A method for obtaining an X-ray image of a subject on a flexible information carrier plate for computed radiography. A memory is affixed to a surface of the plate, wherein the affixed memory stores information about the plate and is in wireless communication with a computer. A first scan date is stored in the affixed memory. Obtaining the X-ray image uses steps of storing at least a job identifier and a scan status for the plate in the affixed memory; acquiring image data from a scan of the plate following exposure to X-rays, acquiring at least the job identifier from the affixed memory, and associating the acquired image data with the acquired job identifier; incrementing a scan count value and updating the scan status in the affixed memory; erasing image content from the plate; and storing the acquired image data in a second, computer-accessible memory according to the acquired job identifier.

The use of information carrier plates (also referred to as phosphor or phosphor storage plates) for obtaining visually perceptible contrast upon exposure to X-rays is known in the art as computed radiography (CR) and is described for example in U.S. Pat. No. 7,211,785 (Berger).
The imaging cycle employing such plates comprises juxtaposing the plate nearby a specific part of the body (e.g., leg, arm, tooth, and the like) and then exposing the plate to X-rays in order to obtain an image from stored radiation energy. Following exposure, the plate is then removed from the patient and the latent image that is stored thereon is scanned by a laser beam or other energy source to stimulate emission of the stored energy and to form corresponding image data from the emitted energy. After the plate has been scanned, the obtained image data can be displayed and stored for further examination. The exposed and scanned plate is then erased and can be reused in a subsequent imaging cycle.
It can be appreciated that each plate must be properly tracked throughout the imaging cycle as the plate circulates from X-ray exposure, to scanning, to erasure, and to re-use. That is, it must be possible, at each stage in this process, to know specific plate identification information as well as patient identification information and identification information concerning specific treatment with which a plate is associated.
This requirement is important for general medical computed radiography (CR) and becomes especially complex for intra-oral dental computed radiography applications. In dental clinics, large numbers of patients undergo X-ray examination, and therefore a large number of information carrier plates can be in circulation at any one time, thus increasing the probability for mismatch between a particular plate and the patient and treatment data associated with the plate, as well as with the obtained image on the plate. The probability for mismatch is especially high in a working environment where several treatment rooms, each equipped with an X-ray generator, share the same scanning device. Any mismatch can result in confusion, delay, waste, incorrect diagnosis, and the need to repeat an exposure in some cases. Other possible errors that can occur due to mismatch include inadvertent re-exposure of a plate that has not yet been erased.
The likelihood for error and the impact of an error can be further compounded when a full mouth scan is executed. This dramatically increases the number of plates used for a particular patient and requires careful tracking to avoid mistakes.
With intra-oral dental computed radiography, the mismatch between CR plates is not easily detectable to the eye, since different teeth can have a relatively similar appearance. The likelihood of confusion is high when compared with other medical radiography applications that image larger or more distinctive parts of the body about which there can be much less confusion.
Thus, positive and unequivocal identification, as well as monitoring and tracking of information carrier plates, is desired in computed radiography in general, and in intra-oral dental computed radiography in particular, since it helps to prevent patient mismatch and other errors.
There have been a number of attempts to address this problem.
One example can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,428,659 (Renner) disclosing digital memory configured as a PCB (printed circuit board).
In intra-oral dental computed radiography, the exposed information carrier plates are usually placed on a flat holder that is divided into cells referring to different teeth. A technician puts the CR carrier plates on the holder such that a certain plate occupies a certain cell. The pattern of the cells corresponds to the pattern of a template that is filled in by the dental practitioner before submitting the plates to X-ray exposure. The plates are moved from the treatment station to an X-ray station and then to a scanning station, lying on the holder in the order corresponding to the template pattern. In particular situations, this arrangement can be unreliable, for example, the plates can fall from the holder during handling. Their correct re-attribution to the corresponding cell can be complicated if the plates are not provided with some type of identification means.
Radio Frequency Identification Devices (RFID devices) are known for identification, tracking, and monitoring of various items. RFID tracking is used for identifying various items, like consumer goods, reusable and disposable items, people, animals and the like. This identification technology has been implemented in various technical and non-technical fields, including medicine.
An RFID system comprises two main components: (i) a transponder associated with an item to be identified, and (ii) an interrogator, separated from the transponder by a short distance, that comprises an antenna, a transceiver and a processing device. The interrogator component sends RF energy and an interrogating signal (if necessary) to the transponder and then receives an RF response signal from the transponder. The received signal is transferred to the processing device and is read.
The transponder, or so-called RFID tag, is affixed by a suitable method to the item to be identified and comprises an integrated circuit containing RF circuitry. This circuitry serves as memory for storing information to be transmitted as a signal to the processing device in the interrogator. The RFID tag also comprises an antenna for transmitting this signal. Reading the signal that has been sent by the transponder allows the item bearing the tag to be identified and monitored.
There have been attempts to implement this technology in computed radiography. Some examples are noted below.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,319,396 (Homanfar) and U.S. Pat. No. 7,518,518 (Homanfar) describe using an RFID tag.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,095,034 (Haug) describes image carriers enclosed in cassettes, with an RFID tag affixed to the edge region of the cassette.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,418,355 (Weil) describes storage media enclosed in a cassette wherein the media is provided with an identification bar code.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,739,480 (Oono) describes a label adhered to the image storage panel, with the panel stored in a cassette. The information carried by the label represents an identification code assigned to the panel.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,359,628, U.S. Pat. No. 5,757,021 (Dewaele) and EP Patent No. 0727696 (Dewaele) describe media contained in a rigid cassette with an RFID tag attached to a specific location on the cassette.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,960,994 (Muller) describes media that is used in association with a cassette and with a memory affixed to the cassette in a predetermined location.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,381,416 (Manico) describes use of an RFID tag in association with photographic film used in consumer photography, for example, for establishing conditions to be selected for processing of the film.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,374,461 (Humphreys) describes a digital radiography plate identification system.
U.S. Patent Application No. 2012/0019369 (Taskinen) describes an arrangement for controlling image plate and its image information and a method for controlling the arrangement.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,826,313 (Robar) describes a method and automated system for creating volumetric data sets.
U.S. Patent Application No. 2009/0212107 (Crucs) describes an auto-distribution of scanned digital images based on standardized identifiers.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,359,628 (Buytaert) describes combined identification and preview system for use in digital radiography.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,775,713 (Klemola) describes an arrangement for dental imaging.
While such solutions may employ RFID devices to help support the use of X-ray cassettes, however, there can be little or no improvement to the workflow process for dental imaging with these solutions. Persistent problems such as inconsistent labeling of plates, poor tracking of plate usage, and potential mismatch of images to patients continue to impede workflow efficiency in large dental practices.
Thus, despite attempts to employ RFID technology with various types of imaging media, there is room for improvement in providing an RFID solution tailored for specific workflow requirements of intra-oral dental computed radiography.

Method and system for computed radiography using a radio frequency identification device


Apparatus, method and sealing means for liquid urethane reaction mixture injection molding of a composite styled metal and plastic vehicle wheel wherein a metal wheel subassembly serves as a preform between the separable mold parts in the mold apparatus and which is united with the plastic body molding material to form the composite wheel. One of the mold parts has a mold cavity surface operable in mold closed condition to define with the outboard face of the wheel subassembly a mold cavity adapted to provide an ornamental configuration for an outboard face of the plastic body of the composite wheel. A gas permeable and liquid infiltratable mold sealing membrane has a first portion thereof communicating with ambient atmosphere externally of the mold cavity and a second portion thereof communicating with the mold cavity. The membrane is made of fabric material comprising random fibers, calendered into sheet form and selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene, Teflon coated polyethylene, and Teflon coated polypropylene fibers. The membrane has a gas permeability ranging between about one to twenty cubic feet of air per minute, and more particularly between about one to four cubic feet of air per minute. The membrane fabric material consists of fibers processed into coherent sheet form having a thickness ranging between about 0.01 inches to about 0.10 inches and having a weight in the order of about 15 ounces per square yard, and is heat seared on at least the side thereof juxtaposed to the mold cavity. The mold sealing membrane is operable to provide flow-through limited venting of gases from the mold cavity to ambient until the membrane seal is clogged by liquid reaction molding material infiltrate therein.

