A composition that is a reaction product of two or three moieties. The first moiety (A) is a nonpolymeric, functional moiety that can adsorb onto a particle. The second required moiety (C) is a linear or branched water soluble, nonionic polymer that is capable of providing dispersing capability. A third moiety (B), if present, is a nonpolymeric moiety disposed between the first and second moiety, to connect the first and second moieties.

The present invention is directed to a composition of matter. Specifically, the present invention is directed to a reaction product of a moiety that can adsorb onto a particle, a moiety that can provide dispersing capability, and an optional moiety that is disposed between the other moieties to provide connections between the other moieties.
A cementitious mixture refers to pastes, mortars, and concrete compositions comprising a hydraulic cement binder. Pastes are defined as mixtures composed of a hydraulic cement binder, either alone or in combination with pozzolans such as fly ash, silica fume, or blast furnace slag, and water. Mortars are defined as pastes that additionally include fine aggregate. Concretes additionally include coarse aggregate. These compositions may additionally include other admixtures such as set retarders, set accelerators, defoaming agents, air-entraining or air detraining agents, corrosion inhibitors, water reducing agents, pigments, and any other admixture that does not adversely affect the advantageous results obtained by the present invention.
Dispersants are substances that improve the flow characteristics of the cement slurry by breaking up cement agglomerates and freeing the water, thus giving slurries of lower viscosity and allowing desirable flow conditions to be obtained at lower pump pressures. V. S. Ramachandran, Concrete Admixtures Handbook: Properties, Science, and Technology, Noyes Publications (Second Edition, 1995).
Dispersants have been used in the construction industry to disperse cementitious mixtures. Dispersants such as sulfonated melamine formaldehyde condensate (SMF), sulfonated naphthalene formaldehyde condensate (BNS), and lignosulfonates are commonly used as dispersants. However, these compounds require more than the desired amount of material to achieve a desired level of concrete workability or water reduction. In addition, these materials do not achieve full range (Type A to Type F) water reducing capability, as defined in ASTM C494. For example, lignosulfonates achieve only a low to mid range (5-12%) water reduction before severe set retardation occurs.
Dispersants are a necessary component in high strength and high durability concretes. Due to the requirement for the use of low water amounts in high performance concretes, sometimes high dispersant amounts are necessary to achieve workable concretes. High BNS levels can lead to undesirable retardation of set and may not provide the required workability retention over time.
It is desirable to provide a material that is several times more efficient as a cement or concrete dispersant than the traditional materials like lignosulfonates, BNS and SMF. Improving efficiency reduces the amount of material required to achieve a desired level of concrete workability or water reduction. With respect to the presently used dispersants, lignosulfonates, BNS and SMF, it is also desirable to improve slump retention while maintaining normal setting characteristics. Providing a dispersant with full range (Type A to F) water reducing capability is also a desirable characteristic.
One improvement in the prior art was to use polycarboxylate dispersants. Polycarboxylate dispersants are structured with a polymeric backbone, such as a carbon chain backbone, with pendant moieties. The pendant moieties provide the dispersing capabilities of the dispersant. Polycarboxylate dispersants are polymers with a carbon backbone with pendant side chains, wherein at least a portion of the side chains are attached to the backbone through a carboxyl group or an ether group. For example, polyacrylic acid has carboxylic groups attached to the backbone. Also, side chain moieties such as polyoxyalkylenes can be attached to the carboxylic groups to provide further dispersing capabilities. These dispersants operate by surrounding a particle to be dispersed, and then repulsion forces between each polymer chain keeps the particles apart and more fluid.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide oligomeric dispersants for dispersing cementitious particles, wherein the dispersant adsorbs onto the particle to be dispersed.
The present invention provides a composition of matter comprising a reaction product of component A, optionally component B, and component C; wherein each component A is independently a nonpolymeric, functional moiety that adsorbs onto a cementitious particle, and contains at least one residue derived from a first component selected from the group consisting of phosphates, phosphonates, phosphinates, hypophosphites, sulfates, sulfonates, sulfonates, alkyl trialkoxy silanes, alkyl triacyloxy silanes, alkyl triaryloxy silanes, borates, boronates, boroxines, phosphoramides, amines, amides, quaternary ammonium groups, carboxylic acids, carboxylic acid esters, alcohols, carbohydrates, phosphate esters of sugars, borate esters of sugars, sulfate esters of sugars, salts of any of the preceding moieties, and mixtures thereof; wherein component B is an optional moiety, where if present, each component B is independently a nonpolymeric moiety that is disposed between the component A moiety and the component C moiety, and is derived from a second component selected from the group consisting of linear saturated hydrocarbons, linear unsaturated hydrocarbons, saturated branched hydrocarbons, unsaturated branched hydrocarbons, alicyclic hydrocarbons, heterocyclic hydrocarbons, aryl, phosphoester, nitrogen containing compounds, and mixtures thereof; and wherein component C is at least one moiety that is a linear or branched water soluble, nonionic polymer substantially non-adsorbing to cement particles, and is selected from the group consisting of poly(oxyalkylene glycol), poly(oxyalkylene amine), poly(oxyalkylene diamine), monoalkoxy poly(oxyalkylene amine), monoaryloxy poly(oxyalkylene amine), monoalkoxy poly(oxyalkylene glycol), monoaryloxy poly(oxyalkylene glycol), poly(vinyl pyrrolidones), poly(methyl vinyl ethers), poly(ethylene imines), poly(acrylamides), polyoxazoles, and mixtures thereof; wherein if the A moiety contains any phosphate, phosphonate, phosphinate, or hypophosphite residue the composition of matter is further characterized by at least one of the following:
A) the composition of matter has a structure selected from the group consisting of:
(i) Axxe2x80x94C, (ii) Axxe2x80x94Cxe2x80x94Ax, (iii) Cxe2x80x94Axxe2x80x94C,
(iv) (C)zxe2x80x94Bxe2x80x94Axxe2x80x94Bxe2x80x94(C)z, (v) (Ax)yxe2x80x94Bxe2x80x94Cxe2x80x94Bxe2x80x94(Ax)y, and mixtures thereof;
B) the composition of matter has a structure of (Ax)yxe2x80x94Bxe2x80x94(C)z with the proviso that the B moiety and the A moiety are not bound to each other through an alkylidene amine linkage;
C) the C moiety is selected from the group consisting of poly(oxyalkylene amine), poly(oxyalkylene diamine), monoalkoxy poly(oxyalkylene amine), monoaryloxy poly(oxyalkylene amine), poly(vinyl pyrrolidones), poly(methyl vinyl ethers), poly(ethylene imines), poly(acrylamides), polyoxazoles, and mixtures thereof; wherein x is an integer from 1 to 3 and represents the number of independent A moieties, y is an integer from 1 to 3 and represents the number of independent A moieties, and z is an integer from 1 to 3 and represents the number of independent C moieties.
The oligomeric cement dispersant of the present invention does not have a polymeric backbone with pendant groups like dispersants of the prior art. Rather, the oligomeric cement dispersant has a moiety that will adsorb onto the particle to be dispersed by means of one or more residues attached to an adsorbing moiety of absolute molecular weight. The adsorbing moiety acts as an xe2x80x9canchorxe2x80x9d to hold the dispersant onto the particle to be dispersed.
One embodiment of the present invention is a composition of matter adapted for dispersing cementitious particles in water comprising a reaction product of component A, optionally component B, and component C.
Each component A is independently a nonpolymeric, functional moiety that adsorbs onto a particle, and contains at least one residue derived from a component selected from the group consisting of phosphates, phosphonates, phosphinates, hypophosphites, sulfates, sulfonates, sulfinates, alkyl trialkoxy silanes, alkyl triacyloxy silanes, alkyl triaryloxy silanes, borates, boronates, boroxines, phosphoramides, amines, amides, quaternary ammonium groups, carboxylic acids, carboxylic acid esters, alcohols, carbohydrates, derivatives of carbohydrates, salts of any of the preceding moieties, and mixtures thereof. Derivatives of carbohydrates include, but are not limited to, phosphate esters of sugars, borate esters of sugars, and sulfate esters of sugars.
The salt of moiety A is selected from the group consisting of lithium, sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, aluminum, iron, ammonia, amines, and mixtures thereof. The term amines is meant to include primary, secondary, and tertiary amines, including, but not limited to, substituted amines such as triethanolamine or morpholine.
Molecules satisfying the requirement of the A moiety include, but are not limited to, multihydroxy compounds, such as sugars, sugar acids, lactones of sugar acids, sugar alcohols, tris(hydroxymethyl) aminomethane, phosphate esters of sugars, borate esters of sugars, sulfate esters of sugars, alkyl phosphates, substituted alkyl phosphates, alkyl phosphonates, substituted alkyl phosphonates, alkyl phosphinates, substituted alkyl phosphinates, aryl boronic acids, esters of aryl boronic acids, aryl dioxaborolanes, triaryl boroxines, trialkoxyboroxines, alkyl trialkoxy silanes, alkyl triacyloxy silanes, alkyl triaryloxy silanes, hydroxy carboxylic acids, non-polymeric polycarboxylic acids, and mixtures thereof. The alkyl groups in the above molecules are generally C1 to about C6 groups, the aryl groups in the above molecules are generally about C6 to about C10 groups, and the acyl groups in the above molecules are generally C1 to about C6 groups. The substituted alkyls can be hydroxyalkyls or carboxyalkyls.
Illustrative examples of molecules used to construct the A moiety include, but are not limited to, 2-carboxyethyl phosphonic acid, sulfosuccinic acid, citric acid, ascorbic acid, 2-phosphono-1,2,4-butane tricarboxylic acid, glucuronic acid, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, gluconic acid, cyclohexane hexacarboxylic acid, mellitic acid, saccharic acid, mucic acid, diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid, glucoheptonic acid, glucoheptonic lactone, lactobionic acid, 3,3xe2x80x2,4,4xe2x80x2-benzophenone tetracarboxylic acid, 2-(4xe2x80x2carboxyphenyl)-1,3,2-dioxaborolane, triphenyl boroxine, 4-carboxyphenyl boronic acid, 4-formylphenyl boronic acid, 2-(4xe2x80x2-formylphenyl)-1,3,2-dioxaborolane, amino propyl trimethoxysilane, aminopropyltriethoxysilane, 3-glycidoxypropyltrimethoxy silane, 3-glycidoxypropyltriethoxysilane, 3-(triethoxysilyl)propyl isocyanate, 3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyl isocyanate, glucooctanoic-xcex3-lactone, glucose, leucrose, diaminopropane-N,N,Nxe2x80x2,Nxe2x80x2-tetraacetic acid, aconitic acid, isocitric acid, 1,2,3,4-butanetetracarboxylic acid, nitrilotriacetic acid, tricarballylic acid, N-(phosphonomethyl)iminodiacetic acid, 3-[[tris(hydroxymethyl)methyl]amino]-1-propanesulfonic acid, 2-[[tris(hydroxymethyl)methyl]amino]-1-ethanesulfonic acid, 3-[bis(2-hydroxyethyl)amino]-2-hydroxy-1-propanesulfonic acid, 3-[N-trishydroxymethylmethylamino]-2-hydroxypropanesulfonic acid, N-tris[hydroxymethyl]methyl-4-aminobutanesulfonic acid, 3-aminoadipic acid, aspartic acid, xcex1-glutamic acid, xcex2-glutamic acid, 1,3-diamino-2-hydroxypropane-N,N,Nxe2x80x2,Nxe2x80x2-tetraacetic acid, triethylenetetraaminehexaacetic acid, glucosamine, galactosamine, mannosamine, tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane, xcex3-carboxyglutamic acid, glucamine, glucosaminic acid, xcex2-carboxyaspartic acid, xcex1-hydroxymethylaspartic acid, tricine, 1,2,3,4-cyclopentanetetracarboxylic acid, 6-phosphogluconic acid, sorbitol, mannose, mannitol, mannonic acid, mannuronic acid, galactose, galactitol, galactaric acid, galacturonic acid, fructose, sucrose, salts of any of the preceding moieties, and mixtures thereof.
