A paint cup for a spray gun includes a container containing paint solvents, a lid body covering an upper opening of the container, and a ventilation member mounted in the container. The lid body includes an annular coupling portion protruding from an inner surface thereof, an inner rod located in the annular coupling portion, and a vent extending into an annular coupling groove of the annular coupling portion. A gap is formed between the ventilation member and the inner rod. When the container is turned upside-down, the paint solvents in the gap will flow into an accommodating groove formed between the inner rod and the annular coupling portion, and ambient air circulates in the container via the vent and the gap.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a paint cup and, more particularly, to a paint cup for a spray gun which features no vent jammed by paint.
2. Description of the Related Art
U.S. Patent Publication No. 2010/0301049 A1 discloses a lid for a closeable mixing cup for a paint gun. The lid is provided with a ventilation opening. The ventilation opening is embodied as a labyrinth seal with three cylinders inserted into each other and allowing air to flow. In a preferred embodiment shown, the three cylinders includes an exterior cylinder embodied in one piece with the lid and extending into an interior space of the mixing cup, an interior cylinder provided inside the exterior cylinder and embodied in one piece with the lid, and a snapping part arranged at the bottom end of the exterior and interior cylinders and including a cylindrical part which projects upwards and falls short of an axial length of the exterior and interior cylinders. The interior cylinder is embodied open towards the top. The cylinder part is inserted with little play into a space between the exterior and interior cylinders and closes the interior of the interior cylinder towards the bottom, but not sealing it completely. Air could enter via the interior cylinder at the bottom end of the interior cylinder into the space between the exterior and interior cylinders, and air can pass the cylinder part and exit again downwards, forming an air bridge from the exterior of the mixing cup and/or lid to the interior space of the mixing cup. This air bridge is easily possible, if the individual dimensions are sized sufficiently small, so that paint located in the interior space of the mixing cup cannot penetrate this path to the outside. However, the gaps between the cylinder part and the exterior and interior cylinders can not be appropriately controlled, so that paint dripping through the labyrinth seal can still occur during shaking of the mixing cup by a user. Furthermore, viscous liquid paint residuals remaining between the exterior cylinder and cylinder part will flow into the bottoms of the exterior cylinder and cylinder part and further flow into the bottoms of the exterior and interior cylinders and adhere to surfaces of all cylinders when the paint cup is reversed again in the case of the paint gun unused or addition of paint. Accordingly, the gaps between the cylinders will be narrowed with time, resulting in an adverse impact on the function of the ventilation opening and even making the paint gun unavailable.


In field-effect transistors, semiconductor clusters, which can extend from the source region to the drain region and which can be implemented in two ways, are embedded in one or a plurality of layers. In a first embodiment, the semiconductor material of the adjacent channel region can be strained by the clusters and the effective mass can thus be reduced by altering the energy band structure and the charge carrier mobility can be increased. In a second embodiment, the clusters themselves can be used as a canal region. These two embodiments can also appear in mixed forms. The invention can be applied to the Si material system with SiGe clusters or to the GaAs material system with InGaAs clusters or to other material systems.

This application claims priority of German patent application number 100 25 264.8, filed May 22, 2000.
The present invention concerns a field-effect transistor based on embedded cluster or island structures made of semiconductor material and a process for its production. The invention refers both to those field-effect transistors in which the strain caused by cluster structures is used in an immediately adjacent channel region and to those field-effect transistors in which the channel region itself is formed by the cluster structures.
Already, field-effect transistors are known in which the channel region is formed from strained semiconductor material. In the publication xe2x80x9cElectronic Mobility Enhancement in Strained-Si N-Type Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistorsxe2x80x9d by J. Welser et al., a field-effect transistor is described in which a pseudomorphically strained Si-channel region is produced by growing a Si layer on a relaxed SiGe buffer layer. The expansion strain in the Si material of the channel region results in a change in the band structure and in a cancellation of the six-fold band degeneracy, whereby higher electron and hole nobilities may be obtained.
The disadvantages of this type of strained field-effect transistors consist, however, in that the relaxed SiGe buffer layer is a few microns thick and is thus expensive and time-consuming to produce. Moreover, these layers have a high concentration of crystal defects which are an impairment to the large-area integration of transistors.
EP 0,921,575 describes a heterostructure MIS field-effect transistor with an expansion strained channel layer whereby a first Si layer, a carbon-containing Si2xe2x88x92YCY layer which serves as a canal region, and an optional second Si layer are deposited in this order on a substrate. The carbon content Y and the thickness of the Si2xe2x88x92YCY layer are selected such that the carbon-containing Si material has an expansion strain and this results, in the same manner as in pure expansion-strained silicon, in a splitting of the conduction and valence bands, reduced effective masses, and an increase in the mobility of charge carriers. Expansion-strained field-effect transistors of this type are, obviously, simpler to produce, since no thick SiGe buffer layers have to be grown. The disadvantage of these transistors lies, however, in that their most important region, i.e., the channel region, is no longer formed from pure silicon, but from carbon-containing silicon, whereby the component characteristics are extremely dependent upon the carbon content and the thickness of the channel layer. Thus, it is difficult to produce these field-effect transistors with reproducible component characteristics.
The object of the present invention is to report a fundamentally new material structure for a field-effect transistor, especially for its channel region, by means of which the performance characteristics of the transistor can be improved. A further object of the invention is to report a process for its production.
A field-effect transistor according to the invention, also referred to as a DOTFET, is essentially based on the use of clusterlike or islandlike semiconductor material structures in the channel region or in the vicinity of the channel region of the field-effect transistor. The clusters may be used in two fundamentally different embodiments. According to a first embodiment, they can be arranged below the actual channel region and generate a strain field in the semiconductor material of the channel region, whereby the band structure of the semiconductor material is suitably altered. The band structure may be altered with suitable material selection such that the effective masses of the charge carriers can be reduced and their mobility can be increased. In this variant, the clusterlike structures are, however, not themselves a part of the channel region of the transistor. According to a second embodiment, the channel region itself may also be formed by the clusters or islands. Mixed forms between these two embodiments are also conceivable, wherein the source/drain current flows both through the clusters and through semiconductor layers strained by the clusters.
The field-effect transistor also has source and drain regions which run vertically at least to the channel region. In the above-described first embodiment, wherein the channel region is formed by an expansion-strained semiconductor layer formed above a cluster layer, it is advantageous that relatively flat source/drain regions are formed. However, if, according to the first embodiment a plurality of the embedded expansion-strained silicon channel regions are to be generated and used, the source/drain regions should be formed to a greater depth, possibly down to the lowest semiconductor channel layer. If the channel region according to the second embodiment is to be formed by the clusters themselves, it may be necessary that the source/drain regions be formed to at least the one cluster layer or with the use of a plurality of cluster layers to a greater depth, possibly down to the lowest cluster layer. However, this is not absolutely obligatory even with the second embodiment since the channel region can be formed uniformly from the clusters of the second semiconductor material and the surrounding first semiconductor material located above it, whereby it is then adequate if the source/drain regions only extend to the semiconductor layer located above them. Above this, the embedded island structures of the second semiconductor material can form potential cavity structures within the first semiconductor material because of a lower band gap.
An essential characteristic of the field-effect transistor according to the invention consists in that at least part of the clusters run laterally between two sections which lie either, according to the first embodiment, directly under the source/drain regions, or, according to the second embodiment, inside the source/drain regions. In the first embodiment, it is, consequently, ensured that the semiconductor channel region expansion-strained by such clusters is formed between the source and drain regions. In the second embodiment, it is guaranteed that the channel region formed by the clusters themselves is formed between the source and drain regions.
In the production of field-effect transistors according to the invention, use is made of the phenomenon that with lattice-mismatched growth of a semiconductor material on a substrate of another semiconductor material with suitable selection of material, self-organized growth of island structures on the substrate occurs according to the Stranski-Krastanov mechanism. The layer, which is applied flat, breaks down spontaneously into a three-dimensional system of clusters because the elastic energy stored in the entire system is reduced thereby and an optimum compromise between different energies partially canceling each other occurs. In EP 0,437,385 A, for example, the growth of InAs growth islands on a GaAs substrate is described. Because of the lattice mismatch, a thin InAs wetting layer initially forms, above which a further growth of InAs results in the spontaneous formation of microscopic island structures. Under certain growth conditions, the exact same behavior is observed in the growth of germanium-rich SiGe on silicon substrates. For the present invention, use is made of the fact that the islands on the surface partially relax elastically. When the semiconductor material of the substrate is again grown on such growth islands, i.e., for example, silicon material on SiGe islands, a strain field is generated in this material. Since SiGe has a higher lattice constant than Si, the silicon material exhibits an expansion strain above the SiGe islands. Such an expansion-strained silicon layer can thus be generated by growth on SiGe islands, without having to produce a multi-micron-thick, relaxed, high-dislocation SiGe layer.
For a production process of field-effect transistors according to the invention, in particular in relatively high numbers and regular arrangement, it is thus advantageous if the growth of the islands proceeds not completely self-organized but, instead, is oriented by suitable specimen preparation. In a preferred method of producing a field-effect transistor, the clusters are, for example, deliberately produced spatially on prestructured substrates such that the aforementioned conditions can be fulfilled in the subsequent production of source and drain regions deliberately for a large number off transistors. In a process according to the invention, a semiconductor substrate is prepared from a first semiconductor material, or, in a layer formed from the semiconductor substrate, at least one linear depression is formed in the surface of the semiconductor substrate, whose width is less than or equal to the gate lengths of the field-effect transistor to be reduced; alternating layers of the first semiconductor material and a second semiconductor material different from the first are repeatedly grown, until the surface is substantially planarized; and, finally, a cluster layer of the second semiconductor material is grown. Already, at the time the first growth of a layer of the second semiconductor material, in the case of SiGe, there occurs, for energy reasons, a certain material accumulation of Ge in the recessed sections and thus a strain field is generated in a Si layer deposited thereon in these regions.
In this manner, by suitable substrate preparation, it is possible to cause clusters to be generated substantially along a line such that during a subsequent process step, the source and drain regions must be formed on both sides of this line.
The field-effect transistor according to the invention can be realized in various semiconductor material systems. A first implementation possibility concerns the silicon/germanium material system. A field-effect transistor made of this material system thus includes a semiconductor substrate made of silicon and a cluster layer in which a plurality of semiconductor clusters made of SiXGe1xe2x88x92X (0xe2x89xa6X less than 1) are arranged on the substrate and are embedded in silicon material.

