An information retrieval system and method translates a single search request or query across heterogenous databases independent of the database search grammar(s). A client uses a process to express the query in a powerful programming language, i.e., Generalized Query Language (GQL) which has a wide variety of operators to precisely specify the conditions of the query and enable a fused response to be provided by the databases to the query. The process translates the query into phrases contained in a GQL and constructs a complex search query which bridges the gap between the query and the low level of functionality provided in search engines associated with the databases. A search broker receives the GQL query and using a process (i) checks for syntax errors; (2), if correct, parses the complex query into individual search or partial queries and associated logical operations, and (3) forwards the partial queries and operations to the database search engines. Each search engines translates the partial queries into database search grammar for searching purposes and retrieves search information in the form of a "HitList" related to the query. Each search engines combines the "HitList" in accordance with the operations associated with the partial queries and any constraints specified in the query to generate a search result having a format common in appearance with other search engine results which serves as a fused response from the heterogenous databases.

1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to information retrieval systems and methods of operation. More particularly, the invention relates to a system and method for generating a single search query for multiple, dissimilar heterogeneous search engines from a client station in a distributed information system.
2. Background Discussion
In the prior art, many information retrieval systems require custom code to translate a given search question into individual target search grammar. Such systems have been handicapped by programming language which does not address general purpose search and retrieval or the systems are tied to a specific commercial product which supports only the features of those products and not a full range of desired capabilities. What is needed is a system and method operation to generate a single query to reach and be processed by a large set of heterogeneous search engine products and then have the search results returned as a single, fused list of relevant information. More specifically, what is needed is to provide a client with a set of object classes which provide a template to perform required translations. The entire translation process is templated so that the process can logically be driven by altering a run-time configuration file rather than writing new code. Where code is required, the code may be inserted via a run-time binding to a shared object allowing a translation product to ship as a single, universal version.

System and method for query translation/semantic translation using generalized query language

International Business Machines Corporation


A method for determining the gas portion in the medium flowing through a Coriolis mass flowmeter, wherein the Coriolis mass flowmeter has at least one measuring tube, at least one oscillation generator, at least two oscillation sensors and at least one control and evaluation unit, wherein the method is characterized in that the density value ρ100 of the gas-free medium is determined in a ρ100 step, that the density value ρmess of the medium flowing through the measuring tube is measured in a ρmess step, that a quantity GVQ for the gas portion of the medium flowing through the measuring tube is calculated in a GVQ step with the density value ρ100 and the density value ρmess, and that the quantity GVQ is output for the gas portion of the medium flowing through the measuring tube.

Coriolis mass flowmeters belong to the class of vibration measuring devices. Their function is based on at least one measuring tube through which a medium flows being excited to oscillation by an oscillation generator. This oscillation generator is often an electric drive, which is usually present as an electromagnetic drive. With such an electromagnetic drive, an electric current flows through a coil as an electrical excitation signal, wherein the coil current, in conjunction with the coil, directly exerts a force on the measuring tube. The function of Coriolis mass flowmeters is based on the medium with mass acting on the wall of the measuring tube due to the Coriolis inertial force caused by two orthogonal movements that of the flow and that of the measuring tube. This retroactive effect of the medium on the measuring tube leads to a change in the measuring tube speed in comparison to the oscillation state of the measuring tube without flow. The mass flow through the measuring tube can be determined with high accuracy by recording these special features of the oscillations of the Coriolis measuring tube with flow (phase shift between the oscillation on the inlet and outlet sides of the measuring tube).
The natural frequencies of the oscillating parts of the Coriolis mass flowmeter, i.e. essentially the natural frequencies of the measuring tube as an oscillating element, are of particular importance because the operating points of the Coriolis mass flowmeter are usually set to the natural frequencies of the measuring tube in order to be able to imprint the oscillations required for the induction of the Coriolis forces with a minimum expenditure of energy. The oscillations then carried out by the measuring tube have a certain shape, which is called the eigenform of the respective excitation. Another reason for the special importance of natural frequencies in Coriolis mass flowmeters is the direct physical connection between the natural frequency of the measuring tube in its eigenform and the effectively deflected oscillating mass (measuring tube mass and mass of the medium in the measuring tube). The density of the medium in the measuring tube can be determined via this correlation, which is important for the present invention, even if it is not the primary measured variable of interest of a flowmeter.
If the mass of the oscillating element changes, i.e. the mass of the measuring tube through which the medium flows, then the resonance frequency of the excited or examined oscillation mode also changes. If the measuring tube is excited to oscillate at an unchanged frequency, the excited oscillation is damped due to the shifted resonance point. Various methods for operating a Coriolis mass flowmeter are concerned with detecting a variable resonance frequency and also tracking the frequency of the excitation to the resonance point at a variable resonance frequency; for this, reference is made, for example, to DE 10 2016 100 952 A1 or DE 10 2013 020 603 A1.
A particular challenge for the operation of a Coriolis mass flowmeter is the occurrence of a multi-phase flow with a gaseous portion. Often, only a two-phase flow is mentioned, wherein this term is based on the understanding that this flow has a gaseous phase and a non-gaseous phase, which in turn can have liquid and solid components. The term "two-phase flow" should also be understood in this general sense.
The occurrence of a two-phase flow (i.e. transition from a single-phase flow with only liquid or liquid-solid component to flow with a gas phase) is problematic because gas inclusions can strongly influence the measuring accuracy and also make the safe operation of a Coriolis mass flowmeter difficult or even impossible. The same problems also arise with varying gas portions in the flowing medium. Gas inclusions in the medium can be intentional, for example in applications in the food industry, where processed media can have an airy, whipped consistency.
Irrespective of whether media have gas inclusions intentionally or unintentionally, the measuring accuracy suffers from the circumstance that the entire mass of the flowing medium is no longer fully deflected by the oscillating measuring tube but is only partially deflected. This may, for example, be due to less dense components in the medium flowing around denser components, which also applies to movement components orthogonal to the flow direction, which are essential for Coriolis measurement. The compression or decompression of gaseous components in the medium can also be of importance, which are caused by the mass inertia of heavier liquid or solid components. Depending on the characteristics of the gas inclusions and the shape of the flow regime (stratified, wave-shaped, bubble-shaped, droplet-shaped), gas inclusions can also lead to interruption of the measurement operation because continuous measurement can no longer be guaranteed.
In the past, great efforts have been made to detect two-phase flows and to react to detected two-phase flows using suitable control measures, so that the measurement operation can still continue. Examples are DE 10 2005 012 505 A1, DE 10 2006 031 198 A1 and DE 10 2008 039 012 A1. Various of these measures are part of the applicant's so called "entrained gas management".
DE 10 2006 017 676 A1 is mentioned as an example for the pure detection of a two-phase flow, wherein various state variables and changes in these state variables are evaluated here partly statistically in order to obtain a two-phase signal which indicates the presence or absence of a two-phase flow with great accuracy but does not reliably quantize it.

Method for determining the gas portion in the medium flowing through a Coriolis mass flowmeter


