A data transfer device is disclosed whereby both spoken conversation and transfer of data can easily and conveniently be carried out with a minimum of manual steps and repetitions operations. The disclosed device includes first telephone number memory for storing a telephone number of a remote communication node when the data transfer device originates a communication session; second telephone number memory for storing a telephone number of the remote communication node when the remote communication node originates the communication session; start command generating circuit for generating a start command; and data transfer circuit for transferring data. The above mentioned data transfer circuit is such that when the start command generating circuit generates a start command and the data transfer device has originated the communication session, the data transfer circuit initiates a connection over a channel for transmission of digital data between the data transfer device and the remote node corresponding to the telephone number stored in the first telephone number memory, and when the start command generating circuit generates a start command and the remote node has originated the communication session, the data transfer circuit Initiates a connection over a channel for transmission of digital data between the data transfer device and the remote node corresponding to the telephone number stored in the second telephone number memory.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to devices used for transfer of data over digital communication networks.
2. Prior Art
Data communication devices are conventionally known, through the use of which, both speech and data can be transmitted over digital communication lines. When such a conventional data communication device is employed, in order to establish a voice link with a remote station and then initiate transmission of digital data, the following operations are carried out by the individual operating the device:
a) the telephone number of the remote station is entered and a connection and voice link therewith is established;
b) disconnect after confirming that data is to be transferred; and
c) reentering the telephone number of the communication destination or activating a re-dial function, and then initiating transfer of data after a data link has been established with the remote station.
On the other hand, facsimile devices having a conversation circuit and a modem (modulator and demodulator) are conventionally known, through the use of which, both speech and picture data can be transmitted. When an individual transmits picture data by using such a conventional facsimile device, the individual calls the desired remote station and communicates with the individual who operates the remote station, after which the individual in the local station depresses a communication start button, whereby the telephone line is automatically released from the conversation circuit and connected with the modem, and then the picture data is transmitted to the remote station via the telephone line.
With the above described types of conventional data transfer device, when it is desired to transmit data while a spoken conversation between a local and remote station, before the start button for transfer of data is pressed, the number of the destination station must be manually reentered or a re-dial function must be activated. For this reason, the number of manual steps is increased, as well as is the chance for operator error. Additionally, the spoken conversation is interrupted during transmission of data. Furthermore, when the station first called desires to initiate transfer of data to the remote station, the telephone number of the remote station must be looked up and manually entered, or an autodialer must be activated.

Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation


Various exemplary embodiments relate to a method and related network node including one or more of the following: determining first server dynamics associated with a first server instance, wherein the first server dynamics are indicative of a current performance of the first server instance; determining second server dynamics associated with a second server instance, wherein the second server dynamics are indicative of a current performance of the second server instance; determining, based on the first server dynamics, a current operating mode of the first server instance; determining, based on the second server dynamics, a current operating mode of the second server instance; scaling up with respect to the first server instance based on the first current operating mode indicating that the server instance is oversaturated; and scaling down with respect to the second server instance based on the second current operating mode indicating that the server instance is undersaturated.

Traditional approaches to application design may be based on various assumptions such as the existence of a pre-determined infrastructure and the ability to exercise control over aspects of the application including hardware, databases, and deployment configurations with other software and applications. In contrast, these assumptions may not be the case in cloud computing. For example, in various cloud applications, the infrastructure may be capable of changing dynamically as an application executes. Further, in some cases, the application designed may not be able to exert as much control over every component associated with an application as well as other applications that may share resources with the application being developed. Faults, errors, and other anomalies originating from one application or infrastructure may adversely impact other unrelated cloud applications which are sharing the impacted resources. As such, it would be desirable to provide a method and system capable of avoiding or reducing such adverse impacts while providing application developers with the flexibility of the cloud.

Method and system for dynamic scaling in a cloud environment


A heat-sensitive hot-melt image transfer sheet transfers an ink image to a recording sheet when selectively heated by the heating element of the thermal head of a thermal printer. The image transfer sheet comprises a base coated on a surface thereof with a matrix of circular hot-melt ink dots at a constant pitch. The hot-melt ink dots are selectively meltable with heat applied through the base by the heating elements for transferring an ink image to the recording sheet held against the matrix of hot-melt ink dots.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a heat-sensitive hot-melt image transfer sheet for use in a thermal printer.
2. Prior Art
There are known various heat-sensitive hot-melt image transfer sheets for use in thermal printers. One conventional heat-sensitive hot-melt image transfer sheet comprises a base of polyester having a thickness ranging from 3 .mu.m to 9 .mu.m and a layer of hot-melt ink coated uniformly on one surface of the base. In use, the heat-sensitive hot-melt image transfer sheet is set in a thermal printer while the hot-melt ink layer is being held in contact with an image recording sheet and the reverse side of the image transfer sheet is in contact with the thermal head of the printer. Then, an electric current representative of an image to be transferred is supplied to the thermal head to heat the same. The hot-melt ink is thus melted in a selected pattern such as characters or a graphic figure by the heat of the thermal head, and the melted ink pattern is transferred to the image recording sheet.
When a colored image is to be recorded on a recording sheet by a thermal printer, there is employed a heat-sensitive hot-melt image transfer sheet which comprises a base coated with full-page patterns of hot-melt inks of different colors such as yellow, magenta, cyan, and black. The hot-melt inks are successively melted by the thermal head in selected image patterns which are transferred overlappingly onto the recording sheet, thus producing a colored image thereon.
The electric current or currents supplied to the thermal head to record a desired monochromatic or colored image are varied to vary the amount of the melted ink or the amounts of melted inks, so that the area or areas in which the hot-melt ink or inks are transferred to the recording sheet are controlled to achieve a desired gradation of density of the recorded image.
If the density of a portion of an image to be recorded is low, then the level of the electric current fed to the thermal head to reproduce the density is also low. Therefore, the heat applied by the thermal head to the hot-melt ink corresponding to that image portion is absorbed by the surrounding hot-met ink, reducing the region in which the hot-melt ink is actually melted, so that the hot-melt ink will not be sufficiently transferred from the base of the image transfer sheet. As a result, dots formed on the recording sheet by the transferred hot-melt ink may lack portions thereof or become irregular in shape. When the hot-melt ink is heated to a lower temperature, its viscosity remains higher, making it difficult for an intended quantity of hot-melt ink to be separated from the image transfer sheet base.
Conversely, if the density of an image portion to be recorded is high, then the level of the supplied electric current to accomplish the density is also high. The hot-melt ink may then be melted and transferred excessively, with the result that adjacent ink dots on the recording sheet may be joined to or combined with each other. When the hot-melt ink is heated to a higher temperature, its viscosity becomes lower, with the result that surrounding areas of hot-melt ink as well an intended area thereof will be separated from the image transfer sheet base. Thus, an excessive amount of hot-melt ink tends to be supplied from the image transfer sheet.
When the hot-melt ink or inks are hot melted and transferred in a desired amount or amounts, the area or areas on the recording medium in which the melted ink or inks are present tend to vary from a desired size or sizes. Then, the gradations of density of the image to be recorded cannot accurately be controlled, the image cannot sharply be recorded, and, if the image is colored, the desired colors cannot be reproduced exactly.
The ink or inks of the conventional heat-sensitive hot-melt image transfer sheets are coated uniformly on the entire surface of their bases. A special ink coat applicator has heretofore been required in the production of the heat-sensitive hot-melt image transfer sheets. It has been difficult and costly to manufacture the heat-sensitive hot-melt image transfer sheets.

