The optical connector according to the present invention comprises, at least, an optical filter with a waveguide structure having a grating with a predetermined reflection wavelength and a plug attached to a tip of the optical filter. The grating is disposed at a tip portion of the optical filter and accommodated in the plug attached to the tip portion of the optical filter. Further, the optical connector has various light-blocking structures for preventing unnecessary light from traveling a filter region of the optical filter including the grating.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a configuration of an optical connector for connecting an optical filter having a waveguide structure to optical elements such as an optical fiber, a semiconductor device, or the like.
2. Related Background Art
In an inspection system for an optical line using an inspection apparatus such as an apparatus with Optical Time Domain Reflectometry method (OTDR apparatus), an optical filter for reflecting inspection light with a predetermined wavelength is generally disposed in the optical line. This optical filter has a light-blocking function for cutting off the inspection light so as to prevent it from being transmitted to a subscriber's house and a light-reflecting function for reflecting the inspection light propagated through the optical line so as to send it back to the inspection apparatus, thereby inspecting whether there are fault points in the optical line or not and detecting light transmission characteristics of the optical line.
As the optical filter applied to the inspection system for optical lines, particularly preferable is an optical filter with a waveguide structure in which a region having an optical filter function (referred to as "filter region" hereinafter) is disposed at a core of an optical waveguide (including optical fiber, thin-film waveguide, and the like). For example, when a filter region is formed at a predetermined portion of a communication optical fiber used as an optical line, an optical fiber type optical filter is obtained. Such an optical filter itself can be used as an optical line. Accordingly, when a plug is attached to an end of an optical fiber type optical filter to constitute an optical connector, its handling is facilitated. Therefore, when an optical fiber type optical filter is used to constitute an inspection system for optical lines, unlike the case where a dielectric multilayer film filter is used, it is unnecessary for filter parts to be inserted into the optical line, whereby loss in signal light can be minimized. Also, an optical filter formed when a filter region is disposed in a thin-film waveguide is convenient for various reasons, e.g., it not only reflects the inspection light but also can output a branch of the signal light transmitted through the filter region.
As the filter region of such an optical filter having a waveguide structure, grating has conventionally been adopted. Here, "grating" refers to a region in an optical waveguide where effective refractive index periodically changes between its minimum value and maximum value along the optical axis (longitudinal direction corresponding to a traveling direction of a signal light in the waveguide). As disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 62-500052, a grating is formed when silica glass doped with germanium is irradiated with an interference pattern of ultraviolet rays. This is based on the fact that the refractive index of the glass increases according to a light intensity distribution of the interference pattern. The grating formed at the core of the optical waveguide reflects, of the light advancing through the optical waveguide, a light component having a narrow wavelength width (referred to as "reflection wavelength of the grating" hereinafter) centered at a predetermined wavelength (Bragg wavelength). This reflection wavelength of the grating has been known to be determined according to the period of the grating (grating pitch).

Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation


A pallet assembly comprising in combination a single deck member and multiple leg members, the leg members being threadingly attached to said deck member either directly or within aperture insert members. The leg members comprise a hollow interior formed by a bottom and side wall, preferably circular in cross-section, with a peripheral flange to support the deck member and an annular, threaded aperture ring corresponding to circular apertures within the deck member.

This invention relates generally to pallets constructed for use with fork lifts or hand trucks, the pallets comprising a generally horizontal deck member composed of a relatively solid material with multiple discrete support columns or legs maintaining the upper deck member a sufficient distance above the ground to allow for easy insertion of the lifting tines of fork lifts or hand trucks. More particularly, the invention relates to single-deck pallets having multiple legs which are easily disassembled and assembled from the deck member, and where the pallets are nestable in a vertical manner when empty, such that storage and transportation is more efficient. Even more particularly, the invention relates to pallet assemblies in which the leg members comprise threaded engagement members for attachment to the deck member, and the method for assembling the pallets.
Pallets for supporting items for storage or transport composed of single deck members with multiple depending leg members to raise the deck member sufficient distance from the ground to allow access for fork lifts or hand trucks in order to move the pallet are well known in the industry. The pallets must be constructed with suitable strength and durability characteristics, as they are routinely subjected to relatively rough handling and treatment. It is often advantageous to provide a pallet assembly where the legs can be removed from the deck member, such that the pallet assembly can be disassembled and reassembled when desired. The ability to disassemble the pallet may be useful for transporting or storing large numbers of empty pallets, as well as allowing for replacement of individual components, either the legs or the deck members, which become damaged in use. It is also useful if the pallets are constructed such that they are nestable, the legs of one pallet fitting into the interior of the legs of a pallet beneath it, such that the deck of the upper pallet will rest on or close to the deck of the lower pallet. This allows fully assembled pallets to be stored and transported efficiently since a large number of pallets can be stacked so as to occupy minimal total volume.
Pallets which are nestable, which easily disassemble when desired, and which have multiple component leg member structures are known. For example, Wharton in U.S. Pat. No. 3,610,172 shows a multiple component leg construction for use with dual deck pallets. Baucom in U.S. Pat. No. 3,804,032 teaches a single deck member with nestable legs which easily disassemble and reassemble. The legs are single piece members with dual flanges for gripping the deck member. The deck apertures are cut with tabs or slots which allow the leg members to be inserted onto the deck member by twisting or sliding. This construction does not provide a very secure engagement between the legs and deck, and is only useful for pallets with decks constructed of a compressible paperboard material such as corrugated cardboard. Wies et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 3,915,099 discloses a pallet construction which could be used for single deck, nestable leg pallets. This patent shows a single piece leg member which is designed to grip the deck member between a lower annular flange and upper horizontal tab members. As in Baucom, the circular pallet apertures to receive the legs are provided with cutouts which correspond to the positions of the horizontal tabs on the leg, such that the leg member is inserted so that the tabs pass through the cutouts, and the leg is then rotated to grip the deck member. Again the deck must be compressible, so that again the pallet is not securely constructed. Riviere in U.S. Pat. No. 4,425,852 teaches a two part leg construction for use with single decks. The legs are nestable and easily assembled, but are not designed to disassemble. The Riviere leg has a hollow, truncated cone configuration with an annular flange to engage the upper side of the deck member and several annular locking shoulders positioned at a point beneath the bottom of the deck. A locking ring is placed onto the leg from the underside and pushed upward to compress the deck member and position its bottom rim above the locking shoulder. Morder in U.S. Pat. No. 5,193,464 shows a tabbed leg member similar to the device of Wies et al., such that cutouts are required in the leg apertures for insertion of the leg, this leg having an inverted truncated cone in the center of the leg to provide a support surface interior to the leg opening.
It is an object of this invention to provide a pallet assembly comprising a single deck member for supporting objects and a number of leg members to raise the deck a suitable height from the floor to allow for insertion of fork truck or hand truck tines, which is easily assembled and disassembled, which allows multiple pallets to be stacked in a nesting manner whereby the least amount of space is occupied by the stacked pallets, and which provides an extremely, strong, sturdy and durable pallet assembly resistant to damage from compressive and shearing forces. It is a further object to provide such a pallet assembly which can be utilized with non-compressible deck members such as plywood, and wherein the leg members may be easily fabricated from metal or plastic. It is a further object to provide such a pallet assembly where the legs comprise a threaded upper portion adapted to conform to the inner diameter of circular apertures in the deck member, such that the legs are attached to the deck member by rotating the legs, causing the threaded members to cut into the inner wall of the aperture, which is formed directly in the deck member or within an aperture insert having a circular opening.


A hydrocarbon thermophotovoltaic (TPV)electric generator insert has applications as a replacement burner to retrofit existing appliances. The retrofitted appliance is thus upgraded to either a cogeneration or self-powered unit. The design of the TPV burner insert is independent of the appliance to be retrofitted except for external adapters and can be easily retrofitted to any appliance design requiring a hydrocarbon burner. The burner uses fully premixed air and fuel near stoichiometry to attain a short duration, high intensity burn through optically dense porous ceramic emitters. The emitters attain temperatures between 1300xc2x0 and 1500xc2x0 C. The infrared radiation is collected by low bandgap photovoltaic cells with optical response at least out to a wavelength of 1.7 micrometers such as GaSb cells to produce DC power. The circuit cooling system uses fans or circulating water for cooling.