A defect inspection method and device for a perpendicular magnetic recording medium that has discrete recording tracks and grooves between recording tracks, including DC demagnetizing the perpendicular magnetic recording medium, detecting a reproduced signal from the perpendicular magnetic recording medium after the DC demagnetizing, removing output fluctuation components caused by the grooves from the reproduced signal using a filter with a prescribed cutoff frequency and separating a peak output of the reproduced signal, comparing the peak output with a prescribed reference signal, and identifying a location where the peak output exceeds the reference signal as a defect location. The method further includes performing an envelope-detection on the reproduced signal, detecting a pre-format region in the perpendicular magnetic recording medium using the envelope-detection result, masking the detected pre-format region, and detecting the defect location in a region outside the masked pre-format region in the perpendicular magnetic recording medium.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a defect inspection method and to a defect inspection device for a magnetic recording medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, hard disk drives have tended toward larger capacities, and recording densities of a magnetic recording medium have continued to rise. Conventional longitudinal recording methods are methods in which magnetization is parallel to a medium in-plane direction; in a magnetic recording medium employing this method, when recording densities are high magnetization reversals due to thermal fluctuations exert a considerable influence, so that a limit to high recording densities had been approached. On the other hand, in perpendicular magnetic recording methods, in which the magnetization is perpendicular to the medium plane, as recording densities are raised the demagnetizing field within the recording magnetization tends to stabilize the magnetization, and thermal fluctuations due to the demagnetizing field do not readily occur. Hence in recent years a perpendicular magnetic recording medium has been considered for application in high-density recording.
However, increases in track density accompanying higher recording densities result in the problem of interference with adjacent tracks. Hence a discrete-track type magnetic recording medium has been proposed, in which grooves are provided between recording tracks of the magnetic recording medium. In a discrete-track type magnetic recording medium, intervals between tracks are filled with a nonmagnetic material, so that interference between tracks can be reduced (for example, see Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. H9-97419).
Further, in a recording medium known as a bit patterned medium, in addition to providing grooves between tracks, recording elements corresponding to single bits can be made independent by also providing grooves between bits. Thus, interference between adjacent tracks as well as interference between adjacent bits can be reduced. A recording medium having such patterns in the medium surface are called a patterned medium (and will hereafter be called a patterned medium); in addition to grooves demarcating tracks or bits, servo data used in positioning control in a hard disk device is also provided as a pattern on the medium surface. The patterned medium also includes a medium in which only a servo pattern is provided on the medium surface.
A hard disk device causes a head to be lifted at approximately 10 nm above a hard disk, and performs data recording and reproduction. If there is a defect in the surface of the hard disk, then serious problems such as head flight fluctuations and head damage may occur. Hence it is necessary to perform tests to determine whether a magnetic disk satisfies performance conditions deemed the minimum necessary prior to incorporation in a hard disk drive (HDD). Such tests are generally performed using a test head, to inspect the magnetic disk glide characteristics and certification characteristics. In glide characteristic inspections, the number of protrusions on the magnetic disk are determined. In certification characteristic inspections, the presence or absence of electric characteristics and defects of the magnetic disk is confirmed. In the test of certification characteristics, specific signals are recorded on the magnetic recording medium, and the level of the reproduced signals is compared with a reference signal level to inspect for the presence of defects in the magnetic disk.
For example, as a perpendicular magnetic recording medium defect inspection method, a dropout detection method, in which output fluctuations in the reproduced signals from a perpendicular magnetic recording medium which has been DC-demagnetized in advance are compared with a reference signal, is known (see for example Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2004-199733).
However, in methods of the prior art, certification characteristic inspections of magnetic disks using discrete track designs must be performed with a servomechanism applied. This is because, as shown in FIG. 1A, the situation is satisfactory when the inspection head 11 is positioned above a track 13, but when the inspection head 11 traverses a groove 12 under the influence of eccentricity, as in FIG. 1B. (that is, when the inspection head 11 deviates from the track 13), it is substantially impossible to reproduce signals.
On the other hand, in defect inspections of an ordinary (grooveless) magnetic disk medium, no servomechanism is applied, and so defect inspection devices used in current mass production processes often do not have servo functions. Hence in order to perform inspections with a servomechanism applied, tasks must be performed to improve the stage portion which moves the head to a VCM (Voice Coil Motor) similar to that used in hard disk devices.
A method has been disclosed in which a magnetic head is used having a broad width compared with the width of tracks on the magnetic disk to inspect the magnetic disk, and performing defect inspections using signals obtained by cutting out the low-frequency components of reproduced signals with a filter (see for example Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2002-15420).
In certification inspections of so-called a discrete track medium and patterned medium, having patterns in the medium surface corresponding to servo data and other preformat information, the servo region and other preformat regions must be masked to perform defect inspections in data regions.
Normally, servo signals include preamble signals used to generate a servo clock, SAM (Servo Address Mark) signals indicating a servo region, address signals indicating the track number and sector number, and burst signals used in precise positioning. In addition, signal-free regions are provided between servo regions and data regions. To detect servo signals in a patterned medium, first a signal-free region is detected, and then a servo clock is generated in synchronization with the preamble signal, and the servo clock thus generated is used to detect the signal that follows. If the detect signal matches a SAM signal, then the region is identified as a servo region, and the address signal following the SAM signal is detected. Thereafter the burst signal is detected.
To detect servo regions, this servo demodulation must be performed, and a device which performs certification inspection must include a servo data demodulator. However, servo data generally differs among products, and it is difficult to incorporate a servo data demodulator that supports different products.

Patterned medium inspection method and inspection device

Fuji Electric Device Technology Co., Ltd


A remotely positioned rotary operator handle for cooperating with a circuit breaker with a linearly movable handle. A housing is mounted over the circuit breaker handle. Within the housing a slide carrying a rack engages the circuit breaker handle which further engages a pinion gear sector mounted on a rotatable shaft. The rotatable shaft extends from the housing and has positioned thereon a motion translating device which translates between rotational motion and linear motion. The rotary handle extends from a housing which is flange mounted on a cabinet in which the circuit breaker is disposed. A corresponding motion translating device is attached to the flange mounted rotary handle which is in turn connected to the motion translating device attached to the rotatable shaft. The connection between the motion translators comprises a linearly moving link. The rotary handle has an extendable hasp which comprises part of the connection between the rotatory handle and the motion translating device. The hasp is provided for allowing the the circuit breaker to be locked in the off position. The hasp has a foot which fixedly engages the rotary handle housing when in the extended position thereby preventing the rotation of the rotary operator handle. The hasp further has an aperture which accepts the shackle of a lock for locking the hasp in the extended position.

This invention relates to handle operators which provide an interface and additional electrical isolation between the handle of a circuit breaker mounted in a cabinet behind a panel door and the person operating the circuit breaker. It also relates to such a handle operator, positioned remotely from the circuit breaker, which converts the rotary motion of the handle operator to the linear motion needed to control the pivot handle of the circuit breaker and which is further lockable in the circuit breaker off position.
A common type of circuit breaker has a pivot handle which moves linearly between an on and an off position. The pivot handle is connected to the movable contacts within the circuit breaker assembly through a spring powered, over center toggle device. When the handle is moved into the on position, the movable contacts close upon themselves creating an electrical connection. When the handle is moved into the off position, the movable contacts separate from each other interrupting the electrical connection. In response to certain overcurrent conditions, the contacts open automatically causing the handle to move to an intermediate position.
In some installations, the circuit breakers are mounted behind a door in a cabinet. Typically in these installations, the pivot handles of the circuit breakers protrude through openings in the door where they are operated directly. This configuration has the disadvantage of leaving the circuit breakers exposed to the environment. In some applications, it is deemed desirable to provide an interface between the handle and the person operating the breaker. This interface often is a flange-mounted, linearly movable, pivot handle operator. Typically, these pivoted handle operators are spring biased, usually in the off position, with the spring serving as the driving connection between the circuit breaker handle and the remote pivot handle operator.
Performance of these interfaces has not always been satisfactory. Typically, they have substantial mass which loads the over center toggle device of the breaker. The spring force of the toggle device is generally weakest at the trip position, and the additional loading imposed by the pivoted handle operator structure has made it difficult to position the handle at the trip position should a trip condition occur. While tripping of the circuit breaker is not adversely affected, accurate positioning of the handle is necessary to provide a visual indication of the tripped condition of the circuit breaker.
Another problem can arise when the known remote handle operator mechanism is locked in the off position. In some instances, this locking can be done even though the contacts within the circuit breaker have become welded closed. While this condition was made possible by the internal structure of some circuit breakers, such breakers have in many instances been modified to prevent even moving the circuit breaker to the off position when the contacts are welded closed. Despite these modifications, the known handle operator mechanisms can still be moved to and locked in the off position providing a false indication of the state of the circuit breaker when the contacts are welded shut. This is owing to the spring connecting the handle operator and the circuit breaker handle.
There exists a need for an improved remote circuit breaker handle operator for use in flange-mounting. It is also desirable to replace the remote, linearly movable, pivot handle operator with a remote, rotatable handle operator. More particularly, a need has been shown for an improved handle operator which does not place a load upon the spring of the toggle device and which further operates without a biasing spring connection. This improved handle operator should have the capability of being locked in the off position without misrepresenting the state of the circuit breaker, should provide the circuit breaker mounted in the cabinet an environment sealed from dust and moisture, should incorporate an interlock for the door of the cabinet in which the circuit breaker is mounted, and should have its coupling free from the problems of sagging, misalignment, and preventing proper door closure.

Lockable remote rotary handle operator for circuit breakers


A sift-resistant dispensing closure is disclosed. The sift-resistant dispensing closure includes a base, a lid, and a hinge connecting the lid to the base. The base contains a circular end wall, a cylindrical skirt extending downward from the periphery of the end wall, and a sift deck elevated from the upside of the circular end wall. The sift deck contains a deck surface surrounded by a first snap bead and a first sealing surface, and pouring holes formed on the deck surface. The lid contains a second snap bead and a second sealing surface that are formed on the underside of the lid and engage with the first snap bead and first sealing surface, respectively, to form a seal around the sift deck when the lid is in a closed position.