In the early 1970's Motor Wheel Corporation of Lansing, Michigan, assignee of applicant herein, as well as its then parent company, The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company of Akron, Ohio, developed and introduced an improved form of composite metal-elastomer styled wheel marketed under the trademark "POLYCAST" of Motor Wheel Corporation (assignee of record herein). Such styled wheels provided an automotive type wheel in which metallic parts of simple, conventional configuration, for which manufacturing equipment was already available, are utilized as the basic structural components to thereby obtain a high strength standardized wheel construction at minimum cost. The aesthetically pleasing appearance was imparted to this standard steel backbone by a permanently adhered ornamental plastic body, either molded separately or in-situ as a homogeneous one-piece body, or in the form of a plastic cover secured by an adhesive foam body to the outboard side of the wheel. This provided an improved anti-noise characteristic to the wheel and enabled the appearance of the wheel to be readily and economically varied to suit different customer's styling requirements without varying the basic structural components of the wheel. Additional benefits resided in the side impact cushioning to prevent damage to the wheel while retaining the high strength and impact resistance advantages of the time-proven conventional ductile steel wheel components. Wider variations in styling and contour configurations were also obtained than were possible in the previous deep drawn styled all-steel wheels. The serious problems of loss and theft of removable wheel covers were also eliminated.
Various embodiments of such "POLYCAST" wheels, as well as methods and apparatus for producing the same, are set forth in the following United States Patents assigned to the assignee herein, which are incorporated herein by reference:
U.S. Pat. No. 3,669,501, 6/1972, Derleth, PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,756,658, 9/1973, Adams, PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,762,677, 10/1973, Adams, PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,794,529, 2/1974, Thompson, PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,815,200, 6/1974, Adams, PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,918,762, 11/1975, Hampshire, PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,935,291, 1/1976, Jackson, PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,956,451, 5/1976, Adams, PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,398,770, 8/1983, Smith, PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,659,148, 4/1987, Grill, PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,682,820, 7/1987, Stalter, PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,786,027, 11/1988, Stalter, PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,790,605, 12/1988, Stalter, PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,847,030, 7/1989, Stalter, PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,861,538, 8/1989, Stalter, PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,963,083, 10/1990, Stalter PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,976,497, 12/1990, Post et al, PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 5,059,106, 10/1992, Joseph, PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 5,088,798, 2/1992, Stalter. PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 5,128,085, 7/1992, Post et al.
Other prior art patents issued to unrelated parties and directed to various types of such styled metal and plastic wheels include U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,823,982; 3,827,756; 3,894,775; 3,915,502; and 3,998,494 as well as British Patent No. 1,290,946 (1972) and German Offenlegunschrift No. 2,457,907 (June/1976).
In one embodiment of the manufacture of such POLYCAST wheels, a portion of the mold comprises a conventional metal vehicle wheel having a drop center rim secured to a central disc or body having the usual bolt circle holes and a central aperture so that the disc can be mounted on an axle, drum or disc brake assembly. The metal wheel is employed in conjunction with an upper back-up clamp and lower mold part to define therewith a sealed cavity for molding and attaching a three-dimensional contoured plastic overlay, the overlay thus being molded in-situ and permanently attached to the outboard side of the wheel in the mold apparatus. Preferably, the wheel forms the upper surface of the mold cavity and a reaction mixture of a urethane elastomer liquid adhesive material is injected or poured into the mold to fill the cavity and contact the outboard surface of the wheel assembly. The urethane material components react and solidify to form a high density non-cellular elastomer body which permanently adheres to the outboard surface of the wheel subassembly. The plastic overlay may also be molded from a lower density microcellular closed cell urethane elastomer adhesive material, or a separate decorative cover may be pre-formed and permanent adhesively adhered to the steel wheel subassembly. If a urethane material molded-in-situ embodiment is employed, which is presently preferred, the urethane is allowed to react, expand (if cellular), cure and thereby solidify in the mold cavity, and then the mold is opened so that the wheel with the overlay securely adhered to it may be removed from the mold. The overlay may then be painted or otherwise covered with a decorative coating to provide a finished metallic-appearing ornamental wheel. The urethane elastomer thus forms a plastic body having a three-dimensional contour which is permanently attached to the outboard side of the wheel to provide a decorative surface, and the elastomer overlay appears to be an integral portion of the metal wheel.
Due to the preferred orientation of the overlay beneath the wheel disc, the outboard face of the overlay is adjacent the lowermost surface of the mold cavity. Although the majority of gas bubbles evolved from the reacting components are trapped within the urethane mixture as the same is curing and gelling toward solidification, such gas bubbles tend to rise and hence some can migrate toward the inboard portion of the overlay closest to the wheel disc 24 while the reaction mixture is still liquid. This migration results in a variation in density axially of the overlay so that a relatively dense but thin skin (usually less than 0.05" in thickness) is produced adjacent the outboard face of the overlay, the urethane becoming less dense and more cellular axially towards the outboard disc surface. Hence, any molding defects, such as large pockets or bubbles, will tend to occur adjacent or at the interface of the overlay and the disc where, generally speaking, such defects are less critical and do not cause as much spoilage in the end product, as compared to casting with the mold inverted so that the mold part is superimposed on the rim and disc subassembly, which tends to locate such casting defects at the outboard face of the overlay.
Although it is generally advantageous to concentrate gas bubble defects at the wheel inboard side of the plastic overlay molded onto the metal wheel backbone, such gas-bubble-induced surface defects still can and do result in appearance defects significant enough to require scrapping and/or rework of such finished wheels after the molding operation. For example, this problem can occur in the formation by molding of the wheel vent windows and associated "scoop" protrusions in the outboard face of urethane body of the "POLYCAST" wheel. These decorative vent scoop communicate with the vent openings or windows in the steel disc of the wheel backbone in order to provide air flow ventilation through the wheel for brake cooling.
The practice typically employed in making such vent windows in the urethane plastic body has been to have the mold vent core fingers or bosses (such as bosses 46 and/or pedestal portions 294 of the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 3,762,677, or core bosses 200-212 of the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 5,059,106; or the cooperating offset cooperative pedestal cores 330 and clamp cores 332 of the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 4,963,083) protrude upwardly from a lower mold part and/or downwardly from the upper clamp part so as to penetrate the "windows" in the steel backbone or disc of the metal portion of the wheel to provide coring for molding of a brake ventilation air passage which extends completely through the wheel. A relatively large clearance is provided between each such mold core and encircling margin of the associated steel disc vent opening so that urethane material flows upwardly therebetween to cover the vent opening edge in the steel disc. This urethane window margin material is prevented from escaping into and onto the inboard face of the steel disc by a suitable imperforate seal construction, typically a silicone seal carried by the upper clamp part of the mold apparatus, such as the seal 236 in the aforementioned 4,963,083 patent or the lid seal 90 of the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 5,059,106.
Hitherto it has not been found possible to economically vent the inboard face of the plastic marginal material internally surrounding the metal marginal wall of the disc vent opening at the inboard side of the disc. Hence this as-molded inboard-facing urethane surface is often characterized by pimples, blemishes and irregular open pockets and other such visible surface irregularities resulting from the gas bubble migration upwardly against the inboard window lid seal and the concentration thereof at this window margin surface as the urethane cures and solidifies. Generally, as indicated above, these surface irregularities, although visible when viewing the inboard side of the wheel, have not been considered to be a wheel-scrapping defect inasmuch as the inboard side of the wheel is hidden from view when mounted to a vehicle. Nevertheless such gas bubbles can and do on occasion concentrate close to the inner peripheral edge of the cast urethane window-margin adjacent the lid seal. During the demolding operation, when the seal is raised from the steel disc backbone, some of such gas bubble defects can cause the inner peripheral edge of the cast urethane to break away and thereby create a jagged inner edge in the urethane window scope protrusion. Such a defect indeed is then visible from the exterior side of the wheel when viewing into the urethane air vent scope opening. Such an appearance defect when viewable from the outboard side of the wheel requires rejection of the wheel from a quality control standpoint, thereby requiring either rework of the wheel to repair the defect, if possible, or scrapping of the entire composite wheel.
Other production problems associated with molding of the urethane around the inner margin of the metal disc window include cleaning and maintenance of the window lid seal attached to or carried by the upper mold clamp part, with attendant material and labor cost, as well as the cost of replacement of such seals due to the wear of the seal after repeated cleanings.

Method for molding composite metal-elastomer styled wheels


The present invention relates to complexes of the CDK2 protein with proteins identified as interacting with CDK2 by a modified yeast two hybrid assay system. The proteins identified to interact with CDK2 are cyclin H, cyclin I, ERH, and two gene products, hsReq*-1 and hsReq*-2, which are splice variants of the gene hsReq. Thus, the invention provides complexes of CDK2 and cyclin H, cyclin I, ERH, hsReq*-1, and hsReq*-2, and derivatives, fragments and analogs thereof. The invention also provides nucleic acids encoding the hsReq*-1 and hsReq*-2, and proteins and derivatives, fragments and analogs thereof. Methods of screening the complexes for efficacy in treating and/or preventing certain diseases and disorders, particularly cancer, atherosclerosis and neurodegenerative disease are also provided.