Field-effect transistor based on embedded cluster structures and process for its production

Max-Planck-Gesellschaft zur Foerderung der Wissenschaften e.V.


A method and apparatus logs alerts and response to alerts for members of an organization. When an alert message is transmitted to a user (i.e. the user's communication device), the alert activity is logged in a record. When the user acknowledges the alert, or fails to respond to the alert, the result is also logged. As such the organization can enforce compliance with alerting procedures and actions to be taken upon receiving an alert message.

Mobile communication devices are in widespread usage, particularly in the form of "smart" cellular telephone devices. It is common for such devices to have a "silent" ring mode where, upon receiving a message, or an indication of an incoming phone call, a vibration motor is activated to cause the device to vibrate. Typically in such cases no audible alert (i.e. ringing) is used, although both can be used together if selected by the user of the device.
A common design goal with such devices is, generally, to reduce their size and weight, subject to other design choices such as, for example, display size. This tends to limit the efficacy of vibration devices, leading to people not noticing when the device is vibrating under many conditions. For example, a smartphone carried in a user's pocket while operating a motor vehicle in traffic can result in insufficient vibration and distraction such that the user may not notice the smartphone vibrating in response to an incoming phone call. In louder environments, such as construction sites, where communication can be crucial at times, the vibrations of machinery and construction activities can mask the vibration of a typical smartphone vibration motor completely so that the user does not get alerted to incoming communications.
Another concern of organizations that use alerting and notifications that are transmitted to personnel is compliance with organizational policies regarding responsiveness to alerts. In particular, organizations have an interest in ensuring that the members (e.g. employees) receive and observe notification and alerts while in work areas in order to ensure that personnel can take appropriate action in response to the occurrence of a given event or situation.
Accordingly, there is a need for a method and apparatus for providing vibratory alerts in a way that overcomes the masking effects of ambient conditions without interfering with the generally desirable design goals of mobile communication devices, and there is a further need to ensure that personnel in an organization that uses alerting properly use their assigned alerting device.
Those skilled in the field of the present disclosure will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of embodiments of the present invention.
The apparatus and method components have been represented where appropriate by conventional symbols in the drawings, showing only those specific details that are pertinent to understanding the embodiments of the present invention so as not to obscure the disclosure with details that will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of the description herein. The details of well-known elements, structure, or processes that would be necessary to practice the embodiments, and that would be well known to those of skill in the art, are not necessarily shown and should be assumed to be present unless otherwise indicated.

Mobile vibratory alert system and method for logging alert transmissions and reception of acknowledgments


Thiazole amides, imidazole amides and related analogues of the Formula:

Hormones and neurotransmitters regulate a wide variety of biological functions, often via specific receptor proteins located on the surface of living cells. Many of these receptors carry out intracellular signaling via the activation of coupled guanosine triphosphate-binding proteins (G proteins); such receptors are collectively called G protein-coupled receptors or GPCRs. The important role of GPCRs in the regulation of cell and organ function has attracted attention to these receptors as targets for new pharmaceutical agents.
Histamine is a multifunctional chemical transmitter that signals through specific cell surface GPCRs. To date, four histamine receptor subtypes have been identified: H1, H2, H3 and H4. Histamine H3 receptor is a presynaptic GPCR that is found primarily in the central nervous system, although lower levels are also found in the peripheral nervous system. Genes encoding the H3 receptor have been reported in various organisms, including humans (see Lovenberg et al. (1999) Molecular Pharmacology 55:1101-07), and alternative splicing of this gene appears to result in multiple isoforms. The histamine H3 receptor is an auto- and hetero-receptor whose activation leads to a decreased release of neurotransmitters (including histamine, acetylcholine, norepinephrine and glutamate) from neurons in the brain, and is involved in the regulation of processes such as sleep and wakefulness, feeding and memory. In certain systems, the histamine H3 receptor may be constitutively active.
Antagonists of histamine H3 receptor increase synthesis and release of cerebral histamine and other neurotransmitters, inducing an extended wakefulness, an improvement in cognitive processes, a reduction in food intake and a normalization of vestibular reflexes. Such antagonists may find use as therapeutics for central nervous system disorders such as Alzheimer disease, schizophrenia, mood and attention alterations including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, memory and learning disorders, epilepsy, narcolepsy and cognitive deficits in psychiatric pathologies, as well as in the treatment and prevention of conditions such as obesity, eating disorders, vertigo, motion sickness and allergic rhinitis.
Accordingly, the histamine H3 receptor is an important target for new therapeutics for conditions responsive to H3 receptor modulation. The present invention fulfills this need, and provides further related advantages.

Abstract: are provided, in which variables are as described herein. Such compounds may be used to modulate ligand binding to histamine H3 receptors in vivo or in vitro, and are particularly useful in the treatment of a variety of central nervous system (CNS) and other disorders in humans, domesticated companion animals and livestock animals. Compounds provided herein may be administered alone or in combination with one or more other CNS agents to potentiate the effects of the other CNS agent(s). Pharmaceutical compositions and methods for treating such disorders are provided, as are methods for using such ligands for detecting histamine H3 receptors (e.g., receptor localization studies).


A controller providing protection function and frequency-reduction function for a power conversion application, including: a voltage sense pin; a current source; a switch having a first end coupled to the current source, a second end coupled to the voltage sense pin, and a control end coupled with a control signal; and a sampling unit having a first node coupled to the voltage sense pin, a second node for providing the control signal, a third node for receiving a PWM signal, a fourth node for providing a first sampled voltage for a protection function, and a fifth node for providing a second sampled voltage for a frequency-reduction function.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a controller for power conversion, especially to a controller using a single pin to provide a protection function and a frequency-reduction function for a power conversion application.
2. Description of the Related Art
As energy efficiency and safety of a power converter are more and more demanded globally, the controller thereof is required to provide more and more power-saving and power-protection functions. However, due to limited number of pins, most small-form-factor controllers are hindered from implementing such functions.
One solution is to use a package of larger pin count. However, this will increase the manufacturing cost—as both the package size and the board area will increase. Besides, a controller with a larger pin count can be incompatible with the existing architectures of the power converters.
To solve the foregoing problem, a novel controller is needed.

Controller providing protection function and frequency-reduction function using a single pin and system using same


A bowling pin has a pin body with a head and a magnet, at least partially enclosed in a plastic envelope, positioned in the head for manipulating the bowling pin. The plastic envelope and the head are fused to one another by rotating the plastic envelope within a cutout of the head so that the contact surfaces are heated for softening and fusing the material.

The present invention relates to a plastic bowling pin with a magnet embedded in its head for manipulating the bowling pin, for example, for positioning the bowling pin on the bowling alley, whereby the magnet is entirely or partly embedded in plastic and the plastic envelope is fixedly connected to the pin body. This application relates to any type of pin for bowling or similar games.
Preferably, the present invention also relates to bowling pins which, within a hard shell comprised of plastic, contain a porous and/or foamed core which fills the shell entirely or only partly.
The present invention furthermore relates to a method for manufacturing the aforementioned bowling pin.
The magnet which is comprised of a solid material, for example, a permanent magnet, has the advantage that for most automated manipulations of the bowling pin it is very expedient, however, there is the risk that the magnet together with its envelope can separate from the pin body and is lost. This risk is present because, for attaching the plastic envelope, adhesives are used which are sometimes not able to withstand the loads acting on a bowling pin.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to embody the aforementioned bowling pin such that an accidental damaging of the bowling pin, i.e., separation of the magnet, is prevented.