There is a constant need for product containment in the spice and seasoning markets. Usually this containment is accomplished by a sealed liner between the container and the container closure that prevents leakage of the content during shipment and storage. However, after an end user removes the sealed liner, the container is no longer tightly sealed and is prone to sift. For example, the product will often spill or leak if the container falls on its side. Such a spill can create a bad experience for the consumer and eventually affect sales of the product. In addition, there is a need for the packaging industry to lower production costs and eliminate the sealed liner. Another ongoing issue with dispensing closures in the marketplace is product build-up on the deck of the closure. Over time, the build-up may interfere with the closure of the container, thus affecting product freshness and worsening the spill problem. Therefore, there exists a constant need for better dispensing closures that are resistant to sift and product built-up, and can be produced at low cost.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


The present invention is directed to an efficient process for the manufacture of (E)-4-N,N-dialkylamino crotonic acid in HX salt form of formula I

1. Technical Field
The present invention is directed to an efficient process for the manufacture of (E)-4-N,N-dialkylamino crotonic acid in HX salt form of formula I
wherein R1 and R2 independently denote C1-3-alkyl groups and X− denotes an acid anion, such as the chloride, bromide, tosylate, mesylate or trifluoroacetate anion, with high quality, and a process for synthesis of EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors with heterocyclic quinazoline, quinoline or pyrimidopyrimidine core structure, using an acid addition salt I and activated derivatives thereof as intermediates.
2. Background Information
Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitors have been studied clinically to demonstrate efficacy in treating certain cancers. Compounds which inhibit signal transduction by tyrosine kinases, for example of the human EGF receptor, have been shown to be useful for treating pathophysiological processes caused by hyperfunction of tyrosine kinases. David W. Fry, Pharmacol. Ther. Vol. 82, Nos. 2-3, pp. 207-218, 1999. Several irreversible inhibitors have been shown to have therapeutic advantages such as prolonged tumor suppression compared to reversible inhibitors such as gefitinib. DeBono & Rowinsky, Br. Med. Bull. 64:227-254 (2002).
The compounds of formula I and the salts thereof are suitable as a valuable intermediates in the synthesis of EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors based on a quinazoline, quinoline or pyrimidopyrimidine core structure. Examples of such EGFR tyrosinekinase inhibitors are HKI-272 (INN: Neratinib, in phase III clinical development for treatment of breast cancer), BIBW 2992 (INN: Afatinib, approved in the US and Europe for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer patients with tumors bearing EGFR mutations), EKB-569 (INN: Pelitinib) or HKI 357.
BIBW 2992 is disclosed specifically in WO 02/50043. This compound is a highly selective, potent, irreversible dual inhibitor of erbbl receptor (EGFR) and erbB2 (Her2/neu) receptor tyrosine kinases, suitable for the treatment of e.g. benign or malignant tumours, particularly tumours of epithelial and neuroepithelial origin, metastasis and the abnormal proliferation of vascular endothelial cells (neoangiogenesis), for treating diseases of the airways and lungs which are accompanied by increased or altered production of mucus caused by stimulation by tyrosine kinases, as well as for treating diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and bile duct and gall bladder which are associated with disrupted activity of the tyrosine kinases. Promising effects in treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients have been reported already in Drugs of the Future 2008, 33(8): 649-654; and by Li, D. et al, in Oncogene (2008) 27, 4702-4711.
Pharmaceutical formulations of the compound are disclosed in the documents cited hereinbefore and in WO 2009/147238, indications to be treated and combination treatments are disclosed in WO 2007/054550 and WO 2007/054551. Skin toxicity and diarrhea are the most common adverse events in patients with adenocarcinoma of the lung and activating EGFR mutations, treated with this class of compounds (Mukherji, D., et al, Expert Opin. Investig. Drugs (2009) 18(3), 293-300).
Methods for the preparation of BIBW 2992 are described in WO 02/50043, WO 2005/037824 and WO 2007/085638.
WO 2002/50043 discloses a method of production in which aminocrotonylamino-substituted quinazolines are prepared in a one-pot reaction from the corresponding aniline component, bromocrotonic acid, oxalyl chloride and a secondary amine (Scheme 1).

The process is not well suited to technical use on an industrial scale, as the yields obtained are at most 50% and as a rule laborious purification by column chromatography is needed. Moreover the educt bromocrotonic acid is not commercially available in large amounts and the corresponding methyl bromocrotonate is only available with a purity of about 80%.
WO 2005/037824 discloses a method of preparation wherein BIBW 2992 is prepared using a Wittig-Horner-Emmons like process wherein the corresponding aminoquinazoline is reacted with diethylphosphonoacetic acid after activation to form a quinazoline substituted in 6-position by a carbamoyl-diethylphosphonate group, which is reacted in a second step with 2-dialkylaminoacetaldehyde or a corresponding aldehyde equivalent such as a corresponding acetale to form the unsaturated side chain in position 6 (Scheme 2).

WO 2007/085638 discloses an improved variant of the Wittig-Horner-Emmons like process described in WO 2005/037824 which uses a hydrogen sulphite adduct of formula
wherein M+ denotes a cation or a proton, instead of the 2-dialkylaminoacetaldehyde or aldehyde equivalent for the reaction with the quinazoline-6-carbamoyl-diethylphosphonate.
WO 2010/048477 discloses methods for manufacturing certain 4-amino-3-quinolinecarbonitrile derivatives, such as HKI-272, using stabilized 4-(amino)-2-butenoyl chloride intermediates (for example, 4-(dimethylamino)-2-butenoyl chloride) for coupling a 4-(amino)-2-butenoyl group to an amino group (—NH2) at the 6- or 7-position of a 4-amino-3-quinolinecarbonitrile. WO 2004/066919 and WO 2006/127207 both disclose preparation of 4-(dialkylamino)-2-butenoyl chloride by reaction of N,N-dialkylamino crotonic acid hydrochloride with oxalylchloride and subsequent amid coupling of 4-(dialkylamino)-2-butenoyl chloride with 4-amino-3-quinolinecarbonitrile.
Different routes to compound I or salts thereof are known in the art, but they all suffer from severe drawbacks from a commercial manufacturing point of view. They also do not allow for the control of the quality of the product in a way that is requested for the production of pharmaceutical intermediates. Therefore it was necessary to develop a novel route to compound I circumventing these problems.
As a very important intermediate in drug synthesis, different synthetic routes were developed to manufacture compound I. Most commonly the substitution between a dialkylamine with (E)-4-bromocrotonate was utilized as the key synthesis strategy.
In WO 2004/066919 two routes are documented employing brominated compounds A and E as key intermediates, as shown in Scheme 3.

Regarding the route starting with compound A, only about 30% total yield was achieved for overall two steps, and the purity of obtained compound I was insufficient (92%) for pharmaceutical production purpose. This is mainly due to the reasons, first, that purity of commerically available compound A is only very moderate, and, second, that hydrolysis occuring under basic conditions easily leads to by-products. Both drawbacks render final purification very difficult and cause low efficiency.
In the alternative route starting with compound C, some severe problems need to be solved before scale-up. These problems are, first, the use of highly toxic solvent CCl4, and, second, the silane reagent which may block the waste gas combustion system by the formation of sand.
WO 2010/131921 (corresponding to US 2012046494 A1) discloses an improved process for preparation of compound I providing better quality compared to the process according to WO 2004/066919. This improvement could be achieved by using compound H in high quality and performing hydrolysis of compound J under acidic conditions (Scheme 4). However, this process suffers from several issues with regard to scale up such as, first, the use of bromine which should be avoided in production scale, second, the use of large amounts of environment-unfriendly solvent dichloromethane, third, extensive work required to obtain pure compound H which needs vacuum distillation, and, fourth, tedious work to distill off great amounts of water during the hydrolysis step, e.g. about 7 ml of water to obtain 1 g of compound H.
All those issues together with the linear synthetic strategy (total yield was around 38%) lead to high expenditure regarding Volume-Time-Output and consequently less competitive.

In the light of the above disadvantages of the known methods of production there was a strong need for a novel or improved process to manufacture the compounds of formula I and the salts thereof. Thus the aim of the present invention is to provide a process which allows the synthesis of the desired product on commercial scale with high quality and in a competitive manner, using highly pure starting materials which are readily available and without any high technical expenditure. Preferably the process according to the invention should be environment friendly and sustainable, avoiding toxic reactants or solvents as well as complex, expensive or time-consuming purification processes and energy consuming reaction steps. As a matter of course, the process of the invention should provide the compounds of formula I and the salts thereof in a quality suitable for use in production of pharmaceuticals according to GMP standards, especially for use in production of EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors based on a quinazoline, quinoline or pyrimidopyrimidine core structure.

Abstract: wherein R1 and R2 independently denote C1-3-alkyl groups and X− denotes an acid anion, such as the chloride, bromide, tosylate, mesylate or trifluoroacetate anion, with high quality, and a process for synthesis of EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors with heterocyclic quinazoline, quinoline or pyrimidopyrimidine core structure, using the acid addition salt I and activated derivatives thereof as intermediates.


There is provided a solid state imaging device including a photoelectric conversion unit that performs photoelectric conversion of converting incident light into charges and accumulates the charges, a charge-voltage conversion unit that converts the charges which have been subjected to the photoelectric conversion by the photoelectric conversion unit into a voltage, a charge transfer unit that transfers charges to the charge-voltage conversion unit, a charge reset unit that resets charges of the charge-voltage conversion unit, and a driving unit that performs driving such that a potential of a drain of the charge reset unit is controlled so that the charges are accumulated in the photoelectric conversion unit and the charge-voltage conversion unit up to a saturation level, and then the photoelectric conversion unit is subject to light exposure.