Heat-sensitive hot-melt image transfer sheet


An optical connector comprises a housing having a cavity extending there through to accept a mating connector. The connector comprises no optical components. Dummy solder bonding pads positioned on the connector allow the connector to be automated flip-chip bonded over a substrate waveguide.

With the proliferation of optical communication systems the use of small fiber optic connectors has become more prevalent. Optical connectors are typically made of plastic and are useful components for joining optical fibers or waveguide arrays at their ends. Optical connectors are typically pluggable, meaning that they may allow for repeated connection and disconnection. There are many types of optical connectors available on the market today.
FIG. 1 shows an example of a Mechanically Transferable or "MT"-style connector. Some also refer to "MT" as Multi-Terminal connectors. MT connectors are one type of what are known as small form factor (SFF) connectors. MT connectors are popular for parallel optical data transmission since they provide a high fiber count in a dense connector package comprising an arrayed configuration of fiber holes aligned in a single ferrule. Commercially available MT connectors may comprise anywhere from two to twenty-four connection points and in the future will likely comprise many times that number.
FIG. 1 shows a female portion 100 and a male portion 102 of the connector. A female input 101 and a male input 103 may comprise either optical fibers or waveguide arrays intended to be optically connected to each other. Both the female portion 100 and the male portion 102 hold arrays of corresponding exposed optical connection points 104 and 106 in ferrules, 108 and 110. The connection points 104 and 106 may be aligned by a pair of guide pins 112, often made of metal, at the end of the male portion 102, which join into guide holes 114 on the female portion 100. The MT connector may be locked together by a push and click mechanism or may comprise a fastener (not shown) that clips between the end 116 of the female portion 100 and the end 118 of the male portion 102.
FIGS. 2A, 2B, and 2C show a scenario for attaching a waveguide 101 with an MT connector 100 to a substrate 200. Waveguide 101 may alternatively be a waveguide array. As shown in FIG. 2A, the waveguide 101 is attached to an MT connector 100 precisely. The waveguide 101 and connector 100 are then attached onto a substrate 200 using, for example, an ultra-violet (UV) curable liquid adhesive as shown in FIG. 2B.
As shown in FIG. 2C, an active optical device chip 201 such as a laser or detector or arrays thereof may be flip-chip bonded with solder bumps 202 to the substrate 200 over a 45° mirror 204 positioned at one end of the waveguide 101. Thus, the mirror 204 reflects light to or from the waveguide 101 to the chip 201. A mating MT connector 102 may then be plugged into the waveguide 101 with MT connector 100 on the substrate 200 via guide hole 114 and pin 112 to optically connect the wave guide 101 to external waveguide 103. Unfortunately, the above described process is a highly manual process and not well suited for automated high-speed manufacturing.

Flip-chip mountable optical connector for chip-to-chip optical interconnectability


A stator is formed from two stacks of laminations have different outer perimeters to enable electrical motors with different output ratings to be built with a same hub-to-hub distance. The stator includes a first plurality of laminations having a first outer perimeter with at least two flanges with mounting holes, and a second plurality of laminations having a second outer perimeter that is different than the first outer perimeter. The second outer perimeter of the laminations in the second plurality of laminations are configured to enable a portion of an endplate to pass the second plurality of laminations and contact a face of the first plurality of laminations.

The manufacture of electrical motors involves a balance of requirements for producing adequate output power without unnecessary expense. Electrical motors are comprised of a rotor that can be axially received within an opening in a stator. The stator typically has teeth that extend into the opening to form a diameter in which the rotor is received. Electrical conductors are mounted about the teeth to enable an electrical current in the conductors to generate a rotating magnetic field. The rotor is configured for rotation in response to the magnetic field generated by the stator. This rotor is fixedly mounted about a shaft that rotates with the rotor. This shaft is held by journal bearings at each end and endplates are mounted about each end of the housing in which the stator and rotor are positioned. The journal bearings hold the rotor in position and mounting members, typically bolts or other threaded members, pass through openings in one of the endplates and mounting holes within an outer portion of the stator to be received in a threaded opening in the other endplate to hold the stator in position. When the endplates are mounted about the rotor shaft and the bolts are received in the stator mounting holes and threaded openings in the endplate, the distance between a hub in one endplate through which the rotor shaft extends and a hub in the other endplate that also includes a journal bearing to hold the rotor shaft defines a hub-to-hub distance for the motor.
Some electrical motors are used in common applications with some variation in the output rating of the motor. For example, clothes dryers use an electrical motor to rotate a drum in which wet clothes are placed for heated air drying. Because the clothes hold water when they are first inserted in the drum, their weight can be significant. Consequently, clothes dryers have output ratings that typically range from ¼ horsepower (HP) to ½ HP. The output power of an electrical motor is related to the length of the rotor and stator in the axial direction of the rotor shaft and the thickness of the stator and the rotor in diameter of those components in a direction that is orthogonal to the axial direction. Holding the thickness of the stator and rotor constant, the length of the rotor and stator should vary as the output rating of the motor changes. This length variation, however, causes the hub-to-hub distance of the motor to change as well. Since the hub-to-hub distance is established by an industry standard, this hub-to-hub distance cannot extend beyond the tolerance range of the standard. Consequently, different output rated motors have stators and rotors of different lengths. Maintaining an inventory of different lengths of stators and rotors can be expensive and complicates the electrical motor manufacturing process. Simplifying the manufacture of electrical motors for different output ratings is desirable.