Plastic bowling pin and method for its manufacture


An image capturing apparatus illuminates and captures an image of an object using reflected light therefrom, with simplified distance measurement. A plurality of light-emitting devices are mounted around an image sensor, and a light guide member guides the light of the light-emitting devices to an image capturing region for illumination. The image capturing apparatus having the closely disposed image capturing system and illumination system, further has a distance-measuring light-emitting device and an aperture on the distance-measuring light-emitting device and for generating an optical path having narrowed downside and broadened upside. Thus, diffused reflected light rays of distance-measuring light-emitting device can be selected, converged and output to one direction. It becomes possible to obtain sufficient irradiation amount even when using a power-saving light-emitting device of a small emission amount, and to miniaturize a distance sensor irradiating spot light, contributing to miniaturization of the image capturing apparatus.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image capturing apparatus for guiding light emitted from a plurality of light-emitting devices to an object, irradiating the object, and image capturing the object, and more particularly an image capturing apparatus for image capturing an object by measuring the distance to the object.
2. Description of the Related Art
An image capturing apparatus for image capturing a predetermined range of an object by irradiating the object with uniform light is widely used. In an image processing system using an image captured by such the image capturing apparatus, a clear image is particularly required.
For example, with the development of biometric technologies in recent years, there have been provided a variety of apparatuses for personal identification, which captures features of a living body, a portion of a human body by which an individual can be distinguished, and recognizes the features of the living body, for example, fingerprints of limbs, eye retinas, face and blood vessels.
In particular, blood vessels and skin patterns of a palm and back of the hand and a finger are suitable for reliable personal authentication, because a relatively large amount of personal feature data may be obtained therefrom. Further, it is believed that the patterns of blood vessels (veins) do not change from the time of an embryo throughout the lifetime of any person, and that no identical pattern exists among any persons without exception, which are therefore suitable for personal authentication.
For such the biometric authentication or the like, it is necessary to capture an image of an object (a portion of a human body in case of the biometric authentication) in a non-contact manner. For this purpose, the image capturing apparatus emits light producing uniform light intensity in a certain image capturing range (distance and area), receives the reflected light of the above image capturing range by a sensor, and outputs an captured image signal as an electric signal. Further, to perform image capturing appropriately, it is necessary to provide a distance sensor to measure the distance to the object.
FIGS. 34 and 35 show explanation diagrams of the conventional image capturing apparatus. As shown in FIGS. 34 and 35, an image capturing apparatus 100 includes an image capturing (digital camera) unit 120 at the center, and in the periphery thereof, a plurality of light-emitting devices 130-1 to 130-8 and a non-illustrated optical distance sensor. The dotted lines shown in FIG. 34 represent the range of the light having uniform intensity emitted from an individual light-emitting device among the plurality of light-emitting devices 130-1 to 130-8.
As such, by disposing a plurality of (here, eight) point light sources in the periphery of image capturing unit 120, the image capturing range of the image capturing unit 120 can be irradiated with the light of uniform intensity. Meanwhile, as shown in FIG. 35, the image capturing unit 120 includes a photoelectric conversion unit 122 such as a CMOS sensor, and an optical system 124 such as a lens. Since the photoelectric conversion device, which is a plane photodetector device, has a predetermined light receiving area, a predetermined optical distance is required to guide the reflected light of the image capturing range onto the light-receiving plane of the photoelectric conversion device 122. For this purpose, a lens 124 such as a fisheye lens is disposed between the photoelectric conversion unit 122 and the object, so that an image of the predetermined image capturing range is projected onto the light-receiving plane of photoelectric conversion device 122.
Thus, conventionally, in order to irradiate the object with each point light source element 130-1 to 130-8 by sharing a predetermined image capturing range, the point light source elements 130-1 to 130-8 have been disposed apart from each other, as shown in FIG. 34. Also, in order to supply the light of predetermined uniform intensity to the image capturing range, the point light source elements 130-1 to 130-8 have been disposed nearer to the object than the photoelectric conversion device 122, as shown in FIG. 35. Further, the distance sensor measures the distance to the object by irradiating the object with spot light and receiving the reflected light thereof. For this purpose, similarly, the distance sensor has been disposed near the object (For example, the International Patent Publication No. WO 2004/088588 (FIGS. 1 and 6)).
In the above conventional image capturing apparatus, as described earlier, the point light source elements 130-1 to 130-8 are disposed apart from each other, and nearer to the object than the photoelectric conversion device 122, as shown in FIG. 35. Therefore, it is difficult to miniaturize the image capturing apparatus. Also, there is a restriction when incorporating the image capturing apparatus into equipment.
Also, some light-emitting devices generate high light intensity. Using such a light-emitting device, it may become to dispose the light-emitting device close to the image capturing unit 120. However, the light-emitting device generating high light intensity is expensive, and has large power consumption, which is therefore not suitable for a small-sized low-cost image capturing apparatus.
Similarly, as to the distance sensor, because of disposition close to the object, miniaturization of the image capturing apparatus is difficult, and there is a restriction when incorporating the image capturing apparatus into equipment.

Image capture apparatus with illuminator and distance measuring light emitting device


Non-volatile, resistance variable memory devices, integrated circuit elements, and methods of forming such devices are provided. According to one embodiment of a method of the invention, a memory device can be fabricated by depositing a chalcogenide material onto a first (lower) electrode, sputter depositing a thin diffusion layer of a conductive material over the chalcogenide material, diffusing metal from the diffusion layer into the chalcogenide material resulting in a metal-comprising resistance variable material, and then plating a conductive material to a desired thickness to form a second (upper) electrode. In another embodiment, the surface of the chalcogenide layer can be treated with an activating agent such as palladium, a conductive metal can be electrolessly plated onto the activated areas to form a thin diffusion layer, metal ions from the diffusion layer can be diffused into the chalogenide material to form a resistance variable material, and a conductive material plated over the resistance variable material to form the upper electrode. The invention provides a process for controlling the diffusion of metal into the chalcogenide material to form a resistance variable material by depositing the mass of the upper electrode by a metal plating technique.

Memory devices are used in integrated circuitry to store information in the form of binary data. There are various types of memory devices including volatile semiconductor memory in which stored data is retained as long as power to the system is not turned off, such as dynamic random access memories (DRAMs). Non-volatile memories, such as read-only memories (ROMs), retain stored data even when power is discontinued, but have less storage capability and programming options than volatile memories. Although there are non-volatile memories such as programmable read-only memory (PROMs) and electrically-erasable PROM (EEPROMs) that permit limited reprogramming, there are limits on the programming capacity of such memory devices.
Programmable metallization cells (PMCs) comprise a fast ion conductor or resistant variable material, typically a chalcogenide material having metal ions therein, which is disposed between two electrodes comprising an electrically conducting material (e.g., an anode and a cathode), as described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,084,796 (Kozicki et al., Axon Technologies). Resistant variable materials (or fast ion conductors) are capable of assuming a high resistance "off" and a low resistance "on" state in response to a stimulus for a binary memory, and multiple generally stable states in response to a stimulus for a higher order memory. The resulting memory element is non-volatile in that it will maintain the integrity of the information stored by the memory cell without the need for periodic refresh signals, and the data integrity of the information stored by these memory cells is not lost when power is removed from the device.
The resistant variable material (e.g., chalcogenide-metal ion material) undergoes a chemical and structural change at a certain applied voltage. Specifically, at a threshold voltage, plating of metal from metal ions occurs. A metal dendrite grows within the chalcogenide-metal ion material, eventually connecting the two electrodes. The growth rate of the dendrite is a function of the applied voltage and time. The growth of the dendrite can be stopped by removing the voltage or the dendrite can be retracted back towards the cathode by reversing the voltage polarity at the anode and cathode.
Changes in the length of the dendrite affect the resistance and capacitance of the PMC. If dendrite growth is continued until it effectively interconnects the electrodes to electrically short them together, a drop in the resistance of the resistance variable material results. The resistance variable material can be returned to a highly resistive state by reversing the voltage potential between the anode and cathode, whereupon the dendrite is disrupted. Thus, such a device can function as a programmable memory cell of a memory circuitry.
An exemplary resistance variable material comprises germanium selenide with silver ions diffused therein. Current methods provide silver ions within the germanium selenide material by initially depositing the germanium selenide glass layer onto a substrate, typically a first electrode, and then depositing a thin overlying layer of silver, typically by physical vapor deposition (i.e., sputtering). The thin silver layer is then exposed to electromagnetic energy such as ultraviolet (UV) radiation to diffuse silver into the germanium selenide layer, such that a homogenous distribution of silver throughout the layer is ultimately achieved. In an exemplary embodiment, the upper electrode is then formed from silver that is sputter deposited onto the metal-doped germanium selenide layer.
In the process of depositing silver to form the upper electrode, plasma generated during sputtering results in the generation of electromagnetic radiation, which drives additional silver into the metal-doped material. Although some doping of silver into the material is needed to provide a working device whereby silver from silver ions within the material plates out to grow the dendrite extension between the two electrodes, the amount of electromagnetic radiation generated during the sputtering process can drive excessive amounts of silver into the resistance variable material such that the device is rendered non-functional.
Therefore, a need exists for a process for fabricating memory cells comprising a resistance variable material that avoids such problems.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Electro- and electroless plating of metal in the manufacture of PCRAM devices


A flexible cable carrier for connection of cabling between furniture units comprising a plurality of spaced and sequentially linked sleeve units which enable the cabling to be protectively and flexibly carried. Each unit may be carried on a continuous central flexible hose and may have slotted outer cavities for accommodating the cabling. The carrier may have ball ends for attachment in fittings on the edges of the furniture unit held in place by snap fittings in rabbet channels.