Each A moiety has one or more functional groups. When the A moiety has one functional group, two or more A moieties are combined to provide for multiple functional groups in the oligomeric dispersant. When the A moiety has multiple functionalities, there is no requirement that more than one A moiety must be used. Examples of the residue include, but are not limited to, hydroxyl, carboxylate, sulfate, sulfonate, sulfmate, phosphate, phosphonate, phosphinates, borate, boronate, boroxine, dioxaborolane, amine, quaternary ammonium, and mixtures thereof. The functional groups attach to the cement particle to be dispersed by adsorbing onto the cement particle. The more functional groups that are present on the A moiety, the more strongly the A moiety can anchor to the cement particle.
Component B is an optional moiety, and if present, each B is independently a nonpolymeric moiety that is disposed between the A moiety and the C moiety, and is derived from a second component selected from the group consisting of C1 to about C6 linear saturated hydrocarbons, C1 to about C6 linear unsaturated hydrocarbons, C1 to about C6 branched saturated hydrocarbons, C1 to about C6 branched unsaturated hydrocarbons, about C5 to about C10 alicyclic hydrocarbons, about C4 to about C10 heterocyclic hydrocarbons, about C6 to about C10 arylenes, nitrogen containing compounds, and mixtures thereof. Nitrogen containing compounds include, but are not limited to, any amine, urea, or isocyanate. For heterocyclic hydrocarbons, the heteroatom is preferably nitrogen, oxygen, or sulfur. The heterocyclic hydrocarbons may contain more than one heteroatom. The heteroatoms in these multiple heteroatom heterocyclic hydrocarbons may all be the same heteroatom, or they can be different.
Illustrative examples of the B moiety include, but are not limited to, methylene, ethylene, n-propylene, n-butylene, n-pentylene, n-hexylene, isobutylene, neopentylene, propenylene, isobutenylene, diethylene triamine, triethylene tetramine, tetraethylene pentamine, pentaethylene hexamine, a residue derived from toluene diisocyanate, a residue derived from isophorone diisocyanate, a residue derived from heterocyclic hydrocarbons containing two or three nitrogen heteroatoms, phenylene, substituted arylenes such as
and mixtures thereof. Preferred nitrogen heteroatom heterocyclic hydrocarbons include residues derived from pyrazine, residues derived from pyridazine, residues derived from pyrimidine, residues derived from pyrazole, and residues derived from melamine.
Each C component is at least one moiety that is a linear or branched water soluble, nonionic polymer substantially non-adsorbing to cement particles, and is preferably selected from the group consisting of poly(oxyalkylene glycol), poly(oxyalkylene amine), poly(oxyalkylene diamine), monoalkoxy poly(oxyalkylene amine), monoaryloxy poly(oxyalkylene amine), monoalkoxy poly(oxyalkylene glycol), monoaryloxy poly(oxyalkylene glycol), poly(vinyl pyrrolidones), poly(methyl vinyl ethers), poly(ethylene imines), poly(acrylamides), polyoxazoles, and mixtures thereof.
The C moiety has a number average molecular weight from about 500 to bout 100,000. Preferably, the C moiety has a number average molecular weight from about 1,000 to about 50,000. Most preferably, the C moiety has a number average molecular weight from about 1,000 to about 30,000.
The oligomeric dispersant of the present invention has number average molecular weight from about 650 to about 100,000. Preferably, the dispersant has a number average molecular weight from 1,150 to about 50,000. Most preferably, the dispersant has a number average molecular weight from about 1,150 to about 30,000.
The dispersant according to the present invention can have a structure represented by the following general formulas:
Axxe2x80x94C;xe2x80x83xe2x80x83(i)
Axxe2x80x94Cxe2x80x94Ax;xe2x80x83xe2x80x83(ii)
Cxe2x80x94Axxe2x80x94C;xe2x80x83xe2x80x83(iii)
(Ax)yxe2x80x94Bxe2x80x94(C)z;xe2x80x83xe2x80x83(iv)
(C)zxe2x80x94Bxe2x80x94Axxe2x80x94Bxe2x80x94(C)z;xe2x80x83xe2x80x83(v)
(Ax)yxe2x80x94Bxe2x80x94Cxe2x80x94Bxe2x80x94(Ax)y;xe2x80x83xe2x80x83(vi)
and mixtures thereof, wherein x is preferably an integer from 1 to 3 and represents the number of independent A moieties, y is preferably an integer from 1 to 3 and represents the number of independent A moieties, and z is preferably an integer from 1 to 3 and represents the number of independent C moieties.
For further clarification, Ax is preferably at least one of Axe2x80x94, Axe2x80x94Axe2x80x94, or Axe2x80x94Axe2x80x94Axe2x80x94; Bxe2x80x94(C)z is preferably at least one of
(Ax)yxe2x80x94B is preferably at least one of
If the A moiety contains any phosphate, phosphonate, phosphinate, or hypophosphite residue the composition of matter is further characterized by at least one of the following:
A) the composition of matter has a structure selected from the group consisting of:
(i) Axxe2x80x94C, (ii) Axxe2x80x94Cxe2x80x94Ax, (iii) Cxe2x80x94Axxe2x80x94C,
(iv) (C)zxe2x80x94Bxe2x80x94Axxe2x80x94Bxe2x80x94(C)z, (v) (Ax)yxe2x80x94Bxe2x80x94Cxe2x80x94Bxe2x80x94(Ax)xe2x80x94, and mixtures thereof;
B) the composition of matter has a structure of (Ax)yxe2x80x94Bxe2x80x94(C)z with the proviso that the B moiety and the A moiety are not bound to each other through to an alkylidene amine linkage;
C) the C moiety is selected from the group consisting of poly(oxyalkylene amine), poly(oxyalkylene diamine), monoalkoxy poly(oxyalkylene amine), monoaryloxy poly(oxyalkylene amine), poly(vinyl pyrrolidones), poly(methyl vinyl ethers), polyethylene imines), poly(acrylamides), polyoxazoles, and mixtures thereof;
where in x is an integer from 1 to 3 and represents the number of independent A moieties, y is an integer from 1 to 3 and represents the number of independent A moieties, and z is an integer from 1 to 3 and represents the number of independent C moieties.
In another embodiment, the above composition of matter is incorporated into a cementitious formulation with a hydraulic cement. The oligomeric dispersant can be added as an admixture alone or in combination with other admixtures in the field, or can be added to the cementitious formulation prior to delivery to the field.
The hydraulic cement comprising the cementitious formulation for which the dispersants are effective is selected from the group consisting of portland cement, masonry cement, oil well cement, alumina cement, refractory cement, magnesia cement, calcium sulfoaluminate cement, and mixtures thereof.
Aggregate can be included in the cementitious formulation to provide for mortars which include fine aggregate, and concretes which also include coarse aggregate. The fine aggregate are materials that pass through a Number 4 sieve (ASTM C125 and ASTM C33), such as silica sand. The coarse aggregate are materials that are retained on a Number 4 sieve (ASTM C125 and ASTM C33), such as silica, quartz, crushed round marble, glass spheres, granite, limestone, calcite, feldspar, alluvial sands, or any other durable aggregate, and mixtures thereof.
Additionally, cement admixtures may be included in the cementitious formulation. Cement additives that can be added include, but are not limited to, set accelerators, set retarders, air entraining agents, air detraining agents, foaming agents, defoaming agents, corrosion inhibitors, shrinkage reducing agents, other known dispersing agents, pozzolans, pigments, and mixtures thereof.
The cementitious formulation may further comprise water. The water can be present in an amount from about 20% to about 100% based on the dry weight of the cement.
The dispersant of the present invention is generally present in the cementitious formulation in an amount from about 0.005 to about 2% based on the dry weight of the cement. Preferably, the dispersant is present in an amount from about 0.01% to about 1%.
An additive selected from the group consisting of soil, calcined clay, and mixtures thereof can be included in the cementitious formulation. The soil can be any soil including, but not limited to, fine sands, silty soils, and clay. The additive an replace up to about 25% of the cement. Preferably, the additive replaces up to 0% of the cement.
In another embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a method of dispersing a cementitious formulation comprising a hydraulic cement in water, including providing in said cementitious formulation the above described oligomeric cement dispersant.
In another embodiment of the invention, an oligomeric dispersant wherein at least one A moiety in the oligomeric dispersant is blocked is used in combination with a second dispersant which is selected from another oligomeric dispersant of the present invention or any other suitable cementitious dispersant. By xe2x80x9cblockedxe2x80x9d it is meant that the residue on the A moiety does not interact with the cement until the residue is liberated. The residue is liberated/deblocked over time by hydrolyzing in the alkaline environment of the cementitious system. This provides for latent dispersant properties.
The effect of liberating over time results in a delay of dispersing performance that leads to extended slump retention performance. The residues on the A moiety that are blocked include, but are not limited to, trialkoxy silanes, triacyloxy silanes, and triaryloxy silanes. A preferred blocked residue is trialkoxy silanes.
The blocked oligomeric dispersant can be present in a cementitious formulation in an amount from about 0.005 to about 2% based on the dry weight of the cement. Preferably, the blocked oligomeric dispersant is present in an amount from about 0.01% to about 1%. Preferably, the ratio of the blocked oligomeric dispersant to the other dispersant is from about 1:10 to about 5:1. More preferably, the ratio is about 1:5 to about 3:1.
By any cementitious dispersant it is meant to include all chemicals that function as a dispersant, water reducing agent, or plasticizer for cement. Illustrative examples include, but are not limited to, sulfonated naphthalene formaldehyde polymers, sulfonated melamine formaldehyde polymers, lignosulfonates, polyacrylic acids, polymethacrylic acids, polycarboxylates, and polyaspartates.
Oligomeric dispersants according to the present invention were synthesized and tested as described below. The molecular weights used herein are number average molecular weights. The following tests were used: Slump (ASTM C143), Air content (ASTM C231), and Set time (ASTM C403). Aggregates met the specifications of ASTM C33.