The present invention relates to thermophotovoltaic (TPV) power generators for converting fuel to electricity using a minimum number of moving parts.
High efficiency conversion of fuel energy into electrical energy using TPV cells requires burner configurations designed specifically for TPV generation. Those designs incorporate heat exchangers, cell receiver cooling systems, infrared filters, mirrors and windows for spectral control, and special high temperature ceramic emitters. Existing units for TPV generation include high efficiency stand-alone TPV generators and appliances having configurations specifically matched to the TPV generator designs. Those units are too restrictive for immediate practical appliance retrofit applications. In typical high efficiency designs, a regenerator is required to preheat the combustion air (recovering heat from the exhaust) and to boost flame temperatures. That requirement complicates the fuel/air mixing and mandates higher pressures for the combustion gases. To obtain higher efficiencies, the TPV cell cooling system must be closely coupled to the burner/emitter/receiver combination. To meet that requirement, appliances must be inherently modified, leading to complicated designs of appliances such that existing appliances cannot be used directly. Needs exist for practical TPV power generating units that are compatible for use with existing appliances.
Existing appliance burner designs are inappropriate for adapting directly to TPV generation even at lower efficiencies. Existing appliances operate at much lower temperatures, with radiative emissions kept low to simplify burner material selection. To retrofit appliances for TPV, the entire burner unit must be replaced by new units specifically designed to attain the required high temperatures. Needs exist for universal TPV generator inserts for use in appliances which do not require modification of the appliances nor complex, complicated designs.
The present invention is a TPV generator insert for retrofitting appliances. The original burners of existing appliances are replaced by the present TPV generator inserts, thus upgrading the appliances into either cogeneration or self-powered units. Examples of appliances which may be retrofitted using the present invention include all appliances requiring hydrocarbon burner assemblies, such as residential, industrial, or commercial equipment. Those appliances include but are not limited to forced air and hydronic space heaters, water heaters, (ammonia) absorption cycle coolers, refrigerators and air conditioning systems. Immediate applications for the present invention range from simple units with several watts of electric output for ignition and controls to several hundred watt self-powered appliances requiring electrical power for fans or pumps. Self-powered units requiring at minimum a small battery for electric storage may be used for automatic controls during times when there is no TPV output. Cogeneration units are typically tied into a system including a battery storage bank, charge controller, or the like, and draw power from the system to operate their automatic controls.
Hydrocarbon fired appliances are prevalent throughout our society. In many cases those appliances are capable of generating commercially attractive electrical power outputs or sufficient electric power to render an appliance independent from frequent and unpredictable electric power outages. A hydrocarbon fired appliance retrofitted with the present TPV burner insert not only provides the appliance""s primary function, such as water heating, space heating or cooling, but also provides surplus electrical power generation as a cogenerator or independent electrical power generation as a self-powered appliance.
The present TPV burner insert is capable of retrofitting any existing hydrocarbon burner-based appliance. High electrical efficiency is not a concern, as fuel to electric conversion efficiency is less important for appliances to be converted into cogeneration or self-powered units. That lack of importance results from the higher grade xe2x80x9cwastexe2x80x9d heat, which is the primary heat source for the appliance""s operation. The total efficiency (combined electric and appliance output) is more important from a practical standpoint. By making the TPV cell cooling integral to the standard burner insert, near independence from existing appliance designs is achieved. The standard design of the present TPV burner insert is independent of the appliance to be retrofitted other than the general shape and size. Those dimensions are modified as appropriate. In the present insert, only adapters must be specific to any particular appliance. Those adapters generally include simple sheet metal and plates to mount the insert at an appropriate location in the appliance.
The present invention uses a simple, low efficiency burner in contrast to potentially higher efficiency, but more complex burners with regeneration. The maximum theoretical emitter temperatures attainable using the present insert are lower than with a regenerator, as no heat escaping in the exhaust is recaptured. The present invention avoids the high pressure requirements and problems associated with incomplete mixing. Longer burn times which tend to produce higher yields of NOx are also avoided. The high grade exhaust heat is routed and used by the appliance including the present insert.
The present burner thoroughly premixes near stoichiometric air with the fuel, maintains the mix at low temperatures to prevent preignition, and then rapidly burns the mix with high intensity just prior to forcing the ignited mix through the porous ceramic emitter. The fuel/air ratio is adjusted empirically to attain the highest temperature from the emitter, typically ranging between 1300-1500xc2x0 C.
The burner for the present TPV retrofit insert is based on the xe2x80x9cperfectly stirred reactorxe2x80x9d combustion design theory. In a simplest embodiment the burner includes a premix tube into which the fuel and air are injected at high velocities. That mixture proceeds into an expansion chamber where the mixing is completed as the gases slow down and equilibrate in pressure to give a highly flammable but cold mix. A small channel connects the expansion chamber to an insulated combustion chamber. The gases flow at high velocities from the expansion chamber to the insulated combustion chamber to prevent flashback. The gas combustion, once initiated in the combustion chamber, is very rapid and intense with short duration, briefly yielding extremely high temperatures before being forced to cool as the gas passes through the thin porous ceramic emitter and out the exhaust channel. Secondary combustion occurs beyond the insert in the appliance where adequate excess air is supplied to burn any unburned gases. The high temperature but very short duration burn of the present invention minimizes NOx generation. Since the gases are completely premixed, a uniform emitter temperature results. The entire combustion chamber is fabricated from vacuum formed high temperature alumina xe2x80x9cfoamxe2x80x9d insulation with very low thermal conductivity, low absorptivity and emissivity, and high diffuse reflectivity. The porous ceramic emitters may be fabricated from numerous types of high temperature materials. The radiation from the emitter is directed by the combustion chamber""s shape towards TPV cell receivers through a transparent high temperature quartz or sapphire heat shield or window. The radiation is further directed by infrared optical confinement mirrors and spectrally controlled by optical filters which transmit the useful portions of the radiation to the cells of the receiver and reflect the longer wavelength portion back towards the emitter. For practical applications the TPV cells of the present invention are preferably low bandgap photovoltaic cells which respond at least out to a wavelength of 1.7 micrometers.
There are three general embodiments of the present TPV retrofit burner insert assembly: a two-sided linear insert, a one-sided cylindrical insert, and a one-sided linear insert. Those embodiments differ in the geometry and symmetry of the radiation emitter/heat shield/cell path. All three embodiments exhibit common features and each will be described later in more detail. The two-sided linear insert is a simple compact unit with mirror symmetry. In one application, the two-sided linear insert is used to retrofit a small room heater and includes a linear combustion chamber having two opposing vertical flat emitters facing out towards two flat TPV circuits. If one half of that unit were to be split off in the middle along the symmetry line then curved and extended back onto itself, the one-sided cylindrical unit embodiment of the present insert is formed. The combustion chamber of the cylindrical embodiment requires a very thick insulating back wall (inside) opposing the (cylindrical) emitter which faces a circular array of TPV cells outside. That forms a circular burner insert which, in one preferred application, is used to retrofit a hot water heater, which typically has a cylindrical storage tank. The one-sided linear insert embodiment of the present invention is intermediate in design between the other two embodiments. The one-sided linear insert has a linear combustion chamber with a flat vertical emitter facing out towards a flat TPV circuit. The combustion chamber has a very thick insulating back wall opposing the emitter. That embodiment of the present burner insert has one application for retrofitting a home furnace into a self-powered unit, where the burner can only interface into one side of the furnace. With the one-sided linear insert embodiment the cell array and its cooling system are on the outside face of the furnace.
The three embodiments are generic ones, with many others being possible. Any one of those embodiments may be adapted to any appliance with proper scaling and adapters, although some are more appropriate than others. The common components of the different embodiments, including emitters, heat shields, cooling systems and components, are interchangeable between the different embodiments as needed.
These and further and other objects and features of the invention are apparent in the disclosure, which includes the above and ongoing written specification, with the claims and the drawings.

Hydrocarbon fired thermophotovoltaic electric generator insert having low bandgap cells for use as a replacement burner in an appliance retrofit


The present invention provides for prevention and/or treatment of neurological or neuropsychiatric disorders involving abnormal D1-D2 dopamine receptor coupling and/or activation. Methods and agents are provided for modulating dopamine receptor function arising from D1-D2 coupling and/or activation. Agents of the present invention include fragments of D2 receptor or D1 receptor that can disrupt D1-D2 coupling.