The present invention relates to cable carriers, particularly flexible cable carriers for use between furniture units used in offices where computer equipment, telephones and other electrical machinery have to be supplied with power and data via such cabling.
When supplying cabling from one free standing piece of furniture to another, say from a desk unit to a computer stand, it is desirable that the cabling is kept tidily out of harm's way, is protected from damage and does not become tangled or unsightly.

Cable carriers with individual sleeve units carried by a hose


In a high-speed fabrication process for producing highly uniform ultra-small metallic micro-spheres, a molten metal is passed through a small orifice, producing a stream of molten metal therefrom. A series of molten metal droplets forms from the break up of the capillary stream. Applied harmonic disturbances are used to control and generate satellite and parent droplets. Significantly, the satellite droplets formed are smaller than the orifice, allowing for the production of smaller metal balls with larger orifices. The satellite droplets are separated from the parent droplets by electrostatic charging and deflection or by aerodynamic or acoustic sorting. Preferably, the satellite droplets are cooled before being collected to avoid defects and achieve high uniformity of the resulting metal balls.

The invention relates to methods of fabricating highly uniform, ultra-small metallic micro-spheres or balls, and to the balls themselves, from capillary stream break-up at high rates.
The generation of droplets from capillary stream break-up has been studied at least as early as Lord Rayleigh in the 1800s. More recently, the formation of metallic micro-spheres, or balls, from the break-up of a molten metal capillary stream has been studied. Such balls are commonly used in the electronics industry for various applications, including interconnects for small electronics packages and in the manufacture of conductive pastes. Using the process of capillary stream break-up, the balls can be produced at very high rates xe2x80x94typically tens of thousands of droplets per second. Further, the nature of droplet formation due to capillary stream break-up results in highly uniform balls. The highly uniform size of the metal balls formed from capillary stream break-up is a significant improvement over other methods of forming conductive powdersxe2x80x94such as spray atomization or melt spinningxe2x80x94which require the extra step of sieving or sorting the differently sized balls. This extra step is labor intensive, significantly increasing the time and cost of the manufacturing process; however, with such technologies, sorting or sieving is necessary to achieve tight ball diameter tolerances (on the order of five percent).
In the production of metal balls from capillary stream break-up, it is advantageous to effectively cool the balls so that they solidify before landing or bonding with each other. Effective solidification reduces or eliminates (1) irregularly shaped balls that have dented when they impinge and (2) irregularly sized balls that have bonded together because they were insufficiently cooled. Without effective solidification, removal of these defects requires that the balls be sieved or sorted.
Conventional methods of formation of metal balls due to capillary stream break-up tend to be limited to metal balls having diameters in excess of 50 microns. A significant limitation on the size of metal balls produced from capillary stream break-up is the size of the orifice from which the capillary stream emerges. Typically, droplets generated from capillary stream break-up have diameters that are roughly twice as large as the diameter of the capillary stream orifice. The production of smaller balls, therefore, typically requires smaller orifices. As the orifice becomes very small, it tends to be more easily clogged by, e.g., impurities in the molten metal. Further, obtaining smaller orifices that are also uniform tends to be difficult and expensive. Current state-of-the-art provides a lower limit of orifice diameter available off-the-shelf and suitable for use with molten metals of 25 microns.
Accordingly, the present invention enables the formation of metallic micro-spheres due to capillary stream break-up that are significantly smaller than metallic micro-spheres formed by conventional methods and, more particularly, to metallic micro-spheres that are significantly smaller than the capillary stream orifice from which they emerge, thereby overcoming many of the difficulties that plagued the prior art by advantageously enabling the formation of much smaller micro-spheres from larger orifices. The present invention further enables forming highly uniform metalic micro-spheres or balls, having diameters on the order of about 1 to 100 microns, and preferably less than 25 microns, without the defects and difficulties associated with conventional methods.
A method of manufacturing ultra-small metallic spheres comprises directing a capillary stream of molten metal from an orifice by applying an excitation disturbance, wherein the excitation disturbance is determined so that parent droplets and satellite droplets form from the stream due to capillary stream break-up. In one innovative aspect of the present invention, the satellite droplets are separated from the parent droplets; cooled to form solid balls of substantially spherical shape; and collected as separate solid satellite balls. In another innovative aspect of the present invention, the satellite and parent drops are simultaneously cooled and collected as solid balls.
In one embodiment, the separating step is accomplished by electrostatically charging the droplets and directing them through an electric field, whereby the satellite and parent droplets deflect differently due to the different charge-to-mass ratios. In another embodiment, the droplets may be directed through a second electric field, a rotating field, or both to further disperse the droplets. In either of these embodiments, the electrostatic charge may vary over time while the electric field remains constant or the electric field may vary over time while the electrostatic charge remains constant.
In accordance with another embodiment, separation of the satellite and parent droplets is accomplished by acoustic forcing. In accordance with yet another embodiment, the satellite and parent droplets are separated with aerodynamic forces.
In another innovative aspect, a solid metal ball of the present invention has a diameter that is preferably substantially less than the diameter of the capillary orifice. In a further innovative aspect, a solid metal ball of the present invention is substantially spherical and has a diameter in a range of about 1.0 to 100 microns, and preferably less than 25 microns. In yet a further innovative aspect, a metallic powder comprises a plurality of such balls, wherein the balls are highly uniform having a ball diameter tolerance of a mean ball diameter in the range of about 0.5 to 3.0 percent, and preferably less than 2.0 percent, without performing a mechanical sieving or sorting step.
In another innovative aspect of the present invention, the metal balls, satellite or both satellite and parent, are produced at a rapid rate, wherein the balls are highly uniform, having highly uniform diameters. More particularly, the balls may be produced at a rate preferably in a range of about 1000 to 200,000 balls per second, and preferably at a rate greater than about 4000 balls per second while maintaining a ball diameter tolerance in the range of about 0.5 to 3.0 percent, and preferably a ball diameter tolerance of less than about 2.0 percent, without performing a mechanical sieving or sorting step.