A first relay node in a wireless communication system receives, from a second relay node via a backhaul link, coordination information including an index indicating a density pattern of a second phase tracking reference signal (PTRS). The first relay node transmits, to a terminal, configuration information including information on a first subcarrier offset for a first PTRS. The first relay node transmits to the terminal the first PTRS based on the coordination information and the information on the first subcarrier offset. The first subcarrier offset for the first PTRS is different from a second subcarrier offset for the second PTRS.

To meet the demand for wireless data traffic having increased since deployment of 4th generation (4G) communication systems, efforts have been made to develop an improved 5th generation (5G) or pre-5G communication system. Therefore, the 5G or pre-5G communication system is also called a 'Beyond 4G Network' or a 'Post Long Term Evolution (LTE) System'.
The 5G communication system is considered to be implemented in higher frequency (mmWave) bands, e.g., 28 GHz or 60 GHz bands, so as to accomplish higher data rates. To decrease propagation loss of the radio waves and increase the transmission distance, the beamforming, massive multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO), Full Dimensional MIMO (FD-MIMO), array antenna, an analog beam forming, large scale antenna techniques are discussed in 5G communication systems.
In addition, in 5G communication systems, development for system network improvement is under way based on advanced small cells, cloud Radio Access Networks (RANs), ultra-dense networks, device-to-device (D2D) communication, wireless backhaul, moving network, cooperative communication, Coordinated Multi-Points (CoMP), reception-end interference cancellation and the like.
In the 5G system, Hybrid frequency shift keying (FSK) and quadrature amplitude modulation (FQAM) and sliding window superposition coding (SWSC) as an advanced coding modulation (ACM), and filter bank multi carrier (FBMC), non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA), and sparse code multiple access (SCMA) as an advanced access technology have been developed.
An area of interest concerning IAB and NTN is the design of Physical layer solutions for increased spectral efficiencies. It is important to limit the amount of reference signal overhead in IAB to achieve increased spectral efficiency. One of the reference signals needed is Phase Tracking Reference Signal (PTRS), and the PTRS density can be pre-configured to suit the Modulation and Coding Scheme (MCS) level and the bandwidth allocation. In IAB, the allocated bandwidth for the backhaul component can be dynamic and, depending on the radio channel conditions, the MCS levels can also vary. This requires that a variable PTRS density is applied to the backhaul links.
One of the IAB configurations under consideration in standardization is the use of existing Base Stations (gNBs) as relay nodes (rTRP) for the extension of wireless backhaul links up to a node which has a fiber/wired backhaul connection.
With a higher density of New Radio (NR) gNBs (likely to be small cells), there will be multiple, yet fixed, relay backhaul links possible to be configured. Some of these backhaul links will be spatially near to each other and interference will occur. This will affect the PTRS patterns that can be deployed, as PTRS-PTRS interference has a negative impact on the whole of the radio sub-frames.
So there is a need for providing orthogonal (i.e. non-interfering) PTRS patterns between neighboring gNBs. There is also a need to signal such PTRS patterns amongst these gNBs with minimal overhead.
Another issue arises with the use of Non Terrestrial Network (NTN) technology.
NTN Phase Noise (PN) model is significantly different from NR PN model. Also, the coverage footprint for an NTN based cell (from e.g. a satellite, airship, balloon or drone) is likely to be very large, with a large path loss and signal delay. Therefore, it is clear that the PTRS regime must be different for NTN than for other solutions.

Method and apparatus for improving in and relating to integrated access and backhaul and non terrestrial networks


A mobile phone is described herein that has control (or at least partial control) over which virtual antenna(s) in one or more base stations should be used for transmissions. In one embodiment, the mobile phone performs the following steps: (1) receives an antenna subset list (from the scheduling unit) which identifies a configuration of virtual antennas that is associated with the base station(s); (2) uses the antenna subset list to select which virtual antenna(s) in the configuration of virtual antennas should be used for transmissions; and (3) sends an antenna selection signal (to the scheduling unit) which contains information that instructs/requests the base station(s)/scheduling unit to use the selected virtual antenna(s) for transmissions.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to the signaling needed to enable a mobile phone to have at least partial control over which antenna(s) within a coverage area of at least one base station and under control of a scheduling unit are to be used for transmissions to the mobile phone.
2. Description of Related Art
In the wireless communications field, there has been an interest in making sure that the appropriate antenna(s) from within one or more base stations are used for transmitting and receiving signals to and from a mobile phone (user equipment (UE)). For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,421,543 there was disclosed a base station that receives cellular radiotelephone communication energy from a mobile phone on an antenna array, processes the received communications energy to produce at least three processed radiotelephone communications signals, and selects at least two of the processed signals for decoding in a conventional decoder. This scheme involves the selection of different received signals at a base station that incorporates a fixed beamforming array antenna.
On the other hand, there are several documents which discuss the potential performance gain from enabling a base station to select antenna(s) for transmitting signals to a mobile phone. For instance, the base station can obtain information from an uplink transmission and then estimate the direction a mobile phone is moving and use that information to select the appropriate antenna(s) which should be used for future transmissions to that mobile phone. The documents include:                D. Gore, R. Heath, and A. Paulraj, Statistical antenna selection for spatial multiplexing systems, In Proc. IEEE Int. Conf., on Communications, New York, April 2002, p. 450-454.        D. Gore and A. Paulraj, Statistical antenna subset selection with space-time coding, IEEE Trans. on Signal Processing, 50:2580-8, October 2002.        R. Narasimham, Spatial multiplexing with transmit antenna and constellation selection for correlated MIMO fading channels, IEEE Trans. on Signal Processing, 51(11):2829-38, November 2003.
As can be seen, antenna selection is not in itself a new concept. However, it would be desirable if the mobile phone itself had at least partial control over which antenna(s) from the antenna configuration associated with the base station should be used for transmissions. For instance, this capability would be desirable because the mobile phone itself has the best knowledge of its interference environment, which it can monitor, rather than having the base station estimate/predict the mobile phone's interference environment. In addition, as the concept of a mobile phone being served by antenna(s) from one base station corresponding to a single cell has been changing such that a cell may now consist of multiple antennas distributed throughout a coverage region and connected to one or more base stations. In this scenario, the antennas that communicate to the mobile phone need to be determined, and the corresponding signaling also needs to be devised. These particular needs and other needs are satisfied by the present invention.

Signaling support for antenna selection using subset lists and subset masks


Apparatus and method for transferring hollow blow molded articles from a vertically disposed wheel blow molding machine to a horizontally-disposed takeaway conveyor. Each mold on the wheel releases multiple blown articles at the six o'clock position on the wheel such that the articles fall freely from the wheel. An inclined end of a takeaway conveyor is located directly underneath the six o'clock position in order to receive the free falling blown articles and transport them to a horizontal transporting section of the takeaway conveyor. Flanges which extend upwardly from the conveying surface of the takeaway conveyor in combination with a powered endless positioning belt which extends a spaced distance along the inclined receiving end are utilized to confine the blown articles on the receiving end and uniformly position the blown articles on the takeaway conveyor.