Depression:
Depression is a mood disorder characterized by depressed mood; feelings of worthlessness, helplessness or hopelessness; a loss of interest or pleasure; changes in appetite; change in sleeping pattern; fatigue, thoughts of death, inability to concentrate or make decisions. According to Statistics Canada's 2002 Mental Health and Well-being Survey4, 12.2% of all Canadians will experience depression within their lifetime, while 4.8% of Canadians had reported symptoms for major depression. Furthermore, the economical impact of depression is tremendous due to costs in both productivity and health care. In Canada, between 62% and 76% of short-term disability episodes due to mental disorders were attributed to depression5. Work-related productivity losses due to depression have been estimated to be $4.5 billion6. Thus, the prevalence of depression makes this disorder a very important health issue in Canada and abroad.
Once diagnosed, depression can be treated by different therapies including medication, psychotherapy and in more severe cases, with electroconvulsive therapy. The first line of treatment is often through antidepressant medication, sometimes in conjunction with psychotherapy. Antidepressants consist of the classical tricyclic antidepressants (TCA), selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI), noradrenaline and serotonin reuptake inhibitor (NSRI), as well as monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOI). All antidepressants have acute effects on synaptic levels of neurotransmitters in the brain7-9. The classical TCAs are predominantly noradrenaline and serotonin reuptake inhibitors, similar to NSRIs. The SSRI drugs are more selective serotonin transporter inhibitors, while MAOI block enzymes that are involved in the breakdown of these neurotransmitters.
Dopamine (DA), acting through DA receptors, exerts a major role in regulating neuronal motor control, cognition, event prediction, emotion and pleasure/reward10-15, all of which are affected in depression. The contribution of DA in depression becomes evident when taking into account the major dopaminergic pathways in the mammalian brain: (a) the mesostriatal system consisting of dopaminergic neurons from the substantia nigra (SNc) innervating the striatum; (b) the mesolimbic system in which dopaminergic neurons from the ventral tegmental area (VTA) project into the hippocampus, nucleus accumbens (NAc) and amygdala; (c) the mesocortical system where DA neurons mostly from the VTA project into the cortical regions of the brain including the prefrontal cortex (PFx). Most of these regions have been implicated in depression. Furthermore, numerous studies support the hypothesis of decreased dopaminergic signalling in depression including reports that: (1) the severity of major depression correlates highly with patient response to amphetamine, a drug that facilitates increased synaptic DA levels through multiple mechanisms16, while another study has shown decreased levels of homovanillic acid, a major DA metabolite, in the CSF of depression patients17; (2) animals experiencing learned helplessness, a behavioural paradigm that recapitulates some of the symptoms of depression, have been shown to exhibit DA depletion in the striatum, which can be mitigated by pretreatments with DA agonists18-19; (3) motor effects induced by DA receptor agonists are increased after chronic treatment with antidepressants or electroconvulsive therapy20 suggesting reduced dopaminergic neurotransmission in depression; (4) in forced-swim tests, DA agonists have been shown to inhibit immobility, an indication of antidepressant activity, while DA receptor antagonists have been shown to inhibit the effects of antidepressants21-32; (5) DAT inhibitors nomifensine and bupropion have been shown to be effective antidepressants21, 33-34 and (6) clinical studies have also documented cases where DA receptor agonists have been effective in treating depression35-39. Furthermore, there is some evidence from neuroimaging studies that dopamine D2 receptor (D2R) are elevated in the striatum of depressed patients40-44.
Another brain pathway implicated in depression is the hypothalamic-pituatary-adrenal (HPA) axis. The HPA axis is involved in stress reaction and ultimately leads to increased secretion of glucocorticoids from the adrenal cortex. Although glucocorticoids have effects on the hippocampus it has also been shown to facilitate DA transmission in NAc45. In addition, frequent bouts of stress with intermittent exposure to glucocorticoids sensitize the mesolimbic DA system46. While the hippocampus and frontal cortex are undoubtedly involved in certain aspects of depression, symptoms of anhedonia, lack of motivation and motor deficits implicate other regions of the brain including the dorsal and ventral striatum, which are rich in dopaminergic neurons. Moreover, serotonergic activity has an impact on DA neurotransmission. Studies have shown that stimulation of 5HT1A receptors can stimulate DA release in PFx and NAc but inhibit DA release in the dorsal striatum47. Other studies have shown that activation of serotonergic raphe neurons reduces activity of dopaminergic neurons in VTA (not SNc) and inhibit locomotion, exploratory behaviour48-49.
Schizophrenia:
Schizophrenia is a severe chronic and debilitating mental disorder that strikes in youth and affects not only patients but their families and care-givers50-51. Approximately 2.2 million American adults have schizophrenia in a given year. Clinical symptoms of schizophrenia include delusions, hallucinations, disorganized thinking, and cognitive dysfunction that are divided into two major groups: positive and negative symptoms52.
Accumulated evidence suggests that the positive symptoms result from hyperdopaminergia involving dopamine D2 receptors in the limbic striatum, while the negative/cognitive symptoms arise from a hypodopaminergic function mediated by dopamine D1 receptors in the prefrontal cortex52. Despite decades of intensive research, current antipsychotic medications are still limited to the blockade of D2 receptor function that generally alleviate positive symptoms with only limited impact on cognitive and negative symptoms and can induce serious side effects including extrapyramidal side effects (EPS). Patients continue to experience significant disability and functional impairment that limits their integration in society. The unavailability of effective medications with both D1 agonism and D2 antagonism is mainly due to the unknown therapeutic target, a pathway through which both inhibition of D2 receptor and activation of D1 receptor function can be achieved.
The dopamine hypothesis of schizophrenia, in its original formulation addressed mainly positive symptoms53-54. Early pharmacotherapy for schizophrenia involved the use of reserpine, which blocks dopamine release from presynaptic terminals, and/or the use of antipsychotics55. Moreover, the most compelling evidence for the involvement of dopamine receptors in schizophrenia comes from the fact that most antipsychotics, including atypical antipsychotics, show a dose-dependent threshold of D2 receptor occupancy for their therapeutic effects55. The efficacy of both reserpine and antipsychotics in treating schizophrenia strongly implicate the involvement of dopamine in this neuropsychiatric disorder. More recent versions of this theory suggests that while the positive symptoms result from hyperdopaminergia in the limbic striatum, the negative/cognitive symptoms arise from a hypodopaminergic function in the prefrontal cortex (PFC)56-57. A significant body of literature lends support to this theory. PET & SPECT studies have shown evidence of increased dopamine synthesis, release, and levels in the subcortical/limbic regions58 while functional imaging studies have demonstrated hypofunction in the prefrontal cortex at baseline and while performing cognitive tasks59. More recent studies have focused on the dopamine D1 system in the PFC, as it is the predominant dopamine receptor sub-type in the PFC60-61, and show a decrease in receptor number which correlates with executive dysfunction62 and a compensatory up-regulation which correlates with working-memory dysfunction63. These clinical observations are well supported by preclinical evidence—PFC D1 receptor modulation changes the 'memory fields' of prefrontal neurons subserving working memory64-65 and D1 agonist administration improves working memory performance in both aging and dopamine deficient monkeys66 (as it does in aging human subjects)67-68.
Overview of DA Receptors:
In mammals, five distinct genes, termed D1/D5 for D1-like receptors and D2/D3/D4 for D2-like receptors, encode DA receptors. These receptors belong to a super-family of single polypeptide seven trans-membrane (TM) domain receptors that exert their biological effects via intracellular G-protein coupled signaling cascades1. D1 and D5 receptors preferentially couple to Gs proteins stimulating the activity of adenylate cyclase and PKA dependent pathways. D2 receptors display a more complex pattern of signal transduction primarily due to their coupling to subtype specific members of the Gi/Go protein family.
D2 receptors are known to stimulate a number of signal transduction pathways including the inhibition of adenylate cyclase activity, PI turnover, potentiation of arachidonic acid release, inwardly rectifying K+ and Ca2+ channels and mitogen activated protein kinases2. Moreover, studies have shown that protein interactions can play a large role in DA receptor function. For instance, the D2R has been shown to physically interact with Par-4. Interestingly, Par-4 mutant mice, which are unable to interact with D2R, exhibit depression-like behaviour3.
Dopamine D1-D2 Receptor Link:
While numerous studies have indicated a synergy between D1 and D2 receptors, an interesting study by Seeman et al (1989)69 provided the first evidence of a pharmacological link between D1 and D2 receptors. Briefly, it was shown that dopamine could lower the density of D2 receptors labeled by [3H] raclopride and that the addition of the specific D1 receptor antagonist, SCH-23390, prevented this reduction, suggesting a functional link between D1 and D2 receptors. Interestingly, this pharmacological D1-D2 link was absent or reduced in post-mortem brain tissues of approximately half of the schizophrenia population tested. However, it remains unclear if the absence of the D1-D2 link is due to an inherent dissociation between the D1 and D2 receptor that occurs in schizophrenia or is a result of antipsychotic drug treatment. Furthermore, several studies using a combination of D1 and D2 specific agonists and/or antagonists have shown that co-activation of D1-D2 receptors are required for long-term depression, anandamide-mediated memory consolidation and potentiation of immediate early gene response, suggesting a potential functional interaction between the D1R and D2R70-76.
Recent evidence indicates that D1 and D2 receptors form a protein complex, and co-activation of D1 and D2 receptors results in an increase of intracellular calcium levels via a signaling pathway not activated by either receptor alone, confirming the functional link observed between D1 and D2 receptors77-78. Furthermore, it has been shown that D1 and D2 receptors are co-expressed in neurons of the rat striatum, providing a basis for a functional interaction79-80.
Despite years of research in the field of mental health, there continues to be a need for new and improved medicines for treating psychiatric diseases and disorders, including depression, schizophrenia and psychotic symptoms thereof. The present inventors have accordingly sought to identify new diagnostic and chemotherapeutic methods in this area by investigating the functional association between D1 and D2 classes of DA receptors.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Methods for modulating D1-D2 dopamine receptor coupling and function