High-speed fabrication of highly uniform ultra-small metallic microspheres

The Regents of the University of California


A subscriber management system includes at least one Data Directory Server (DDS) located between one or more transaction generators and one or more data servers. The DDS efficiently routes transactions and provides data location functions. The DDS provides high data availability, high on-line transaction rates, batch capabilities, scalability and maintainability. In particular, based upon internal rules within the DDS and the particular transaction type, the DDS routes transactions to the appropriate server(s). Transactions are classified according to where they may be executed. Specifically, transactions may be classified as SPECIFIC, ANY or ALL. A SPECIFIC transaction must be processed at one or more specific servers irrespective of the accompanying arguments. An ANY transaction may be processed at any of the enterprise servers and selection is made randomly. Finally, an ALL transaction requires sequencing through each of the data servers within the enterprise and repetitively performing the transaction.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a method and system for processing transactions in a distributed database system.
2. Background of the Invention
With the increasing demand for the rapid processing of transactions, as well as the ever-increasing size of databases that these transactions must be processed against, many have turned to distributed database systems to accomplish their goals. For purposes of this disclosure, the term "distributed database" shall refer to a database system in which data is located in more than one physical location and/or in more than one database. In some cases, data may be distributed such that certain data is located in only one database while other data is located on more than one database. Usually, more than one client or user needs to access the data at the same time. Typically, many users require simultaneous or near simultaneous access. This presents a problem in that only a limited number of access requests can be processed at a time.
Access requests to databases generally are one of two types. The first is termed a "query" and is associated with a request to read data from the database(s). The second is termed an "update" and is associated with a request to write data to the database(s). For purposes of this discussion, both types of requests (and combinations thereof) shall be referred to generally as a "transaction." It is to be understood, however, that a transaction may involve one or more of either or both types of requests.
Various problems exist with distributed database systems. For example, in some cases multiple clients or users may request access to particular data at the same time. Typically, each data server may process one transaction (or a series of transactions) at a time. Thus, if multiple requests are made to one server at the same time, not all of the transactions can be processed at the same time. When this occurs the latter requests are generally queued or have to be resubmitted at a later time. This causes undesirable delays in the processing of these transactions. Other factors also contribute to delays in processing such transactions. As a result, in some cases, one or more data servers may be idle while another is backlogged with multiple requests. This is obviously an inefficient use of resources.
In an attempt to address these types of problems, some systems have used different schemes to attempt to balance the distribution of requests among the multiple servers. According to one arrangement, particular clients or users are permanently associated with particular servers. The theory behind this design is that by randomly limiting the number of clients accessing a particular data server, some minimization of the bottleneck effect may occur. According to another approach, multiple copies of particular data are stored in more than one database.
These schemes, however, generally suffer from at least three drawbacks. Firstly, many of the systems electing the first scheme are architected so that particular clients are "hard-wired" to particular servers. In such a case, clients in the system will not generally have access to the full complement of servers available in the system which are capable of processing the particular transaction. As a result, uneven load distribution may still occur since a server which is free to service a request may not be called upon to do so since the requesting client may not have access to the free server.
A second major drawback to both of the prior art data distribution schemes described above is the significant time and cost of processing information which is necessary to determine the best way to allocate data requests. In some cases, particularly when the number of transactions to be processed is low and the complexity of the allocation scheme is high, the system performs more efficiently without a real-time decisional process.
Thirdly, in the case of distributed database systems containing redundant data (e.g. the second scheme), the availability of secondary storage (i.e. disk storage) is significantly decreased by virtue of the redundancy of the data. Often data redundancy is not a possibility because of severe limitations in storage capacity within an enterprise.
One particular industry having a great need for storage and manipulation of large amounts of data is the telecommunications industry and particularly the cable television industry. Cable system operators typically maintain large databases containing a variety of subscriber, product and billing information. Typical classes of information managed by cable companies include subscriber accounts, available products and their pricing structure, physical assets and their functionality and marketing data. It is often desirable to distribute this information across a network of databases whether or not they are located at the same physical location.
The processing requirements for cable based systems can be staggering. For example, it may be necessary to provide 24 hour a day, 7 day a week service for a subscriber base of millions or tens of millions of subscribers. In addition, such a system may be called upon to execute hundreds or thousands of transactions per second (UPS). In addition, such systems may be required to support thousands of interactive users operating client terminals (e.g. Customer Service Representatives (CSRs)) many of which may be concurrent users. It is farther anticipated that the average customer record may soon be on the order of 15 kilobytes requiring a total database capacity of about 225 Gigabytes (assuming 15 million subscribers).
A typical prior art distributed database system that may be employed by a system operator includes a plurality of transaction generators or terminals which may be operated by CSRs to acquire access to data contained within the system. Each of the transaction generators communicates either directly or through a communications controller with a particular associated server or servers. Communication techniques and protocols which are known in the art are employed to allow the transaction generators to communicate with the servers. For example, Etherne.TM. may be used when both client and server are PC-based processors.
In prior systems, difficulty arises when access to data residing at differing locations is required. This places a burden on the CSR (or a transaction generator in general) because it may impose additional processing requirements to keep track of what data is accessible to a particular CSR and which is not. Additionally, if certain data is needed, but not accessible to a particular CSR, it may be necessary to determine where the data is located and which CSR may have access to that data.
An example of such a system exhibiting the drawbacks described above may include four data processing centers to support a national cable system operator. Each of four geographical regions in the United States (e.g. Northeast, Southeast, Midwest and West) may be supported by one of the four data processing centers. In such a case, all records for customers of the system operator who reside in Pennsylvania would be stored at the Northeast data center in its associated database. In the event that a particular Pennsylvania subscriber is at home and desires to receive information about his or her account the process is relatively simple. The subscriber may call in to a CSR operating a transaction generator connected with the Northeast database. The CSR, using the transaction processor, can simply generate a request for information regarding that subscriber. Alternatively, the subscriber may call in to an Automatic Response Unit (ARU) having an Automatic Number Indicator (ANI) interface and a similar request for information would be generated automatically.
The problem, however, arises when the same Pennsylvania subscriber also maintains a business account across the border in Ohio. Even though both accounts are serviced by the same system operator, a single call by the Pennsylvania/Ohio subscriber will not permit him or her to receive information about both accounts. This is because the Ohio account information will be located at and serviced by the Midwest data center. Since the transaction processor at the Northeast data center has no connection to the Midwest data base and since the transaction processor at the Midwest data center has no connection to the Northeast data base, the subscriber is forced to first call the Northeast data center for information about the residential account and then the Midwest data center for information about the business account. In addition, this subscriber is likely to receive two separate billing statements, one from each data center.
An additional drawback with this hypothetical system becomes evident when it is necessary to obtain system wide data. For example, a system operator may desire to retrieve data based upon subscriber demographics. Suppose, for example, the marketing department wishes to generate an alphabetical list of the names and addresses of all subscribers, system wide, who are over the age of 30 and subscribe to ESPN. It is necessary, using the above described system, to seperately access data within each of the four regions. Once data from each of the regions is gathered, it is further necessary to merge the data originating from each of the regions to generate one comprehensive list. The problems which are illustrated in this example are exacerbated when more than four data processing centers are used.
The method of distribution of customer records in the above example is known in the art as horizontal data distribution. In the above case, each of the customer records is completely contained on one physical server while the whole of its associated database and the enterprise domain of all customers is spread across all servers. It is also possible to distribute data in a vertical manner wherein different aspects of a customer's account resides on different physical servers.

Method and apparatus for transaction processing in a distributed database system


Provided herein, is magnetic catch assembly that may be utilized with and/or incorporated into lubricator of a wellhead. The magnetic catch assembly permits maintaining a plunger within the lubricator without requiring any moving mechanical components.

A plunger lift is an apparatus that can be used to increase the productivity of oil and gas wells. In the early stages of a well's life, liquid loading may not be a problem. When production rates are high, well liquids are typically carried out of the well tubing by high velocity gas. As a well declines and production decreases, a critical velocity is reached wherein heavier liquids may not make it to the surface and start falling back to the bottom of the well exerting pressure on the formation, thus loading up the well. As a result, the gas being produced by the formation can no longer carry the liquid being produced to the surface. As gas flow rate and pressures decline in a well, lifting efficiency can decline substantially.
A plunger lift system can act to remove accumulated liquid in a well. That is, a plunger lift may unload a gas well and, in some instances, unload the gas well without interrupting production. A plunger lift system utilizes gas present within the well as a system driver. A plunger lift system works by cycling a plunger into and out of the well. During a cycle, a plunger typically descends to the bottom of a well passing through fluids within the well. Once the liquids are above the plunger, these liquids may be picked up or lifted by the plunger and brought to the surface, thus removing most or all liquids in the production tubing. The gas below the plunger will push both the plunger and the liquid on top of the plunger to the surface completing the plunger cycle. As liquid is removed from the tubing bore, an otherwise impeded volume of gas can begin to flow from a producing well. The plunger can also keep the tubing free of paraffin, salt or scale build-up.


A user equipment for performing radio communication with a base station in accordance with dynamic TDD (Time Division Duplex) is disclosed. An aspect of the present invention relates to a user equipment including a transmission and reception unit that transmits a radio signal to and receives a radio signal from a base station in accordance with dynamic TDD; and a transmission power configuration unit that configures uplink transmission power toward the base station, wherein the transmission power configuration unit configures the uplink transmission power in accordance with a dedicated scheme, a group common scheme or a combined scheme of the dedicated scheme and the group common scheme.

Currently, as a next one of an LTE (Long Term Evolution) system and an LTE-Advanced system, specifications for an NR (New RAT) system are drafted in 3GPP (3rd Generation Partnership Project). For the NR system, it has been studied to use dynamic TDD (Time Division Duplex) such that uplink slots and downlink slots are dynamically switched every time interval.


A preceding vehicle selection apparatus estimates a curvature of a traveling road on which an own vehicle is traveling, detects an object ahead of the own vehicle, and determines a relative position in relation to the own vehicle, for each object ahead. Based on the estimated curvature and the determined relative position, an own vehicle lane probability instantaneous value for each object ahead is repeatedly determined. An own vehicle lane probability is determined by performing a filter calculation on the calculated own vehicle lane probability instantaneous value. Based on the determined own vehicle lane probability, a preceding vehicle is selected. Characteristics of the filter calculation are set such that an object ahead associated with a preceding vehicle selected in a previous processing cycle is relatively less affected by the own vehicle lane probability instantaneous value than an object ahead associated with an object other than the preceding vehicle.

[Technical Field]
The present invention relates to a technology for selecting a vehicle (preceding vehicle) that is traveling ahead of an own vehicle.
[Related Art]
As a technology for reducing operating load placed on a driver who is driving a vehicle, an inter-vehicle control apparatus is known. The inter-vehicle control apparatus detects a vehicle (preceding vehicle) that is traveling ahead of the own vehicle. The inter-vehicle control apparatus controls the vehicle speed and the like to maintain a certain distance between the own vehicle and the preceding vehicle, enabling the own vehicle to automatically track the preceding vehicle.
In this type of apparatus, an estimated curve radius of the road on which the own vehicle is traveling is determined based on the yaw rate and vehicle speed of the own vehicle. In addition, a radar apparatus or the like is used to detect the position of the vehicle that is present ahead of the own vehicle. Based on the estimated curve radius and the position of the preceding vehicle, an own vehicle lane probability is determined for each detected preceding vehicle. The own vehicle lane probability indicates the probability of the vehicle being present on the estimated traveling lane of the own vehicle. Selection of a preceding vehicle and cancellation of the selection are performed based on the own vehicle lane probability.
Furthermore, because the detection values of the yaw rate vary, the calculation results for the estimated curve radius also vary. Therefore, to suppress the effects caused by the variation, a filter calculation is performed on the own vehicle lane probability (for example, refer to JP-B-3427815).
Regarding a vehicle that is temporarily selected as a preceding vehicle, highly stable selection is required so that the selection is not erroneously canceled by noise or the like. On the other hand, regarding a non-preceding vehicle that is a vehicle other than the preceding vehicle, responsive selection is required so that, when a non-preceding vehicle cuts in ahead of the own vehicle, this situation is promptly detected.
Such stability and responsiveness can be actualized by the characteristics of the filter calculation. However, stability and responsiveness are contradictory requests. Therefore, a problem occurs in that it is difficult to perform a filter calculation that is suitable for both a preceding vehicle and a non-preceding vehicle.