Electrical motor with adjustable stator stack height and reduced yoke diameter


A needle assembly that is adapted for blunting of both an intravenous puncture tip and a non-patient puncture tip is provided. The needle assembly includes a hub having an opening, an intravenous puncture tip, a non-patient puncture tip, a first blunting tip in concentric relation with the intravenous puncture tip, and a second blunting tip in concentric relation with the non-patient puncture tip. An actuator extends through the opening and is in engagement with either the first and second blunting tips or the intravenous puncture tip and the non-patient puncture tip. Activation of the actuator causes blunting of the intravenous puncture tip and the non-patient puncture tip by the first and second blunting tips. The needle assembly is particularly useful in connection with a blood collection system.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to needle assemblies having blunting elements for safe and convenient handling. More particularly, the present invention relates to a needle assembly having a double-ended needle for collecting or delivering fluid samples from or into a patient and which includes blunting elements for the double-ended needle.
2. Description of Related Art
Disposable medical devices having piercing elements are typically used for administering a medication or withdrawing a fluid, such as blood collecting needles, fluid handling needles and assemblies thereof. Current medical practice requires that the fluid containers and needle assemblies used in such systems be inexpensive and readily disposable. Consequently, existing blood collection systems, for example, typically employ some form of durable, reusable holder on which detachable and disposable needles and fluid collection tubes may be mounted. A blood collection system of this nature can be assembled prior to use and then disassembled after use. Thus, these blood collection systems allow repeated use of the relatively expensive holder by merely replacing the relatively inexpensive needle and/or fluid collection tube. In addition to reducing the cost of collecting blood specimens, these blood collection systems also help minimize the production of hazardous medical waste.
A popular design configuration of previously available blood collection systems includes a double-ended needle assembly, an evacuated collection tube, and a holder for maintaining the needle assembly and the collection tube in fixed relation. The double-ended needle assembly, which is also referred to as a cannula, has a bore extending therethrough and a hub near a central region thereof. The evacuated fluid collection tube includes a puncturable stopper at one end thereof. In this type of blood collection system, the holder typically has a housing at one end thereof for receiving the needle assembly. Likewise, the holder also has a hollow body with an opening at an opposite end thereof for receiving the collection tube. The needle assembly is rigidly received within the housing of the holder such that a first end of the needle extends forwardly of the holder for puncturing the vein of a patient. The opposite, second end of the needle extends into the hollow body of the holder. Upon assembly of the blood collection system, the needle assembly is inserted into the housing and the collection tube is inserted through the open end of the hollow body until the second end of the needle pierces the puncturable stopper of the collection tube, thereby allowing fluid communication between the interior of the collection tube and the bore which extends through the needle assembly. To draw a blood specimen from a patient using one of these blood collection systems, the evacuated collection tube is partially inserted into one end of the holder, the first end of the needle is inserted into a patient's vein and the collection tube is fully inserted into the holder such that blood will be drawn through the bore of the needle assembly and into the fluid collection tube. After drawing the specimen, the collection tube is removed so that the blood contained therein can be analyzed and the needle assembly is detached for disposal.
In addition to being capable of accommodating blood collection tubes, the holders of some fluid transfer systems are compatible with fluid containers having a fluid to be injected into a patient. Thus, such holders can be used to inject fluid into, as well as draw blood specimens from a patient.
In order to reduce the risk of incurring an accidental needle-stick wound, protection of the used needle tip becomes important. With concern about infection and transmission of diseases, methods and devices to enclose the used disposable needle have become very important and in great demand. Many arrangements have been designed for protecting used needle tips. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,951,520 to Burzynski et al., discloses a self-blunting needle in which a rod or probe-like blunting member is disposed within the bore of a needle cannula having a puncture tip suitable for puncturing tissue. To prevent accidental needle-stick wounds from occurring after use of the device, the blunting member, which is retracted behind the puncture tip when the needle is injected into tissue, can be extended beyond the puncture tip of the needle cannula to effectively blunt the puncture tip and eliminate or at least greatly reduce the risk of accidental needle-stick punctures. Such a device, however, does not provide protection for the second end of the needle at the non-patient end of the assembly.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,810,775 to Shaw discloses a collection assembly which provides for retraction of the intravenous needle at the patient end of the assembly, and further discloses a hinged cap at the open end of the housing of the holder. After drawing a specimen into a collection tube, the collection tube is removed, and the hinged cap is closed over the opening of the holder, thereby activating the needle retraction and blocking access to the second end of the needle at the non-patient end. Activation of the hinged cap and the retraction mechanism requires substantial manipulation by the user and cannot be conveniently accomplished with a single hand, as is ideal for typical phlebotomy practice. Furthermore, the size of the device is relatively large, and the retraction mechanism for the needle can cause splattering of blood when the tip of a used needle is accelerated during retraction, thus potentially exposing health care workers to blood-borne pathogens.
Accordingly, a need exists for a needle assembly which provides for safety blunting of the needle at both the intravenous and the non-patient needle points while minimizing aerosolization of blood particulates that may carry infectious diseases, and which is simple to manufacture, easy to operate and does not occupy a significant amount of disposal space.

