof mass to oscillate back and forth in a non-ideal manner above the support substrate. In certain applications, for example, such stresses and fabrication imperfections can cause uniform disengagement or shifting of the movable comb fingers with respect to the stationary comb fingers. In some applications, such stresses and fabrication imperfections can also cause the comb fingers to curve or bow slightly, resulting in a non-uniform disengagement of the comb fingers. During actuation, such shifting and/or bowing can induce electric fields both in the plane and perpendicular to the drive axis of the proof mass. As a result, an undesired out-of-plane electrical and/or mechanical component is introduced into the drive system, causing errors in the output signal that can reduce the ability of the device to measure subtle changes in movement.


A fluid pump for medical applications. The pump includes a flexible cassette containing two pump chambers of differing volume, each chamber having a dedicated piston. The first piston pushes fluid from the first chamber to the second, and the second piston pushes fluid from the second chamber and out of the pump. Three valves are coordinated with the action of the pistons to control fluid flow into and out of the pump chambers by applying and releasing pressure to and from specific points of the flexible cassette. A control system controls the operation of the pistons and valves and directs the pistons to be advanced according to a time-varying velocity profile. The first pump chamber passively fills and then rapidly expels the collected fluid into the second chamber at low pressure. The second chamber, once filled, expels the fluid downstream at high pressure, producing a pulsatile pressure profile.

Extracorporeal blood pumps or in vivo heart assist devices comprise various designs, including peristaltic roller pump, centrifugal pumps, axial floe pumps, pneumatic chamber pumps, and hydraulic chamber pumps. These pumps vary widely in cost and efficacy, and their uses vary from supporting a patient on a heart/lung machine to assisting the human heart as a bridge to transplant or replacing the human heart.
Recent research suggests that better cardiac perfusion is obtained with a pulsatile flow than with a constant-rate flow since the heart is a reciprocating pump and delivers a pulsatile flow. A number of designs have been developed to introduce a pulsatile component to extracorporeal circulation. These designs generally fall into two categories. The first category consists of those devices that combine a roller or centrifugal pump with an additional device that periodically compresses the tube through which the blood or cardioplegia flows. Examples of these devices include U.S. Pat. No. 4,116,589 (RISHTON) Sep. 26, 1978, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,620,121 (MCCOTTER) Sep. 16, 2003.
A second category consists of devices in which the pump itself is used to produce a pulsatile flow. In one type of pump, such as that in U.S. Pat. No. 5,702,358, the number of revolutions per minute (RPM) of a centrifugal pump is varied in a periodic fashion to achieve a roughly pulsatile flow. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,300,015 (RUNGE) Apr. 5, 1994, a type of peristaltic pump is described, which achieves a pulsatile flow. Both of these types of designs, however, are limited in their ability to produce a pulsatile flow of desired characteristics while still maintaining a desired average flow rate.
Therefore there is a need for an apparatus for extracorporeal circulation that produces a significantly pulsatile flow, while still-maintaining a user-specified average flow rate.