One type of blow molding machine utilized to manufacture blow molded containers is a wheel blow molding machine which is vertically disposed and rotates about a horizontal axis. An example is illustrated in FIG. 1 of U.S. Pat. No. 5,681,597 issued to Aguilar et al. and by the discussion provided in the Aguilar patent on column 2, line 52 to column 3, line 23. To this end, the blow molding machine has a plurality of molds positioned in a circular array following a circular path of motion. Each mold has a pair of mold halves which open to receive an extruded hollow parison, which close thereon so that the parison can be blown into conformance with the cavity defined by the mold, and which thereafter, open to release the blown article. All of these operations occur as the wheel continuously rotates at a constant speed, thereby forming and releasing blown articles in a continuous manner.
As best disclosed in the background section of U.S. Pat. No. 3,981,667 issued to Bilodeau on column 1, lines 15–30, it is known to discharge blown articles from wheel blow molding machines by gravity ejection onto a chute feeding a conveyor which supplies a surge hopper. The randomly arranged articles located in the hopper are then manually placed in a uniform manner onto other conveyors, or like apparatus, for transport to further processing stations, such as for trimming.
The above referenced Aguilar and Bilodeau patents disclose the use of automated takeout apparatus for increasing the speed of transfer of blown articles from a wheel blow molding machine to a downstream processing station and for eliminating the need of manually placing blown articles in a required uniform position on a takeaway conveyor. Known takeout apparatus includes vacuum pickup heads, star wheels, or buckets for individually picking one blown article per mold from the wheel blow molding machine and for placing the blown article in a uniform manner on a takeaway conveyor.
A further effort to increase the rate of forming blow molded articles is disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 3,432,586 issued to Stenger and U.S. Pat. No. 3,862,698 issued to Hafele. To this end, a blown article is formed in a blow mold from a single parison and comprises a pair of containers integrally connected by a ring of scrap or flash material. The blown article is trimmed to remove the scrap/flash material and to separate the containers into two identical separate container bodies. This concept can be utilized to effectively double the output of bottles that can be formed during each revolution of a wheel blow molding machine.
It is also known to simultaneously extrude multiple separate parisons within a blow mold to simultaneously form multiple separate blown articles in each mold. See, for instance, U.S. Pat. No. 5,551,862 issued to Allred, Jr., U.S. Pat. No. 4,861,542 issued to Oles et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 3,802,823 issued to Doughty et al. Taking this concept one step further, as illustrated in FIG. 4 of the present application, a blow mold can be provided to accept multiple parisons and to utilize each parison to form multiple blown bottles. For instance, it is contemplated to use the mold illustrated in FIG. 4 of the present application to form four bottles per mold in a two by two manner, and to utilize the mold on a vertically disposed wheel blow molding machine having twenty-four identical such molds for forming approximately 500 to 850 bottles per minute.
The increased rate of forming bottles in a wheel blow molding machine and the use of multiple parisons for forming multiple blown articles in each mold significantly complicates the task of removing blown articles from a wheel blow molding machine and placing the blown articles in a uniform position on a horizontally disposed takeaway conveyor. In addition, vacuum and/or mechanical pick and place machines have relatively complicated structures and are relatively expensive to build and/or purchase. They require frequent maintenance and are prone to experiencing mechanical and pneumatic failures. The downtime of the pick and place machines can significantly reduce the overall rate of manufacture of containers. Thus, a more efficient and cost-effective transfer mechanism for transferring containers from a vertically-disposed wheel blow molding machine to a horizontally-disposed takeaway conveyor is desired.
While various ones of the takeout and transfer mechanisms disclosed in the above referenced patents may function satisfactorily for their intended purposes under certain circumstances, there is a need for a takeout and transfer apparatus and method for efficiently transferring blow-molded articles, two at time, in a continuous manner from a vertically-disposed wheel blow molding machine to a horizontally-disposed takeaway conveyor. The apparatus should have a relatively simple construction which requires a minimum of downtime, if any, and which is cost-effective to manufacture and/or purchase. The apparatus and method should be capable of reliably removing 500 to 850 blow molded bottles per minute from a wheel blow molding machine and placing the bottles in an orderly manner in a required uniform position on a horizontally disposed conveyor. In addition, the apparatus and method should be capable of handling multiple separate blown articles released simultaneously from a blow mold.

Takeout and transfer apparatus and method for a wheel blow molding machine


An audio codec uses one or more access points to broadcast or unicast a performance to a mobile digital media device that is registered and therefore is authorized to receive the performance. Prior to receiving, the mobile digital media device is authenticated by replying to an RFID query from one or more access points. If the mobile digital media device is registered, a secure key is sent to the mobile digital media device. The mobile digital media device uses the secure key to decrypt music being broadcasted or unicasted to receive the distribution of the live performances in the music venue.

Country music is derived from or imitates the folk style of the southern U.S. or of the Western cowboy. Folk songs, on which country music is based, are traditional songs that are typically characterized by stanzaic form, refrain, and simplicity of melody. Blues are songs of lamentation usually characterized by 12-bar phrases and 3-line stanzas in which the words of the second line usually repeat those of the first, as well as the continual occurrence of blue notes in melody and harmony. Rock often incorporates elements of country, folk, and blues to compose popular music usually played on electronically amplified instruments and characterized by a heavily accented beat and much repetition of simple phrases.
There are many music venues, such as the gentle green slope of a city's park, a sports stadium, or a smoky bar, in which music from these genres is performed live before an audience. Unlike a studio where quality audio recordings can be properly made, often these live performances are recorded by a fan's tape recorder, which bootleg recording is typically of poor condition and illegal. Even if these live performances were recorded by better instruments, however, they would typically not be immediately available for members of the audience to legally purchase and pick up. Often, it takes days after a live performance for which members of the audience have ordered the music for a compact disc to arrive in the mail. However, FIG. 1 illustrates an instance 100 where recordings of live performances can be made available after only 20 to 30 minutes to members of the audience.
While a live performance is given at the music venue 102, one or more microphones placed at the music venue transmit the speech and music from the live performance to a truck 106 or other facilities within proximity to the music venue 102. There are recording devices on the truck 106 or other facilities to record the speech and music as picked up by the microphones. The speech and music are burned onto a compact disc 108, which is an optical storage medium for digital data, usually audio.
Today many people are downloading music in digital form to their computer over the Internet using popular Web sites, such as iTunes® from Apple Computer, Inc. The major problem with the Internet is the difficulty of ensuring that only authorized individuals are allowed to download music. Without resolution to the problem of obtaining high quality media from live performances, such as music, that can be taken away as a memento of the experience, users may resort to tape recording live performances without authorization and organizations may forgo digital media distribution, causing demand for legal copies to diminish in the marketplace. Thus, there is a need for a system, method, and computer-readable medium for distributing live performances while avoiding or reducing the foregoing and other problems associated with existing systems.


A plastic film of a polyolefin, particularly polypropylene copolymer has a flame-retardant coating, is siliconized on at least one side and is coated at least to some extent with adhesive in non-siliconized areas, with an intermediate layer formed as a flame-retardant lacquer located between the polyolefin substrate material and the siliconized layer, to be especially suitable for use as a moisture barrier for inner paneling in motor vehicles.

The present invention generally relates to plastic films.
More particularly, it relates to a plastic film which is composed of a polyolefin, in particular polypropylene copolymer.
Plastic films of the above mentioned general time are known in the art. It is advisable to improve these films so that they perform additional functions needed for particular applications.


A system that includes a clock tree and multiple variable delay components. The system is characterized by including a first set of fuses indicative of identities of variable delay components that belong to a first set of variable delay components, a second set of fuses indicative of delay values of the variable delay components that belong to the first set of variable delay components, and a second set of variable delay components that are set to at least one default delay value. A method for reducing clock skews, the method includes providing a clock tree that includes a set of variable delay components. The method is characterized by selecting a first set of variable delay components in view of timing violations occurring due clock skews, setting delay values of variable delay components that form a first set of variable delay components by programming fuses, and setting delay values of variable delay components that form a second set of variable delay components to at least one default value.

Most integrated circuits include many synchronized components. These synchronized components can include logic gates, inverters, flip-flops, memory cells and the like. Synchronized components are triggered by a clock signal. The clock signals are distributed among the synchronized components using clock distribution networks (also referred to as clock trees).
A typical clock tree includes multiple clock tree branches and multiple clock tree taps. Each clock tree branch splits to multiple clock tree taps. Clock signals propagate along a common clock path and then propagate along non-common clock paths. The non-common clock paths can include passive and optionally active components that can have different characteristics. These components can introduce clock skews. Clock skews can cause timing violations such as setup violations and/or hold violations.
There are multiple prior art methods and systems for reducing clock skews and for measuring clock skews. Some clock skew reduction methods are implemented during the design stages of the integrated circuit while other techniques can be implemented after production. A first method involved optimizing the topology of the clock tree. This method can include designing balanced clock trees and the like. Another clock skew reduction method involves clock reversing. Yet another clock skew reduction method included introducing delays in a large number of clock tree branches. The following articles, patents and patent applications illustrate various clock skew reduction methods and systems: "Reduced delay uncertainty in high performance clock distribution networks", D. Velenis, M. C. Papaefthymiou, E. G. Friedman, Proceedings of the Design, Automation and Test in Europe Conference and Exhibition (DATE '03) 1530-1591/03; "Clock generation and distribution for the 130-nm Itanium® processor with 6-MB on-die L3 cache", S. Tam, R. D. Limaye, U. N. Desai, IEEE journal on solid-state circuits, vol. 39, no. 4, April 2004; U.S. patent application publication Ser. No. 2004/0128634 of Johnson et al.; U.S. patent application publication Ser. No. 2005/0107970 of Franch et al.; U.S. patent application publication Ser. No. 2005/0102643 of Hou, et al.; U.S. patent application publication Ser. No. 2003/0101423 of Thorp, et al.; U.S. patent application publication Ser. No. 2004/0181705 of Gauthier, et al.; U.S. patent application publication Ser. No. 2002/0196067 of Schultz; U.S. Pat. No. 6,957,357 of Liu; U.S. Pat. No. 6,943,610 of Saint-Laurent; U.S. Pat. No. 6,941,532 of Haritsa et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 6,741,122 of Kapoo.
There is a need to provide efficient systems and methods for reducing clock skew.

Method and system for clock skew reduction in clock trees


Apparatus for animating a figure includes a head pivotably connected to a body, a control rod having a lower end fixed in the head and an upper end pivotable about an axis through a handle, and a second rod suspending the body from the handle remotely from the pivot axis, whereby pivoting the control rod about the pivot axis causes the head to pivot with respect to the body, giving the appearance of a change in posture. The head is preferably mounted for universal movement with respect to the body, and the rod is mounted for rotation with respect to the handle about a longitudinal rod axis which is perpendicular to the pivot axis. Rotating the control rod thus causes the head to rotate with respect to the body, giving the impression of looking left and right.