2.1 CDK2
Human cyclin-dependent kinase 2 or cell division kinase (CDK2; GenBank Accession No. X61622; Elledge and Spottswood, 1991, EMBO J. 10: 2653-2659; Ninomiya-Tsuji et al., 1991, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 88: 9006-9010) is a serine-threonine protein kinase of 298 amino acids that has approximately 65% amino acid identity to a second critical cell cycle regulator, p34cdc2, more commonly known as CDC2. CDK2 is expressed late in G1 or early in S phase, slightly before CDC2, and is pivotal for G1/S transition. CDK2 cannot complement yeast CDC2/CDC28 mutations under all the conditions that CDC2 can, indicating that the two kinases regulate the cell cycle at distinct stages.
CDK2 activity is dependent upon phosphorylation of threonine 160 by CDK-activating kinase (CAK), which occurs when CDK2 complexes with cyclins A and E. Conversely, CDK2 kinase activity is inactivated by dephosphorylation by human KAP (CDK-Associated Phosphatase; Poon and Hunter, 1995, Science 270: 90-93). In particular, competition between KAP and cyclin A determines the phosphorylation state of CDK2. CDK2 phosphorylates pRb, p53, transcription factor E2F, histone H1, and other proteins central to cell cycle control (Higashi et al., 1996, Eur. J. Biochem. 237: 460-467). Other proteins, including p21.sup.cip, and p.sub.27.sup.kip, complex with CDK2 to block its interaction with downstream substrates, as well as blocking CDK2 phosphorylation itself (Adams et al., 1996, Mol. Cell. Biol. 16: 6623-6633). The complex interplay of phase-specific cyclin expression, phosphorylation/dephosphorylation cascades, and other CDK2 interacting proteins such as p21.sup.waf and p27.sup.kip, ultimately plays out through CDK2 activity to determine cell cycle progression.
Deregulation of CDK2 is strongly implicated in mechanisms of carcinogenesis and in the treatment of cancer. DNA tumor viruses transform cells by directly inhibiting Rb tumor-suppressing function (e.g., papilloma viruses and cervical cancer). The Rb then releases negative control of E2F. Normally, the inhibition of Rb is accomplished by phosphorylation of Rb by CDK2 (Nevins, 1992, Science 258: 424-429). CDK2 is implicated in the differentiation of glioma cells (Kokunai et al., 1997, J. Neuro-oncol. 32: 125-133). In human breast carcinoma cells, the anti-cancer agent flavopiridol induces G1 arrest by inhibition of both CDK2 and CDK4 (Carlson et al., 1996, Cancer Res. 56: 2973-2978). Anti-estrogens up-regulate CDK2 inhibitors p21.sup.cip and p27.sup.kip, thus causing reduction in pRb phosphorylation, and decreased cell progression into S phase (Watts et al., 1995, Mol. Endocrinol. 9: 1804-1813). Serum-deprivation of vascular smooth muscle cells is associated with CDK2/p27.sup.kip complex formation, leading to inhibition of CDK2 enzymatic activity (Chen et al., 1997, J. Clin. Invest. 99: 2334-2341). Thus, along with regulation of cyclin A expression, CDK2 activity is the mechanism through which p27.sup.kip acts to inhibit intimal hyperplasia during atherosclerosis and re-stenosis.
To review, CDK2 is implicated in the control of cell cycle progression, transcriptional regulation via E2F, control of cellular differentiation, intracellular signal transduction involving phosphorylation, mechanisms of tumorigenesis, tumor progression and spread, and atherosclerosis and re-stenosis via effects on intimal proliferation. cl 2.2 Cyclin H
Human cyclin H (GenBank Accession No. U11791; Makela et al., 1994, Nature 371: 254-257) is a 323 amino acid protein that complexes with CDK7 to form CDK-activating kinase (CAK; Fisher and Morgan, 1994, Cell 78: 713-724). CAK, in turn, phosphorylates CDK2, as well as various cyclin complexes of CDK2 and CDK4. Thus, like CDK2, cyclin H is centrally implicated in control of cell cycle progression. CAK is also associated with the mammalian transcription factor IIH (TFIIH), a multisubunit complex that is required for transcription and DNA nucleotide excision repair (Drapkin et al., 1996, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 93: 6488-6493). Therefore, the role of cyclin H extends beyond cell cycle control to include coordination of the cell cycle with transcription and DNA repair. Dysfunction of TFIIH is implicated in various genetic disorders including xeroderma pigmentosum, Cockayne's syndrome and trichothiodystrophy (Seroz et al., 1995, Curr. Opin. Genet. Dev. 5: 217-222). In summary, cyclin H is implicated in the control of cell cycle progression, transcriptional control via TFIIH, DNA repair, and various genetic disorders associated with impaired DNA repair.


A sweeping linear magnetron is described. The magnetron has a cathode backing plate, a drive housing attached to the cathode backing plate and a motor held in the drive housing. The motor drives a yoke positioned within a cut-out in the backing plate. The yoke has a magnet pack attached thereto said yoke such that the magnet pack is adapted to being moved over a target material and wherein the target material is being sputtered within a vacuum chamber onto a substrate.

Thin dielectric films are utilized in a wide variety of device applications, ranging from protective layers in semiconductor circuits, computer read-write heads, magnetic media, and displays, to components in optical waveguides, mirrors, filters and switches. What is common about all these applications is that these dielectric layers must be as free from defects as possible so that they provide a high level of insulation between current-carrying conductors sandwiched around them.
For many applications fairly thick (several microns) dielectric films are required, so it is desirable to have a production-worthy deposition scheme that will be capable of producing high quality dielectric films at high rates. Traditionally, RF diode or RF magnetron sputtering from insulating targets is used for dielectric coating. However, the deposition rates afforded by such techniques is extremely low, and it can take several hours to deposit even a relatively thin film. Another disadvantage of RF sputtering is that the process is very hot, and can damage fragile substrates.
DC reactive magnetron sputtering from metallic targets is an excellent way of boosting dielectric deposition rates. Advantages of this technique over RF include 1) 5–10 times higher rates, 2) cooler processes, 3) less flaking from metallic targets, leading to lower defect densities on the substrate, provided arcing is well-suppressed, and 4) simpler and less expensive power supplies. The main disadvantage is that, for a magnetron cathode which has a limited area of erosion, DC reactive sputtering leads to dielectric layer buildup on areas of the target that are not eroded. This in turn leads to arcing, particles and defect formation in the deposited films. An advanced arc-suppression scheme, such as that utilized in Advanced Energy's Pinnacle Plus switching power supply, needs to be used for DC reactive deposition of dielectric films from conventional cathodes. However, such power supplies approach the expense and complexity of a RF scheme.
It is, therefore, critically important in DC reactive deposition of dielectric films to have a cathode that provides full-face erosion of the target surface. A moving magnetron cathode is one of the best ways of achieving such full-face erosion. An example of such a cathode that has been successfully utilized for arc-free DC reactive deposition of dielectric films is S. Hurwitt's U.S. Pat. No. 5,130,005, which describes a rotating magnetron scheme for a circular cathode. However, this cathode cannot be utilized in a scanning, in-line batch tool. Another moving magnetron patent has been issued to McKelvey in U.S. Pat. No. 4,422,916, which describes a rotating cylindrical magnetron. The disadvantage of this type of cathode is that it is very difficult to fabricate cylindrical targets from brittle materials. A rectangular planar magnetron with a moveable magnet assembly is known from U.S. Pat. No. 4,444,643, in which the magnetic assembly is translated laterally and parallel to the major axis of the target. DE-A-27 07 144 proposes a magnet assembly which is swept over a rectangular target along a linear path. U.S. Pat. No. 4,714,536 proposes that the magnet assembly is moved with a non-repetitive small epicycloidal motion distributed over the area of the target. U.S. Pat. No. 5,188,717 explains that even erosion of the target can be obtained when the dwell time of the magnetic flux remains equal over each unit area of the target and proposes a specific shape to the magnet assembly. U.S. Pat. No. 5,382,344 describes a magnet assembly which produces electron paths in a plurality of racetracks which are moved linearly and perpendicularly to the longest axis of the target with an oscillatory motion. EP-A-416 241 describes a magnet array which may be moved in an oscillating motion limited by the cathode tray, the motion being produced by a pin on a rotating cam, the pin being journalled in the base of the rotating cam. U.S. Pat. No. 5,328,585 describes a linear planar-magnetron cathode with a reciprocating magnet array, where the reciprocating motion can be simultaneously lateral and longitudinal with respect to the cathode. U.S. Pat. No. 5,833,815 proposes reciprocating motions parallel to the substrate moving direction and at an angle thereto. U.S. Pat. No. 5,417,833 discusses previous attempts to achieve full target erosion, and combines a rotating permanent magnet array with an stationary electromagnet. This scheme is extremely complex and difficult to apply to a wide range of applications. U.S. Pat. No. 6,494,999 describes a magnetron cathode assembly that can be scanned over the target assembly, independent of vacuum or vacuum components. The target assembly includes heating/cooling passages and a heat exchanger/pressure relieving plate. The patent describes much more about the integral cooling and pressure relief mechanism than the actual magnet design and performance of the cathode. U.S. Pat. No. 6,416,639 reviews most of the aforementioned patents and describes a technique for combining a moving magnet array with fixed ferromagnetic pole pieces to smooth out the erosion profile.
The object of the present invention is to provide a simple, practical and effective means of achieving near-complete target erosion over a rectangular cathode in an in-line batch sputtering system. This means should be applicable to a wide range of target materials and processes. In particular, DC reactive sputtering of dielectrics should be easily effected without recourse to expensive and complex arc-suppression circuitry. Target utilization should be over 70%, thus providing a cost-effective solution for the use of precious metal and other expensive targets.

Linear sweeping magnetron sputtering cathode and scanning in-line system for arc-free reactive deposition and high target utilization


A semiconductor memory device has a hierarchical bit line structure. The semiconductor memory device may include first and second memory cell clusters, which share the same bit line pair and are divided operationally; third and fourth memory cell clusters, which are connected respectively corresponding to word lines coupled with the first and second memory cell clusters, and which share a bit line pair different from the bit line pair and are divided operationally; and a column pass gate for switching one of bit line pairs connected with the first to fourth memory cell clusters, to a common sense amplifier, in response to a column selection signal. Whereby an operating speed decrease caused by load of peripheral circuits connected to the bit line is improved, and the number of column pass gates is reduced substantially with a reduction of chip size.