A method for separation and recovery of metals and metal oxides from industrial minerals and waste materials containing zinc, lead, cadmium, arsenic, iron, mercury and selenium. The metals and metal oxides in dust form are mixed with a reducing agent and additives, agglomerated, heated above 800.degree. C., and contacted with a flow of inert, reducing or slightly oxidizing gases to volatilize the metals and metal oxides for recovering separate from solid residual product.

Metallurgical processes, including steel processes, result in waste by-products of iron and steel dust. There have been many attempts to recover the Zn and Pb in this dust and to obtain a by-product which can be safely recycled or which can be safely buried with minimal metal leaching problems.
The Waltz kiln has been employed to recover Zn and Pb using a reducing roasting process. The Waltz kiln which is used is a directly heated counterflow type rotary kiln. The reducing roasting process comprises directly heating and roasting the iron and steel dust in the Waltz kiln in a reducing atmosphere under suitably selected conditions of temperature and retention time, thereby separating Zn and Pb through volatilization from the dust and enabling iron to be discharged in the form of solid reduced iron aggregates. In practice, the reducing roasting process using the Waltz kiln is problematic because it is extremely difficult to maintain the operation of the rotary kiln under the appropriate conditions for a long time and a retention time of more than 1 hour is generally required. The recovery of Pb and Zn by this process is not satisfactory. Because of direct heating by combustion of reductant and high velocity gases containing uncontrollable CO.sub.2 and O.sub.2 contents, unwanted particles are carried over into the zinc concentrate resulting in a poor quality of zinc concentrate. For satisfactory results the zinc has to be processed in two stages.
With the reducing roasting process using the Waltz kiln there is also a fluctuation in the operating conditions due to the deposition of low melting compounds on the walls of the kiln. This consequently impedes the continued operation of the rotary kiln. As a result, efficiency of zinc recovery is low. Although, it is possible to reduce the effects of this problem be adding the flux to the feed to the rotary kiln, thereby adjusting the melting point of the feed and enabling the feed to be completely melted within the rotary kiln.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,525,208 attempts to avoid the above problems with the Waltz Kiln caused by the depositing of material on the walls of the rotary kiln by running the volatilization in two stages. In the first stage the material is heated and Zn and Pb are partially evaporated at a lower temperature in a rotary kiln. In the second stage, the solid material from the rotary kiln is continuously fed into the rotary smelting furnace where fluxes are added to the material to lower the melting point facilitating the evaporation of the metals from the molten stage.
Other improvements in recovering zinc and lead are described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,850,613 and in U.S. Pat. No. 5,013,532. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,850,613 the improvement for separating and recovering the Zn and Pb includes granulation and bricketing the dust and then volatizing the Zn and Pb by heating the briquettes. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,013,532 hydrogen is used as a reducing agent and then the stream is humidified by a stream of water vapour to oxidize the metals and to recover the hydrogen.
There are also several systems for the recovery of Zn or Pb using a molten stage, including an electric arc furnace, an electrothermic smelting furnace and a slag fuming method. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,262,771, the recovery of Zn and Pb is carried out in a molten stage by using an electric arc furnace.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,188,658, Zn and Pb are recovered from the molten stage in an electrothermic smelting furnace. The electrothermic smelting furnace described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,188,658 requires that the furnace be kept at high temperatures in order to maintain a volume ratio between CO2 and CO in the gas atmosphere in the smelting furnaces below 0.3.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,017,261, Zn and Pb are recovered from the molten stage with a slag fuming method using a stationary furnace where metals are volatilized by melting the iron and steel dust completely and blowing air and reducing agent such as coal or coke into the molten iron. Because of higher temperature and operating conditions this processing offers great obstacles to the furnace operation.
There have also been attempts to render such industrial waste non-hazardous without recovering zinc or lead. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,840,671 electric arc furnace dust, steel dust from the production of certain specialty grades of steel, is rendered less hazardous by complexing the dust in a lime kiln dust, fly ash and hydrated lime mixture and then adding an aqueous solution containing ferrous hydroxide and calcium sulfate.

Method for extraction of metals and non-metals from minerals, industrial by-products and waste materials


A variable wavelength light source is provided with a laser of which the oscillating state can be changed over between two oscillating states accompanied by a change of an oscillation wavelength, and an optical selection element for selecting an output light in one of the two oscillating states of the laser. The optical selection element is capable of changing over which of the output lights in the two oscillating states of the laser is to be selected. Also, by using a laser in which the oscillation wavelength in the respective oscillating states can be changed, the wavelength variation ranges in the both oscillating states can be used.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a wavelength multiplex light source and a wavelength control method for use in wavelength multiplex communication or the like.
2. Related Background Art
As a wavelength change-over apparatus, there is known one as described in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 5-190958 wherein a plurality of light sources are used and by an optical switch, a light output may be taken out of one of the light sources to thereby effect wavelength change-over.
FIG. 1 of the accompanying drawings shows a diagram for illustrating an example of the prior art. Reference numerals 101 and 102 designate light sources, reference numeral 103 denotes an optical switch for selecting and outputting light from one light source 101 or 102, reference numeral 104 designates a modulator for modulating the light from the optical switch 103 in accordance with a signal, reference numerals 105 and 106 denote wavelength stabilizing devices, and reference numeral 107 designate a control device for controlling the wavelength stabilizing devices 105, 106 and the optical switch 103. The light sources 101 and 102 have their wavelengths set and stabilized by the wavelength stabilizing devices 105 and 106. In such a construction, one light source 101 or 102 has been selected by the optical switch and used and in the meantime, the setting and stabilization of the wavelength of the other light source 102 or 101 could be effected.
In the above-described example of the prior art, however, one light source is required for one wavelength and it is necessary to use two light sources for the change-over of two wavelengths.
Also, as light sources used for wavelength division multiplexing transmission, there are known a so-called distributed feedback type semiconductor lasers (DFB-LD) in which an oscillation spectrum is stable and the expanse (line width) of the spectrum during modulation is small so that it can be made highly densely multiplex. In these DFB-LDS, the structure of an oscillator is made into a multielectrode and the gain and phase can be controlled to make the transmitted wavelength variable. By making the most of this variable wavelength characteristic, the channels of multiplex wavelengths which have heretofore been fixed can be freely selected and more flexible optical transmission can be realized. Therefore, this becomes effective for multiplex wavelength transmission for optical LAN in which high speed video signals are mutually exchanged.
In the above-described example of the prior art, however, the wavelength variation width is limited to the order of 1 nm and in the direct modulation of DFB-LD, the expanse of the spectrum during modulation is of the order of 0.2-0.3 nm as compared with a Fabry-Perot type laser, and this has led to the problem that the substantial number of multiplex wavelengths is limited to three to four wavelengths. Besides DFB-LD, an attempt to make the grating period non-uniform and make the wavelength variation width into a wide band has also been reported, but this has suffered from the problem that the element becomes bulky and the structure becomes complicated. Also, as a construction for suppressing the expanse of the spectrum during modulation, there have been reported several examples of the trial manufacture of an optical integrated device in which modulators are integrated in a continuously oscillated DFB-LD, but these have suffered from the disadvantage that a high degree of integration process is required and the yield becomes poor.