The present technology relates to a solid state imaging device, a driving method of a solid state imaging device, and an electronic device, and more particularly to a solid state imaging device, a driving method of a solid state imaging device, and an electronic device, which are capable of suppressing a variation in a signal of high illuminance exceeding a saturation level of a solid state imaging device.
In general metal oxide semiconductor (MOS)-type image sensors in which charges generated and accumulated in a photoelectric conversion unit (photo diode (PD) according to an incident light quantity are read through a MOS transistor, a saturation level thereof is restricted according to a charge amount chargeable in the photoelectric conversion unit. In other words, it is difficult to properly detect a light quantity of a range exceeding the saturation level of the photoelectric conversion unit.
Therefore, for example, when the diaphragm or the shutter speed is adjusted to a dark portion of a subject, it is difficult to obtain an image for a bright portion of the subject due to saturation of the photoelectric conversion unit. On the other hand, when the diaphragm or the shutter speed is adjusted to the bright portion of the subject, since charges are not sufficiently accumulated, it is difficult to obtain an image for the dark portion of the subject, or an image quality degrades since a signal to noise (S/N) ratio is not sufficiently obtained.
In order to solve the above problem, a technique of increasing a dynamic range by capturing an image in a short period of time so that an amount of charges accumulated in the photoelectric conversion unit is not saturated while changing the shutter speed, that is, an exposure time, in the photoelectric conversion unit, capturing an image in a sufficiently long period of time so that charges can be accumulated even at darkness at which an amount of charges is not accumulated during a short period of time, and then combining the images is known.
However, in this technique, since a frame memory is necessary, the size of a device increases, and the cost increases. Further, since two signals that differ in exposure period of time are combined, it is difficult to apply the technique to a moving subject.
A technique in which neighboring rows in a pixel region are different in the exposure period of time and thus a memory is unnecessary is also known. However, in this technique, since a single signal is generated using two pixels, the resolution deteriorates.
In this regard, a technique in which both a channel voltage of a charge transfer unit connected to a photoelectric conversion unit and a charge-voltage conversion unit (floating diffusion (FD)) and a channel voltage of a charge reset unit whose one end is connected to the charge-voltage conversion unit and whose other end is connected to a predetermined voltage have a polarity different from a polarity causing a conduction state has been proposed (see JP 3827145 B (JP 2003-18471 A).
In this technique, charges are caused to overflow from the photoelectric conversion unit to the charge-voltage conversion unit and then from the charge-voltage conversion unit to a predetermined power source, a voltage of the charge-voltage conversion unit at that time is used as a first light detection voltage, and a voltage of the charge-voltage conversion unit after charges of the charge-voltage conversion unit are reset by the charge reset unit and charges accumulated in the photoelectric conversion unit are transferred by the charge transfer unit is used as a second light detection voltage.
Here, the first light detection voltage is a signal corresponding to the logarithm of illuminance, and the second light detection voltage is a low-noise signal accumulated in the photoelectric conversion unit. Thus, the two signals can be used as necessary such that the low-noise signal accumulated in the photoelectric conversion unit is used in the case of low illuminance, and a signal having a large dynamic range corresponding to the logarithm of illuminance is used in the case of high illuminance.
Further, a technique in which an intermediate potential is applied to the charge transfer unit so that charges overflow from the photoelectric conversion unit to the charge-voltage conversion unit, a highly sensitive linear signal is used in the case of low illuminance, and a signal of a large dynamic range corresponding to the logarithm of illuminance is obtained when there is much highly illuminant incident light has been proposed (see JP 2006-303768 A). In the following, a signal corresponding to the logarithm of illuminance is referred to as logarithmic compression of a signal corresponding to illuminance.

Solid state imaging device, driving method of solid state imaging device, and electronic device having a driving unit so that a potential of a drain of a charge reset unit is controlled


An audio signal encoded in the form of data is spectrally reconstructed so part of the frequency spectrum of the audio signal is decoded with a spectral band limiting encoder (i.e., a core encoder). The complementary part of the frequency spectrum of the audio signal is decoded with an extension encoder. Information representing at least one cut-off frequency of the signal decoded by the core decoder is used to select, from amongst the data to be decoded or the data decoded with the extension decoder.

In the prior art of audio signal transmission, it is well known to carry out, before transmission, an operation of encoding an original signal. As for the received signal, this undergoes a reverse decoding operation. This encoding can be a bit rate reduction encoding. Known bit rate reduction encoders are for example transform type encoders such as the MPEG1, MPEG2 or MPEG4-GA encoders, CELP type encoders and even parametric type encoders, such as a parametric MPEG4 type encoder.
In bit rate reduction audio encoding, the audio signal must often undergo passband limiting when the bit rate becomes low. This passband limiting is necessary in order to avoid the introduction of audible quantization noise in the encoded signal. It is then desirable to complete the spectral content of the original signal as far as possible.
Band widening is known in the prior art, such as for example the spectral widening method known by the name HFR (High-Frequency Regeneration) method. The decoded low-frequency signal, with limited band, is subjected to a non-linear device in order to obtain a signal enriched with harmonics. This signal, after whitening and shaping based on information describing the spectral envelope of the full-band signal before encoding, allows the generation of a high-frequency signal corresponding to the high-frequency content of the signal before encoding.
Digital audio encoding systems which use high-frequency spectrum reconstruction techniques at encoder level as well as at decoder level are also known.
These systems perform an adaptation over time of the cut-off frequency between the low-frequency band encoded by an encoder, referred to as the core encoder, and the high-frequency band encoded by an HER system, referred to as a band extension encoder.
In this case, the core encoder and the band extension encoder share the passband according to the adapted cut-off frequency.
This type of system is particularly advantageous for encoding audio signals.
Certain communication networks such as the Internet, wireless communication networks and others do not guarantee a perfect routing of data between the sender and the addressee. Some data may thus never arrive at the addressee or arrive there to late. In arriving too late, the addressee considers them as lost.
In these networks, the passband available for routing the data also continuously varies considerably.
In other networks, such as radio networks, some of the data amongst the transmitted data have a higher priority than others. Highly effective error-correcting codes are associated with these, ensuring correct decoding, and therefore no transmission losses. Others, on the other hand, are less important and lower-performance error-correcting codes, perhaps even none, are associated with them. The latter data are subject to the hazards of the network and decoding might well not be achievable.
In certain encoding systems such as those used in the MPEG4 standard, it may be, following transmission errors, that the signal of a certain frequency band of the spectrum of the encoded signal can no longer be decoded, these frequency components then being lost.
Thus, even if the encoding of the audio signal has been performed in the best possible manner, the decoding of signals transmitted on such networks comprises a number of faults related to these networks.

Method and device for spectral reconstruction of an audio signal


An air filter monitoring system for indicating when to clean or replace a flexible air filter includes an air filter having a peripheral frame and an interior filtering region, a fixed support structure for receiving the air filter and maintaining the perimeter of the filter frame in a generally fixed position while allowing the interior filtering region to flex in response to air flow through the filter, and a filter change indicator having a predetermined bias force. The filter change indicator is arranged to contact the interior filtering region of the filter, wherein when the predetermined bias force is reached, the filter change indicator is activated to notify a user to clean or replace the filter.

The present invention relates generally to systems including filters and, more particularly, to an apparatus for indicating when to replace a filter in a system including an air filter.
Disposable air filters are commonly used in commercial and residential heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, and in portable air purification units. Such filters typically include a frame, a fibrous non-woven filter material, and a reinforcing structure that supports the filter material. After a period of use, these filters become dirty or clogged and must be cleaned or replaced. Proper filter maintenance helps keep the HVAC equipment operating at maximum efficiency and reduces operating costs. Depending on the operating conditions, filter replacement may be required several times a year.
Filter replacement is typically done on a regular, fixed-interval basis. That is, the filter is replaced after a certain recommended fixed period of time, such as three months, has passed. This fixed period of time, however, may not be appropriate for a given situation. For example, the fixed time period may be too short, in which case the filter is discarded prematurely, or the fixed time period may be too long, in which case the filter is used beyond the time when it should have been changed. Individuals may also lose track of when the filter was last changed or may forget to change the filter at the appointed time. Changing the filter prematurely is wasteful and results in unnecessary expense, and waiting too long can result in system inefficiency or may negatively impact air quality.
Devices for indicating when to change or clean an air filter are known in the prior art. U.S. Pat. No. 4,321,070 (Bede), for example, discloses a whistle which, when installed in an air filter, emits a shrill tone to signal a predetermined clogged condition of the filter at which time the filter should be cleaned or replaced.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,071,914 (Gesmar) discloses a filter condition indicator for a filter fan using a differential pressure gauge. The differential pressure gauge includes a hollow indicator tube and a float that moves in response to the pressure differential. U.S. Pat. No. 5,668,535 (Hendrix et al) discloses a filter condition sensor and indicator in which a heated thermistor is positioned in a by-pass air flow path.
Residential HVAC systems and portable air purifiers often utilize high performance filters commonly referred to as panel filters or pleated filters. Such filters are available from 3M Company, St. Paul Minn. under the Filtrete™ brand. Such filters have a generally thin flat construction and include a somewhat rigid peripheral frame and an interior filtering region formed from a fibrous non-woven filter media. To improve the performance of such filters, the filter media may be electrostatically charged. Such filters come in a variety of sizes and may include a support structure formed of, for example, wire mesh, paperboard, chipboard or glue strips to provide additional support for the filter media. Even with such support structures, however, the interior filtering region of such filters tends to exhibit a certain degree of bending, flexing, bowing, or bulging when subjected to the load created by air passing through the filter.
Devices that detect a predetermined extent of filter budge to operate an end-of-life signal are also known in the patented prior art. U.S. Pat. No. 3,928,006 (Martineau) discloses a device for signaling dirty filters including a position sensitive electrical switch positioned to detect a predetermined extent of filter bulge, thereby to operate an end-of-filter-life signal. The operation of this device, however, is highly sensitive to the position of the device relative to the filter. To properly adjust the location of the device, a mounting structure is required.
There is still a need for a simple, durable, reliable, inexpensive system and/or device that can accurately indicate when to replace or clean a filter based on the degree of bowing or flexing of the filter. There is also a need for such a device that is less dependant on the precise positioning of the device relative to the filter. That is, there is a need for a filter change indicator that is relatively insensitive to where it is placed in relation to the filter and can, therefore, be positioned at different locations from the filter and still yield accurate output about when to clean or replace the filter.
It would be desirable to provide a small, simple, durable, inexpensive system and/or device that can accurately and reliably indicate to a user when to clean or replace a filter, such as an air filter. It would also be desirable to provide such a device that does not have to be positioned a precise distance from the filter to accurately indicate when to clean or replace the filter, and does not require calibration or repositioning depending on the type of filter used or the operating conditions.