This invention relates to animated figures, in particular to puppets that are controlled from above.
Puppets can be categorized into four different groups. The first group includes puppets designed to be manipulated on the hand or fingers. The second includes puppets controlled from within, behind, or underneath with rods and/or mechanical actuators. The third includes two dimensional jointed figures and shadow puppets. The fourth, to which the present invention appertains, includes puppets controlled from above. This group includes puppets controlled with strings (marionettes), and puppets controlled with rods, known as Roman or Sicilian puppets.
Marionettes generally utilize a rigid structure from which a jointed figure is suspended by strings. The figure is animated by artfully manipulating the strings from above to lift and lower parts of the figure to which the strings are attached. Great skill is required to produce a balanced and pleasing effect. In the hands of an untrained user the figure appears to simply swing around and bob aimlessly. In addition the strings are easily tangled, especially when improperly handled or stored. Marionettes in the hands of younger children often become irreparably knotted. As a toy, they are usually short-lived.
Roman or Sicilian style puppets have a rigid rod fixed to the head and extending vertically to a cylindrical handle having a hook which suspends it from a horizontal bar. A second rod is often used to control a sword, and is tied to the first rod near the handle. In a variation of the Sicilian puppet occasionally adopted for use as a toy, a string for manipulating the hands is draped from the hook. Articulation of this type of puppet is limited. Although appropriate for the very stylized and combative nature of traditional Sicilian puppet dramas, the controls offer very little of the subtle positioning of the head and body obtainable with a marionette. An unskilled performer can do little more than bob the characters around and bash them into each other.
For general usage and particularly for children the existing overhead puppets do not offer an acceptable combination of ease of use, performability, and durability. As a result these puppets appear far less frequently in the toy market than the other varieties.


A data processor arranged so that a block transfer control unit (12) can initiate block transfer in response to the execution of a particular instruction by a CPU, in order to increase the speed and efficiency of the data transfer between a CPU-accessible internal memory (5) and an external memory (25,26). When an address specified by the addressing field coincides with an address mapped to the internal memory, the particular instruction sets a logical address as one of the transfer source or transfer destination addresses of the data block transfer. The internal memory is allotted to a part of virtual address space; the internal memory allotted so is associated with the physical address space, to which the external memory set as the other address is allotted, by a process in which a TLB is used when the MMU is in ON, and a given register is used when the MMU is in OFF.

In regard to a microprocessor, it is common that a cache memory is incorporated therein for the purpose of increasing its memory access performance. However, the cache memory is suitable for handling an instruction or data, which is frequently accessed, but not so effective for data which is made unnecessary once it has been used. While a large volume of temporary data like this is often handled in the applications such as image processing or voice processing, trying using a cache memory to access these data will drive out data more suitable for the cache memory, which should be normally cached therein, because of the finite capacity of the cache memory, reducing the efficiency as a whole. Therefore, it is desired in order to these data at a high speed to have an internal memory in addition to the cache memory.
In the case where a cache memory is used, the average access performance from a CPU (Central Processing Unit) can be improved, but the cache memory changes in hit/miss depending on its access history until then, which makes difficult to predict the execution time. Therefore, the cache memory can be not appropriate for precise real time control in some cases. In an application such as real time control, it is desired to store a memory information (an instruction or data) in not a cache memory but a permanent internal memory.
In the case where a microprocessor has an internal memory according to the forementioned standpoint instead of or in addition to the cache memory, it is important to increase the speed and efficiency of the data transfer between the internal memory and external memory.
According to the consideration of the inventor, transfer control by a DMAC (direct memory access controller) is conducted in block transfer and the CPU in the middle of a transfer operation is able to carry out another process, which offers a good transfer efficiency. However, it has been shown that such transfer control requires to synchronize the action of the DMAC with the process by the CPU (in settings of a data transfer condition, and startup and termination waits) and as such, the overhead owing to the synchronization is made remarkable especially when a transferred volume is small. Also, in the case where a block transfer instruction is used, when the period of time during which the CPU is occupied by the transfer process is prolonged, the overhead is made longer as in the case of using a DMAC. If such block transfer instruction is dedicated, it becomes easy to optimize the process, but there may be the following case: a new instruction code cannot be added, or the addition of a new instruction code poses a disadvantage.
The following document has been found from the patent search, which was made after the invention was completed. In JP-A-2000-231550, it is described that a microcomputer having a load/store instruction executing unit capable of executing a load/store instruction is provided with a RAM (Random Access Memory) which data can be read out from and written in by the load/store instruction executing unit and which allows DMA (Direct Memory Access) transfer between RAM and an external memory. The forementioned Patent Gazette says that a dedicated block transfer instruction or the like may be used to access a RAM used for a special application other than cache instead of the load/store instruction (in the paragraph No. 76). However, there is no disclosure about the operation according to the block transfer instruction.

Data processor with block transfer control


A wavelength selection filter, a wavelenth selection laser, and a tunable laser for suppressing adverse effects of non-selected light when selected light is obtained by the wavelength selection filter. A linear polarizer is arranged on a side of the wavelength selection filter from which incoming light enters, and a first faraday element and a second faraday element arranged at respective locations between the linear polarizer and the wavelength selection filter, and between the wavelength selection filter and a reflection mirror for reflecting light having passed through the wavelength selection filter. After incoming light passes through a linear polarizer, selected light passes through the wavelength selection filter and is reflected by the reflection mirror, while non-selected light is reflected by the wavelength selection filter. The selected light and the non-selected light differ in the number of times they pass through faraday elements before they return to the linear polarizer.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a wavelength selection device, a wavelength selection laser, and a tunable laser, and more particularly to a wavelength selection device, a wavelength selection laser, and a tunable laser, each of which includes a wavelength selection filter for passing light of desired wavelengths and reflecting light of wavelengths other than the desired wavelengths, and makes use of light which passes through the wavelength selection filter and is then reflected by a reflection mirror arranged at the rear of the wavelength selection filter to return to the wavelength selection filter again.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, with a drastic increase in communication demands, development has been actively carried out on a wavelength division multiplexing system (WDM system) which enables large capacity transmission through a single optical fiber, by multiplexing a plurality of signal lights of different wavelengths. In such a WDM system, there is a great demand for a wavelength selection filter and a wavelength selection laser capable of selecting desired wavelengths from a wide range of wavelengths, to implement the system.
FIG. 25 is a conceptual representation of the wavelength selection laser which employs the wavelength selection filter. In one method of realizing the wavelength selection laser, a gain medium 202 covering a wide bandwidth and a wavelength selection filter 203 are arranged within a resonator formed by two reflection mirrors 200 and 201 arranged opposed to each other. In this method, when a filter, such as a Fabry-Perot (FP) etalon, which passes light of desired wavelengths and reflects light of wavelengths other than the desired wavelengths, is used as the wavelength selection filter 203, the light (selected light) that passes through the filter is resonated between the reflection mirrors 200 and 201, eventually causing laser oscillation to occur.
As the wavelength selection filter 203, it is possible to use a filter in which an FP etalon is formed by a quartz plate designed to have a predetermined thickness according to the wavelengths of light to be allowed to pass and having opposite surfaces thereof covered with predetermined reflection coating. There has been also proposed another conventional wavelength selection filter in which transparent substrates on a light-introducing side and a light-emitting side thereof are formed, e.g., by two sheets of polarizers, and two sheets of polarization rotators joined to outer sides of the two sheets of polarizers, for rotating respective polarization planes in opposite directions, and a liquid crystal is held with the transparent substrates via a spacer (see Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 11-125801). In this case, the polarization rotators, which are trapezoidal in cross section, are provided for varying polarized states of light transmitted through the polarization rotators, to thereby depolarize the incoming light, and the two sheets of polarization rotators are arranged such that respective directions in which the polarization planes are rotated thereby are made opposite to each other, whereby a wavelength selection filter is made capable of coping with incoming lights from two directions. Further, there is another example of the conventional wavelength selection filter which is configured such that two sheets of tabular mediums have reflection planes formed on respective one end surfaces thereof in a manner opposed to each other, and a spacer having a predetermined length is held between the reflection planes to form an FP etalon (see Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2000-133863).
Now, the wavelength selection laser employing the wavelength selection filter suffers from a problem that when light (non-selected light) reflected by the wavelength selection filter without passing therethrough goes back into the resonator, it is impossible to produce stable laser oscillation at a desired wavelength. To overcome this problem, the wavelength selection laser is required to suppress the adverse effects of the non-selected light.
FIG. 26 is a diagram which is useful in explaining a conventional method of suppressing adverse effects of non-selected light. It should be noted that in FIG. 26, component parts and elements similar or equivalent to those of the wavelength selection laser shown in FIG. 25 are designated by identical reference numerals.
In the conventional method, to inhibit non-selected light reflected by the wavelength selection filter 203 from going back into the resonator, the wavelength selection filter 203 is arranged at an angle or in a manner inclined with respect to the optical axis. As a result of this configuration, selected light or component of light incident on the wavelength selection filter 203 passes therethrough, and is then reflected by the reflection mirror 201 to return to the filter 203 to pass therethrough. On the other hand, non-selected light is reflected by the wavelength selection filter 203, though in a manner deviated from the optical axis of the incident light or the selected light, because the wavelength selection filter 203 is arranged at an angle. Thus, the non-selected light is prevented from returning to the resonator.
However, the arrangement of the wavelength selection filter 203 at an angle with respect to the optical axis causes degradation of finesse and an increase in insertion loss, resulting in the degraded characteristics of the wavelength selection laser. Particularly, when the FP etalon of high finesse is inclined, e.g., at two degrees or more with respect to the incident direction, the finesse is degraded to a level equal to or less than 50% thereof, while the insertion loss thereof is increased up to 5 dB (decibels). This means that a wavelength selection laser designed to cause laser oscillation to occur at a wavelength selected by the wavelength selection filter, and further a tunable laser configured to cause laser oscillation to occur by selecting light of an arbitrary one of wavelengths selected by the filter are degraded in wavelength selectivity, which makes it difficult to cause stable laser oscillation.
Further, the arrangement of the wavelength selection filter at an angle with respect to the optical axis can cause an increase in size of the wavelength selection filter itself, the wavelength selection laser, or the tunable laser, employing the filter. Further, because fine adjustment of the angle of the wavelength selection filter is required, there remains another problem of troublesome alignment of the filter.