Variable wavelength light source using a laser, wavelength control method, optical communication system and optical communication method


A ratcheting wrench with ratchet heads coupled to a handle via a pin. The pin includes two ball detents that couple to the teeth of the spline in and an indent inside an opening of the ratchet head. The wrench can therefore be easily used in low profile applications and quickly adjusted due to the dual ball detent configuration of the pin.

Indexable ratcheting wrenches are a well-known tool for applying torque to work pieces. The ratcheting wrench includes a handle portion connected to a head portion, where the head portion conventionally connects to a socket. The socket then receives a work piece and applies torque to the work piece based on the selective rotation of the handle. Indexable ratcheting wrenches allow a user to apply torque with a ratcheting mechanism, while at the same time reaching hard to reach work pieces.
Conventional ratcheting wrenches use sockets to transfer torque to work pieces at the work piece, which can reduce ability in low profile or hard to reach settings. Still other conventional ratcheting wrenches connect the handle portion of the wrench to the head portion in a manner that is awkward, structurally unstable, or difficult to adjust.


A method and system for automatically identifying configuration cell addresses in a schematic hierarchy is disclosed. In one embodiment of the present invention, a memory cell (e.g., a configuration bit) is identified in a schematic hierarchy. Next, this embodiment determines an address for the memory cell. Then, this embodiment determines a unique name for the memory cell. The name is comprised of a hierarchical logical name and a schematic path name. By traversing the schematic and using logical names, all addresses of configuration bits of a circuit design may be automatically determined. The process is repeated for each memory cell in the schematic. This embodiment stores the unique name of the configuration bit and the address of the configuration bit in a data structure.

Embodiments of the present invention relate to the field of programmable logic devices. Specifically, embodiments of the present invention relate to a system and method for identifying the addresses of configuration cells in a schematic hierarchy.
Integrated circuits, such as, for example, complex programmable logic devices (CPLD) comprise a large number and variety of programmable circuits. By selectively choosing which of the circuits on the CPLD are used and how the circuits are interconnected, a CPLD may be used to implement a wide range of custom circuit designs. Devices such as CPLDs have one or more arrays (e.g., configuration blocks) of memory cells (e.g., configuration bits) that configure the CPLD""s functionality. Each of the memory cells (configuration bits) has an address which may be specified by a word-line and a bit-line. The configuration blocks are programmed at start-up by storing values into the configuration bits. The addresses of the configuration bits must also be determined for simulation. Due to the large number of configuration cells, the process of programming the configuration bits may be complex and problematic for complex PLDs.
In one conventional method, the memory cells (configuration bits) and their associated word-lines and bit-lines are identified manually, and the result would be specific to only one simulator. A separate computer program is written for each programmable logic device circuit design. Therefore, great care must be taken to avoid computer programming errors when using this cumbersome and tedious conventional method. Furthermore, each time the programmable logic device circuit design is changed, the program which identifies the memory cells and their associated word-lines and bit-lines must be changed, by once again manually identifying the wordline and bitline addresses of the configuration bits. Configuration bit errors due to manual entry mistakes may appear as circuit errors, thereby adding to the complexity and difficulty of circuit simulation.
As the complexity of devices such as CPLDs increases, the number of memory cells (configuration bits) increases. Consequently, the risk of error increases when using a conventional manual method for address determination. Furthermore, as separate programs need to be written for each programmable logic device design change, the time spent programming increases dramatically. Clearly, this could delay getting a new product to market and increase design and test costs.
Therefore, it would be advantageous to provide a method and system for automatically identifying configuration circuit addresses in a schematic hierarchy. A method and system are needed which automatically build a data structure comprising configuration circuit addresses from a programmable logic device design. A further needs exists for a such method and system which may easily update the output data structure when changes are made to the input schematic database. A still further need exists for such method and system which avoids the need for custom computer programs for each design and may function across a wide spectrum of applications.
Embodiments of the present invention provide a method and system for automatically identifying configuration cell (circuit) addresses in a schematic hierarchy of a programmable logic device design. Embodiments of the present invention provide for a method and system which automatically builds a data structure comprising configuration circuit addresses, thus minimizing errors which may occur in a manual process. Embodiments of the present invention automatically update the output data structure when changes are made to the input database. Embodiments of the present invention are applicable to a wide range of applications including simulations and testings and avoid the need for custom computer code for each programmable logic device design. Embodiments of the present invention provide these advantages and others not specifically mentioned above but described in the sections to follow.
A method and system for automatically identifying configuration cell addresses in a schematic hierarchy is disclosed. In one embodiment of the present invention, a memory cell (e.g., a configuration bit) is identified in a schematic hierarchy. Next, this embodiment determines an address for the memory cell. Then, this embodiment determines a unique name for the memory cell. The name is comprised of a hierarchical logical name and a schematic path name. By traversing the schematic and using logical names, all addresses of configuration bits of a circuit design may be automatically determined. The process is repeated for each memory cell in the schematic. This embodiment stores the unique name of the configuration bit and the address of the configuration bit in a data structure.
In one embodiment, the memory cell is at the lowest level in the schematic hierarchy. In another embodiment, the schematic hierarchy represents a complex programmable logic device (CPLD) design.
In another embodiment, in addition to the above steps, instance names in the hierarchical schematic are sorted alphanumerically. In yet another embodiment, in addition to the above steps, numerical indexes associated with logical names in the hierarchical schematic are renumbered.
In still another embodiment of the present invention, the wordlines and bitlines which are connected to a memory cell (e.g., a configuration bit) are traced to the corresponding wordlines and bitlines of a higher level cell in the schematic hierarchy.

Method and system for identifying configuration circuit addresses in a schematic hierarchy


A compact, high repetition rate, extreme ultraviolet/soft x-ray laser and method for generating such radiation are described. Excitation of the gaseous or vaporous lasing medium is achieved by discharging energy stored in a solid-dielectric capacitive device through a capillary channel containing the medium. By reducing the inductance of the discharge apparatus, excitation of the laser medium can be achieved without the use of Marx generators. Neon-like Ar atom laser pulses at 46.9 nm having energies of about 13 μJ are generated at repetition rates up to 12 Hz. Between 2 and 3×104 laser shots can be generated using a single capillary. Such a source of intense, short-wavelength radiation can be used for applications which include surface characterization of materials, high resolution imaging and printing, photochemistry and photophysics, laser ablation, characterization of x-ray optics, and dense plasma diagnostics.