1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention relate generally to semiconductor memory devices. More particularly, embodiments of the invention relate to a semiconductor memory device having a hierarchical bit line structure and an associated data path.
A claim of priority is made to Korean Patent Application 10-2005-0111566, filed on Nov. 22, 2005, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
2. Description of Related Art
Modern computing applications continue to demand semiconductor memory devices with larger capacity, higher performance, and lower power consumption. As a practical matter, it can be difficult to simultaneously achieve all three objectives, as there tend to be tradeoffs between capacity, performance, and power consumption.
As a general rule, the capacity and performance of semiconductor memory devices tends to increase as the density of memory cells in the devices increases. However, there are exceptions to this rule—some ways of increasing memory cell density in a semiconductor memory device can actually have a negative impact on the device's performance.
For example, one way to increase the density of memory cells in a semiconductor memory device is by connecting a larger number of memory cells to each bit line in the device. As the number of memory cells connected to a bit line increases, loading resistance and load capacitance of the bit line tend to increase accordingly. Thus, the time it takes for charges to be transferred from each memory cell to the bitline in a read operation tends to increase, thus deteriorating the performance of the device.
Power consumption for a semiconductor memory device is a function of the voltage level required to read/write data from/to the device. Most contemporary semiconductor memory devices using complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) transistors transfer data to/from memory cells at voltages that correspond to the working voltages of the constituent CMOS transistors. For example, CMOS transistor working voltages typically include both "high" and "low" voltages (e.g., VDD and VSS, respectively). Further, many contemporary semiconductor memory devices use so-called "full-swing data" techniques in conjunction with CMOS transistors to communicate data through various data transmission paths, such as a data read path and a data write path. This approach tends to decrease the overall operating speed of the memory device and increase both power consumption and chip size. Within the context at CMOS logic elements be variously defined, but is presently around about 1.2V for static random access memory (SRAM) devices, for example. Full swing signaling normally requires a data voltage swing at least equal to VDD, small swing signaling requires a data voltage less than VDD.
A great deal of effort has gone into the development of high performance memory devices having high density and yet operating with relatively low power consumption. Resulting contemporary devices include, for example, those described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,986,914 and 6,822,918, the subject matter of which is hereby incorporated by reference.
Nonetheless, these conventional devices suffer from a number of residual problems, particularly those associated with bit line structures, data read path, and data write path. Several of these apparent problems will now be described in some additional detail as background context to the inventive embodiments that follow.
FIG. 1 is a graph illustrating load capacitance as a function of the number of memory cells connected to one bit line in an exemplary, conventional SRAM device. The load capacitance of a bit line, includes load capacitance related to a connected sense amplifier, column transmission (or "pass") circuitry, and other "residual" components associated with the bit line and peripheral circuits connected to the bit line.
Within the graph of FIG. 1, the total bit line load capacitance comprises a "YPATH" component indicating a portion of the load capacitance associated with the column transmission circuitry, and a "SenseAmp" component indicating a portion of the load capacitance associated with the associated sense amplifier. In operation, the column transmission circuitry receives a column address adapted to select and electrically connect a bit line with a sense amplifier, and generally comprises a plurality of column transmission gates.
As shown in FIG. 1, in a case where the number of memory cells connected to the bit line is 128, the residual load capacitance (i.e., the load capacitance above and beyond that associated with the sense amplifier and the column transmission circuitry) amounts to about 25%. However, the residual bit line load capacitance rises to 39% for 256 memory cells connected to the bit line, 54% for 512 connected memory cells, and 70% for 1024 connected memory cells. Of note, this trend increases for even more memory cells connected to the bit line.
Thus, if the number of memory cells connected to a single bit line is increased in order to increase the density of a semiconductor memory device, the resulting load capacitance will increase, thereby decreasing the operating speed of the device.
FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrates an exemplary, conventional SRAM device having bit lines suffering from a large load capacitance.
With reference to FIG. 2, the structure includes word lines WL0, WL1, . . . , and WLn-1, a column decoder YDEC 20, column pass gates YPASS, 22 and 24, a plurality of memory cells MC, bit line pairs BLm-1, BLm-1B, BLm and BLmB and a sense amplifier 26.
In operation, word lines WL0, WL1, . . . , and WLn-1 are selected by a row decoder (not shown). Column decoder 20 receives a column address YA, and outputs a column selection signal as a decoded signal. Column pass gates 22 and 24 receive the column selection signal, and electrically connect a bit line pair connected to a memory cell MC designated by the column address YA, with sense amplifier 26.
Bit line pairs BLm-1, BLm-1B, BLm and BLmB transmit data from the connected plurality of memory cells MC, or transmit data to the memory cells MC. The plurality of memory cells MC are disposed and connected at intersections of the bit line pairs BLm-1, BLm-1B, BLm and BLmB and word lines WL0, WL1, . . . , and WLn-1.
Sense amplifier 26 senses and amplifies a signal output from a bit line selected by a column selection signal.
In general, an SRAM includes a plurality of "memory mats". Each memory mat may be divided into a plurality of sub memory mats, or "sub mats". Further, each sub mat may be divided into a plurality of memory "blocks". Each memory block typically includes a plurality of sense amplifiers that are divided and disposed in relation to an input/output (I/O) port. Each sense amplifier is shared by bit line pairs, the number of which corresponds to the number of column bits within each memory block.
In one embodiment, for example, the number of column bits within each memory block is assumed to be 32, and the number of I/O ports is 9. Thus, each sense amplifier is shared by 32 bit line pairs and is adapted to an I/O port. Column pass gates 22 and 24 are allocated across a bit line pair to receive the column selection signal and electrically connect the corresponding bit line pair with a sense amplifier.
Assuming the number of column bits within each memory block of an exemplary SRAM is 32 and the number of I/O ports is 9, sense amplifier 26 will be shared by 32 bit line pairs, and the number of column pass gates YPASS associated with bit line pairs is also 32. (This will change to 64, for example, if the number of row bits assumed for each memory block were 64, for example).
Within this exemplary context, efforts have been made to reduce the number of memory cells connected to each bit line within each memory block in order to avoid overly high load capacitances that adversely effect data transmission speed in a constituent memory device. One exemplary method in this regard is described in relation to FIG. 3.
FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating operation of an exemplary, conventional SRAM having reduced load capacitance per bit line.
With reference to FIG. 3, two bit line pairs BLm-1, BLm-1B, BLm, BLmB are shown. The two bit line pairs BLm-1, BLm-1B, BLm, BLmB receive a column selection signal output from a column decoder YDEC 30 within one memory block of an SRAM, and so are selectively connected to sense amplifier 36 through respective column pass gates YPASS 32 and 34.
In comparing the bit line structure of FIG. 3 with the former conventional structure shown in FIG. 2, the memory cells of FIG. 3 connected to one bit line pair are divided into two groups and are controlled separately.
In other words, the "divided bit line structure" illustrated effectively reduces the load capacitance per bit line pair by essentially reducing the number of memory cells connected to the bit line. The memory cells are divided into two groups and each group is separately controlled by a control signal applied to a selection line SL1, SL2.
This method of separately and individually, controlling the divided bit lines will now be described in some additional detail, in the context of an example that assumes that an accessing memory cell MC is connected to an upper bit line pair.
In an example of one bit line pair BLm-1, BLm-1B, the bit line pair BLm-1, BLm-1B is switched and individually, independently, controlled by switching transistors NM31, NM32, NM33 and NM34. When a control signal applied to a control line SL1 is high and a control signal SL2 applied to a control line SL2 is low, a node N31 is high, and a node N32 is low, thus the switching transistors NM31 and NM32 are turned ON, and the switching transistors NM33 and NM34 are turned OFF.
Relative to bit line pair BLm-1, BLm-1B, the bit line in an upper part of switching transistors NM31 and NM32 is called an "upper bit line pair," and the bit line in a lower part of switching transistors NM33 and NM34 is called a "lower bit line pair."
The upper bit line pair is electrically connected to a global bit line pair GBLm-1, GBLm-1B, and the lower bit line pair is electrically disconnected from the global bit line pair GBLm-1, GBLm-1B. The global bit line pair GBLm-1, GBLm-1B is electrically connected to sense amplifier 36 through column pass gate 32. Sense amplifier 36 senses, amplifies and outputs data received from the global bit line pair GBLm-1, GBLm-1B.
On the contrary, when an accessing memory cell MC is connected to the lower bit line pair, a control signal applied to selection line SL1 is low, and a control signal applied to selection line SL2 is high.
Thus, the lower bit line pair is connected to the global bit line pair GBLm-1, GBLm-1B, and the global bit line pair GBLm-1, GBLm-1B is electrically connected to sense amplifier 36 through column pass gate 32. Sense amplifier 36 senses, amplifies, and outputs data received from the global bit line pair GBLm-1, GBLm-1B.
Thus, one conventional approach to addressing the problem of high bit line load capacitance results in the provision of a memory device, like the one illustrated in FIG. 3, including global bit line pairs GBLm-1, GBLm-1B, GBLm, GBLmB, switching transistors NM31, NM32, NM33, NM34, NM35, NM36, NM37 and NM38, and selection lines SL1, SL2.
This reduction in overall load capacitance is the result of reduced residual bit line capacitance. Yet, the portion of bit line load capacitance associated with column transmission circuitry (e.g., column pass gates 22 and 24) remains unchanged by the foregoing solution illustrated in FIG. 3.
FIG. 4 is a circuit diagram further illustrating in some additional detail an exemplary column pass gate YPASS, such as those used in conjunction with the circuits shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.
The typical column pass gate YPASS receives read/write information RCON and a column address YA, and selects a bit line pair connected to an accessing memory cell to discriminate a data read path from a data write path. The column pass gate YPASS also receives a column selection signal Yai.
In a data read operation applied to the column indicated by the column selection signal Yai, the column selection signal Yai and the read/write information RCON go high. As a result, a bit line pair BL, BLB and a read line pair LRSDL, LRSDLB are connected electrically.
In a data write operation, only the column selection signal Yai goes high. As a result, the bit line pair BL, BLB and a write line pair LWSDL, LWSDLB are connected electrically.
FIG. 5 is a block diagram schematically illustrating exemplary sub mats in an SRAM and adapted to provide a conventional data read path. Each sub mat includes a plurality of memory blocks. A first sub mat SMAT1 includes a plurality of memory blocks BLK1˜BLK8, and a second sub mat SMAT2 includes a plurality of memory blocks BLK11˜BLK18.
Each of the plurality of memory blocks BLK1˜BLK8, and BLK11˜BLK18 includes a first sense amplifier BSA1 and a second sense amplifier BSA2. FIG. 5 illustrates only one first-sense amplifier BSA1 and one second-sense amplifier BSA2, but a plurality of first sense amplifiers BSA1 and a plurality of second sense amplifiers BSA2 are actually allocated and disposed per I/O port. Thus, within each memory block, the number of I/O ports is equal to the number of the first sense amplifiers BSA1 and to the number of the second sense amplifiers BSA2.
Each of the first sense amplifiers BSA1 senses and amplifies data represented on a bit line selected by an address, and each of the second sense amplifiers BSA2 senses and amplifies data output from each of the first sense amplifiers BSA1.
The second sense amplifiers BSA2 significantly reduce the amount of time required to output a full-swing data at contemporary CMOS levels and/or to provide output data at a well stabilized level. Thus, to increase the speed of a data read operation and/or output data at a well stabilized level, sense amplifiers of several groups are generally used in a conventional SRAM.
Still referring to FIG. 5, main data lines MDL0 and MDL1 transmit data output from the second sense amplifiers BSA2.
The data transmitted through the main data lines MDL0 and MDL1 is applied to a logical NAND gate NAND51, and NANDed before being output to a data output terminal through an output driver (not shown). The main data lines MDL0 and MDL1 are precharged to high during a read operation. Thus, when any one of the main data lines MDL0 and MDL1 goes low, the NAND gate NAND51 outputs a high, and as such, it may be regarded as performing a logical sum operation.
FIG. 6 is a circuit diagram illustrating in some additional detail a data read path for one I/O port within two blocks BLK1 and BLK11 of FIG. 5.
As shown in FIG. 6, a first sense amplifier BSA1, 52 and a second sense amplifier BSA2, 54 are included within one memory block BLK1, and a first sense amplifier BSA1, 56 and a second sense amplifier BSA2, 58 are included in another memory block BLK11.
One bit line pair within the memory block BLK1 is selected by a column address, and data represented in the bit line pair is transmitted to a local section data line pair LSDL, LSDLB. One first-sense amplifier 52 within the memory block BLK1 is enabled by a sense amplifier enable signal BSA1_EN, and primarily senses and amplifies data represented on the local section data line pair LSDL, LSDLB.
Second sense amplifier 54 is enabled by a sense amplifier enable signal BSA2_EN, and secondarily senses and amplifies data output from the first sense amplifier 52. The data output by the second sense amplifier BSA2 is transmitted by the main data line MDL0.
The structure and operation of first sense amplifiers 52 and 56 and second sense amplifiers 54 and 58 are conventionally understood and will not be described in any further detail.
As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the number of main data lines as an input terminal of the NAND gate NAND51 is equal to the number of sub mats. The NAND gate NAND51 performs a logical NAND operation for signals input from a plurality of main data lines MDL0 and MDL1.
That is, an exemplary SRAM having the data read path produces a lot of signal delay based on the logical NAND operation, thus lowering its operating speed. First and second sense amplifiers are used for every memory block, thus increasing the chip size of the exemplary SRAM and its power consumption during a read operation.
FIG. 7 is a block diagram schematically illustrating one I/O port for an exemplary SRAM and adapted to provide a conventional data write path.
Referring to FIG. 7, when data is input to a write driver unit WDRV 76, the data is transmitted to a data input line pair DIL, DILB. The data of the data input line pair DIL, DILB is transmitted to a local data input line pair LDIL, LDILB. A column pass gate YPASS 74 receiving a column selection signal output from a column decoder YDEC 70 electrically connects a selected bit line pair BL, BLB with a local data input line pair LDIL, LDILB. Then, the data transmitted to the bit line pair BL, BLB is written to a memory cell selected by an address.
In the data write path, the write driver unit 76 outputs full-swing data at CMOS levels when the data is applied. The full-swing data at CMOS levels is applied to the data input line pair DIL, DILB and the local data input line pair LDIL, LDILB, resulting in higher power consumption and reduced operating speed for the write operation.
Thus it is essentially required to improve a structure of the bit line, and associated data read and data write paths, etc., to realize a semiconductor memory device truly capable of operating at reduced power consumption, but increased operating speed at higher densities.