Wavelength selection device, wavelength selection laser, and tunable laser


An apparatus for transferring electrically conductive coating materials, such as water-based paint, from at least one source to one or more coating dispensers or spray guns for discharge onto a substrate includes two "parallel" flow paths, each having a large reservoir pump, which transmit coating material to a common valve which, in turn, switches flow to the coating dispensers from one flow path to the other. Each parallel flow path provides a voltage block between one or more sources of coating material and the electrostatically charged coating material discharged from the spray guns to ensure that there is never a completed electrical path between the source of conductive coating material and the charged coating material during a coating operation. Additionally, a rapid and efficient color change capability is provided for the entire system which permits different colored coating materials to be dispensed from the apparatus herein with minimum downtime of the coating operation.

The application of coating materials using electrostatic spraying techniques has been practiced in industry for many years In these applications, the coating material is discharged in atomized form and an electrostatic charge is imparted to the atomized particles which are then directed toward a substrate maintained at a different potential to establish an electrostatic attraction for the charged atomized particles In the past, coating materials of the solvent-based variety, such as varnishes, lacquers, enamels and the like, were the primary materials employed in electrostatic coating applications. The problem with such coating materials is that they create an atmosphere which is both explosive and toxic The explosive nature of the environment presents a safety hazard should a spark inadvertently be generated, such as by accidentally grounding the nozzle of the spray gun, which can ignite the solvent in the atmosphere causing an explosion The toxic nature of the workplace atmosphere created by solvent coating materials can be a health hazard should an employee inhale solvent vapors
As a result of the problems with solvent-based coatings, the recent trend has been to switch to water-based coatings which reduce the problems of explosiveness and toxicity. Unfortunately, this switch from electrostatically spraying solvent-based coatings to those of the water-based type has sharply increased the risk of electrical shock, which risk was relatively minor with solvent-based coatings The risk of electrical shock is occasioned in the use of water-based coatings due to their extreme electrical conductivity, with resistivities of such water-based coatings often falling within the range of 100 to 100,000 ohm centimeters. This is in contrast to resistivities of 200,000 to 100,000,000 ohm centimeters for moderately electrically conductive coatings such as metallic paint, and resistivities exceeding 100,000,000 ohm centimeters for solvent-based lacquers, varnishes, enamels and the like.
The relative resistivity of the coating material is critical to the potential electrical shock which may arise during an electrostatic coating operation. With coating materials which are either not electrically conductive or only moderately electrically conductive, the column of coating material which extends from the charging electrode at the tip of the coating dispenser through the hoses leading back to the supply tank has sufficient electrical resistance to prevent any significant electrostatic charging of the material in the supply tank or the tank itself However, when coating material is highly electrically conductive, as are water-based coatings, the resistance of the coating column in the supply hose is very low. As a result, a high voltage charging electrode located in the vicinity of the nozzle of the coating dispenser electrostatically charges not only the coating particles, but the coating material in the hose, the coating material in the supply tank and the supply tank itself. Under these circumstances, operating personnel inadvertently coming into contact with an exposed supply tank, or a charged hose, or any other charged part of the system, risk serious electrical shock unless such equipment is grounded to draw off the electricity. If the equipment is indeed grounded at any point, however, the electrostatics will not function because the high voltage charge would be conducted away from the coating dispenser electrode to the grounded point as well.
One of the methods and apparatus for reducing the electrical shock problem is disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,313,475 to Wiggins. In apparatus of this type, a "voltage block" system is employed wherein an electrostatically conductive coating material is first transmitted from a grounded primary coating supply into a transfer vessel which is electrically isolated from one or more electrostatic coating dispensers. After being filled with coating material, the transfer vessel is first disconnected from the primary coating supply and then connected to an inventory tank, which, in turn, is connected to the coating dispensers. The coating material is transmitted from the transfer vessel into the inventory tank, with the transfer vessel disconnected from the primary coating supply, to fill the inventory tank with coating material for subsequent transfer to the coating dispensers. After the inventory tank is filled, the transfer vessel is disconnected from the inventory tank and connected back to the primary coating supply to receive another quantity of coating material so that the coating operation can proceed essentially continuously.
Another "voltage block" system for transferring electrically conductive coating materials is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,078,168, which is owned by the assignee of this invention. In this system, first and second shuttle devices are selectively connected to two large reservoir, piston pumps. The first shuttle device is movable between a transfer position, and a spaced, neutral position, relative to a filling station which is connected to a source of electrically conductive coating material. At the filling station, the first shuttle is operative to transfer coating material from the source into the reservoir of the first pump. In the neutral position, the first shuttle is electrically isolated, i.e., physically spaced, from the filling station. The second shuttle device is movable between a transfer position wherein it interconnects the first piston pump with the second piston pump, and a neutral position wherein the two pumps are electrically isolated from one another and the second piston pump supplies coating material to the dispensers. Movement of the shuttles is controlled to maintain one of the shuttles in a neutral position while the other is at the transfer position so that there is never a completed electrical path between the source of electrically conductive coating material and the electrostatically charged dispenser.
One problem with apparatus of the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,313,475 and 5,078,168 involves the pressure available to discharge the coating material from either the transfer vessel of the Wiggins apparatus or the second reservoir above the Konieczynski apparatus. For example, in the Konieczynski apparatus, each of the first and second reservoir pumps includes a piston which is movable in one direction in response to the application of air pressure thereagainst to discharge coating material from the reservoir, and is movable in the opposite direction as new coating material is added to the reservoir. In order to permit filling of the reservoir of the second pump with coating material supplied from the first pump, the air pressure applied to the piston in the second pump must be reduced compared to that of the first pump, otherwise the piston within the second pump would not move and allow the reservoir therein to be filled. Because of this reduced pressure level within the second pump, the coating material is discharged therefrom at a relatively low pressure level. As a result, a comparatively few coating dispensers can be supplied with coating material, and the spray pattern emitted from such dispensers is not always stable.
Another problem with voltage block systems of the type described above, and particularly the Konieczynski apparatus disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,078,168, is a relatively wide pressure fluctuation in the coating material discharge from the second pump to the coating dispensers. When the reservoir of the second pump is filled and coating material is discharged by its piston moving in a downward direction toward the base of the reservoir, the fluid pressure output from the second pump is less than the air pressure at which the piston is forced downwardly because the seal friction with which the piston seals against the side walls of the pump reservoir opposes downward motion of the piston. This produces a comparatively low fluid discharge pressure, significantly lower than the air pressure, with the attendant disadvantages noted above. On the other hand, a higher fluid discharge pressure, e.g. higher than the air pressure, is output from the second pump when it is filled with coating material from the first pump. This is because the fluid pressure of the coating material introduced at the base of the second pump, on the bottom side of the piston, must overcome both the air pressure acting on the opposite or top side of the piston and the seal friction of the piston seals against the sidewall of the piston reservoir. Since the air pressure in the system remains constant, the fluid pressure fluctuates depending on whether the piston within the second pump is moving upwardly or downwardly. Accordingly, a potentially large pressure fluctuation can occur at the discharge side of the second pump depending upon whether or not the second pump is undergoing a fill cycle or a discharge cycle when coating material is discharged therefrom to the coating dispensers. Such pressure fluctuation limits the number of dispensers which can be supplied by the second pump, and/or adversely affects the spray pattern obtained from such dispensers.
Another problem with apparatus of the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,313,475 and 5,078,168 is that an appreciable pressure drop is produced when water, solvent and/or air is used to flush the system of paint of one color in preparation for the use of another colored paint. This pressure drop occurs because, as noted above, all of the hoses and transfer containers or pumps are interconnected in series with one another from the point at which the source of coating material is introduced into the system to the point at which the coating material is discharged to the coating dispensers. For example, in the system of U.S. Pat. No. 5,078,168, the coating material, flushing liquid and/or air must first enter the lines interconnecting the first shuttle to the first pump, travel through the line interconnecting the first pump to the second pump and then pass through the lines interconnecting the second pump to the coating dispenser. By the time the flushing fluid or coating material reaches the downstream portions of this flow path, a pressure drop has occurred which lessens the effectiveness with which the air or liquid can remove the coating material remaining in the system.
While both of the systems disclosed in the Wiggins Patent No. 4,313,475 and Konieczynski Patent No. 5,078,168 are adapted for use with color changers connected to sources of different color paint, neither system is capable of effecting a color change rapidly in a production environment. Both of these systems provide an essentially "series" flow path between the source(s) of coating material and the dispensers. That is, the coating material is first transmitted from the source to the transfer vessel of the Wiggins apparatus, or to the first reservoir pump of the Konieczynski apparatus, and then delivered through lines to either the inventory tank or second reservoir pump for subsequent supply to the dispensers. In order to effect a color change in either system, a flushing liquid such as water must be introduced at the beginning of this flow path, i.e., where the coating material is introduced, and then pass through each line and element of the system in sequence, one after the other, to remove the old paint. In applications such as the coating of automobiles and/or other assembly line-type painting operations, such a relatively long "downtime" between color changes is unacceptable.

Apparatus for dispensing conductive coating materials including color changing capability


The control of the optical operation of a laser beam welding tool is carried out, when the tool is in an out of service position, by low-power auxiliary radiation. This radiation is passed to a measuring device (64) equipped with a photoelectric cell (86) after having traversed the tool as far as a welding head (58). The control can apply to an optical channel carried by a welding iron used for welding repair sleeves in pressurized water nuclear reactor steam generator tubes.