Activation of dual blunting needle assembly


A system and a method for actuating intake valves of an internal combustion engine. The system includes a hydraulic circuit including a master cylinder, a control valve, an accumulator, a first one-way valve and a slave cylinder. The slave cylinder accommodates a slave piston, which is coupled to the intake valves. The control valve is disposed upstream of the accumulator for controlling flow from the hydraulic circuit to the accumulator. The first one-way valve is disposed downstream of the accumulator for permitting flow from the accumulator to the hydraulic circuit and for preventing flow from the hydraulic circuit to the accumulator without first passing through the control valve. The control valve has an open position that provides communication between the hydraulic circuit and the accumulator for a Miller cycle or Miller-like cycle operation. The control valve also has a closed position that prevents communication between the hydraulic circuit and the accumulator during Otto cycle operation.

1. Technical Field
Disclosed herein are methods and apparatuses for controlling the opening and closing of combustion cylinder intake valves of dual-fuel internal combustion engines.
2. Description of the Related Art
Technology that allows diesel engines to run primarily on liquefied natural gas (LNG) may provide an economical way to shift fuel consumption from diesel to LNG. Such a shift could lower greenhouse gas emissions, because burning LNG emits less carbon dioxide per unit of energy than diesel. Shifting from diesel to LNG may save costs, because LNG is cheaper per unit of energy than diesel. Dual-fuel engines, which burn both diesel and LNG, are advantageous because an operator can revert to diesel if LNG is not available or if the price of natural gas rises.
Diesel engines may be converted to run primarily on LNG with relatively small modifications. In a diesel engine, the air-fuel mixture is not ignited with a spark, as in gasoline engines, but by compressing the air until the air-fuel mixture gets hot enough to combust. Compression ignition, as the process is called, does not work well with LNG alone because it is too difficult to control exactly when combustion occurs. As a result, the LNG can detonate and damage the engine. In a dual-fuel engine, this problem is solved by injecting a small amount of diesel into the cylinders with the LNG to trigger combustion. Hence, diesel engines converted to burn LNG also burn small amounts of diesel.
Diesel engines are typically four-stroke engines the operate with a diesel cycle. In an ideal diesel cycle, constant pressure during the combustion is assumed. In contrast, in an "Otto cycle," constant volume during the combustion is assumed. During an Otto cycle, the piston completes four separate strokes to complete a single thermodynamic cycle. A stroke refers to the full travel of the piston along the cylinder, in either direction. The four strokes are (i) intake, (ii) compression, (iii) power and (iv) exhaust. The intake stroke of the piston begins at top of the cylinder with the intake valve(s) open and the exhaust valve(s) closed. The piston descends from the top to the bottom of the cylinder as air is injected into the cylinder. During the compression stroke, both the intake and exhaust valves are closed and the piston returns towards the top of the cylinder, compressing the air. At the beginning of the power stroke, diesel fuel is injected into the cylinder and the piston is close to the top of the cylinder and the compressed hot air ignites the diesel fuel with the heat generated by compressing the air. The resulting pressure from the combustion forces the piston back towards bottom of the cylinder to complete the power stroke. Finally, during the exhaust stroke, the piston once again returns to top of the cylinder while the exhaust valve(s) are open and to expel the spent exhaust gases from the cylinder.
A Miller cycle is a variation of the Otto cycle. During a traditional Miller cycle, the intake valve remains open for part of the compression stroke. In effect, the compression stroke is divided into two discrete portions or stages: the initial portion, when the intake valve(s) remain open and final portion when the intake valve(s) are closed. To counteract the loss of power resulting from the shorter compression stroke and reduced compression ratio, Miller engines are equipped with a supercharger. Pressurized air from the supercharger passes through an intercooler, which lowers the air temperature of the air, making it denser, so more air fits within the same volume during the intake stroke. During a Miller intake stroke, a charge of cold, compressed air rushes into the cylinder with the intake valve(s) open, filling the cylinder with more air than in an Otto cycle intake stroke. As the compression stroke starts with the intake valve(s) open, the output of the supercharger keeps the cylinder pressurized until the intake valve(s) close, thereby limiting the amount of air that is pushed out of the cylinder and into the intake manifold. Further, compressing the air against the pressure from the supercharger requires less energy than compressing the air mixture in a closed cylinder, thereby reducing pumping losses compared to a traditional Otto engine.
The compression ratio of an Otto cycle is higher than that of a Miller cycle because an Otto cycle has a longer effective compression stroke than a Miller cycle. While a high compression ratio is desired for diesel, use of an Otto cycle and a high compression ratio with LNG may result in knocking. A lower effective compression ratio is preferred for LNG than for diesel, which will allow for maximum gas substitution. As a result, an Otto cycle is preferred for diesel and a Miller cycle is preferred for LNG. However, dual-fuel engines need to be able to convert from burning diesel to burning LNG and vice versa. For example, dual-fuel engines may need to switch back to burning diesel if the LNG supply runs out by returning to an Otto cycle or a diesel cycle. Further, it may be easier to start an engine that runs on diesel. To switch between an Otto cycle and a Miller cycle or to change the compression ratio, the timing of the intake valves must be changed. Thus, for dual-fueled engines, the timing of the intake valve closing must be varied to change the compression ratio or to switch between an Otto cycle and a Miller cycle or a variation thereof.
Therefore, there is a need for controlling the closure of the intake valves of an internal combustion engine to enable the engine to run on diesel alone in a diesel cycle or an Otto cycle or to run on diesel in combination with LNG in a Miller or Miller-like cycle.

Intake valve closure control for dual-fuel engines


The medium (9), such as water, of a container (10), such as a fuel cell accumulator, is kept above freezing by a hydrogen/oxygen catalytic combustor (13) fed hydrogen from a source comprising a mechanical thermostatic valve (25) in thermal communication (26) with the container (10) and connected to a hydrogen supply (28). The combustor may comprise an ejector (32) having hydrogen through its primary inlet (31) drawing air through a secondary inlet (33). The combustor may comprise a diffusion combustor having a catalyst (38) spaced from a heating surface (30) and a diffusion control plate (40) low partial pressure of oxygen at the catalyst causing diffusion through the barrier. Water vapor from combustion condenses on a surface (146) and is led by hydrophilic woven carbon paper (126) to wicking material (133), which has smaller pores than the carbon paper, which leads the water downwardly, through a disk (140) and plugs (147) to atmospheric air. The noble metal catalyst mixture includes TEFLON® to permit water generated by combustion to flow by gravity out of the catalyst.