Semiconductor memory device with hierarchical bit line structure


Methods are described for forming unitary fabric elements for use in engineered thermal fabric articles, including thermal fabric garments, thermal fabric home textiles, and thermal fabric upholstery covers, and for forming these articles, having predetermined discrete regions of contrasting insulative capacity positioned about the thermal fabric article in correlation to insulative requirements of a user's body. In one implementation, loop yarn in first regions is formed to a first pile height, and loop yarn in other regions is formed to another, different, relatively greater pile height. In another implementation, loop yarn having a first shrinkage performance is formed in first regions to a predetermined loop height, and loop yarn having another, different shrinkage performance is formed in other regions; the loops are cut and finished to a common pile height and the web is exposed to heat to cause loop yarn to shrink to one or more different pile heights.

Thermal garment layering is considered one of the more effective means for personal insulation available. Active people use it extensively. However, layered garments typically add bulk and can impair a wearer's range of motion. Furthermore, with layered garments, it is often difficult to provide levels of insulation appropriate for all areas of the wearer's body, as different areas of the body have different sensitivities to temperature and different abilities to thermoregulate, e.g., by sweating.
Prior art fabric articles endeavoring to offer regions of differing rates of heat and/or vapor exchange, e.g. as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,332,221 and 5,469,581, typically have numerous seams for joining together multiple different areas and/or layers of the fabric articles, which increase production costs associated with cutting, piecework and sewing, and increase waste. Seams are also prone to failure and can be uncomfortable to, and even chafe the skin of, a wearer.
Similar issues arise in thermal layering of home textile articles, such as blankets and the like, and upholstery covers, e.g. for home furniture, for furniture in the institutional and contract markets, such as for offices, hotels, conference centers, etc., and for seating in transportation vehicles, such as automobiles, trucks, trains, buses, etc.


An electrospray apparatus including a plurality of emitters, disposed on a substrate, wherein the plurality of emitters can have a narrow parameter distribution.

Electrospray emitters have potential benefits for spacecraft propulsion. However, current electrospray emitters suffer from short lifetimes, off-axis emission, poor stability, electrical current limitations, impulse throughput, and/or other limitations. Thus, there is a need in the electrospray emission field for a new and useful apparatus for emitting ions. This invention provides such a new and useful apparatus.


A combination miniature golf club bag and humidor for cigars positioned centrally in the golf bag. The humidor carryall in the form of a miniature golf bag may be decoratively displayed when not in use, but all the while storing and humidifying cigars contained therein.

1. Scope of Invention
This invention related generally to humidors and more particularly to a novel combination cigar humidor and miniature golf bag.
2. Prior Art
Cigar humidors are well known. Such devices are normally variously configured to provide a humidity regulated chamber for holding cigars.
The present invention provides a combination humidor and miniature golf bag uniquely configured to provide the appearance and feel of a miniature golf club bag for decorative carrying and storage of the humidor containing cigars.

Combination cigar humidor and miniature golf bag


Techniques are provided for tracking patient respiration based upon intracardiac electrogram signals or other electrical cardiac signals. Briefly, respiration patterns are detected by integrating cardiac electrical signals corresponding to individual paced cardiac cycles. The integrals may be obtained between consecutive pairs of ventricular pacing pulses or between consecutive pairs of atrial pacing pulses. In either case, cyclical changes in the integrals of the individual cardiac cycles are tracked. The cyclical changes are representative of respiration. Once respiration patterns have been identified, episodes of abnormal respiration, such as apnea, hyperpnea, nocturnal asthma, or the like, may be detected and therapy automatically delivered.