A recyclable stamp device and a recyclable stamp process for wafer bond are provided. The recyclable stamp device includes a substrate, a protective layer, a stack film structure and a cap. The protective layer is disposed on the substrate. An opening is positioned at the substrate and the protective layer to expose the substrate. The stack film structure includes an adhesion layer, a stress control layer and a wafer bond alignment mark layer. The adhesion layer is disposed on the protective layer and the exposed substrate. The stress control layer is disposed on the adhesion layer. The wafer bond alignment mark layer is disposed on the stress control layer. The wafer bond alignment mark layer includes an alignment mark at a side of the opening. The cap has a capping portion disposed on the wafer bond alignment mark layer corresponding to the opening.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates in general to a stamp device and a process for wafer bond, and more particularly to a recyclable stamp device and a recyclable stamp process for wafer bond.
2. Description of the Related Art
The wafer bond process is widely applied to all kinds of fields, such as micro electro mechanical system (MEMS) manufacturing process and the manufacture of optoelectronic elements. The wafer bond process, which is performed before the wafer saw process, is a wafer-level bonding technology, so the wafer bond process is different from other packaging methods which perform the wafer saw process before the bonding process.
Accurate alignment is needed before the wafer bond process is performed, so that the wafers can be bonded at the precise location. Traditionally, the alignment is performed through an alignment mark which is a concave structure formed by etching. However, the etching rate of etching the substrate is affected by the crystallization direction of the substrate, so that the alignment mark is deformed. As a result, the alignment accuracy is lowered.
Furthermore, the alignment mark is usually worn out or disappears as the manufacturing process proceeds. If the wafer with the alignment worn out or disappearing is utilized again to perform the wafer bond process, another alignment mark or another wafer is needed, so that the time and the cost of the manufacturing process are increased.

Recyclable stamp device and recyclable stamp process for wafer bond

Advanced Semiconductor Engineering, Inc.


A system and method of operating a cooling system for a vehicle engine, wherein one or more motors are operable to rotate one or more fans. Each of the one or more motors is controlled by a motor controller associated with the motor, in response to a control signal received from a system controller and an enable signal received from the vehicle. The motor controller operates the motor at a speed based upon the control signal if the control signal is received, and operates the motor at a predetermined speed if the control signal is not received but the enable signal is received.

The present invention relates to a system and method for controlling one or more fans configured to promote the cooling of an internal combustion engine.
Engine cooling systems typically include one or more heat exchangers (e.g., a radiator, a charge-air cooler, an oil cooler, etc.) and one or more fans. The heat exchanger(s) and the fan(s) are configured to cool the internal combustion engine and/or fluids associated with the internal combustion engine.

System and method for controlling an engine cooling fan


A universal system for monitoring activities and motions during exercise and controlling the resistance provided to a user of exercise equipment during the motions. The system having at least one sensor to detect at least one of physical parameter of the exercisers activity such as force, acceleration, and/or direction of user movements. The resistance mechanism provides an adjustable and variable resistance and a dampened response to an exerciser while the sensors monitor the forces and resulting movement of the user interface. The system provides an adjustable resistance system for exercising parts of the body having complex movements over a full range of motion such as the arms, legs, neck, wrist, ankle, and torso. The present invention is also adaptable to existing fitness equipment. The system can also provide effective resistance and damping over the range of motion in free space. The force exerted by the user on the user interface can be measured over the entire range of motion using force and position sensors.

Exercise and rehabilitation has become an important part of life for many. It has been proven that exercise can increase longevity, rehabilitate injuries, prevent injuries, improve athletic performance, and can improve the way of life for many. Most exercise equipment cannot measure or monitor range of motion, strength, flexibility and fatigue of the exerciser and record useful data. However, exercise data can be very valuable for exercisers or users, therapists and doctors. Additionally, current exercise apparatuses do not provide an effective multidirectional safely loaded movement wherein the forces and other physical properties can be controlled while performance is measured over a broad range of motion. There are many shortcomings in evaluating athletic movements and performance during non-traditional motions and movements and positions. Current exercise methods and apparatuses provide limited monitoring for the exerciser and do not have a way to measure force, distance, direction and acceleration provided by the exerciser over a full range of motion which is safely loaded. The deficiencies above are particularly prevalent in exercise equipment for body parts which have rotational movements (as opposed to hinge movements) such as the neck, wrist, lower back, shoulder, etc. Many joints such as the wrist and ankle bend, pronate and rotate and current exercise machines cannot detect the path or rotation of the users movements. Although humans can move most joints 360 degrees, certain areas or ranges of movement are weak and too much load at a particular location and in a particular direction can tear connective tissue such as muscles ligaments and tendons. Thus, controlling the resistance of the load, the acceleration and velocity of the user interface while detecting the amount and direction of the force during the exercise has here-to-fore been unachievable.

Universal system for monitoring and controlling exercise parameters


A catheter (2) is used in medical applications, for example for the retrieval of a sample from a patient or the insertion or retrieval of medical devices such as filters, stents (3) to and from the patient. The catheter (2) includes an expandable tip (6) at a leading portion of a catheter tube portion (5). This expandable tip (6) can retrieve or deliver samples, medical devices, etc. (3), which are slightly larger than the dimensions of a main catheter tube (5) inserted into the patient. The expandable tip (6) can also include extension members (10) which provide axial support to the expandable tip (6) but which still allow expansion in the radial direction.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a catheter, for example a retrieval or delivery catheter used in medical applications, which has an expandable end portion.
2. Discussion of the Background
Catheters are well known medical devices used to facilitate various medical procedures, such as diagnostic or delivery procedures. Catheter tubes are inserted into a body of a patient for various medical procedures. For example, a catheter may be used in performing diagnostic procedures such as removing a sample from a body site of a patient. The catheter tube is used in this situation as the delivery vehicle for the medical instrument which removes the sample. Further, sophisticated medical implant devices, such as filters and stents, can be delivered and retrieved into and from the body site of the patient using a catheter.
Generally, a catheter has a tube portion which is relatively stiff in both axial and radial directions to allow proper placement of the catheter in the patient's body, but which may be fitted with a distal soft tip which first contacts tissues in the patient. The soft tip is provided to minimise discomfort for the patient when the catheter is inserted into the patient. For example, WO-A-9808562 A describes a catheter with an insert moulded catheter tip. However, there are constraints on the use of such catheters in that such catheters can only be relatively small sized, and thus can only be used to retrieve and deliver relatively small samples and medical devices.


A latching system connects a case lid with a plurality of catch cavities to a case body with a plurality of latch-clasp cavities. The latching system has a plurality of latch-clasps connected to the case body with a latch-clasp pivot. A communicating member is attached to each latch clasp with a communicating member pivot. A slide switch is mechanically coupled to the communicating member and has an open mode of operation and a closed mode of operation. Moving the slide switch to the open mode of operation moves the plurality of latch-clasps into each latch-clasp cavity which permits movement of the case lid distant the case body. Moving the slide switch to the closed mode of operation moves the plurality of latch-clasps into each catch cavity which prevents movement of the case lid distant the case body.

The embodiments herein relate generally to devices that can store musical instruments.
Prior to embodiments of the disclosed invention, opened latches on prior art instrument cases often extended in a way as to be nuisance or hazard to nearby persons and/or to instruments. Prior art instrument cases had to be unlatched one latch at a time, which wasted time and could be awkward and cumbersome on larger cases where the case often has to be moved or adjusted to reach all the latches. Embodiments of the present invention solve this problem. The prior art includes: U.S. Patent Application 2011/0100992 filed by Conti; U.S. Patent Application 2007/0240462 filed by James and U.S. Pat. No. 5,172,944 issued to Fuller.
Fuller teaches a multiple point cam-pinion door latch that has a plurality of latches which can roll into slots to secure a door. However, there is no coordination between the door latches and the handle, which makes since for "multiple door enclosures" but does not work for carrying cases which need a handle that can move a container. James teaches a carrying case with a handle but disconnects the handle from the latching mechanism and attaches it to the side of the case. Conti teaches a latching case with no handle and seems to indicate the user is better carrying it without one.


The object of the invention is a method for correcting a temperature dependent dispensing error occurring during liquid dispensing, such as pipetting, as well as a liquid dispensing device, such as a pipette, having a higher degree of accuracy. According to the method the dispensing takes place by means of two chambers connected to each other over a gas passage. The first chamber communicates, in addition to the gas passage, with the liquid to be dispensed, and the second chamber is gas tight except for the gas passage. In order to receive liquid in the dispensing device, the volume of the second chamber is increased, resulting in gas flowing therein from the first chamber, and in turn, liquid to be dispensed flowing into the first chamber until a pressure equilibrium between the chambers has been reached. According to the invention the change in temperature of the gas flowing from the first chamber to the second is measured, and the change in volume effected in the second chamber is corrected based on the measured temperature change so that the desired quantity of liquid is received in the first chamber. For the temperature measurement, a temperature sensor mounted in the second chamber in the vicinity of the gas passage and in addition, possibly also a sensor mounted in the first chamber is used.