Radiation in the extreme ultraviolet (EUV) and soft x-ray (SXR) regions of the electromagnetic spectrum finds use in applications that cannot be performed using visible light, such as imaging and printing of small features, diagnosis of dense large-scale plasmas, and the study of material surfaces by interaction with inner-shell electrons, to name a few. Many of these applications (for example, high-precision measurement techniques based on interferometry) further require radiation having substantial coherence which both allows radiation waves to interfere, and allows radiation to be focused onto small areas, thereby permitting high intensities to be achieved.
Synchrotron sources, high-order harmonic sources, and soft x-ray lasers have been used for generating coherent EUV/SXR radiation. Synchrotrons produce high average powers of EUV/SXR radiation that can be filtered in space and frequency to obtain a substantial coherence. Typically, these sources are multi-user facilities requiring their own buildings and costing hundreds of millions of dollars.
Direct amplification of EUV/SXR radiation in a suitable laser medium is an attractive method for generating intense beams of such radiation from a compact device. However, in order for a laser to operate efficiently and to produce significant amounts of laser output energy, the amplified beam must reach saturation intensity, whereby the amplified radiation extracts the majority of the energy stored in the population inversion. An obstacle for the development of such saturated lasers has been the large excitation power required to produce a sufficiently large population inversion in a volume having sufficient length. Successfully demonstrated EUV/SXR laser media include plasmas sustained using a powerful source of energy; for example, by focusing a high-power infrared, visible or ultraviolet laser radiation into the lasing media. Electrical energy is used to excite such a laser. To date, most saturated EUV/SXR lasers excited by this method have required large and costly pump lasers. In all cases average power output is low.
An alternative excitation method uses an electrical discharge as the energy source, thereby creating a plasma and exciting the laser upper level. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,937,832 which issued to Jorge J. Rocca on. Jun. 26, 1990, an electrical discharge through a capillary channel was demonstrated to produce a plasma column in which large EUV/SXR laser amplification was obtained. The lasing portion of the apparatus occupied a volume of about 1 m×1 m×2.5 m. A liquid-dielectric (de-ionized water or ethylene glycol, as examples), high-voltage capacitor was charged to a chosen high voltage, and discharged through the capillary channel. A high-voltage Marx generator which included a voltage multiplication circuit having at least two series connected stages, each stage containing a capacitor and a high-voltage switch, was used. The capacitors were charged in parallel to a selected voltage using a high-voltage power supply, while the switches remained open. When the switches are simultaneously closed, a voltage that is of the order of the charging voltage times the number of stages is produced. A more compact configuration was achieved by replacing the liquid dielectric capacitor with a liquid-dielectric Blumlein transmission line. This latter device occupied a volume of about 0.4 m×0.4 m×1 m, a significant reduction in size respect to laser-excited EUV/SXR lasers. A Marx generator (typical volume of about 1 m3), which includes a de-ionizing unit for achieving and maintaining sufficiently high resistivity for the liquid dielectric is generally still required.
Significant efforts have been devoted to reducing the size of saturated soft x-ray lasers from laboratory size [See, e.g., B. J. MacGowan et al., Phys. Fluids B 4, 2326, (1992); and A. Carrillon et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 68, 2917, (1992)], to table-top size [See, e.g., J. J. Rocca et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 73, 2192 (1994); J. Dunn et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 84, 4834 (2000); S. Sebban, et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 86, 3004 (2001); S. Sebban et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 89, 253901 (2002); K. A. Jenulewicz et al., Phys. Rev. A 68, 051802 (2003); and A. Butler et al., Phys. Rev. A 70, 023821 (2004).]. The demonstration of laser amplification in transitions of Ne-like ions in a capillary discharge plasma [See, e.g., J. J. Rocca et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 73, 2192 (1994); and J. J. Rocca et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 77, 1476 (1996).] has led to the development of compact, short-wavelength lasers. Table-top size Ne-like Ar lasers operating at a wavelength of 46.9 nm have been developed making using water capacitors charged to high voltage (200-700 kV) from the pulsed output of Marx generators [See, e.g., J. J. Rocca et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 77, 1476 (1996); B. R. Benware et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 81, 5804 (1998); C. D. Machietto et al., Optics Lett. 24, 1115 (1999); A. Ben-Kish et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 87, 1 (2001); and A. Ritucci et al., Applied Phys. B 78, 965 (2004).].
Such lasers have been used in numerous applications, including interferometry of dense plasmas [See, e.g., J. Filevich et al., Optics Lett. 25, 356 (2000).], the measurement of optical constants [See, e.g., A. Artioukov et al., IEEE J. of Selected Topics in Quant. Elec. 5, 1495 (1999).], materials ablation [See, e.g., B. R. Benware et al., Optics Lett. 24, 1714 (1999).], the characterization of soft x-ray optics [See, e.g., M. Seminario et al., Appl. Optics 40, 5539 (2001).], excitation of color centers in crystals [See, e.g., G. Tomassetti et al., Europhys. Lett. 63, 681 (2003).], nanopatterning [See, e.g., M. G. Capeluto et al. (submitted to IEEE Transaction on Nanotechnology).], photochemistry, and high resolution imaging.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide coherent EUV/SXR radiation from a compact, high average power laser.
Another object of the present invention is to provide coherent EUV/SXR radiation at sufficiently low applied voltages that a Marx generator is not required.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide coherent EUV/SXR radiation at high repetition rates, and high average power.
Additional objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will be set forth, in part, in the description that follows, and, in part, will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Colorado State University Research Foundation


A method and system for detecting and preventing bulk messages in real-time is provided. A detection server detects and prevents bulk messages in real-time by analyzing the network traffic pattern of attributes of messages, such as email messages, that are passing through the network against an expected network traffic pattern. The expected network traffic pattern may be specified as a combination of a rate and one or more thresholds, where each threshold has a corresponding status. The rate specifies a quantity of an attribute measured with respect to a quantity of time. A status associated with a threshold is attained when the rate is exceeded the requisite threshold number of times. The status indicates an action that is to be taken in processing the email message containing the attribute. An email message can then be processed in accordance with a status assigned to an attribute of the email message.

The costs associated with sending and receiving electronic messages, such as email messages, have reduced significantly to a point where the marginal cost of sending or receiving such a message is nearly zero. Commercial and other entities are thus able to send millions of email messages without incurring significant costs. However, the increased reliance on email has exposed the individuals and corporations that use email to threats from, for example, email viruses, spam, phishing attacks, and the like. Commercially available anti-virus software packages are typically employed to combat such attacks.
Anti-virus software typically employ filtration techniques to protect computers against viruses, worms, Trojan horses, and other unwanted messages. Filtration techniques classify an incoming message based on one or more rules that are applied to various attributes of the message. By way of example, a rule may indicate that an incoming message that contains a specific sender's electronic mail address is to be classified and treated as spam. End users, such as a recipient of messages, may also create and use rules to classify incoming messages to identify and handle spam appropriately. As an example, a user of an electronic mail client program may set up an "inbox rule" to move all incoming messages with a subject heading including the text "$$$" to a "deleted items" folder. One problem with filtration techniques is that commercial senders of messages (e.g., "spammers") can adapt their messages to known or commonly employed filters to ensure that messages are not classified as spam. As a result, the filtration techniques react to existing or known attacks, and the filtration techniques may require a tremendous amount of manual intervention to keep up with the adaptations of the spammers. Any kind of manual intervention to react to an attack may be too late as a very large number of unwanted messages may have been processed as a result of the attack, causing additional burden on various resources—e.g., CPU, storage, network bandwidth, etc.

Real-time detection and prevention of bulk messages


A guitar and violin hybrid instrument (10) comprising either a solid or hollow body (12). The body (12) has an upper surface (14), a lower surface (16), an upper end (18), a lower end (20), a left half (22), and a right half (24). Located on the body's (12) lower section is a leg contour (38) that provides a comfortable leg support. On the lower surface (16) is an electronics cavity (26) for housing an electronics circuit (130). Located on the body's (12) upper surface (14) is a plurality of magnetic pickups (G), control knobs for the operating the electronics circuit (130) and a bridge (42). Located on the bridge's (42) upper surface (44) is a plurality of piezoelectric pickups (Y). A neck (82) extends from the body's upper end (18). Attached to the neck's (82) upper surface (88) is a fretboard (104) on which a multiplicity of frets (112) are distributed. Located at the neck's (82) outer end (84) is a headstock (94) which has a plurality of tuning pegs (102) for adjusting the tension of a plurality of strings (126) that extend from the bridge (42), across the body (12) and over the magnetic pickups (G) to the tuning pegs (102).