It is highly desirable to reliably track respiration within patients having pacemakers and ICDs. Tracking patient respiration permits potentially dangerous respiratory disorders, such as apnea, hypopnea, hyperpnea, nocturnal asthma, and Cheyne-Stokes Respiration (CSR), to be detected. Apnea and hypopnea are abnormal respiration patterns characterized by periods of significantly reduced respiration. With hypopnea, respiration is reduced but still present. With apnea, however, respiration may cease completely for 10 seconds or longer. One common form of apnea is sleep apnea, in which hundreds of individual episodes of apnea can occur during a single night. Accordingly, patients with sleep apnea experience frequent wakefulness at night and excessive sleepiness during the day. In addition, apnea can exacerbate various medical conditions, particularly congestive heart failure (CHF) wherein the patient suffers from poor cardiac function. Indeed, the aberrant blood chemistry levels occurring during sleep apnea are a significant problem for patients with CHF. Due to poor cardiac function caused by CHF, patients already suffer from generally low blood oxygen levels. Frequent periods of sleep apnea result in even lower blood oxygen levels.
Episodes of apnea can also occur during Cheyne-Stokes Respiration (CSR), which is an abnormal respiratory pattern often occurring in patients with CHF. CSR is characterized by alternating periods of hypopnea and hyperpnea (i.e. fast, deep breathing.) Briefly, CSR arises principally due to a time lag between blood CO2 levels sensed by the respiratory control nerve centers of the brain and the blood CO2 levels. With CHF, poor cardiac function results in poor blood flow to the brain such that respiratory control nerve centers respond to blood CO2 levels that are no longer properly representative of the overall blood CO2 levels in the body. Hence, the respiratory control nerve centers trigger an increase in the depth and frequency of breathing in an attempt to compensate for perceived high blood CO2 levels—although the blood CO2 levels have already dropped. By the time the respiratory control nerve centers detect the drop in blood CO2 levels and act to slow respiration, the blood CO2 levels have already increased. This cycle becomes increasingly unbalanced until respiration alternates between hypopnea and hyperpnea. The periods of hypopnea often become sufficiently severe that no breathing occurs between the periods of hyperpnea, i.e. periods of frank apnea occur between the periods of hyperpnea. The wildly fluctuating blood chemistry levels caused by alternating between hyperpnea and apnea/hypopnea can significantly exacerbate CHF and other medical conditions. When CHF is still mild, CSR usually occurs, if at all, only while the patient is sleeping. When it becomes more severe, CSR can occur while the patient is awake.
Abnormal respiration during sleep may also arise due to nocturnal asthma. With asthma, the linings of the airways swell and become more inflamed. Mucus clogs the airways and the muscles around the airways tighten and narrow. Hence, breathing becomes difficult and stressful. During an asthma attack, rapid breathing patterns similar to hyperpnea occur, though little or no oxygen actual reaches the lungs. An asthma attack may be triggered by allergens, respiratory infections, cold and dry air, or even heartburn. The majority of asthma attacks occur during the night, between 3:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m. Nocturnal asthma has been associated with factors such as decreased pulmonary function, hypoxemia and circadian variations of histamine, epinephrine, and cortisol concentrations. Asthma attacks at night may also be triggered directly by sleep apnea. Nocturnal asthma attacks may be fatal, particularly within patients also suffering from CHF.
In view of the significant adverse consequences of apnea/hypopnea, nocturnal asthma, or CSR, particularly insofar as patients with CHF are concerned, it is highly desirable to provide techniques for detecting such conditions. Tracking actual patient respiration provides perhaps the most direct and effective technique for detecting respiratory disorders. For patients with pacemakers and ICDs, respiration is conventionally tracked based on thoracic impedance as measured via pacing/sensing leads implanted within the heart. Sensing of the intracardiac electrogram (IEGM) of the patient is temporarily suspended during each cardiac cycle so as to sense an impedance signal, from which respiration patterns are derived. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,449,509 to Park et al., entitled "Implantable Stimulation Device Having Synchronous Sampling for a Respiration Sensor."
Although impedance-based techniques are useful, it would be desirable to provide alternative techniques for tracking respiration, particularly for the purposes of detecting episodes of abnormal respiration, wherein respiration is derived solely from the IEGM signal so as to eliminate the need to detect or process impedance. Additionally, this eliminates need for additional sensors, and the sensing electrodes can be thus used for IEGM based breathing pattern detection and hence, the ease of implementability in current platforms. One technique for deriving respiration from an IEGM signal is set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 6,697,672 to Andersson, entitled "Implantable Heart Stimulator." Briefly, Andersson provides a technique to extract parameters related to patient respiration from an analysis of intervals between various events detected within a ventricular-IEGM (i.e. V-IEGM) signal. For example, cycle-to-cycle variability is tracked in R-R intervals or in the amplitude of S-T intervals. In other words, the technique of Andersson exploits changes in the durations of intervals within the V-IEGM to track respiration. Although not discussed in the Andersson reference, it is believed that autonomic variability arising during respiration causes the changes in intervals. R-waves (also referred to as QRS-complexes) are electrical signals representative of the depolarization of ventricular muscle tissue. The subsequent electrical repolarization of the ventricular tissue appears within the IEGM as a T-wave. Electrical depolarization of atrial muscle tissue is manifest as a P-wave. Strictly speaking, P-waves, R-waves and T-waves are features of a surface electrocardiogram (EKG or ECG). For convenience, the terms P-wave, R-wave and T-wave are also used herein (and in the literature) to refer to the corresponding internal signal component.
Another technique is set forth in U.S. Patent Application 60/631,111, of Bharmi et al., entitled "System and Method for Detection of Respiration Patterns via Intracardiac Electrogram Signals," the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. With the technique Bharmi et al., respiration patterns are detected based upon cycle-to-cycle changes in morphological features associated with individual electrical events with the IEGM signals. In one example, IEGM signals are sensed and individual cardiac cycles are identified therein. Selected individual electrical events (such as P-waves, QRS-complexes or T-waves) are identified within the cardiac cycles and one or more parameters associated with the individual features are detected (such as maximum amplitude, peak-to-peak amplitude, or numerical integral). Then, patient respiration is tracked based on cycle-to-cycle changes in the detected parameters associated with the individual selected electrical events. Hence, in contrast to the technique of Andersson, which primarily relates to changes in the duration of intervals, the technique of Bharmi et al. instead examines changes within the shape of individual features of the IEGM such as P-waves, QRS-complexes or T-waves. It is believed that that slight displacement of IEGM sensing electrodes caused by movement of the thorax during respiration causes slight variations in the size and shape of individual electrical events of the IEGM signals, such as P-waves, and that those changes are correlated with respiration. This differs from changes in the durations of intervals (such as R-R intervals), which, as noted, appear to arise due to autonomic variability.
Although the interval-based variability technique of Andersson and the individual feature-based technique of Bharmi et al. are both effective, it would be desirable to provide additional or alternative IEGM-based techniques for tracking respiration and it is to that end that the present invention is primarily directed. It is also desirable to provide techniques of detecting episodes of abnormal respiration from IEGM signals and other aspects of the invention are directed to that end as well.

System and method for detection of respiration patterns via integration of intracardiac electrogram signals


A refuse container having an indicator assembly for informing a waste generator of contamination in a waste stream. A refuse container includes a container body comprising a receptacle portion and a lid coupled with the receptacle portion. The receptacle portion includes a plurality of walls that together define an enclosed space for containing refuse. An indicator device is coupled with the container body. The indicator device is movable relative to the container body between a first position and a second position. First indicia is provided on one of the indicator device or the container body. When the indicator device is in the first position, the first indicia are visible from the exterior of the refuse container, and when the indicator device is in the second position, the first indicia are not visible from the exterior of the refuse container.

Various containers are used for the storage, collection, and transport of various types of refuse, including household garbage and recyclable materials. For example, FIG. 1 illustrates a typical wheeled "roll out" container 10 which includes a body 20 and a lid 30. Lid 30 is attached to body 20 with a plurality of hinges. Wheels 40 are coupled with body 20. Customers, such as residences and businesses, may use containers like container 10 to store refuse. Municipalities and/or private companies may collect such refuse from customers on a periodic basis, as is well understood.
In some cases, container 10 may be designated for use with a single type of refuse, such as recyclable materials. Such "single-stream" programs have become more common in the United States in the past decade. Unfortunately, waste generators commonly fail to comply with rules regarding materials that should and should not be included in a designated single-stream refuse container, thereby introducing contaminants into the designated waste stream. Typically, a waste generator will include some permissible materials and some non-permissible materials, such that the allowed and prohibited refuse is commingled in the designated container. And despite such contamination, municipalities typically will still collect these commingled materials. Indeed, enforcing low-contamination is challenging for these municipalities and companies, because most cities cannot depend on drivers to check inside every container and because paying inspectors to police container use is prohibitively expensive.
Limiting contamination in waste streams is important to participants in the waste and recycling industries, such as municipal and/or private company waste haulers and materials recovery facilities (also known as materials reclamation facilities, materials recycling facilities, and multi re-use facilities, collectively, "MRFs"), at least because of increased costs and/or lost revenue from processing and/or selling contaminated waste streams. Current trends in the industry highlight some of the problems contaminated waste streams pose. Taking the recycling waste stream as an example, packaging (which comprises much of recycling) has evolved considerably, so materials available to recycle are constantly changing. Also, as noted above, single-stream recycling programs have increased in popularity, such that 65% of MRFs in the United States are now single-stream, whereas only 27% were in 2006. Single-stream recycling programs typically bring in more contamination, as much as 25% by one estimate. Where, for example, one of every four tons of the material coming into single-stream MRFs is not marketable, this greatly decreases revenue and increases costs for processing the waste stream through machinery at the MRF. Moreover, China receives approximately one-third of all recyclables from the United States (approximately 22 million tons annually). However, China's 2017 "National Sword" policy requires that contamination in imported recyclables be below 0.5% per bale, and China plans to ban all imports of recyclables by 2020. Thus, MRFs can be stuck with material they cannot sell, and they must slow down operations to meet acceptable contamination levels, all of which adds to processing costs.
Prior art attempts to address these issues have been unsatisfactory. One example of such an attempt is illustrated in FIG. 2, which is a detail perspective view of a refuse container 50 with a removable tag 60 attached to a handle 70 thereof. In particular, a municipal or private company hauler may attach such a tag 60 to handle 70 when the hauler identifies contaminants deposited in container 50. The hauler may also decline to collect the refuse in container 50 as a result. Tag 60, colloquially known as an "oops" tag, contains information regarding potential contaminants that may be deposited in container 50. For instance, tag 60 may instruct the user not to put specific types of non-recyclable materials in container 50 and/or it may indicate for the user the specific type of contamination (e.g., plastic bags, Styrofoam, linens) found in container 50. Tag 60 may also be used to inform the user of container 50 of other violations, such as with respect to improper placement of the container for collection or any additional reason that the refuse in container 50 could not be collected.
However, tags 60 are inefficient for haulers to use. They can be difficult to attach to a container 50 in general, and particularly in a manner in which tags 60 may be noticeable to residential customers. Also, tags 60 can be easily separated or tear away from container 50, and they cannot withstand the harsh elements and operational rigors to which container 50 may be subject. Further, tags 60 may not provide meaningful feedback to waste generators, and they cannot be used to efficiently track compliance or non-compliance by waste generators. For at least these reasons, tags 60 have been ineffective at impacting waste generator behavior.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Refuse container having indicator assembly