The object of the present invention is a method for eliminating a temperature dependant dispensing error in connection with the dispensing of liquids.
Specifically the invention is used in connection with a dispensing method, wherein the dispensing takes place by means of two chambers connected to each other over a gas passage, wherein the first chamber communicates, in addition to the said gas passage, with the liquid to be dispensed, and the second chamber is gas tight except for the said gas passage, whereby, in order to take up liquid in the dispensing device, the volume of the second chamber is increased, resulting in gas flowing therein from the first chamber, and in turn, liquid to be dispensed flowing into the first chamber until a pressure equilibrium between the chambers has been reached.
The object of the invention is also a liquid dispensing device comprising two chambers interconnected over a gas passage, the first chamber communicating, in addition to the said gas passage, with the liquid to be dispensed, and the second chamber being gas tight except for the said gas passage, and containing means for regulating the volume thereof.
The method according to the invention is applied typically, but not solely, when pipetting liquids using an electronic or mechanical pipette, and it allows for the elimination of or at least a substantial reduction of a liquid dispensing error resulting from temperature differences between the sample and the pipette.
In laboratory analyses pipetting and dispensing of samples and reagents which are usually in liquid form comprises the most difficult stage in the process of obtaining an accuracy of, for example, less than half a percent in accuracy as well as in reproducibility. The pipetting accuracy using the more old-fashioned technique has usually been in the magnitude of one microliter (with an inaccuracy of even 5 to 10%, especially at smaller volumes), if not worse (Rodgerson et al, Clin. Chem. 20/1, 43-50, 1974 and Pardue et al, Clin. Chem. 20/8, 1028-1042, 1974). Using the modern techniques of today, the accuracy of both mechanical and electronic pipettes varies in the range of 0.1-5% (Suovaniemi: Dissertation, ISBN 952-90-5248-0, University of Helsinki, 1994).
The pipetting inaccuracy depends on both the apparatus and also its user. The effect of human error is more often evident especially in connection with the use of mechanical pipettes as compared to the use of electronic pipettes. The quality of the pipette tip and the manner of its use has its own small effect, except when the tip is placed on to the pipette by hand. In this case the tip may become contaminated or compressed so that the tip regains its shape during the first pipetting operations and in connection therewith draws an excess liquid into the tip. This error can be eliminated e.g. by using vertically packaged tips or by handling the tips with extreme care without changing their form when mounting them on a pipette. The use of an electronic pipette removes the human pipetting errors, as well as the use of automatic calibration of an electronic pipette in connection with each use (Hattori, Super Pipetter Seminar: Standardized Risk Factor and Support to Validation, Biohit, 1994). Improving these factors usually leads to pipetting results which are only 0.1-0.5% more accurate.

Method for correcting a liquid dispensing error, and a liquid dispensing device


A device for discharaging static electricity protects an internal circuit against an electrostatic current. The device includes a discharge part which is connected between an input/output pad and a ground voltage line to form a discharge path discharging an electrostatic current introduced from an input/output pad; and an amplification circuit which is connected in parallel with the discharge part and supplies a sense amplification signal generated by amplifying the electrostatic current as a control signal of the discharge part.

The present invention relates to a semiconductor device, and more particularly, to a device for discharging static electricity, which can protect an internal circuit against an electrostatic current.
Generally, electrostatic discharge (ESD) is a rapid flow of electric current that takes place when two mutually insulated objects with significantly different potentials come into direct contact with each other.
When an ESD is introduced to a semiconductor device, circuits inside the device can be damaged. In order to protect internal circuits, most semiconductor devices include one or more ESD protection units between an externally located electrical contact pad for the device and internal circuits.
A diode, a metal oxide silicon (MOS) transistor and a silicon controlled rectifier (SCR) are all used as ESD protection units.
An SCR is an ESD protection unit, which can receive a high ESD current per unit area of its semiconductor junctions and which has low junction capacitance and low operating resistance. However, an SCR disadvantageously has a higher operation voltage than other ESD protection units.
FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional prior art circuit 10 for discharging static electricity.
Referring to FIG. 1, in order to discharge an electrostatic current introduced to an input/output pad 102 to a ground voltage line (or VSS: 104), the conventional circuit 10 for discharging static electricity uses a silicon controlled rectifier (SCR) having a relatively high operation voltage as a discharge part between the input/output pad 102 and the VSS 104. In order to reduce the operating voltage of the SCR 110, the circuit 10 also includes an NMOS transistor 120 as a drive element, connected between the input/output pat 102 and the SCR 110, and which detects a drive current 12 and then supplies it to the SCR 110. Therefore, the device 10 operating voltage can be reduced to a breakdown voltage of the NMOS transistor 120, while ESD effect of the SCR 110 is maintained.
In the device shown in FIG. 1, the SCR 110 is not operated until the electrostatic voltage reaches the brakedown voltage. Thus, a circuit internal to a semiconductor device might not be adequately protected from static electricity at an initial or relatively low voltage range of an electrostatic pulse.

Device for discharging static electricity


In a frequency modulator, a VCO oscillates at a frequency according to a voltage applied to an input terminal. A divider divides an output signal of the VCO. A phase comparator compares the output of the divider with a reference clock signal and outputs a voltage corresponding to a phase difference. A loop filter is provided on a path leading from an output terminal of the phase comparator to the input terminal of the VCO, and the loop filter removes a high-frequency component of an output voltage of the phase comparator. A terminal for inputting a modulation signal is provided in the loop filter, separately from a terminal connected with the path leading from the output terminal of the phase comparator to the input terminal of the VCO.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a direct-modulation type frequency modulator utilizing a PLL (Phase-Locked Loop).
2. Description of the Related Art
In the FM broadcasting or in-car audio systems, used is a frequency modulator which generates a frequency-modulated signal based on an audio signal (modulation signal) to be transmitted. For example, in Reference (1) listed in the following Related Art List, disclosed is a direct-modulation type frequency modulator in which a PLL is configured by a voltage-controlled oscillator (hereinafter referred to as VCO), a divider, a phase comparator and a loop filter, and the audio signal being a modulation signal is superimposed with an input signal of the VCO.
As disclosed in Reference (1), in the conventional direct-modulation frequency modulator a method is implemented in which the modulation signal is coupled by using a coupling capacitor or a resistor for voltage addition between the output terminal of the loop filter and the input terminal of the VCO.
Related Art List
(1) Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei09-69729.
However, since in the conventional practice the modulation signal is superimposed with the high-frequency signal using a coupling capacitor or a resistor, there is a problem that the impedance of the loop filter in the PLL affects the input signal which is the modulation signal. When the modulation signal is influenced by the loop filter, the high-frequency component of the modulation signal is attenuated. This causes the distortion in the signal, for example in cases where the audio signal is modulated. Also, there are cases where the signal output from the loop filter is leaked in the side of the circuit that generates the modulation signal. Further, since the coupling capacitor is required, the number of circuit components needed for a circuitry is increased.


The present invention discloses an air-entrainment mechanism for carbureted engine. The mechanism includes a plunger valve controlled by a solenoid. The solenoid is powered by a battery with a switch electrically coupled thereto. The plunger valve is interconnected to the carburetor to allow additional air entrainment. The solenoid is coupled to the valve for opening and closing the valve. The switch electrically couples the solenoid to the battery to activate the solenoid for movement of the valve. The switch disclosed herein includes a temperature sensor and an engine-running sensor. The switch is then closeable when the temperature sensor detects an engine temperature within a predetermined range as long as the engine is not already running.

There are two current mechanisms used for hot-start valve manipulation: a cable and housing or cable operated systems used for manipulating a carburetor body-mounted valve or a manually manipulated carburetor body-mounted valve assembly 10a as is shown in FIG. 1a. The manually manipulated carburetor-mounted valve needle 18 requires the rider to take one hand off the handlebars and reach down to the valve location, grasp the valve handle 12 on the carburetor 30 to withdraw the valve needle 18 to admit atmospheric air 21. The act of manipulation is necessary whenever a restart is required or desired when the engine assembly is at operating temperatures or hot-start conditions. The act of removing the rider's hand from the handlebars and looking at the carburetor 30 in order to locate and manipulate the valve is time consuming and can be difficult during racing when rapid restarts are desired. These movements must be reversed to again replace the valve needle 18 under running conditions.
Cable-operated systems 10b allow for a handlebar located pull for remote activation and are an improvement over the carburetor-mounted valve as shown in FIG. 1a. This system uses a cable 13, connected to a lever that is mounted to a handlebar-mounted clamp, usually the backside of a brake clamp or incorporated into a clutch mount. Clamping along a frame of a motorcycle fixedly holds a housing 14 for the cable 13. The movement of the cable 13 within and relative to the housing 14 results in a precise movement used to open and close the valve needle 18. Free play adjustment is required to ensure proper valve needle 18 positioning in the carburetor body 30. This adjustment ensures that the valve needle 18 is not held out of its position in the carburetor body 30, effectively activating the hot-start system and introducing air 21 into the intake passage during normal operating conditions. It also ensures that when the lever is pushed, the cable 13 is sufficiently withdrawn as to provide adequate removal of the valve needle 18 from the carburetor body allowing the additional air into the intake passage that facilitates starting. Because of the necessity of regular adjustment to optimize the operation, cable operation is not adequate for a robust system.
What is needed in the art is a system that does not require adjustment. Additionally, there is an unmet need for a means of activation would allow for accurate sensing of the need for activation of a hot-start valve and would automatically activate or automatically allow activation of the valve. Additionally, an electrical system allows selective locking-out of the activation of the valve.