One of the most important goals for musicians, sound designers, music producers and instrument designers is to create new and unique sounds that can be used in songs, jingles, film and television soundtracks, etc. With the advent of the synthesizer in the mid-1960's and on to current electronic instruments and devices, the creation of new sounds has become significantly easier.
Before electrical devices, most musical instruments were limited to a specific type of tone. The design of the modem piano, for example, is credited to Bartolommeo Critofori, who built his harpsichord—derived instrument in 1709. The six-string acoustic guitar as we know it today, with the EADGBE tuning was developed in the late 1700's, from an original design having four "courses" (pairs of strings, tuned in unison) dating from the 1500's. Other stringed instruments such as the violin also date from the 1500's, but were derived from bowed instruments or even earlier designs. From the time of their initial designs, most instruments have changed very little as far as sound creation is concerned.
Due to their design and inherent abilities, electronic instruments are the preferred instruments to create new sounds or to mimic other instruments that are not readily available. If a typical "rock" band wants to include a flute or violin sound, they will usually use a synthesizer or a sampler/sample-playback device.
For many musicians, a well as those who simply enjoy listening to music, the sound of a flute or violin created and/or played in this manner is not an acceptable substitute. Although a synthesizer or sampler can produce an authentic sound, there are certain frequencies and harmonics that can only be produced when playing an actual metal flute or wooden violin.
There have been attempts at creating instruments that retain their original design but also can be utilized for modern functions. It is now common to see pianos, double bass, violins and other stringed and/or bowed instruments utilizing magnetic or piezoelectric pickups that permit electric amplification. Many wind instruments, such as the flute or a saxophone can have a microphone attached or be interfaced with a MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) device. Other attempts at allowing musicians greater flexibility is to combine two similar instruments, such as double-neck guitar which typically comprises an electric or acoustic six-string guitar with a bass guitar or 12-string guitar. While these types of instruments do allow a musician to play different sounds quickly and easily, the sound of each instrument remains the same.
What is needed is a means by which a musician can combine two or more sounds together, without utilizing a synthesizer or sampler. The ability to play individually or to combine the tones of two unique instruments, such as a guitar and a violin, from a single instrument would be extremely beneficial. A musician could choose which sound/tone he/she wanted to produce without the need to physically switch from one instrument to another. The sound of the acoustic or electric guitar being strummed or plucked or the sound of the bowed violin could be used. And, with the ability to morph or combine the two sounds together, a truly unique sound could be produced without the negative qualities the result from the use of electronic devices to create the sound.
A search of the prior art patents and industry literature did not disclose any musical instrument that read upon the claims of the instant invention. However, the following U.S. patents are considered related:
U.S. Pat. No.INVENTORISSUED5,085,115Schlink 4 Feb. 19924,311,078Falgares19 Jan. 1982
The U.S. Pat. No. 5,085,115 patent discloses a musical instrument having at least six strings tuned and fingered like an electric guitar, and having a symmetrically arched fingerboard, nut and bridge configuration to allow each string to be played individually with a violin bow. In addition, a transducer is mounted at the bridge to pickup the bowed sound and the arched double coil pick-up is mounted underneath the strings to pick up the plucked sound of the string. An adjustable support mechanism allows the instrument to be held so that the bow passes over the shoulder or clavicle.
The U.S. Pat. No. 4,311,078 patent discloses a guitar which, while being held in the traditional guitar playing position, may be strummed or bowed interchangeably. This is accomplished by constructing the nut, neck and bridge each to be formed having an arcuate surface to support the strings in an arcuate disposition. When the guitar is held in a vertical position, the corresponding upper edge of the nut, neck and bridge are raised so as to be greater in height than the opposite edge portions thereof. This arrangement locates the arcuate surface asymmetrically relative to the body of the instrument to support the strings either for strumming, plucking or bowing.


An improved biological sample analyzer for conducting assays of samples loaded therein, and a method and system for operation thereof, that schedules operations by instrument systems on each biological sample and schedules a conditional cleaning operation prior to a scheduled instrument system operation. The analyzer conducts the assays of the biological samples by performing the scheduled instrument system operations and performs a cleaning operation prior to any scheduled instrument system operation conditioned upon the instrument system operation scheduled prior to the cleaning operation. The biological analyzer can perform a warming operation prior to a scheduled instrument system operation determined upon the lapse of time between the scheduled instrument system operation and the instrument system operation scheduled prior thereto.