The prior art already includes a process for controlling the operation of an optical channel carried by a welding tool and conducting a welding laser beam, at operational power, from a laser source to a welding location.
It is known to utilize a welding tool such as a laser beam welding iron for welding operations in confined spaces, especially in the tubes of a nuclear reactor steam generator cooled by pressurized water. These steam generators comprise a bundle consisting of a large number of tubes of small diameter (approximately 20 mm), bent into a U shape and fixed at each of their ends by crimping in a tubular plate of large thickness. That part of the steam generator which is situated below the tubular plate delimits a water reservoir into which the ends of the tubes of the bundle open. The stresses to which the tubes are subjected give rise, in some cases, to fissures in the walls of these tubes. It is known to carry out the repair of these tubes by sleeve coupling of the tubes. For this purpose, repair sleeves are fixed in the tubes by welding, by means of a laser beam welding iron which is inserted into the water reservoir and into the tubes.
Applicant's FR-A-89/08,635 shows a welding set, comprising a laser beam welding iron which is utilized to carry out the sleeve coupling of tubes of a steam generator and which is disposed within the water reservoir of the generator.
The welding iron comprises an optical channel which essentially comprises an optical fiber conducting the laser beam along the iron from a laser source, disposed outside the water reservoir, to a welding head of the (iron, and optical means, disposed in this head, which are adapted to focus the laser beam on a welding location.
In order to carry out the welding operations under good conditions, the optical operation of the welding iron is controlled and the good transmission of the power of the laser beam in the optical channel of the iron is ensured. To this end, the power emitted at the exit of the laser source is generally measured before entry of the beam into the optical fiber. The measurement of the power at the exit of the optical fiber or at the exit of the welding head requires a space adequate to arrange means for sampling the beam and means for measuring the power of the beam. In the case of a welding operation within the tubes of a steam generator, there is not adequate space to insert such means. Moreover the extraction of the welding iron out of the water reservoir, for example with a view to carrying out a measurement of the power of the beam, is detrimental to the work sequence and the equipment.

Process and device for controlling the operation of an optical channel, for a laser-beam carried by a welding tool


A stator core that includes a pair of poles separated by an air gap. Each pole includes a first side adjacent the air gap and a second opposite side remote from the air gap. A pole arc is formed in the first side and an arcuate mounting recess is formed in the second side of each pole. Additionally, an electric machine that includes the stator core.

Various methods are available for securing a stator within the housing of an electric machine. One such method involves the provision of through-holes in the stator core. The stator core may then be secured to the housing by bolts that pass through the holes. Typically, however, the through-holes adversely affect the magnetic flux through the stator core and thus the performance of the electric machine is compromised.


A classification system (10) having a controller (12), a document storage memory (14), and a document input (16) is used to classify documents (20). The controller (12) is programmed to generate a theme score from a plurality of source documents in a plurality of predefined source documents. A theme score is also generated for the unclassified document. The unclassified document theme score and the theme scores for the various classes are compared and the unclassified document is classified into the classification having the nearest theme score.

Companies, and in particular, companies in technical fields classify various information to various classifications for the company archives and for other purposes. One such other purpose is for patent searching. Companies may obtain various patents to store into a company archive. Commonly this is done using a group of trained searchers that read and classify the patents according to a pre-identified classification system. One problem with such a system is that the searchers must be familiar with the classification system and the underlying technology to properly classify the document. This is a very labor intensive and costly process because a substantial amount of time is required to classify the documents.
As technology changes, it may be desirable from time to time to change classification systems or add subclasses within various classifications. To accomplish this in a manual fashion would require searchers a substantial amount of time to re-read the patents or other documents in a class and classify them into a new class or a subclass.
It would therefore be desirable to provide a classification system capable of automatically determining the classifications of documents and capable of reclassifying documents when reclassification or division of classes is desired.

Theme-based system and method for classifying documents


An organic electroluminescence device includes: first and second substrates spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance; a plurality of array elements having TFTs formed on the first substrate; organic electroluminescent diodes each having a first electrode acting as a common electrode, an organic electroluminescent layer formed under the first electrode, and a second electrode patterned for a sub-pixel, which are sequentially formed on the second substrate; and conductive spacers for electrically connecting the array elements and corresponding organic electroluminescent diodes, wherein the array elements are arranged on the first substrate in a matrix configuration, and power lines for supplying voltages to the array elements are formed in a mesh configuration.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a light emitting device, and more particularly, to an organic electroluminescence device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Among flat panel displays, an organic electroluminescence device (ELD) is a self-emission type display that has a high contrast and a wide viewing angle. The organic ELD can be made to be lightweight and have a slim profile as compared to other displays because it does not require a backlight. An organic electroluminescence device also uses less power than other types of flat panel displays. Further, the organic ELD can be driven with a low DC voltage and still have a rapid response time. Since all of the components of the organic ELD are formed of solid materials, it can withstand an impact. The organic ELD can operate throughout a wide temperature range and be manufactured at a low cost.
Unlike fabricating an LCD or a PDP, the organic ELD is manufactured by just using a deposition process and an encapsulation process. Thus, the manufacturing processes and apparatuses for making an organic ELD are very simple.
A passive matrix type organic ELD that does not have a switching element to drive the organic ELD has been widely used. In the case of the passive matrix type, gate lines (scan lines) cross data lines (signal lines) to define a matrix of sub-pixels. The gate lines are sequentially driven to drive each sub-pixel. In order to exhibit a required mean luminescence, a higher level of instantaneous luminance must be emitted sequentially in each sub-pixel across the display to create an overall average luminance.
In the case of an active matrix type, thin film transistors acting as switching elements are located in respective sub-pixels. First electrodes are connected to the thin film transistors, which are turned on/off by a sub-pixel unit. A second electrode facing the first electrodes is a common electrode.
The voltage applied to the sub-pixels charges a storage capacitor Cst so that the voltage can be applied until a next frame signal is applied, thereby continuously driving the organic ELD during one frame regardless of the number of gate lines. Accordingly, in the case of the active matrix type, even when low current is applied, uniform luminescence can be obtained. As a result, the organic ELD has the advantages of low power consumption, high definition and large-sized screen capability. Such an active matrix type organic electroluminescence device will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing.
FIG. 1 shows a circuit diagram illustrating a basic sub-pixel structure of a related art active matrix type organic electroluminescence device. As shown in FIG. 1, gate lines (GL) 2 are formed in a first direction. Further, data lines (DL) 3 and power lines VDD 4 are formed in a second direction crossing the first direction to define a sub-pixel region. A switching TFT 5 is formed adjacent to a crossing of a gate line 2 and a data line 3. A storage capacitor CST 6 is connected to the switching TFT 5 and the power line 4. A driving TFT 7 connected to a current source element is connected to the storage capacitor CST 6 and the power line 4.
An organic electroluminescent diode 8 is connected to the driving TFT 7. When current is applied to the organic light emitting material in a forward direction, electrons and holes are recombined, moving through a P-N junction between an anode electrode as a hole donor and a cathode electrode as an electron donor. The energy of the organic electroluminescent diode 8 becomes lower than that created when the electrons are separated from the holes. This energy difference creates an emission of light. The organic electroluminescence device may be classified into a top emission type and a bottom emission type depending on which direction light is emitted from the organic electroluminescent diode.
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the related art bottom emission type organic electroluminescence device. As shown in FIG. 2, an organic electroluminescence device 10 includes a transparent first substrate 12, a TFT array 14 formed on the first substrate 12, a first electrode 16 formed over the TFT array 14, an organic luminescent layer 18 over the first electrode 16 and a second electrode 20 formed on the organic luminescent layer 18. The organic luminescent layer 18 reproduces red R, green G and blue B colors. For example, organic materials emitting R, G and B colors can be patterned in each sub-pixel P.
An absorbent material 22 is used to remove moisture and oxygen that may damage the organic electroluminescence device. A portion of the substrate 28 is etched and the absorbent material 22 is filled in the etched portion and fixed by a tape. The first substrate 12 is then adhered to the second substrate 28 by a sealant 26, thereby encapsulating the organic electroluminescence device.
FIG. 3 shows a sub-pixel of a TFT array included in the related art organic electroluminescence devices depicted in FIG. 2. In the case of the active matrix type organic electroluminescence device, each of the sub-pixels of the TFT array formed on the substrate is provided with a switching element TS, a driving element TD and a storage capacitor CST. Depending upon desired operation characteristics, the switching or driving transistors can be formed of a combination of more than one TFT. The substrate is formed of a transparent insulating material, such as glass or plastic.
As shown in FIG. 3, gate lines 32 and data lines 34 are provided in which the data lines 34 cross the gate lines 32. An insulating layer is formed between the gate lines 32 and the data lines 34. In addition, power lines 35 are formed in parallel with the data lines 34.
The switching TFT TS includes a gate electrode 36, an active layer 40, a source electrode 46, and a drain electrode 50. The driving TFT TD includes a gate electrode 38, an active layer 42, a source electrode 48, and a drain electrode 52. The gate electrode 36 of the switching TFT TS is connected to the gate line 32 and the source electrode 46 connected to the data line 34. The drain electrode 50 is connected to the gate electrode 38 of the driving TFT TD through a contact hole 54. The source electrode 48 of the driving TFT TD is connected to the power line 35 through a contact hole 56. Also, the drain electrode 52 is connected to the first electrode 16 formed on the pixel P.
In the related art bottom emission type organic electro luminescence device, the first substrate 12 on which the array element and the organic electroluminescent diode are formed is adhered to the separate second substrate 28 for encapsulation. In this case, the yield of the organic electroluminescence device is determined by multiplying the yield of the array element by the yield of the organic electroluminescent diode. Therefore, in the related art organic electroluminescence device, the entire process yield is greatly limited to a latter process, that is, the process of forming an organic electroluminescent diode. For example, even though the array element is formed excellently, if defects occur due to foreign matters or other factors in forming the organic electroluminescent layer using a thin film of about 1000 Å thick, the entire organic electroluminescence device is rendered defective.
A defective organic electroluminescent layer results in the loss of every expense and material cost spent in manufacturing the non-defective array element. The bottom emission type has high stability and high degree of freedom due to the encapsulation but has limitation in aperture ratio so that it is not applicable to high definition products. Further, when the voltage drop is small at the power line (4 in FIG. 1, 35 in FIG. 3) through which the voltage is supplied to each sub-pixel, the organic electroluminescence device can uniformly maintain the picture quality of the panel. However, in the case of the related art device shown in FIG. 3, there is a limit to the line width and thickness of the power line. Therefore, a voltage difference (voltage drop) occurs between the sub-pixels connected to the power line of the first stage and the sub-pixels connected to the power line of the last stage, such that a uniform picture quality cannot be obtained.