Fuel cell power plants include a stack of fuel cells, each cell having anode and cathode catalysts surrounding an electrolyte, such as phosphoric acid or a proton exchange, polymer electrolyte membrane. In either case, one product of the process is water, which must be removed from the cathode in order to prevent flooding. In PEM fuel cells, it is necessary to keep the anode side of the membrane from becoming dry, a condition which impedes the process of generating electricity. Therefore, water management is important.
In many applications, including stationary applications, space applications and vehicular applications, fuel cell power plants may be utilized in freezing environments, that is, where temperatures will fall below 0° C. (32° F.). When the fuel cell power plant is operating, it produces sufficient heat to maintain all of the water in the system above freezing; however, when the fuel cell power plant is inoperative at subfreezing temperatures for sufficient periods of time, water may freeze resulting in the potential for physical damage as well as causing the fuel cell power plant to be initially inoperable when startup thereof is desired.
In vehicular applications, a desirable criteria is the ability to operate the vehicle, with electricity generated by the fuel cell power plant, in less than one minute (or even less than 40 seconds) following the initial indication of startup, such as by turning of a key or other switch.
In the prior art, procedures have been devised for draining all or part of the water from water flow systems into an accumulator at shutdown, thereby to avoid mechanical damage as a result of ice formation in some or all of the components of the fuel cell stack and its related water management system. However, upon startup, especially at temperatures below −20° C. (−70° F.), melting of the ice in the accumulator and in the associated pumps, conduits and heat exchangers (if not drained) is necessary in order to provide water management and/or coolant to the fuel cell power plant before operation thereof can be sustained.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,797,421, the fuel cell stack, the accumulator, the water pump and heat exchanger are all disposed within an insulated enclosure which is heated by a hydrogen/oxygen catalytic combustor, which is either disposed within the enclosure, or externally thereof, the heat being communicated via a small inlet duct or hood in the lower portion of the enclosure. In this known apparatus, one or more temperature sensors are disposed at various critical points within the enclosure, the temperature indicating signal(s) of which are provided to a controller which in turn controls either static or intermittent flow of hydrogen through a valve to the catalytic combustor. There is no disclosure of controlling the amount of air that is provided to the combustor. The controller, of course, must be provided with electrical power throughout the time that the fuel cell power plant is inoperative at subfreezing temperatures, the source of such power not being disclosed. The temperature of the catalytic combustor therein is set to operate between 93° C. (200° F.) and 370° C. (700° F.), which causes inefficient operation of the combustor.
In U.S. 2002/0068202, it is suggested that a fuel cell power plant (referred to therein as a battery) can be operated with a minimal load, either continuously or in response to a temperature sensor, so that the electrolyte of the fuel cells remain above freezing.
There are situations other than within the framework of fuel cell power plants wherein maintaining a suitable temperature of a medium in a container is required.

Catalytic combustors keeping contained medium warm in response to hydrostatic valve


The present invention relates to compositions and methods for treating diseases, disorders or conditions associated with dysregulated expression of mesothelin. In one embodiment, the invention relates to a fully human chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) wherein the CAR is able to target mesothelin.

Successful T cell immunotherapeutic strategies are limited by the tolerance to self-antigens, rendering the identification and expansion of tumor-reactive T cells with high avidity for tumor-associated antigens difficult (Mansoor, et al., 2005, Br J Cancer 93: 1085-1091). Further, solid tumors often down-regulate MHC Class I and/or other molecules related with the antigen processing machinery as a mechanism for evading immune response (Han, et al., 2008, Clin Cancer Res 14: 3372-3379). To obviate these obstacles, tumor antigen-specific T cells have been engineered to express chimeric antigen receptors (CAR)—or "T bodies"—comprised of an antigen-specific single-chain antibody fragment (scFv) fused to intracellular signalling domains derived from receptors involved in lymphocyte activation (Gross, et al., 1989, Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 86: 10024-10028). CARs can functionally redirect T cells with high specificity to various surface antigens on tumor cells independent of MHC restriction and antigen processing, and therefore bypass major mechanisms by which tumors escape immune recognition.
CARs targeting various tumor-associated antigens have been developed, characterized and tested (Jena, et al., 2010, Blood 116: 1035-1044). Despite encouraging pre-clinical results, CAR therapy has had limited success in the clinic primarily due to poor long-term persistence of the engineered T cells following infusion to patients. This may be attributed in part to the frequent use of scFvs of mouse origin which renders these constructs susceptible to host immune recognition and responses against xenogeneic regions of the molecule. Xenogeneic responses have been observed in clinical trials of CAR therapy. For example, patients who received autologous T cells transduced to express a CAR of mouse origin mounted humoral immune responses against the transgene bearing cells, which may have limited their persistence in vivo and their ability to respond against antigen-expressing tumor cells (Kershaw, et al., 2006, Clin Cancer Res 12: 6106-6115; Park, et al., 2007, Mol Ther 15: 825-833).
Mesothelin is a glycosylphosphatidyl inositol-linked membrane glycoprotein overexpressed on the cell surface of mesothelioma, ovarian cancer as well as cancers of the pancreas, stomach and lung (Chang, et al., 1996, Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 93: 136-140; Ho, et al., 2007, Clin Cancer Res 13: 1571-1575; Argani, et al., 2001, Clin Cancer Res 7: 3862-3868). Mesothelin also exists as a soluble form and is a serum biomarker for lung, mesothelioma and ovarian cancer (Scholler, et al., 1999, Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 96: 11531-11536; Hassan, et al., 2006, Clin Cancer Res 12: 447-453; Robinson, et al., 2005, Lung Cancer 49 Suppl 1: S109-111). The biological function of mesothelin is still unclear; however mesothelin binds to CA125, a plasma glycoprotein on tumor cells, suggesting that mesothelin may contribute to peritoneal and pleural metastasis (Kaneko, et al., 2009, J Biol Chem 284: 3739-3749; Rump, et al., 2004, J Biol Chem 279: 9190-9198). Mesothelin expression is associated with chemoresistance, shorter disease-free survival and worse overall survival of patients with epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) (Cheng, et al., 2009, Br J Cancer 100: 1144-1153). Accordingly, mesothelin represents an attractive target for immune-based therapies. While vaccination with granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor-transduced pancreatic cancer lines can induce in vivo mesothelin-specific CD8+ T cells, with the capacity to kill mesothelin-expressing cancer cells in an MHC Class I-restricted fashion (Thomas, et al., 2004, J Exp Med 200: 297-306), more recent work has shown that human T cells bearing an anti-human mesothelin CAR of mouse origin (referred to as SS1) exhibit MHC-independent effector functions in vitro and induce the regression of human mesothelioma xenografts in vivo in immunodeficient mice (Carpenito, et al., 2009, Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 106: 3360-3365).
Thus, there is an urgent need in the art for compositions and methods for treatment of diseases, disorders or conditions associated with dysregulated expression of mesothelin. The present invention addresses this need.