A dual damascene interconnect structure having a patterned multilayer of spun-on dielectrics on a substrate is provided. The structure includes: a patterned multilayer of spun-on dielectrics on a substrate, including: a cap layer; a first non-porous via level low-k dielectric layer having thereon metal via conductors with a bottom portion and sidewalls; an etch stop layer; a first porous line level low-k dielectric layer having thereon metal line conductors with a bottom portion and sidewalls; a polish stop layer over the first porous line level low-k dielectric; a second thin non-porous via level low-k dielectric layer for coating and planarizing the line and via sidewalls; and a liner material between the metal via and line conductors and the dielectric layers. Also provided is a method of forming the dual damascene interconnect structure.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to interconnect structures and a method of making them. More particularly, the present invention relates to a dual damascene interconnect structure having a thin non-porous low-k dielectric layer and a liner material between the metal via and line conductors and the dielectric layers. The interconnect structures are suitable for use in high-speed microprocessors, application specific integrated circuits (ASIC's) and other high speed integrated circuits (IC's).
2. Description of the Prior Art
Many low-k dielectric plus Cu interconnect structures of the dual damascene type are known. For an example of the dual damascene process wherein SiLK™ can be used as a low-k dielectric material, reference is made to U.S. Pat. No. 6,383,920, which is assigned to the same assignee as the present invention, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety as if fully set forth. In order to achieve the necessary reduction in the RC delay in future generations of integrated circuits, porous materials must be used as the dielectric. In addition, due to the 5-20 nanometer pore sizes of porous organic materials, a buried etch stop layer is necessary to give smooth metal line bottoms. However, in conventional integration of an organic dielectric where a cap layer is deposited above the prior level of metallization before depositing the insulator materials, challenges to the dual damascene integration of porous dielectrics arise from the inability to achieve etch selectivity of low-k etch stops to both the organic dielectric and the inorganic (typically SiN or SiCN) cap layer.
An illustration of dual damascene integration with an embedded etch stop and a cap layer can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 6,448,176 B1, FIG. 1. The lack of etch selectivity between the embedded etch stop and cap does not cause poor line profiles with a dense dielectric because the lines stop on the etch stop in the dielectric etch, then go just through the etch stop and stop on the via level dielectric during the cap open RIE step. When using porous dielectrics, if the etch stop is removed at the bottom of the line a rough line bottom created from the porosity in the via level dielectric will result. Also, the line and via sidewalls can have a surface roughness equivalent to the size of the pores in the dielectric leading to defects in the liner. In addition, the choices of materials for the etch stop and cap layers necessary to achieve a low k effective, efficient raw process time and mechanical integrity of the stack are limited.

Dual damascene integration of ultra low dielectric constant porous materials

International Business Machines Corporation


A transportable module for use in generating waves in a body of water, having a tubular chamber with a predetermined length and width equal to or less than the maximum length permitted for transportation on a predetermined type of road. The chamber includes a rear valve located at the rear end to permit flow into the chamber and substantially block flow out of the chamber and a gas port proximate to the rear end for the admission of compressed gas into the chamber. The module includes an anchoring system, such as an integrated ballast tank, a connecting system mounted on the outer surface of the module by which the module may be detachably connected in parallel with other such modules in a side to side manner to form a barge or scalable wave generator. Individually, the modules are is capable of being transported by road to a desired body of water for use.

Sports or other entertainment events that rely on waves or surf are traditionally limited to times or locations that have amenable conditions. In some locations, the surf is routine and predictable, while in others the quality of the surf may vary significantly. Further, there are many areas amendable to surf or wave sports where there may be little or no wave or surf action, as with certain east coast US or lakeside beaches.
The state of California hosts some of the more predictable surfing beaches in the continental United States. The beaches of Florida are somewhat unpredictable, and the surf there tends to be more active and stronger than those higher on the east coast. The beaches higher on the east cost may be relatively calm or moderate, with only occasional periods of challenging surf. Nevertheless, beaches such as those on the east coast of the United States might otherwise be suitable for surfing sports if the surf were to be both reliable and substantial.
Some surfers approach this problem with attempts to use waves generated by the wake of a large vessel or a separate tow at speed. This approach requires a vessel or a tow to be of substantial displacement in order to generate a suitable wave for surfing; in addition, it may involve considerable energy consumption and a degree of unpredictability in wake generation. In one example, surfers near Galveston, Tex. take advantage of shipping traffic and surf the wakes of underway supertankers; of course, this is impractical for the purposes described herein.
A conventional approach involves a plow device designed to be drawn along permanent tracks located within a body of water. While potentially suitable for pools or otherwise placid lakes, this somewhat complicated arrangement is impractical for many natural environments, particularly natural ocean beaches where marine items might obstruct the track. A similar approach is a wave generating device or plow mounted onto the hull of a small boat or towed behind. The device includes a curved flow forming portion capable of displacing water and creating waves somewhat perpendicular to the direction of the boat. Of course, such a boat would require significant maneuvering space for clear navigation and hazard avoidance, and would be difficult to use to generate waves on a beach. Importantly, the larger the device the more difficult it becomes to move and control.
Another conventional approach involves an unmoored vessel that generates waves by dumping water onto a submerged platform attached to the side hull of the vessel. The platform is shaped so as to create a wave form in the deflected water. Internally, the vessel includes an open top water tank with a pumping system to fill the tank from the surrounding water. Hydraulic actuators and a supporting hydraulic system are required to elevate a waterproof (sealed) floor or platform of the tank. As the platform is elevated, the water is spilled out of the top of the tank and onto the submerged platform, deflecting water into a wave form. A thruster is required to hold the vessel in place during water dumping or the vessel will move and the kinetic energy of the wave will be reduced.
Although this approach may be used in a natural environment, its extensive mechanical systems would be prohibitively expensive and vulnerable to corrosion. For example, an embodiment capable of dumping sea water should include a sea chest intake, pipes, pumps, valves, and a tank system, all fabricated from a corrosion resistant material such as monel, copper-nickel alloys, or bronze. The hydraulic system and actuators must include substantial components (e.g., hydraulic pump, tubing, actuator, etc.) to lift the weight of such a large volume of water. Further, elevating liquids in an open tank on a vessel will raise the center of gravity, and increase the moment with the center of buoyancy, affecting the stability characteristics of the vessel. The partially filled tank, with its free surface and open top can be further destabilizing. Accordingly, the vessel must be quite large to support the unusual instability characteristics. The only means for adjusting the size of waves is by quantity of water elevated, which is inefficient. Further, the vessel itself must be quite large for such a limited use, and is thus cost prohibitive.
Another approach is a mobile "wave effect" device, which is capable of being moved about on land and assembled where desired. This device does not involve real waves, but wave forms that simulate the effect of a wave. It relies on a mold or wave-shaped shell, typically fabricated of fiberglass, and pumps that force water over the wave mold to create sufficient laminar flow for in-place surfing. Of course, this approach is somewhat limited and does not incorporate the natural environment into the artificial waves.
Thus, a simple device for creating reliable and substantial surf in a natural beach environment would increase the attractiveness and commercial potential for many beaches. At the same time, such a device should be stable, inexpensive, and mobile. Preferably, such a device would also be capable of being adapted for transportation on land and scalable to respond to environments requiring surf of different sizes and difficulty.