The present invention provides methods and compositions for modulating the activity of phosphodiesterase 1B (PDE1B) in intracellular signaling pathways, including but not limited to, dopamine D1 intracellular signaling pathways. The invention also provides methods and compositions for modulating the activities of intracellular signaling molecules, including, but not limited to, DARPP-32 and GluR1 AMPA receptor, via modulation of PDE1B. The invention also provides pharmaceutical compositions and methods of screening for compounds that modulate PDE1B activity. The invention also provides methods of treating or ameliorating the symptoms of a disorder, including but not limited to a PDE1B-related disorder or a dopamine D1 receptor intracellular signaling pathway disorder, by administering a modulator of PDE1B, preferably, but not limited to, an inhibitor of PDE1B or an agent that decreases the production of PDE1B.

Cyclic nucleotides and calcium are the principal second messengers of the signal transduction pathways within an area of the brain known as the basal ganglia or striatum. NMDA-type glutamate receptor activation and/or dopamine D2 receptor activation result in increased intracellular calcium concentrations (Greengard, P. et al. 1999. Neuron 23:435-447; Kotter, R. 1994. Prog. Neurobiol. 44:163-196), leading to activation of effectors such as calmodulin-dependent kinase II (CaMKII) and calcineurin and potentially to activation of calcium and calmodulin-dependent phosphodiesterases (CaM-PDEs). Dopamine D1 or D2 receptor activation leads to adenylyl cyclase activation (and increased cAMP) or inhibition (and decreased cAMP), respectively. Intracellular concentration of cGMP also are increased after dopamine D1 receptor activation and are unchanged or inhibited after D2 receptor activation. Cyclic nucleotides activate protein kinase A (PKA; cAMP-dependent protein kinase) and/or protein kinase G (PKG; cGMP-dependent protein kinase) that phosphorylate downstream signal transduction pathway elements such as DARPP-32 (dopamine and cAMP-regulated phosphoprotein) and cAMP responsive element binding protein (CREB). These signaling pathways are down-regulated by phosphodiesterases (PDEs) by hydrolysis of the cyclic nucleotides to their 5′-monophosphates. Calcium-regulated PDEs that hydrolyze cAMP and/or cGMP are therefore potential interfaces between dopamine-regulated and other intracellular signaling pathways in the basal ganglia (striatum), including but not limited to nitric oxide, noradrenergic, neurotensin, CCK, VIP, serotonin, glutamate (e.g., NMDA receptor, AMPA receptor), GABA, acetylcholine, adenosine (e.g., A2A receptor), cannabinoid receptor, natriuretic peptide (e.g., ANP, BNP, CNP) and endorphin intracellular signaling pathways.
Long-term potentiation and long-term depression, the major forms of plasticity associated with hippocampally-mediated learning and memory, are also regulated by the cyclic nucleotide and calcium/calmodulin signal transduction cascades, including the activity of PKA (Abel, T. et al. 1997. Cell 88:615-626; Skoulakis, E. M. C. et al. 1993. Neuron 11:197-208), CaMKII (Bach, M. E. et al. 1995. Cell 81:905-915; Mayford, M. et al. 1995. Cell 81:891-904), CREB (Bourtchuladze, R. et al. 1994. Cell 79:59-68; Guzowski, J. F. et al. 1997. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 94:2693-2698; Yin, J. C. P. et al. 1994. Cell 79:49-58), and calcineurin (Mansuy, I. M. et al. 1998. Cell 92:39-49). Drosophila mutants have shown altered intracellular levels of cAMP or an altered cAMP signaling pathway with concomitant learning deficits in an olfactory conditioning paradigm (Qui, Y. and R. L. Davis. 1993. Genes Dev. 7:1447-1458; Livingstone, M. S. et al. 1984. Cell 37:205-215; Skoulakis, E. M. C. et al. 1993. Neuron 11:197-208; Davis, R. L. et al. 1995. Mol. Cell. Biochem. 149/150:271-278). The activity of cGMP has also been implicated in learning and memory through the nitric oxide pathway of retrograde signal transduction (Gaily, J. A. et al. 1990. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 87:3547-3551; Garthwaite, J. 1991. Trends Neurosci. 14:60-67).
Ten families of PDEs have been identified but only Family I, the calmodulin-dependent phosphodiesterases (CaM-PDEs) have been shown to act as a potential point of interaction between the calcium and cyclic nucleotide signaling pathways. The three known CaM-PDE genes, PDE1A, PDE1B, and PDE1C, are all expressed in central nervous system tissue. PDE1A is expressed throughout the brain with higher levels of expression in the CA1 to CA3 layers of the hippocampus and cerebellum and at a low level in the striatum (Borisy, F. F. et al. 1992. J. Neurosci. 12:915-923; Yan, C. et al. 1994. J. Neurosci. 14:973-984). PDE1B is predominately expressed in the striatum, dentate gyrus, olfactory tract and cerebellum and its expression has been correlated with brain regions having high levels of dopaminergic innervation (Furuyama, T. et al. 1994. Mol. Brain. Res. 26:331-336; Polli, J. W. and R. L. Kincaid. 1994. J. Neurosci. 14:1251-1261; Yan, C. et al. 1994. J. Neurosci. 14:973-984). PDE1C is primarily expressed in olfactory epithelium, cerebellar granule cells, and striatum (Yan, C. et al. 1995. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 92:9677-9681; Yan, C. et al. 1996. J. Biol. Chem. 271:25699-25706). While expression patterns have been extensively studied, a physiological role for the CaM-PDEs in the brain has not been established.
Therefore, there is a need in the art to provide new methods of screening that can be used to develop novel compositions or drugs that can be used to treat diseases or disorders related to the regulation of phosphodiesterases in the nervous system. Furthermore, there is a need to develop treatments for such diseases or disorders that are due, at least in part, to an aberration or dysregulation of an intracellular signaling pathway regulated by phosphodiesterases. The present invention provides such methods and compositions.
Citation or identification of any reference in Section 2, or in any other section of this application, shall not be considered an admission that such reference is available as prior art to the present invention.

Phosphodiesterase activity and regulation of phosphodiesterase 1B-mediated signaling in brain


In a humidity controller apparatus for removing moisture from or adding moisture to process subject air which is to be supplied to an indoor space alternately using a first adsorption element (81) and a second adsorption element (82) by switching distribution routes for the process subject air in the casing (10), a suction-side wall (12) of the casing (10) has first and second inlet openings (13, 15) which are provided side by side. The casing (10) has a filter room (44) which is in communication with the first and second inlet openings (13, 15). The filter room (44) contains an air filter (71) for filtering the process subject air. With this structure, maintenance tasks for the air filter (71) are simplified.

Conventionally, a humidity controller apparatus which controls the humidity of air using an adsorbent material has been known. For example, in a humidity controller apparatus disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2002-22206, first and second process subject air are distributed in a hollow casing by first and second fans. In the casing, distribution routes for the process subject air are switched, and adsorption and desorption of moisture is alternately carried out by each adsorption element. In the above humidity controller apparatus, the first adsorption element and the second adsorption element are alternately used to carry out humidification and dehumidification of process subject air which is to be supplied to an indoor space.
In the above humidity controller apparatus, an air filter is generally provided in order to prevent a foreign material from intruding into a device contained in the casing. Conventionally, various structures have been employed as to the arrangement of an air filter. For example, a humidity controller apparatus wherein a suction opening provided on a side surface of a heat exchanger contained in the casing is directly covered with an air filter as in the air filter disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Utility Model Publication No. 60-178735 has been known. With this, intrusion of a foreign material into the heat exchanger which would be greatly affected by the intrusion of a foreign material can be prevented. However, with such a countermeasure, a distribution route in the casing for process subject air which extends up to the heat exchanger is greatly affected by intrusion of a foreign material.
In the above humidity controller apparatus disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2002-22206, for example, any one of a pair of side walls of the casing is provided with a suction opening for introducing first process subject air and an outlet opening for expelling second process subject air, while the other side wall is provided with a suction opening for introducing the second process subject air and an outlet opening for expelling first process subject air. In the humidity controller apparatus having such a structure, it is necessary to provide an air filter in the vicinity of each suction opening as shown in, for example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 4-350443 in order to remove the foreign material from the process subject air at the time when the process subject air flows into the casing.


A cleaning tool implement has a cleaning head having dual parallel aligned supports. The supports can take the form of interconnected parallel plates which are configured and sized to receive and removeably secure cleaning elements, for example, bonnets with stranded mop, scrub pad, brush, cloth and sponge surfaces, which can be adapted for removable attachment to the plates. The handle of the cleaning tool is connected to the cleaning head via a universal swivel joint which permits the head to rotate 360° in relation to the handle. This rotational movement permits the cleaning tool to be used on an infinite number of vertical, horizontal, angled, raised, and low surfaces.

There are many handled cleaning tools which employ a variety of cleaning heads for various cleaning functions. The cleaning head on most common cleaning implements comprises a handle connected to a single cleaning element, e.g. a strand mop element, scrubber component, spongemop head, etc. These cleaning implements offer satisfactory cleaning, but since they each only have one cleaning element, their versatility is limited. As a result, the use to which the implement is put is restricted to the sole function of the cleaning elements and so the implement itself has limited application.

Cleaning implement head with dual cleaning members