Fully human, anti-mesothelin specific chimeric immune receptor for redirected mesothelin-expressing cell targeting

THE TRUSTEES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA


The present invention provides systems and methods for correcting errors in a received frame. The present invention introduces diversity into an error detection and correction system at the receiver side by decoding a received frame using a plurality of decoding schemes. Each of these schemes are optimized for a different set of underlying assumptions. The schemes may be optimized to account for various types of noise including, not limited to, Gaussian noise and impulsive noise. The plurality of decoded frames are then validated using an outer decoder to choose a valid frame from candidate decoded frames. By including a plurality of decoders using a plurality of decoding schemes, the error detection and correction system may accurately detect and correct errors in a constantly changing environment having constantly changing noise patterns.

As the world has become more reliant on computers and information exchange, the need for reliable data transmission has become increasingly important. One key element in the exchange of information is the accurate and efficient transmission and reception of data across noisy transmission channels.
Signal processing methods implemented in practical communications systems are usually designed under the assumption that any underlying noise and interference is Gaussian. Although this assumption finds strong theoretical justification in the central limit theorem, the noise and interference patterns commonly present in modern mobile communications systems are far from Gaussian. Noise and interference generally exhibit "impulsive" behavior. In typical mobile communication systems, noise and interference sources often include: motor-vehicle ignition noise, switching noise from electromechanical equipment, thunderstorms, and heavy bursts of interference. Current signal processing systems are not designed to handle these non-Gaussian noise sources. Accordingly, these systems may perform poorly, and might even fail, in the presence of impulsive noise.
Channel noise and interference can be effectively modeled as the superposition of many small and independent effects. In practice, these effects do not always follow a Gaussian distribution. This situation appears to contradict the central limit theorem. For many years, engineers have been unable to explain this apparent contradiction. Consequently, many of the techniques developed to cope with impulsive noise were mainly ad hoc, largely based on signal clipping and filtering prior to application of a Gaussian-based technique.
Clipping the amplitude of an input signal is only effective if the amplitude of the input signal is above or below specific threshold values. These threshold values are typically determined by the limits of hardware used in a receiver in a communication system. Accordingly, the threshold values are often chosen in order to take advantage of the full dynamic range of analog to digital (A/D) converter(s) used in such a receiver. However, if impulsive noise added to the input signal does not cause the amplitude of a signal to exceed a specific threshold, clipping will not remove the noise. Additionally, even when noise does cause the signal to exceed a threshold, clipping only removes noise to the extent that the magnitude of the signal plus the noise is above the threshold. Accordingly, noise is not actually removed, though its effects are somewhat reduced.
When individual signals within a sequence are contaminated by noise, the sequence may not be properly decoded, thereby making communications difficult. In typical communication systems, decoding is used to identify potential communication errors. Additionally, decoding may be able to correct some, or even most, errors. Errors may be corrected by one of many error detection and correct schemes known to those skilled in the art. Typical coding and decoding schemes are able to correct errors by inserting controlled redundancy into a transmitted information stream. This is typically performed by adding additional bits or using an expanded channel signal set. These schemes allow a receiver to detect, and possibly correct, errors.
In its most simple form, one problem with noisy transmission environments is that, a certain percentage of the time, a transmitted '1' is received as a '0' or vice versa. There are many methods of encoding data that allow received errors to be detected or even corrected. These encoding and decoding schemes are typically optimized based on a set of underlying assumptions. Preferably, these assumptions are designed to match the conditions of a real-world communications environment. Often, systems using these schemes are designed under the assumption that the underlying noise and interference is Gaussian. When these assumptions do not match real-world conditions, the performance of these schemes may no longer be optimal. While systems which use these schemes work well a majority of the time, their performance is severely affected when conditions degrade.
One way to accommodate increased noise in a transmission channel is to build a high level of redundancy into the encoding scheme. The problem with such solutions is that adding redundancy increases the size of each transmission frame. Those skilled in the art are familiar with the tradeoffs between using highly redundant encoding schemes, which allow the detection and correction of a greater number of reception errors, and using a scheme with lower redundancy, which has a smaller frame, and thus allows a greater quantity of data to be transmitted in a given time period at the expense of being able to detect and correct few reception errors. While these solutions may be somewhat effective, the tradeoff between accuracy and speed limits optimal performance.
Another solution for reducing the effects of noise on a transmission channel is to use multiple transmission channels for each transmission. Such schemes, called diversity schemes, transmit the same data frame on multiple channels. When the data is received, each channel is checked for accuracy and a logical decision engine, or a combiner, chooses a received signal from one of the channels that is believed to be accurate. An example of a receiver system using a diversity scheme is shown in FIG. 1.
The classical goal of a system based on a diversity scheme is to provide the receiver with L versions of an information signal transmitted over independent channels. The parameter L is the diversity order of the system. There are many ways to introduce diversity into a system. Well-known examples include frequency, time and space diversity. The RAKE receiver is a diversity technique commonly employed to combat error bursts or "deep fades" over a multipath fading channel. The basic idea is that the provisioning of multiple, independent versions of a transmitted signal greatly reduces the impact of fading. One weak signal can be compensated by other strong signals. Hence, diversity addresses the issue of robust error performance in a fading environment.
There are several well-known methods used to combine the L diversity versions of a signal that reach a receiver. The most fundamental combining techniques include selection combining, equal-gain combining, and maximal-ratio combining.
These schemes may be successful in reducing the effects of noise because it is unlikely that all of the channels will be simultaneously corrupted by noise. However, the overhead (i.e., cost of additional hardware) associated with such a scheme is large because the system utilizes multiple transmitters, receivers, and broadcast channels. The use of multiple broadcast channels is also undesirable because it requires significantly more bandwidth than normal broadcast schemes.
Therefore, there is a need in the art for systems and methods for accurately and efficiently encoding and decoding transmission signals in varying transmission conditions.