Transportable wave generating module and watercraft


A flexible sachet for transporting bio-pharmaceutical liquids with a volume of 50 liters or more, of the bellows type, assumes when filled a substantially parallelepiped shape. It comprises a bottom wall, a top wall and four lateral walls. It is made of a single laminated film with three or more layers, the innermost layer being a plastics material layer that can be heat welded and is biocompatible with the media transported. A method of manufacturing the sachet is also disclosed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention concerns new flexible sachets for transporting bio-pharmaceutical fluid products and a method of manufacturing them.
2. Description of the Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 5,350,080 describes sachets which can be used for cellular culture media and their rigid transportation container.
The bio-pharmaceuticals industry, understood in the broadest sense, is increasingly using flexible sachets with capacities in the range 20 liters to 2 000 liters and more, in particular bio-compatible sachets, to transport fluids use in the industry, such as culture media, cellular cultures, buffer solutions, artificial nutrient liquids, blood products or derived products such as plasma.
Sometimes the products contained in such sachets are used thousands of kilometers from the place where the sachets were filled. These products are often extremely valuable in financial terms and often extremely valuable in terms of the health of persons because they can be used to manufacture medication for human use, for example. It is therefore essential for such sachets to reach their destination safely, filled with the liquid with which they were initially filled, and free of contamination.
Flexible sachets of the above kind are subject to many kinds of stress during transportation: acceleration, braking, tossing, shaking, vibration, etc and therefore to many forces including shear forces which tend to deteriorate the film from which they are made, especially at sensitive locations such as folds. Consequently these various stresses frequently lead to weakening, rupture or piercing of the sachets.
It must be remembered that sachets of the above kind intended to contain the previously mentioned liquid products and media are by their very nature provided with a number of access ports enabling their content to be filled, drawn off, mixed, etc, for example, and usually with a number of tubes installed at some or all of these access ports. The tubes are themselves often fitted with one or more rigid material devices such as valves, filters or clamps which can contribute to abrasion of the upper part of the sachets when they are transported over long distances. A hole in the top of a sachet can be just as serious as one elsewhere, for example in the situation of transporting sterile contents.
This is why it would therefore be desirable to have a sachet for transporting bio-pharmaceutical liquids with a volume of 50 liters or more which in addition to the usual qualities of such sachets, i.e. biocompatibility, sterilizability, impermeability to gases and in particular to oxygen, would be particularly resistant to transportation over long distances and easy to manufacture.
Sachets for transporting bio-pharmaceutical liquids in the form of bellows with walls constructed by manually welding three separate independent films are known in themselves.
Sachets of the above type are sold by HyClone Laboratories, for example. They have capacities in the range 1 liter to 1 000 liters, for example. However, when transported over long distances, given the many stresses to which the sachets are subjected, a number of them are lost because of leaks.
This is why the subject matter of the present application is a flexible sachet for transporting bio-pharmaceutical liquids with a volume of 50 liters or more, of the bellows type, assuming when filled a substantially parallelepiped shape, comprising a bottom wall, a top wall and four lateral walls, which is made of a single laminated film with three or more layers, and preferably made of four pieces of the said single laminated film, the innermost layer being a plastics material layer that can be heat welded and is biocompatible with the media transported.
The bio-pharmaceutical liquids transported can be culture media, cell cultures, buffer solutions, artificial nutrient liquids, blood products or derivatives such as plasma, for example.
The sachet of the invention is a bellows type sachet, i.e. one in which, when laid flat, two opposite sides of the sachet are folded inwards.
The expression "laminated single film" or "monofilm" means that the film from which the walls of the sachet are made appears to be a single film although in fact it is made from a plurality of layers of films of different kinds stuck together.
In accordance with the invention, the laminated single film comprises at least three layers and preferably four layers.
The inside layer is a layer of plastics material that can be heat welded and is biocompatible with the media transported. These plastics materials include polyolefins, for example, and preferably polyethylene (PE), especially low-density and in particular ultra-low-density polyethylene.
The thickness of this layer can be in the range 50 .mu.m to 200 .mu.m, for example, and in particular in the range 100 .mu.m to 200 .mu.m.
The intermediate layer constituting a barrier to gases such as oxygen, carbon dioxide or water vapor, is for example made of polyamide (nylon) 6, polyamide 8, polyamide 11, polyamide 12, polyamide 6--6, polyamide 6-10, polyamide -6 or polyamide 6/polyamide 6--6 copolymers. Mixtures of gas barrier polymer resins can also be used such as a mixture of polyamide or polyethylene and ethylene/vinyl alcohol copolymer (EVOH) in polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC). A plastics material that has been surface treated with aluminum oxide or silica can equally be used. Under preferred conditions of implementation, the gas barrier intermediate layer is made of an ethylene/vinyl alcohol copolymer.
The thickness of this layer can be in the range 6 .mu.m to 20 .mu.m, for example, and in particular in the range from 10 .mu.m to 20 .mu.m.
The external layer is preferably made from a plastics material that has an insulating effect vis a vis heat welding, for example polyolafin or polyamide resin and preferably polyester (PET) resin.
The thickness of this layer can be in the range 10 .mu.m to 30 .mu.m, for example, and in particular in the range 10 .mu.m to 20 .mu.m.
Under preferred conditions of implementation of the invention the laminated film includes a fourth layer which is advantageously between the external layer and the gas barrier intermediate layer, improving the mechanical strength of the laminated single film.
This second intermediate layer can be of polyolafin or PET, for example, and is preferably of polyamide, advantageously polyamide 6.
The adhesive used to attach the various layers together is preferably one of the adhesives conventionally used in the field of laminated polymer films. An epoxy adhesive is preferably used, in particular one of the polyurethane-polyester type.
The above polymers can be mixed with additives. For example, the polyethylene of the inner layer can have a slippery agent added to it such as erucylamide in a concentration of 600 ppm and/or a silicon oxide at a concentration of 2 000 ppm.
Under preferred conditions of implementation of the invention, the above sachet is made from four pieces of film by flat heat welding.
This parallelepiped shape can in particular be obtained by cutting the edges of the film at 30.degree. to 60.degree. and approximately 45.degree. relative to the vertical axis of the sachet.
By definition, the "bottom face" and the "top face" of the sachet are the faces of the sachet such that the welds cross over on these faces but are parallel to each other on the "lateral" faces of the sachet.
Under other preferred conditions of implementation of the invention, the above sachet has on its top face a preferably elongate flange for mounting connectors comprising one or more chimneys for fitting connectors which are preferably identical, and in particular aligned, comprising two substantially cylindrical concentric lips.
These chimneys can advantageously cooperate with connectors having a cylindrical end sized to be inserted between the lips of the chimney. Their number is preferably in the range 1 to 8, in particular 2 to 6, especially 3 to 5.
Under preferred conditions of implementation the connectors further comprise an outer skirt surrounding the outer lip of the access chimney.
The connectors can have any conventional configuration such as, for example, fittings for tubes such as, for example, fittings for small, medium or large diameter tubes, stoppers, right-angle connections, and these connectors, in particular those for right-angle connections, can themselves comprise a double-lip system similar to that of the chimneys for connectors, for example.
Under other preferred conditions of implementation of the invention the flange for mounting connectors is made of polyolefin resin and preferably of an ethylenevinyl acetate copolymer.
Under other preferred conditions of implementation of the invention the connectors are glued to the chimneys using a solvent or non-solvent glue.
The present invention also consists in a sachet of the above kind fitted with connectors installed on the above chimneys.
Under other preferred conditions of implementation of the invention all the materials used to construct the sachet of the invention and its accessories are capable of withstanding exposure to radiation and other known sterilization techniques.
Under other preferred conditions of implementation of the invention the flange for mounting connectors carrying the chimneys is heat welded to the sachets.
Under other preferred conditions of implementation of the invention the mounting flange has in its lower part, opposite the access chimneys, one or in particular several spaced protuberances constituting passages, for example semi-toroidal passages, which prevent the plate being pressed totally against the bottom of the sachet when it is emptied.
Under further preferred conditions of implementation of the invention the mounting flange has standardized chimneys enabling easy customization of the outlet accessories and valves (stopper, angled or straight outlet, variety of diameters, etc).
Under other preferred conditions of implementation of the invention the bottom face of the sachet is fitted with a bung, for example an evacuation or filling bung. The evacuation or filling bung can be mounted on the sachet in the same way as the above plate. Under preferred conditions of implementation of the invention the bung includes a 90.degree. outlet.
Under further preferred conditions of use of the invention the emptying bung is mounted on a base installed in such a manner that it projects outwardly of the bottom of the sachet. The projecting part of the bung is preferably of polygonal shape or of any other non-circular shape, such as elongate oval, triangular, square, hexagonal, etc. This particular shape allows good centering of the sachet when the latter is installed in a rigid container for transportation by cooperation with an orifice of complementary shape and corresponding located on the bottom of the container. Also, the corners of the sachet can fit closely into the corners of the container without risk of twisting of the sachet. The bung can at the same time constitute a point at which the sachet is anchored to the bottom of the container, which improves transport.
Under other preferred conditions of implementation, the pro-eminent base of the bung has a peripheral groove which can cooperate with a clip so that it can be clipped when it is fitted into the container for filling. In this way the original position of the sachet is preserved.
The present invention also consists in a method of manufacturing a sachet as defined hereinabove wherein a top film, a bottom film and two lateral films folded on themselves are paid out in such a manner as to bring the heat weldable plastics material layers into contact with each other and in a flat configuration, leaving a gap between the two lateral films, followed by heat welding of the sides two by two and of the top and bottom of the sachet.
Under preferred conditions of implementation of the invention the top and bottom welds of the sachet are K-welds, the branches of the K being inclined at approximately 45.degree. to the direction of movement of the pieces of multilayer monofilm, for example in the range 30.degree. to 60.degree., as in the examples hereinafter.
Under preferred conditions of implementation of the invention the heat welding is effected using heating bars. A single weld can be effected at a given location. However, one, two or in particular three successive welds are preferably effected. In the case of welds in a plurality of steps, the steps are preferably effected at different temperatures.
Under other preferred conditions of implementation of the invention the welds are effected with a width in the range 5 mm to 20 mm, preferably 5 mm to 15 mm and in particular 8 mm to 15 mm.
The other operations, such as cutting the films at the welds, are conventional.
It is therefore possible to proceed in a single step to a plurality of welding operations at the same level, given the presence of the external layer which has an insulating effect vis a vis heat welding. Thus only the internal layer are welded together.

Sachets for bio-pharmaceutical fluid products


IP server W and gateway server GWS transmit data in HTML format in response to a request from mobile unit MS. At this stage, in the HTML data, the personal identification information request data string is added to a URL of the page corresponding to a service, which requires user authentication. As the HTML data is received by mobile unit MS, the user carries out an inputting operation to designate the URL while the image corresponding to the HTML is displayed on the liquid crystal display unit. Then, mobile unit MS reads out personal identification information from ROM, and transmits to mobile packet communication network MPN. IP server W carries out user authentication on the basis of personal identification information transmitted from mobile unit MS in this manner.

In recent years, due to high functions of mobile units such as cellular telephones, a mobile unit which alone can perform WWW browsing by installing the browser of WWW (World Wide Web) (hereinafter, referred to as "WWW browser") in the mobile unit is put on the market. By using the mobile unit, a user can receive provisions of several kinds of services from the information provider on the Internet (hereinafter, referred to as "IP").
Among services provided by an IP, there are some which are only provided to users who sign a contract, or others that require secrecy; therefore, the IP which provides these types of services carries out user authentication to provide services with the object of preventing a fraudulent use by a third party. As a user authentication method, the method of using a password has been used in general. However, there is a danger that the password might leak to a fraudulent third party through the user authentication method based on the use of passwords, and anyone can use the service fraudulently once the password gets leaked. Hence, for instance, when providing a service such as a bank transaction service using NetWare (hereinafter, referred to as "net banking"), in which a complete security has to be ensured, a user authentication method, which can ensure more reliability needs to be used.
Hence, in the IP which provides this type of service, user authentication is carried out by using exclusive information such as a transmitted ID retained by a mobile communication network (hereinafter, referred to as "personal identification information"), by which a mobile unit can be identified. A brief description of this type of authentication is as follows:    i. When a service is provided to a user of a mobile unit, the server owned by the IP (hereinafter, referred to as "IP server") at first requests the mobile communication network to transmit personal identification information.    ii. The mobile communication network transmits the personal identification information to an IP server on the basis of the transmission request.    iii. An IP server carries out user authentication on the basis of the personal identification information transmitted from the mobile communication network.
Conventionally, fraudulent use by a third party has been effectively prevented by the above-mentioned user authentication method.
However, personal identification information is important information as it pertains to the privacy and the property of the user. Hence, there is a danger of causing some unexpected damage to the user of the mobile unit if the mobile communication company provides personal identification information of users to an IP without any restriction. A mobile communication company signs a contract with the IP to which personal identification information the company retains is provided beforehand to prevent such unexpected damage, and ensures the trustworthiness of the destination to which personal information is provided in this manner. Since a contract has to be signed beforehand in this method, it is not possible for an IP, which does not have a contract with a mobile communication company to use personal identification information of users, to carryout user authentication.

Methods and devices for carrying out user authentication