A defect compensator for a solid-state image pickup device includes a vertical charge coupled device (VCCD) region for transferring signal charges produced by a plurality of optical detectors which detects an image signal of incident light, in the vertical direction, a buffer for storing a pixel data in the VCCD region by means of a plurality of scanning lines unit sequentially, a defect detecting and compensating part having a plurality of matrix shaped sub-windows which calculate sum value of peripheral pixels except a central pixel upon receipt of the pixel data of the buffer, a plurality of sum-windows which divide sum value calculated by the corresponding sub-windows into a plurality of blocks to calculate their average value, a defect determining part which determines the presence of the defect upon comparing the average value with the central pixel value, and a compensation pixel value determining part which determines a defect compensation value upon comparing an arbitrary peripheral pixel value from the corresponding sub-windows with the average value calculated by the corresponding sum-windows, and a multiplexer for selectively outputting either a pixel data in which the defect compensation has been completed in accordance with an output signal of the defect determining part or a pixel data in which the defect has not been compensated.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a solid-state image pickup device, and more particularly, to a defect compensator for a solid-state image pickup device in which a white defect or a black defect in a cell is compensated inside a charge coupled device (CCD).
2. Discussion of the Related Art
A conventional defect compensator for a solid-state image pickup device will be explained with reference to FIG. 1. FIG. 1 is a block diagram describing the components of a conventional defect compensator for a solid-state image pickup device. A signal output from a pre-amplifier 1 is input to a clamp part 2, a delay driver part 3 and a video driver part 4. The clamp part 2 fixes the output signal from the pre-amplifier 1 at a constant reference level. A signal output from the delay driver part 3 is input to DC level shift part 5 and; delay part 6. The delay part 6 delays an output signal of the delay driver part 3 for a certain time period. A defect detector 7 detects output signals from the delay part 6 and the DC level shift part 5, and outputs a control pulse to compensate a defect. A pulse adjustment part 8 delays the output pulse of the defect detector 7 for a certain time period and adjusts the width of the output pulse. The normal signal applied to the video driver part 4 is input to a level shift part 9. An image signal correction part 10 is controlled by the control signal of the pulse adjustment part 8 upon receipt of the output signal from the level shift part 9. A main video gate 11 is also controlled by the control signal of the pulse adjustment part 8. A video line driver part 12 outputs a signal selected by the control signal of the pulse adjustment part 8.
The operation of the conventional defect compensator for a solid-state image pickup device arranged as described above will now be explained. As shown in FIG. 1, the pre-amplifier 1 amplifies an image signal input from a charge coupled device (CCD) and the clamp part 2 fixes the amplified signal at a constant reference level.
The output signal of the pre-amplifier 1 is applied to the delay driver part 3 and the video driver part 4, respectively. The signal output from the delay driver part 3 is delayed for about 115 ns by a delay clock at the delay part 6.
The delayed signal from delay part 6 and delayed signal and the level shifted signal from the DC level shift part 5 are input to the defect detector 7 to be compared with each other. If the signal difference between the two signals is larger than a reference signal, the defect detector 7 generates an output trigger pulse.
The trigger pulse is delayed by the pulse adjustment part 8 for a certain time period to adjust the width of the pulse. Then, the trigger pulse is input to the image signal correction part 10 and the main video gate 11, respectively.
As a result, the defect is determined by comparing neighboring pixels one another. That is, when two pixels exist on the same chip, the video output signal for real time is compared with the delayed signal to determine the defect.
When the delayed signal is the same as the current video output signal or has little difference from the current video output signal, the current video output signal is finally output. When the delayed signal is larger than the current video output signal, a signal following to the current video signal is finally output. Therefore, the output of the video line driver part 12 is selectively controlled by the output trigger pulse of the defect detector 7.
However, the conventional defect compensator has several problems.
First, the configuration of hardware is complicated since the defect is compensated outside CCD device. This causes the defect compensator to be sensitive to noise.
Second, the resolution is degraded since the level difference for only two pixels, i.e., the current pixel and the following pixel, is detected and compared.

Defect compensator for solid-state image pickup device


The present invention relates to isolated mammalian homologues of the DNA repair enzyme, E. coli endonuclease III. These mammalian enzymes have a glycosylase/AP lyase activity. Included in the present invention are fusion proteins containing the active mammalian endonuclease III. Also included are nucleic acids encoding the mammalian enzymes of the present invention and fusion proteins thereof, along with cloning, and expression vectors which contain these nucleic acids. In addition, associated diagnostic, therapeutic and pharmaceutical materials are included, along with related methods of making and using the same. The present invention also includes methods of expressing the recombinant forms of mammalian endonuclease III enzymes and fusion proteins thereof, and methods for isolating these expressed enzymes and proteins, as well as the methods for isolating the natural forms of mammalian endonuclease III enzymes.

When a pyrimidine residue in cellular DNA becomes modified by oxidation, reduction or hydration of its 5,6 double bond, repair is initiated by a DNA-glycosylase activity which cleaves the N-glycosyl bond of the damaged residue releasing the modified base and creating an abasic (AP) site in the DNA backbone. Such DNA glycosylase activities have been identified in bacteria, yeast and mammalian species Brent, Biophys. J., 13:399-401 (1973); Bacchetti, et al., Biochim. Biophys. Acta, 390:285-297 (1975); Duker, et al., Nature, 255:82-84 (1975); Ness. et al., Biochim. Biophys Acta, 520:111-121 (1978); Demple, et al., Nature, 287:203-208 (1980): Cunniningham, et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A., 82:474-478 (1985); Doetsch. et al., Biochemistry, 25:2212-2220 (1986); Boorstein, et al., Biochemistry, 28:6164-6170 (1989)!. The DNA repair enzyme E. coli endonuclease III was the first of such enzymes to be described. It was identified not on the basis of its DNA glycosylase activity, but rather by its nicking activity directed against UV-irradiated DNA Radman, J. Biol. Chem., 251:1438-1445 (1976)!. Subsequently, it was shown that nicking of UV-irradiated DNA resulted from 2 enzymatic activities; a DNA-glycosylase which released pyrimidine (cytosine and/or uracil) hydrates from the DNA backbone, yielding an apyrimidinic (AP) site Boorstein, et al., 1989, supra!, and an activity which effected strand cleavage via .beta.-elimination of the 3' phosphate group of the apyrimidinic sugar residue Bailly, et al., Biochemical J. 242:565-572 (1987); Kim, et al., J. Biol. Chem., 264:2739-2745 (1989); Mazumder, et al., Biochemistry, 30:1119-1126 (1991)!. The latter activity has been termed an AP lyase to distinguish it from AP endonucleases, such as exonuclease III or endonuclease IV, which catalyze strand cleavage via hydrolysis of phosphodiester bonds Bailly, et al., Nucleic Acids Res., 17:3617-3618 (1989)!. Endonuclease III is one of a group of enzymes, including T4 endonuclease V and the E. coli Fpg protein (MutM), which demonstrate both DNA-glycosylase and AP lyase activities Demple, et al., Ann. Rev. Biochem., 63:915-948 (1994); Dodson, et al., J. Biol. Chem., 269:32709-32712 (1994)!.
In addition to excising pyrimidine hydrates, the DNA-glycosylase activity of endonuclease III also excises pyrimidine glycols, ring-contracted pyrimidine derivatives, such as 5-hydroxymethylhydantoin, and urea residues composed of the N1-C2-N3 atoms of the pyrimidine skeleton Strniste, et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S. A., 72:1997-2001 (1975); Demple, et al., 1980, supra; Breimer, et al., J. Biol. Chem., 259:5543-4458 (1984); Cunningham, et al., 1985, supra!. Enzyme activities functionally analogous to endonuclease III have been identified in bacteria other than E. coli, in yeast, and in mammalian cells and tissues through the use of UV-irradiated, chemically oxidized, and .gamma.-irradiated DNA as substrates Brent, 1973 supra; Bacchetti, et al., 1975, supra; Duker, et al., 1975, supra; Ness, et al., 1978, supra, Doetsch, et al., 1986, supra!. Extracts of Hela cells have been shown to contain a thymine glycol DNA-glycosylase Higgins, et al., Biochemistry, 26:1683-1688 (1987)!. It has also been demonstrated that both endonuclease III and Hela cell extracts released cytosine hydrate (as well as its deamination product, uracil hydrate) from UV-irradiated DNA Boorstein, et al., 1989, supra!. Kim, et al. 1989, supra! described 2, or possibly 3, UV-endonuclease activities in Hela cells by monitoring the nicking of UV-irradiated circular DNA. Huq et al. Eur. J. Biochem, 206:833-839 (1992)! reported a 25 fold purification of an endonuclease III-like activity from calf thymus and stated that the N-terminal sequence of this protein was not homologous to other known proteins.
In view of the significance and activity of endonuclease III as recited in the literature, it would be desirable, and a need therefore exists, to elucidate the mammalian homologs, and other potentially active fragments, that may be applied to the development of both diagnostic and therapeutic modalities, to treat the adverse effects of exposure to radiation and oxidation. It is therefore toward the fulfillment of this need that the present invention is directed.