Systems and methods for correcting errors in a received frame


The present invention relates to a heating element including a transparent substrate, a bus bar, a power supply connected to the bus bar, a heat emitting pattern line provided on the transparent substrate and electrically connected to the bus bar, and a non-heat emitting pattern line provided on the transparent substrate and not electrically connected to the bus bar, and a method for manufacturing the same.

During winter or on a rainy day, frost is formed on a glass surface of a vehicle because of a difference between temperatures of the outside and inside of the vehicle. In addition, in the case of an indoor ski resort, a dew condensation phenomenon occurs because of a difference between temperatures of the inside where there is a slope and the outside of the slope. Heat emitting glass has been developed in order to solve the problem. The heat emitting glass is a notion that after a thermal conductive layer or hot wire pattern is formed on a surface of glass, heat is generated by applying electricity, thereby increasing a temperature of the surface of glass.
In particular, it is important for the heat emitting glass for a vehicle to have low resistance in order to generate sufficient heat, and, more importantly, the heat emitting glass should not be unpleasant to the human eyes. Accordingly, a method for manufacturing the heat emitting glass through ITO (Indium Tin Oxide) sputtering has been tried. However, in this case, there is a problem in that heat is not sufficiently emitted.
A hot wire may be used as a method for constituting the heat emitting glass. In this case, if the hot wire is constituted by being arranged in a constant pattern such as a triangular or trapezoidal form according to the form of glass, a portion where a distance between bus bars is changed may be generated.
If the distance between the bus bars is changed, a resistance value of the hot wire is changed according to the distance between the bus bars. Furthermore, a value of a current flowing in each hot wire in the bus bars under a predetermined voltage is changed, such that heat is not uniformly emitted.
As described above, in the case where the distance between the bus bars is changed according to the form of glass, the following two methods are used in order to implement a uniform heat emitting level.
First, there is a method for controlling an emission level of heat provided per area by controlling a thickness of a hot wire and a space between the hot wires. Second, there is a method for implementing uniform heat emitting by disposing all the bus bars of two electrodes at a lower end, and changing a thickness of a hot wire according to a change in length of the hot wires connecting both bus bars.
The above two methods can ensure a predetermined level of a uniform heat emitting property. However, since a distribution of areas occupied by the arranged hot wires, that is, a density of the hot wires per unit area is changed according to the position, it is impossible to implement a uniform pattern arrangement. For example, in the case of glass for a vehicle, when a driver in the vehicle observes the outside through the glass for the vehicle, a recognition property of a hot wire pattern is increased due to a non-uniform distribution of the hot wire pattern, such that there is a problem in that a field of vision of the driver may be obstructed.

Heating element and a manufacturing method thereof


The invention provides compounds of formula (1),

Obesity, which is an excess of body fat relative to lean body mass, is a chronic disease that is highly prevalent in modern society. It is associated with decreased life span and numerous medical problems, including adverse psychological development, coronary artery disease, hypertension, stroke, Type 2 diabetes, hyperlipidemia, and some cancers. A hallmark characteristic of obesity is an increase in white adipose tissue (WAT) mass that is largely due to accumulation of triacylglycerol. This increase in WAT mass is a key contributor to obesity-associated complications.
Diacylglycerol O-acyltransferase 1 (DGAT-1) is a membrane-bound enzyme that catalyzes the terminal step of triacylglycerol biosynthesis. DGAT-1 is expressed in the intestine and adipose tissue It has been found that DGAT-1 null mice do not become obese when challenged with a high fat diet in contrast to wild-type littermates (Smith, et al., Nature Genetics 25:87 90, 2000). DGAT-1 null mice display reduced postprandial plasma glucose levels and exhibit increased energy expenditure, but have normal levels of serum triglycerides.
The phenotype of the DGAT-1 null mouse, along with the results of our studies with DGAT-1 inhibitors in diet-induced obese (DIO) mice, indicate that such mice are resistant to diet induced obesity and have increased insulin and leptin sensitivity. These effects suggest that inhibition of DGAT in vivo may be a novel therapeutic target not only for obesity but also for diabetes. (Subauste A, Burant C F, Curr Drug Targets Immune Endocr Metabol Disord. 2003 December; 3(4):263-70.)
Therefore, a need exits in the art, however, for DGAT-1 inhibitors that have efficacy for the treatment of metabolic disorders such as, for example, obesity, Type 2 diabetes and insulin resistance syndrome. Further, a need exists in the art for DGAT-1 inhibitors having IC50 values of less than about 1000 nM and preferably below 100 nM.

Abstract: and the pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein R1, R2, R3, R4, R5a, R5b, R5c, R5d, Q, A, Z, and R7 are as described herein; compositions thereof; and uses thereof.