A method and apparatus for encoding three-dimensional (“3D”) video includes receiving a left-eye interlaced frame and a corresponding right-eye interlaced frame of a 3D video. An amount of interlacing exhibited by at least one of the left-eye interlaced frame and the corresponding right-eye interlaced frame is determined. A frame packing format to be used for packing the left-eye interlaced frame and the corresponding right-eye interlaced frame into a 3D frame is selected based on the amount of interlacing that is determined. The left-eye interlaced frame and the corresponding right-eye interlaced frame are formatted into a 3D frame using the selected frame packing format. Illustrative frame packing formats that may be employed include a side-by-side format and a top-and-bottom format.

A set-top box (STB) is a computerized device that processes digital information. A STB is commonly used to receive encoded/compressed digital signals from a signal source (e.g., a cable provider's headend) and decodes/decompresses those signals, converting them into signals that a television (TV) connected to the STB can understand and display.
Three dimensional (3D) TVs are becoming popular, and content providers are starting to provide a wide range of 3D content to the customer premises. 3D viewing refers to a technique for creating the illusion of depth in an image by presenting two offset images separately to the left and right eye of the viewer. Typically, a left-eye view and a right-eye view of the content are provided in the signal sent to the STB. The STB decodes the signal and sends the decoded 3D content to the 3D TV. The 3D TV then displays the 3D content including the left eye view and the right eye view. Glasses worn by the viewer may be used to create the 3D effect, for example, by filtering the displayed views for each eye.
Different content providers may deliver 3D content to the customer premises in different 3D formats. For example, the left-eye view and the right-eye view may be arranged in a top-bottom panel format or a left-right panel format. Currently, most 3D video content uses the left-right panel format to preserve vertical resolution.

Adaptive stereo scaling format switch for 3D video encoding


Methods and apparatus for rotating a stripper assembly in use with a rotating drilling head. A drive system is disposed external to the rotating drilling head and generates rotational motion to match the rotation of a drillstring running through the rotating drilling head. A connection transfers rotational motion from the drive system to the stripper assembly. In one embodiment, the drive system comprises a housing disposed about the drillstring and a one or more contact members connected to said housing and operable to contact the drillstring. One or more biasing members urge the contact members into contact with the drillstring so as to transfer rotational motion from the drillstring to the housing.

Rotating drilling heads employ elastomeric sealing elements to effectuate a seal between a rotating drillstring and the stationary head. The elastomeric sealing element is mounted on bearings that allow the sealing element to rotate with the drillstring. In most conventional drilling operations, the drilling head is positioned below the drill floor and above the blowout preventer. The drilling head operates to divert pressurized drilling fluids, and other materials flowing up through the wellbore, away from the drill floor.
In rotary drilling operations, the drillstring is rotated by a kelly drive or a top drive. A kelly drive engages a faceted member of the drill string, or kelly, that is connected to the drillstring. The kelly drive is often powered by a rotary table on the drill floor. Many rotating drilling heads are configured to be rotated by interfacing with the kelly either directly, or through a mechanical interface.
Top drive drilling systems rotate the drillstring using an electric or hydraulic motor mounted directly to the top of the drillstring. In top drive drilling systems no kelly is used and the rotating drilling head has to rely on the friction contact between the sealing element and the drillstring to rotate the sealing element. This friction contact is often insufficient to cause sufficient rotation of the sealing element, resulting in relative rotary motion between the drill pipe and the sealing element. A relative rotary motion between the sealing element and the drill pipe can lead to excessive wear in the sealing element, thus reducing the effective life of the seal.
Accordingly, there remains a need to develop methods and apparatus for rotating the sealing element of a rotating drilling head that overcome certain of the foregoing difficulties while providing more advantageous overall results.


A thread form having improved strength and fatigue resistance. The root of the thread is cut on multiple cutting radii having displaced centers. At least two of the root surfaces are formed by cutting radii having lengths that are greater than the root truncation. The threads are used in a double start configuration to increase the connection strength and reduce makeup and breakout rotations.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to thread forms and connections formed therewith for securing together components. More specifically, the present invention, in its preferred form, relates to thread forms used to secure together tubular bodies that are assembled to drill and produce wells.
2. Prior Art Setting of the Invention
The American Petroleum Institute (API) has standardized various thread forms that are used in the drilling and production of oil and gas wells. One API thread form commonly found in connections used to secure drill pipe together is a modified V-type thread that has a root radius of 0.038 in. The included angle between the stab and load flanks of the thread is 60 degrees and the thread root cutting radius of 0.038 in. is centered on the bisector of the included angle. The API connection provides a root truncation of the straight-V thread form of 0.038 in. where the root truncation is a measure of the distance between the apex of the 60 degree included angle and the thread root.
The performance of the API connection has been improved in the prior art by modifying the thread root configuration. One prior art improvement has been to increase the thread root radius from 00.038 in. to 0.042 in. Another prior art improvement has been to enlarge the root by forming different surfaces of revolution along the flank and adjoining root surfaces using different cutting radii centered on the stab flank side of the included angle bisector. This latter thread form is more fully described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,549,754 (the '754 Patent) and 6,467,818, assigned to the Assignee of the present invention, the disclosures of such patents being incorporated herein, in their entirety, for all purposes.
The preferred thread forms described in the '754 Patent provide for two different size root cutting radii with the larger of the cutting radii to be substantially larger than the root truncation. A specific illustrated form of the threads employs one cutting radius of 0.057 in. and another of 0.031 in. within a thread form having a usual root truncation of 0.038 in. as required for mating with an API connection. In the preferred configuration, the smaller radius represents approximately 54 percent of the length of the larger radius.
The '754 Patent recognizes that any increase of the root radius over root truncation will result in a decrease in maximum stress and that a substantial increase is preferred to obtain a substantial decrease in maximum stress. The '754 Patent proposes as a limit to the root radius increase that the root radius should not be increased to a point that is greater than a distance that would intersect or exceed the pitch diameter. The '754 Patent notes, however, that it is difficult to use this limit of enlarged root diameter in practice since it would tend to produce an under-cut area that would make it difficult to use standard cutting tools. The preferred thread form in the '754 Patent was also dictated by a desire to reduce the original thread shear area (base width of the thread form) preferably by not more than 25 percent.
The objectives of the '754 Patent were achieved by joining the unloaded thread flank (stab flank) to the thread root by a planar surface with the smaller radius curvature bridging the planar surface and the larger radius root surface.
The thread types of the '754 Patent are particularly well-suited to be employed as threaded connectors for use in drilling and producing oil and gas wells. Such connectors are assembled by rotating one of the pipe bodies relative to the other causing the threads to mate and engage with each other to hold the two pipe bodies together. When these connectors are used to assemble a drill pipe and other drilling assemblies, the connections are repeatedly made up and broken out as a part of the process of running the pipe into and out of the well. The speed of assembling and disassembling the connections and the amount of thread wear involved in the process are functions of the number of revolutions of the pipe required to effect full connection and release of the threaded components.
Thread make up speed and thread wear can be reduced by reducing the total amount of thread engagement required for a fully made up connection. The mechanical strength of the connection is, however, also reduced when the total thread engagement is reduced.

Fast make-up fatigue resistant rotary shouldered connection


A technique for facilitating the management of a wireless database related to station records and radio-frequency (RF) information by reducing unnecessary sharing of the data among wireless switches, thus enhancing efficiency in a wireless network. A system constructed according to the technique includes a collection of wireless switches with each switch having associated access points (AP), an AP database distributed throughout the collection of wireless switches, and at least one station radio frequency (RF) database. The AP database includes data associated with ownership of the AP's by the switches, and the station RF database includes wireless station information and RF information. AP radio adjacency is determined by whether an AP owned by a specific switch can detect the other AP owned by another switch. The station and RF information database is shared only within the subset of switches that have AP radio adjacency.

A wireless network typically includes a number of wireless switches, and each of the switches typically includes multiple access points (APs) that couple wireless stations to the respective switches. Typically, a station will be within range of only a subset of the APs. However, since the station can roam to potentially any other AP associated with the wireless network, the wireless switches must share information about the station, and indeed all of the wireless stations and radio frequency (RF) data throughout the wireless network.
The sharing of data between all of the switches is not a problem for relatively small wireless networks. However, as the size of the wireless network grows, the number of switches also grows accordingly, as does the size of the database storing station and RF data. This may result in a scaling problem as the size of the database increases, which may translate into increased maintenance costs, network costs, and latency.
These are but a subset of the problems and issues associated with sharing data between wireless switches, and are intended to characterize weaknesses in the prior art by way of example. The foregoing examples of the related art and limitations related therewith are intended to be illustrative and not exclusive. Other limitations of the related art will become apparent to those of skill in the art upon a reading of the specification and a study of the drawings.