Mammalian endonuclease III, and diagnostic and therapeutic uses thereof


This invention contemplates a multilayer, multicolor photographic element comprising a support, a plurality of dye-forming hydrophilic colloid containing silver halide emulsion layers which are spectrally sensitized to different regions of the visible spectrum including at least one blue-sensitive emulsion layer, a green-sensitive emulsion layer, and a red-sensitive emulsion layer wherein the topmost silver halide emulsion layer has a water swell percentage which is greater than any other light-sensitive emulsion layer.

It is conventional practice to form photographic elements by forming on a support one or more photographically active layers. Typically these photographically active layers contain silver halide dispersed in a hydrophilic colloid, such as gelatin, to form an emulsion. In multi-layer photographic elements used in color photography there are at least three selectively sensitive color-forming units each made up of one or more emulsion layers coated on one side of a photographic support, such as film or paper. The color forming units are typically rendered variously responsive to the red, green and blue regions of the spectrum. The blue-sensitive color-forming unit typically contains a yellow coupler, the green-sensitive color forming unit a magenta coupler and the red-sensitive color forming unit a cyan coupler. In an alternative form color couplers are not initially present in the photographic element, but are introduced during processing after an image forming exposure. Hydrophilic colloid subbing layers, interlayers and protective layers are also typically present. The blue-sensitive color forming unit forms preferably the outermost unit, and a yellow filter layer normally overlies the green and the red sensitive color forming units to protect them against residual blue light not absorbed in the blue-sensitive color forming unit. Multi-layer photographic elements used in color photography of this general type and processes for their preparation are well known in the art.
An alternative color dye forming color photographic element can also be formed from a plurality of light sensitive silver halide emulsion layers wherein each light sensitive silver halide emulsion layer is sensitized to the entire visible spectrum and comprises cyan dye forming couplers, magenta dye forming couplers and yellow dye forming couplers. The object of this photographic element is to produce a neutral record suitable for producing black and white prints. These films are typically referred to as chromogenic films and are processed by conventional color negative film processors.
It is conventional practice to incorporate into photographic hydrophilic colloid layers addenda, referred to as hardeners, having as their purpose the reduction or elimination of the susceptibility of such colloid layers to wet abrasion, swelling in aqueous solutions and softening at elevated temperatures. Wet abrasion, swelling and softening are of primary concern during processing, especially in those instances where it is desired to accelerate processing by resort to elevated temperatures. Gelatin containing layers that are not treated with a hardening agent generally have poorer water resistance, heat resistance, and wet abrasion resistance.
After exposure to light, the photographic element is processed chemically to reveal a usable image. The chemical processing entails two fundamental steps. The first is the treatment of the exposed silver halide with a color developer wherein some or all of the silver halide is reduced to metallic silver while an organic dye is formed from the oxidized color developer. The second is the removal of the silver metal thus formed and of any residual silver halide by the desilvering steps of (1) bleaching, wherein the developed silver is oxidized to silver salts; and (2) fixing, wherein the silver salts are dissolved and removed from the photographic material. The bleaching and fixing steps may be performed sequentially or as a single step. The overall rate of development is influenced by swelling of the gelatin layer and diffusion rate of different chemical species into and out of the swollen emulsion layers. The diffusion coefficient value and emulsion layer swelling thickness increases with processing temperature and decreases with increasing hardness of the gelatin. When emulsion layer is hardened, the decrease in diffusivity is partially offset by the decrease in the swelling thickness and hence the decrease in diffusion pathlength. Therefore under given processing conditions, there is an optimum emulsion layer hardness for achieving desirable optical density or contrast or photographic speed. For this reason, it is desirable that the hardening reaction be complete shortly after layer formation. That is, the coatings attain their complete functionality, based on hardening, immediately after manufacture. This avoids changes in photographic properties as a result of the so-called "afterhardening".
Afterhardening causes sensitized photographic materials to be held until the completion of hardening, at which time, the best sensitometric corrections are made. However, the corrections may vary with coating events, manufacturing processes, and significantly increase manufacturing cycle time and cost. Many efforts have been made to develop fast acting hardeners to allow coatings to reach their maximum hardness at the time of coating. However, fast acting hardeners are known to initiate viscosity increase and premature gelation that lead to disruptions in the coating process.
From an environmental point of view, it is desirable to reduce the amount of silver, couplers, and solvents incorporated in the emulsion layers to lower chemical usage and reduce undesirable effluents. In addition, it is highly desirable to process a photographic material as rapidly as possible, and an accelerated process is constantly being sought.
The object of this invention is to provide a multilayer, multicolor photographic element that has well-balanced water swelling values in each dye-forming hydrophilic colloid containing silver halide emulsion layer, that has improved sensitometric properties immediately after manufacturing, has lower chemical usage, and has reduced afterhardening effect during storage of the element.


A positively chargeable carrier for developing electrostatic charge images having good surface staining resistance and good environmental reliance of charging is disclosed, which comprises a core material having formed thereon an interlayer having a triboelectrification controlling function and having a nitrogen atom content of from 5 ppm to 75 ppm based on the weight of the core material, and a releasable coated layer formed on the interlayer. A two-component developer using the carrier is also disclosed.

Hitherto, a carrier which is used for imparting a proper amount of a positive or negative electrostatic charge to toner particles in a magnetic brush developing process is generally classified into a coated series carrier and an uncoated series carrier but in the case of considering the life of the developer, the former is superior and hence the former carrier has been developed and practically used. In particular, in the case of a coated series carrier applied with a resin coating, the charge-controlling property is improved and also the environmental reliance and the stability with the passage of time are improved, whereby various resin-coated carriers have been developed.
However, the most troublesome problem in the case of using a two-component developer is that the charge-controlling property is deteriorated with the passage of time due to staining of the surface of the carrier with the binder resin, a charge-controlling agent, external additives, etc.
For preventing the occurrence of the surface stain of carriers, it has been proposed to use a fluorine series polymer and a silicone series polymer each having an excellent surface staining resistance and a low surface energy.
A fluorine series polymer has a low surface energy but has faults that a large amount of the polymer cannot be used for a negative charge imparting carrier owing to the high electric negativity of a fluorine atom which is a constituting component of the fluorine series polymer, and in particular, under high temperature and high humidity conditions, the charge imparting faculty is too reduced to use for practical purpose.
On the other hand, a silicone polymer has a low surface energy and is effective for preventing the occurrence of surface staining of a carrier as the fluorine series polymer but cannot completely prevent staining. Also, a silicone polymer is also positioned at the intermediate position of the triboelectrification series and it is hard to say that the polymer is sufficient for a negative charge imparting carrier In a carrier coated with a silicone polymer, raising the electrostatic charge is delayed under a low temperature and low humidity condition and in the case of newly adding toners, low-charged toners are liable to form, which results in causing fog and scattering of the toners.
Also, in these polymers, there are problems in the points of poor adhesion with the core materials of the carriers and the strength of the coating itself
For overcoming the foregoing problems, use of an epoxy resin as an intermediate layer for improving a fluorine-containing polymer and a carrier core material is described in JP-A-49-51950 (the term "JP-A" as used herein means an "unexamined published Japanese patent application"). Further, it is proposed that the adhesion is improved by using a fluorine-series block copolymer and a graft copolymer, as described in JP-A57-99653 and JP-A-60-202451 and it is also proposed that the adhesion is improved by using a fluorine series polymer containing a hydrolyzable silyl group, as described in JP-A-2-16573 and JP-A-2-24670. In these cases, the adhesion is improved, but further improvements are yet required in the points that the carrier coated with the polymer has a low negative charge imparting faculty to toners and the environmental stability is insufficient.
Concerning the use of a silicone series polymer, it is proposed to use a coupling agent for improving the adhesion of the silicone resin coated layer, as described in JP-A-60-19156. The adhesion of the silicone resin coated layer is improved by this method. However, there is also a problem that the negative charge imparting faculty of the carrier to toners is insufficient though the fault is not so severe as the case of using the fluorine series polymer, and also the effect of preventing carrier surface staining is insufficient.
JP-A-62-121463 describes a carrier having a coated layer composed of a silicone resin formed on the surface of a carrier core treated with a silane coupling agent for improving the adhesion between the carrier core and the silicone resin. However, the coated layer composed of a silicone resin has such problems on production that nonuniform coating is formed and a high curing temperature is required.
Also, in JP-A-64-35563, JP-A-64-29857, and JP-A64-29860, there are described carriers each having a laminated layer structure but in the case of repeatedly using the carriers for a long period of time, there is a problem that each of the carriers cannot keep the electrostatically charging faculty.
Furthermore, for overcoming the foregoing problems, coated carriers each having laminated layers of a triboelectrification controlling layer and a releasable surface layer on the core material of the carrier are proposed in JP-A-61-110159 and JP-A-61-110160 and it is described therein that the carriers can stably impart negative charges to toners and can keep well the electrostatically charging faculty thereof However, in these carriers, there are such problems in practical use that the initial value electrostatic charging varies to a large extent and spreading of charge distribution occurs on toners.