The present invention relates generally to biological sample analyzers used to perform assays of patient specimen samples. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method and system for the scheduling an adaptive rinse operation as part of the operating steps for performing assays of biological samples in an automatic analyzer.
Biological sample analyzers, of the type considered herein, are automated instruments that may be used in hospitals, clinics, laboratories, or other locations, to run routine tests (assays) on samples of patient specimens such as blood, spinal fluid, urine, serum, plasma, and so on. An automated analyzer of the type discussed herein includes an analyzer unit that runs tests on a number of patient specimen samples that are loaded into the unit. An operator-user prepares the samples by placing portions of the patients' specimen samples into a number of like-sized sample containers. These samples may be diluted or otherwise treated, depending upon the type of analyzer used, the type of assay being performed, and other factors. The containers are then placed in the analyzer unit. The containers may first be placed in a rack or carousel that is then placed in the analyzing unit. The rack may accommodate a number of sample containers, e.g. 24. In addition, one or more appropriate chemical reagents, needed to perform the assays, are also placed in the analyzer unit. In order to mix reagents with the samples, the analyzer unit may also include a fluid moving system, such as a robotic probe mounted on a boom, which is adapted to draw up portions of the reagents and/or samples and expel them into appropriate locations, e.g. additional cells such as reaction cells provided in the sample containers, where a reaction can take place. The analyzer unit also may include a means for detecting a reaction in the reaction cells. This may include an optical detector to observe fluorescence reactions and make optical measurements to obtain a result for each sample. The analyzer unit may also typically include other mechanical systems to move the sample containers and the probe. The analyzer unit may also provide for cleaning the probe between certain tasks in order to avoid contamination between samples. For this purpose, the analyzer unit may also include a washing station and a waste dispensing container to hold the used rinse solution. (For purposes of this specification and claims, the terms "rinse" and "cleaning solution" are used interchangeably).
After the operator-user loads the specimen samples, enters appropriate instructions, and starts the unit, the analyzer runs unattended. When placed in operation, the analyzer unit, using the appropriate chemical reagent, runs the same test on each of the samples in the sample containers and will perform identical operations on each of the samples loaded in the rack. When it is finished, the analyzer prints out or otherwise reports on the results of its testing.
Biological analyzers utilize different chemistries for performing assays of specimen samples. One type of assays used in biological analyzers includes immunoassays and solid phase procedures. Analyzers for performing immunoassays in general and enzyme immunoassays in particular are known in the art.
A biological analyzer that utilizes immunoassay chemistry to perform assays of specimen samples loaded therein is the IMx.RTM. analyzer introduced in 1988 by Abbott Laboratories, of North Chicago, Ill. (A description of the IMx analyzer is included in "The Abbott IMx Automated Benchtop Immunochemistry Analyzer System", by Fiore, M. et al., Clinical Chemistry, Vol. 34, No. 9, 1988, which is specifically incorporated herein by reference in its entirety). The IMx analyzer is a biological sample analyzer that has been developed for use in conjunction with solid phase immunoassay procedures to perform a variety of assays (such as sandwich and competitive assays). The IMx analyzer uses a technology referred to as microparticle capture enzyme immunoassay (MEIA) and fluorescence polarization immunoassay (FPIA). The IMx analyzer includes a microprocessor used to control a robotic arm with 2 degrees of freedom and a rotating carousel to process the samples for assay. One assay can be done on each of 24 specimen samples in 30-40 minutes or more unattended after loading (i.e. with "walk away" automation). Assay results are output to a printer or a computer interface.
A biological sample analyzer, such as the IMx analyzer described above, can execute the steps required for performing assays of up to 24 specimen samples, including the steps of counting the samples, identifying which assay to run, warming the reagents and reaction cells to appropriate temperatures, pipetting the reagents and samples, diluting samples if required, timing critical assay steps such as incubations, washing unbound conjugate, quantifying the fluorescence signal and performing data reduction to yield a useful result.
The container used for holding each of the specimen samples for a biological sample analyzer, such as the IMx analyzer, may be a disposable assay cartridge having a plurality of wells, with at least one reaction well and one separation well. The separation well may contain a fibrous matrix positioned across its entrance and an absorbent material positioned below the fibrous matrix. Microparticles react with an analyte containing sample and one or more reagents to form a complex. This complex is immobilized on the matrix of the separation cell. The excess sample and reagent are washed through the matrix and captured in the absorbent material below.
The results of the reactions may be read using known optical detection techniques. For example, using conventional solid phase procedures, an analyte can be labeled or tagged with an enzyme which in the presence of its substrate fluoresces and emits light at a known wave length. The rate at which the fluorescent product is produced is indicative of the concentration of the analyte in the biological sample. A conventional fluorometer is suitable for illuminating the fibrous matrix with a beam of light having the appropriate excitation wave length. The fluorometer also detects the intensity of the light at the emission wave length assays. Using this type of solid phase technology has been found to provide a high degree of sensitivity.
A biological sample analyzer, such as the IMx analyzer, provides for performing assays of patients' specimen samples and reading the results of such assays in a mass production type manner. This allows such assays to be made available quickly and conveniently.
The steps that the instrument systems follow to perform the assay in the biological analyzer are included in a program called a protocol. The protocol is written by an assay developer and may be included on the module. The protocol is a series of steps or instructions for the instrument systems to perform including time constraints on when the steps are to be performed. These steps could include mixing the sample with one or more reagents in a mixing cell, providing an incubation time, and measuring a reaction. Often, certain steps for each sample have to be separated by an incubation time to allow for a reaction to take place. Instrument systems, such as the probe, may perform some of the steps for one specimen sample until an incubation time is needed and then the probe performs a similar series of operations on another of the specimens, and so forth. When moving from one sample to the next, the probe may have to be decontaminated to prevent carryover by inserting it into a rinse solution. Commands to perform a rinse operation are included in the protocol. With this type of operation, the assay developer would typically write an instruction in the assay protocol to clean the probe after a series of operations to prevent contaminating the next sample. Because the types of samples and reagents is known to the assay developer, the assay developer could instruct the analyzer to perform a cleaning operation appropriate to clean the probe to prevent carry over. Different cleaning operations are necessary depending upon the type of specimens and reagents being handled. For example, it might be determined that the probe would be sufficiently cleaned by drawing into it a certain number of ml of the rinse solution and expelling the rinse. For other specimens and reagents, it may be necessary to perform the cleaning operation twice. Alternatively, it may be necessary to draw the rinse into the probe and hold it for a certain number of seconds. In a biological analyzer, such as the IMx analyzer, dozens of different types of rinses may be used depending upon the needs of assay.
Even though such analyzers can provide significant advantages by performing assays quickly and conveniently, further advantages for the user could be obtained if the overall through put of the analyzer could be increased. One way to provide even more advantages and convenience for users of biological analyzers would be to provide the capability to perform more than one assay on the specimen samples in an unattended run. Although a biological analyzer such as the IMx analyzer can perform different types of assays and can perform assays on a number of specimen samples unattended, the analyzer can run only one type of assay at a time. If a different type of assay is to be performed, the analyzer would have to be reloaded with different reagents. Also, because different types of assays may require different amounts of the sample specimen, different amounts of reagents, different processing steps, different incubation times, etc., the analyzer would also be reset at the beginning of the run to perform the new assay. In the case of the IMx analyzer, a different memory module may have to be inserted containing the instructions for the analyzer unit for performing the different assay. Thus, even if only a few of several different types of assays need to be run, the operator-user has to load and run the analyzer for the first type of assay for only a few samples and then reload the analyzer to run the second type of assay on another batch of samples using perhaps different reagents. It is recognized that for many users of the IMx analyzer, or other biological sample analyzers, it would be convenient and advantageous to be able to perform more than one type of assay during an unattended run.
Although analyzers having the capability to perform more than one assay in an unattended run have the potential to provide further advantages and convenience for the operator-user, when the operator-user is given the capability to choose which type of assays to perform in an unattended run, providing this feature presents several obstacles relating to the analyzer operation. One obstacle associated with operating an analyzer to perform more than one assay in a run relates to carryover. In the prior analyzers that perform only one assay in an unattended run, the developer could readily determine the sequence of operating steps and provide the appropriate instruction in the protocol for the type of cleaning operation, such as rinse, needed to prevent carryover. However, in an analyzer in which more than one assay is being performed, there is a large number of possible permutations of load list combinations available. For example, if there are 24 specimen samples in the carousel rack and the operator-user is permitted to select any one of three different assays to be performed on the samples, there are almost 2500 different permutations of possible combinations of assays and samples that the user can select. If the operator-user is permitted to select any one of four different assays to be performed on the 24 samples, there are approximately 10,000 different permutations of possible combinations. Thus, the assay developer is no longer able to know with certainty which samples will be handled by sequential operations of the analyzer instrument systems, such as the probe or which reagents will be used for subsequent operations or even which operations will be performed sequentially. For example, the potential exists for an analyte to be present in a sample upon which an assay not specific to that analyte is performed to be carried over to a sample upon which an assay specific to that analyte is being performed thereby causing a false positive. Whereas in single assay runs, the assay developer could predict with a certainty the type of rinse needed to avoid contamination, with the load list combinations present with more-than-one assay runs, the number of permutations of possible operating sequences is high enough that it becomes difficult to predict the type of rinse operation is required.
One way to address this concern is to establish a rinsing safety factor high enough to always effectively clean the probe regardless of the sequence of operations. Thus, the assay developer would use a strong rinse or a large quantity or duration of rinse between all operating steps. This rinse would be based upon the worst case contamination concern. If the worst case contamination were always provided for, the analyzer would use a considerable amount of rinse and would likely be using more rinse than is needed between instrument system operations for many load list permutations.
Using more rinse than is necessary is inconvenient and requires the refilling the cleaning solution container frequently. Using more rinse than is necessary requires disposing of the large quantity of rinse waste generated. Moreover, excess rinse can lead to problems. For example, if too much of a certain rinse is used and some of it carries over to another sample for another assay that is sensitive to that rinse, it may interfere with the chemical reactions in performing the assay for the latter sample.
Another problem related to operating an analyzer to perform more than one assay in a run relates to warming the probe. As mentioned above, assays and particularly immunoassays are sensitive to the temperature. For that reason, provision is made to stabilize the temperature as much as possible. When operating an analyzer with more than one assay type and the high number of possible combinations of operations, it is possible that the probe may be idled for a period of time and possibly cool off. one way to ensure that this does not happen is by inserting the probe into the rinse which is maintained at a preferred temperature. This operation is referred to as "pre-warming". In an analyzer that performs more than one assay and that has a high number of possible combinations of operating steps, it cannot readily be determined when such a pre-warming step should be performed if at all.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a biological sample analyzer, and a method and system for operation thereof, that provides for a cleaning operation to prevent carryover and a pre-warming operation when needed, especially when more than one type of assay is performed on patient specimen samples loaded therein.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide for a variable cleaning operation sufficient to prevent contamination of the fluid handling systems and which reduces excessive waste and improves through put.

Adaptive scheduling system and method for operating a biological sample analyzer with variable rinsing


A lens array includes a first lens group with rows of first lenses having first optical surfaces, a second lens group with rows of second lenses having second optical surfaces, and a reference plane. Each first and second lenses extend along a first axis. The second lenses are disposed at two sides of the first lens group along a second axis perpendicular to the first axis. An optical axis of the second optical surface is perpendicular to the first and second axis. An optical axis of the first optical surface is perpendicular to the first axis and has an angle larger than 0 degree and smaller than 6 degrees with the optical axis of the second optical surface. The reference plane perpendicular to the second axis passes through the first lens group. A normal vector of each first optical surface on the optical axis points away from the reference plane.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to a projection device, and particularly to a lens array and an illumination module using the same.
2. Description of Related Art
FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a conventional illumination module. Referring to FIG. 1, an illumination module 100 includes a light source 110, a first lens array 120, a second lens array 130 and a polarization converting system 140. The light source 110 emits an illuminating beam L10, and the first lens array 120 and the second lens array 130 are sequentially disposed on an optical path of the illuminating beam L10. The first lens array 120 and the second lens array 130 uniformize the illuminating beam L10. The polarization converting system 140 is disposed on the optical path of the illuminating beam L10 from the second lens array 130 and renders the illuminating beam L10 as a polarized polarization beam L120.
The polarization converting system 140 has a plurality of absorption devices 142, a plurality of polarization beam splitters 144, a plurality of reflection devices 146 and a plurality of half-wave plates 148. The illuminating beam L10 enters the polarization beam splitter 144, and a portion of the illuminating beam L10 penetrates the polarization beam splitter 144 and the half-wave plate 148. Another portion of the illuminating beam L10 is reflected by the polarization beam splitter 144 to the reflection device 146 and then reflected by the reflection device 146 to pass through the polarization converting system 140.
The absorption device 142, the polarization beam splitter 144, the reflection device 146 and the half-wave plate 148 are symmetrically disposed opposite to a reference plane 140a. The first lens array 120 and the second lens array 130 have a plurality of first lenses 122 and a plurality of second lenses 132 respectively. Each of the first lenses 122 and each of the second lenses 132 correspond to a central point of each polarization beam splitter 144 respectively. Since the polarization converting system 140 is symmetrically disposed, two adjacent symmetric polarization beam splitters 144a are disposed at two sides of the reference plane 140a. To coordinate with two adjacent polarization beam splitters 144a so that a first lens 122a and a second lens 132a both align with a central point of the polarization beam splitter 144a. A width d′ of the first lens 122a and the second lens 132a corresponding to the polarization beam splitter 144a is smaller than a width d of the first lens 122 and the second lens 132. Thus, the illuminating beam L10 passing through the first lens array 120 and the second lens array 130 is rendered inconsecutive.