Sharing data between wireless switches system and method


A position measurement system for determining 2D displacement or position of a mobile element with respect to a reference frame, including: a point light; an optical mask having transparent and opaque areas defining a repetitive pattern on at least one side of its surfaces; an imager, fixed to a mobile element, including integrated electronic circuits allowing detection, computing and analyzing of a shadow projected by the optical mask. The position measurement system includes an optical diffuser plate between the light source and the mask. The imager, mask and diffuser plate form an assembly so as to produce a light spot created by the scattering of the incident light beam emitted by the light source on the diffuser plate. The mask positioned between the diffuser plate and imager, produces a shadow on the imager, allowing to compute and provide 2D position of the mobile element relative to the fixed reference frame.

A huge variety of positioning devices have been developed in the past and are used in different technical domains. In the metrology domain most positioning devices are based on encoding principles, using optical and magnetic rotary or linear encoders. The maximal precision of these devices are of the order of 1/10 of a micron or 1/10′000 of a degree for angular encoders. In most of the encoders types the sensing element is assembled close to the encoder element which is fixed to the object of which one wants to determine the linear or angular position. In situations wherein the position of an object has to be determined from a certain distance, lasers or other light sources are used to determine the position. Optical triangulation or interferometry for example are techniques used in a huge variety of configurations. These systems have fundamental drawbacks. Either they are simple and the possible resolution is not very high, typically 0.1 micron at most, or the resolution is very high, typically 1 nm, and the system therefore is very complex, cumbersome and very expensive.
In several situations such as encountered in the case of assembly and handling robots, several serial encoders might be needed to identify the position of the extremity of a mobile arm of the system. By combining different encoders, the errors of these encoders are added and the measurement precision is rarely better than half a micron. Also, it is not always evident to combine linear and rotational encoders in the same space allocated to perform the 3D position or movement of an object.
There exists in different technical fields an important need for a system that can measure with very high precision, typically sub nanometer, the 3D position and rotation of a moving element located at distances from the mm range up to the km range. It would be desirable that such a system would be compact, easy to install, cheap and also that the same concept can be used for relatively small distances, typically between 1 cm to several meters, up to very high distances greater than 1 km.
Masa et al. (patent PCT/EP2011/062104) discloses a system, called a shadow imager, which is based on the projection and analysis of a shadow. The system described in PCT/EP2011/062104 is inexpensive, easy to implement in a wide variety of geometries of positioning devices, and it allows to determine the change of the position of the light source with very high precision. It comprises one imaging device, typically a CMOS sensor, composed of an array of pixels sensitive to electromagnetic radiation, an optical mask composed of opaque and transparent regions and a light source, arranged so that the incident light on the optical mask projects a shadow on the sensor. The optical mask in the device described in PCT/EP2011/062104 comprises two optical patterns that act as an absolute a relative code in the shadow imaging system. As the light source can be attached to a moving element, the position of this moving element can also be determined with very high precision. The very high precision that can be obtained with a shadow imaging device is due to the fact that the repetitive pattern integrated on the mask is projected over the whole sensor, allowing as such much higher precisions than what can be obtained by the direct projection of a light spot on a detector array. In the case of a shadow imager it is also important to recognize that the shadow imaging detection method is insensitive to the light intensity. This fact leads to another big advantage for an optical positioning measurement system based on a shadow imaging system, because the intensity stability of the light source is not important, to the contrary of other systems based on direct light illumination on a detector array. The shadow imager can be constructed with different types of light sources, typically small lamps or preferably LED's and semiconductor lasers which can be easily fixed to moving elements. Also, as described in detail in PCT/EP2011/062104, by using several light sources and several imagers, one may realize configurations that allow to determine the 6 degrees of freedom of a moving element, i.e. the 3 cartesian coordinates and the 3 rotation angles.
It is an object of the invention to add an important improvement to systems based on a shadow imaging position measurement system.

Positioning device comprising a light beam

CSEM CENTRE SUISSE D'ELECTRONIQUE ET DE MICROTECHNIQUE SA RECHERCHE ET DEVELOPPEMENT


In an information processing apparatus including a printer driver, when outputting of data generated by executing an application is requested, an output mode selection is performed to select a first output mode in which to output the data generated by the application without data indicating an revise date/time and a second output mode in which to output the data generated by the application together with the data indicating the revise date/time of the data generated by the application. In accordance with the selection, the printer driver controls outputting of data to a printer in the first output mode in which the data generated by the application is output to the printer without the data indicating the revise date/time or in the second output mode in which the data generated by the application is output to the printer together with the data indicating the revise date/time. This allows the revise date/time to be easily reflected in a printed matter produced by the printer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus including a printer driver capable of producing print information based on an output request from an application and outputting the produced print information to a printing apparatus, and also relates to a data processing method, a storage medium on which a computer-readable program is stored, and a program.
2. Description of the Related Art
When a plurality of users use a single output device for printing, it is necessary to determine which printed matter is of which user. To this end, each time a document of a particular user is printed, the name of the particular user is printed on a banner page by an application or a printer driver to identify the user of the printed document.
However, if a document is printed using another application, it is necessary to again make setting associated with a banner page. The format of the banner page varies depending on the printer driver and the application. The difference in the format of the banner page makes it difficult to quickly determine which document is of which user. To solve the above problem, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 8-314654 discloses a technique of printing a banner page in the same format regardless of applications and printer drivers such that a network address of a sender of data is detected, a host file is referred to extract host information according to the network address of the sender, and information identifying a user, such as a host name, is printed on the banner page. After the banner page was printed, the main data of the user is printed.
On the other hand, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-108337 discloses a technique of managing printed results or simulation characteristics by printing a color patch in a margin and measuring the color patch using an intensity meter.
However, many users often revise their documents and save revised document data. In this case, it is not sufficient to simply identify users of respective printed documents, but it is necessary to identify versions of printed documents.
To solve the above problem, it has been proposed to automatically print a date/time each document was printed such that the date/time is inserted in the document or printed on a banner page. This technique is known as a time-stamping capability and has been implemented, for example, in Microsoft® Word.
However, in any technique, although it is possible to identify the date/time printing was performed, it is impossible to identify which one of printed documents corresponds to which one of document data stored on computers of users.
Another problem occurs in a printing center that prints documents for many general customers. In such a printing center, it is required to print documents in accordance with original data received from customers without any intentional or unintentional modification. However, it is not known to effectively certify that no modification was made.
Theoretically, it is possible to automatically identify printed documents by scanning printed documents, comparing data obtained by scanning with data stored on computers, and detecting correspondence between printed documents and data stored on computers. However, scanning of printed documents is very inefficient, and thus this technique is not practical.

Method and apparatus for processing data, program, and storage medium on which a computer-readable program is stored


A tanning-enabled wristwatch having a watch head assembly and a watch band for suspending the watch head assembly around the wrist of a user. The watch head assembly includes a watch compartment having a time keeping mechanism and a display or other indicator device for conveying a time value to a user. The watch head assembly also feature a unique housing for supporting said watch compartment such that the housing extends below said watch compartment in a predetermined relationship. The housing is made from a material which is capable of transmitting ultraviolet light through the housing. The housing is also formed with a surface configuration for redirecting ultraviolet light impinging upon a top surface of the housing to an area beneath the watch compartment.

The present invention generally relates to time pieces worn by individuals, and particularly to a watch apparatus which is capable of redirecting ultraviolet light to avoid the obstruction of "tanning" rays from the Sun.
Transmitting tanning rays from the surface of the watch to the skin beneath the opaque components of the watch is a difficult problem to address. For example, a watch could be designed completely of translucent parts which would allow light to pass straight through to the skin. However, this poses significant financial and logistical barriers when considering the complexity of the internal components. Producing transparent time measurement components would not only be very expensive, but would also require a revamping of existing manufacturing facilities. Another possibility would be the use of carefully positioned mirrors to reflect ultraviolet rays around the watch components. This method avoids the component manufacturing problem, but it poses two substantial barriers of its own. First, the smaller the wavelength of electromagnetic radiation becomes, the more difficult it is to reflect. Ultraviolet light is made of very short wave lengths that are significantly shorter than visible light wavelengths. The cost of producing mirrors of a quality that would reflect the percentages of ultraviolet light necessary to achieve even tanning would be high. Second, accurate alignment of the mirrors would be crucial in order to avoid creating "hot spots" as well as to evenly tan the skin. Such an accurate alignment of mirrors would require a more complex manufacturing process than is necessary to obtain the desired results.
Accordingly, it is a principal objective of the present invention to provide a personal timepiece which will enable tanning rays from the Sun to reach the user's skin when the time piece is worn, at a low cost and an attractive design.
It is another objective of the present invention to provide a wristwatch that is constructed such that the opaque components do not obstruct the ultraviolet rays from the Sun which are necessary to enable the skin beneath the wristwatch to tan.
It is an additional objective of the present invention to provide a tanning-enabled wristwatch which may be constructed in a variety of shapes and sizes.