In the image reading method, a film having images recorded in a plurality of frames in a longitudinal direction is transported to read the images photoelectrically at an image reading position by an image reading device. This method transports the film in a first direction along a read and transport path including the image reading position to perform a first image reading for reading the images by the image reading device, returns a forward end of the film to the read and transport path on an entry or exit side of the read and transport path after the first image reading has been finished, and transports the film along the read and transport path in the first direction or in a second direction opposite to the first direction to perform a second image reading in which the images are read by the image reading device at the image reading position in a sequence of frames that was applied to the first image reading.

The present invention relates to an image reading method in which a film having images recorded in a plurality of frames is transported to photoelectrically read the images recorded in the film at an image reading position by an image reading device thereby obtaining output image data. More particularly, the present invention relates to a film image reading method in which, when images recorded in a plurality of frames of a film are read to obtain output image data, a prescan for previously reading the images with low resolution from the film being transported so as to pass through an image reading position is followed by a fine scan for reading the images with high resolution while transporting the film in the sequence of the frames read in the prescan.
Recently, digital photoprinters have been in practical use, in which images recorded on photographic films such as negative films, reversal films and the like (which are hereinafter referred to as "films") are printed onto light sensitive materials (photographic papers) by a printer making use of digital exposure. That is, images recorded on a film are read photoelectrically and converted into digital signals, which are subjected to various kinds of image processing to produce recording image data and a light-sensitive material is exposed by scanning with recording light modulated in accordance with the image data, thereby recording a (latent) image which is then processed photoelectrically to produce a (finished) print.
In the digital photoprinters, the image is converted to digital image data and exposing conditions in a print operation can be determined by processing the image data. Hence, by using such digital photoprinters, the correction of dropouts or blocked-ups due to photography with rear light or an electronic flash, sharpening, the correction of color or density failures, the correction of under- or over-exposure, the correction of the deterioration of marginal luminosity and various kinds of image processing can be performed effectively enough to produce prints of high quality that have heretofore been impossible to obtain by the conventional direct exposure technique. In addition, a plurality of images can be combined into a single image or one image can be split into segments or even characters can be combined by the processing of image data. If desired, prints can be output after desired editing/processing is carried out in accordance with a specific application.
Having these features, the digital photoprinter is composed of the following three basic components; a scanner (image reading apparatus) that reads the image on a film photoelectrically; an image processing apparatus that performs image processing of the read image to produce recording image data; and a printer (image recording apparatus) that scan exposes a light-sensitive material in accordance with the image data and performs development and other necessary processes to produce a print.
In the scanner, the projected light emitted from an illuminant is permitted to be incident on a film passing through an image reading position, thereby obtaining projected light that bears the image recorded on the film; after the projected light is regulated to a slit state through a slit extending in a direction perpendicular to a direction in which the film moves, the image that is formed by an optical imaging lens is photoelectrically converted by means of a line CCD sensor including CCD elements extending in the same direction as the direction in which the slit extends, thereby reading the image. That is, the scanner slit-scans the projected light passing through the film at the image reading position while transporting the film so as to capture the image one-dimensionally by the line CCD sensor that functions as an image reading device, whereby the image recorded on the film is captured two-dimensionally.
Thereafter, a digital signal is obtained by subjecting an image signal obtained by reading the image to A/D conversion and supplied to the image processing apparatus.
In the image processing apparatus, image processing conditions are set on the basis of the image data that has been read with the scanner and image processing is applied to the image data in accordance with the thus set conditions, thereby producing output image data for image recording (i.e., exposing conditions) that is subsequently sent to the printer.
In the Printer, if it is an apparatus that utilizes exposure by scanning with optical beams, the optical beams are modulated in accordance with the image data supplied from the image processing apparatus and a latent image is formed by scan exposing (printing) the light-sensitive material two-dimensionally. Then, the light-sensitive material is subjected to predetermined development processing and the like so as to produce a finished print (photograph) reproducing the image that has been recorded on the film.
In the digital photoprinter arranged as described above, the image recorded on the film is photoelectrically read by two scans, that is, by prescan in which the image recorded on the film is read with low resolution and fine scan in which the image is read with high resolution to obtain the image data of an image to be output. From the necessity of promptly processing a lot of images, however, the prescan is carried out in such a manner that a sleeve-like film such as one roll film is taken out from a cartridge and transported and scanned, and all the frames of the images recorded on the film are read instantly without being interrupted as disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 11-215313. Thereafter, the image processing conditions (which also include frame position and reading conditions for fine scan, but these are typified by the image processing conditions in the following description) are set for each frame or for each group consisting of several frames in a sequence that is opposite to the sequence in which the frames were read in the prescan, that is, from the image of the finally read frame; images processed on the basis of the thus set image processing conditions are displayed on a monitor; and an operator corrects as required and determines the image processing conditions, while looking at the processed images. That is, the image processing conditions are determined by the operator and then the images are fine-scanned. In the fine scan, each frame of the film is scan read, making use of the transport of the film for rewinding the film drawn out from the film cartridge in the prescan thereinto.
A verification processing step from the setting of the image processing conditions to the determination thereof by the operator requires a relatively long time. Accordingly, it is desirable to effectively perform the verification processing step in a short time between the prescan and the fine scan from the view point of processing a lot of images effectively and promptly.
The verification processing step, in which the image processing conditions are set, the processed images are displayed on the monitor, and the image processing conditions are corrected and determined by the operator, is carried out in the sequence opposite to that of the frames read in the prescan, that is, from the image of the frame read finally in the prescan. Therefore, the image read first in the prescan is not verified and remains stored in a memory during the time in which the images of other frames are being read and further until the verification processing step for the other frames is completed, from which arises a problem in that processing steps cannot be effectively achieved.
Further, when the verification processing step is carried out from the image of the frame that is read first in the prescan, the above wait time until the verification processing step is started can be reduced. However, the fine scan cannot be carried out until the image of the final frame is read in the prescan and verified because the fine scan is started from the image of the final frame in the sequence opposite to that of the frames read in the prescan. Thus, the processing steps cannot yet be effectively achieved.
Further, there is also an idea in which the verification processing step is performed sequentially from the first frame in parallel with the prescan, the film is rewound instantly when the prescan is completed and the fine scan starts from the first frame and is sequentially carried out for the frames having been verified. In this case, it is supposed that the efficiency of the processing steps can be greatly improved because the film can be instantly rewound without waiting for the completion of the verification of the images of all the frames and the fine scan can be started from the frames having been verified.
However, the processing efficiency is reduced by a rewind time necessary to rewind the film having been drawn out in the prescan. In addition to the above, to perform the prescan and the fine scan, the film is transported three times while being drawn out and rewound, which makes the scan and transport of the film complex and further the film may be damaged.


A method for preventing an inadmissibly high speed of a load receiving unit of an elevator, including the steps of supplying information about an actual position and an actual speed of the load receiving unit in an area of an entire travel way of the load receiving unit to a speed monitoring device by at least one measuring system, continuously comparing the actual speed with a speed limit value by the speed monitoring device, and activating braking measures if the speed of the load receiving unit exceeds a speed limit value. At least three different braking measures are successively triggered by the speed monitoring device.

The invention relates to a method for preventing an inadmissibly high speed of the load receiving means of an elevator.
Regulations for the construction and operation of elevators require means and procedures to be used, which during any phase of the elevator operation prevent an inadmissibly high speed of the load receiving means with a maximum degree of reliability.
Conventional elevators are equipped with a safety catch that, when the speed of the load receiving means reaches a defined speed limit, is activated by a speed limiting device and that brakes and stops the load receiving means with the highest admissible delay.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,170,614 B1 discloses an electronic speed limiting system that continuously receives information about the actual position of the load receiving means from a position measuring device and that calculates the actual speed from this. A microprocessor then continuously compares this actual speed with fixed-programmed limiting values applying for the entire travel way, which are assigned to certain operating modes of the elevator, for example, to an upward or downward movement. When the actual speed of the load receiving means exceeds the current active limit value, the electronic speed limiting system activates an electro-magnetically operated safety catch that stops the load receiving means.
The described electronic speed limiting system has considerable disadvantages. Every time it is detected that the limit value has been exceeded, the safety catch is activated and the operation of the elevator is thus stopped, with in most cases, passengers not being able to leave the elevator before a service engineer has returned the elevator to operation or returned the load receiving means to an access zone. Any excess speed will thus cause braking of the load receiving means with highest admissible delay values, which is extremely unpleasant for passengers and can cause anxiety and may even injure infirm persons.

Method for preventing an inadmissibly high speed of the load receiving means of an elevator