In a satellite (20), two-axis solar panel drives (56, 58) allow two degrees of rotational freedom of movement for solar panels (22, 24). Regulation of electrical current loops (46, 48) within the solar panels (22, 24) generates a magnetic field. When the solar panels (22, 24) are tilted about an overturning axis (28), the magnetic field provides a component of a control torque about a pitch axis (30). An on-board processor (52) commands the panel drives (56, 58) and a magnetic torque actuator (60) to instantaneously and simultaneously damp disturbance torques about a windmill axis (26), an overturning axis (28), and a pitch axis (30). The processor (52) allows disturbance torque to be corrected continuously rather than periodically over the course of an orbit. Counter-disturbance torques (90) are applied (88) in synchronism with a satellite nutation frequency (76) but out of phase with the nutation so that nutation is damped.

Many factors, including solar wind, the earth's magnetic field, and gravity, contribute to attitude error of satellites in earth orbit. These factors induce disturbance torques about satellite axes. The disturbance torques are often described using terms related to windmill, overturning, and pitch axes. The windmill and overturning axes lie primarily in the azimuth (roll-yaw) plane and are perpendicular to each other. The pitch axis is perpendicular to both the windmill and overturning axes. When a satellite experiences such disturbance torques, momentum wheels become loaded and the satellite may experience rotational motions about its various axes.
Attitude error caused by disturbance torques affects the level of service that a satellite can provide. For example, the attitude of a communication satellite should be precisely maintained in order to align a communication antenna with an antenna target. When attitude error is not corrected, the satellite consumes excessive power in order to transmit communications at a higher power level to compensate for antenna misalignment. In addition, attitude error causes "cosine" power loss, especially during the solstice periods of the year. Cosine power loss results from incorrectly aligning the solar panels with respect to the sun. To the extent that solar panels are not optimally aligned with the-sun, the solar panels generate less electrical power than they might otherwise
Conventional methods of damping disturbance torques involve the utilization of tanks and momentum wheels located in the satellite body to slowly absorb the disturbance. However, the disturbance loading must eventually be unloaded or the satellite attitude will suffer. When the disturbances are unloaded, attitude errors can occur.
One-axis solar sailing or tacking is often utilized to counter disturbance torques. Conventional solar tacking techniques involve extensive activations of solar panel rotation stepper motors to pivot the solar panels about the pitch axis. However, this type of solar tacking generates undesirable windmill torques which occasionally pass through a zero torque. As the windmill torque passes through zero, attitude transients would result if solar tacking were employed to correct unwanted disturbance motions. To prevent these attitude transients, conventional techniques excessively accumulate attitude error until the attitude error can be corrected without encountering a significant duration of zero windmill torque. In general, attempting to counteract a disturbance torque in only one dimension aggravates disturbance problems in the remaining two dimensions.
In addition, a conventional use of solar tacking to address attitude disturbance control involves moving solar panels up to 15 degrees or more as quickly as possible, and holding the panels in position for roughly a six-hour period before returning the panels to their prior orientation. This allows build-up of secular momentum and significant variation of cyclical momentum. Moreover, single-axis solar tacking techniques excessively prohibit solar panels from squarely facing the Sun. This results in excessive cosine power loss, especially during the solstice periods of the year.
Disturbances due to solar, magnetic, or gravitational influences or by counter-disturbance satellite motions cause another form of attitude error called nutation, primarily about the pitch axis. Nutation leads to inefficient satellite power management. Thus, a need exists to cancel out nutation to better control satellite attitude.


In an air-conditioning apparatus in which air sucked into a casing of an outdoor unit by a fan is discharged from an upper portion of the casing, each of liquid header portions is configured to be connected with each of heat transfer tubes of a plurality of divided regions formed by dividing the outdoor heat exchangers in an up and down direction. Further, a shunt is configured to supply two-phase refrigerant, in which quality is adjusted by a gas-liquid separator, to each of the liquid header portions. To each of the liquid header portions, the shunt supplies the two-phase refrigerant of the amount corresponding to the air quantity of the divided region connected to each of the liquid header portions.

Distribution of the wind speed (air quantity) of the air passing through a heat exchanger is generally not uniform but is distributed. For example, in the case of an air-conditioning apparatus in which the air, taken into the casing of an outdoor unit by an outdoor fan, exchanges heat in an outdoor heat exchanger and then the air is discharged from an upper portion of the casing, the wind speed in the outdoor heat exchanger is distributed in such a manner that the wind speed of the upper side increases and the wind speed in the lower side decreases. When the distribution of refrigerant supplied to the heat exchanger and the distribution of the wind speed (air quantity) do not match, the performance of the heat exchanger may not be drawn out. For example, in the case where the heat exchanger is an evaporator, the refrigerant cannot be evaporated completely at a portion of a heat transfer tube where air quantity passing through is small, so that the performance of the heat exchanger cannot be drawn out. To solve such a problem, as a conventional air-conditioning apparatus in which the air, taken into the casing of an outdoor unit by an outdoor fan, exchanges heat with an outdoor heat exchanger and then the air is discharged from an upper portion of the casing, one in which an outdoor heat exchanger is divided into a plurality of divided regions in an up and down direction, and for each divided region, two-phase refrigerant of the amount corresponding to the air quantity is supplied using a distributor, has been proposed (for example, see Patent Literature 1).


A method and apparatus for changing the polarization of an input signal includes propagating a polarized input signal having orthogonal E-field components by at least one surface each having a respective surface impedance and varying at least one of the surface impedances to shift the phase of one of the components independently from the other so that the polarity of said input signal is changed. Bi-directional propagation is achieved by rotating polarity in one direction but not the other.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to electronic systems, and more particularly to the transmission of electromagnetic signals.
2. Description of the Related Art
An electromagnetic wave propagating through space has orthogonal electric (E) and magnetic (H) field components commonly described in Cartesian coordinates. The concept of using an electromagnetic beam for transmitting information is attractive at high frequencies, such as the frequency band of approximately 20-40 GHz. Transmission of the electromagnetic beam to a destination typically involves the use of a signal-guiding element and one or more amplifiers in a power amplifier module. Functions such as switching and bi-directional amplification are used to accomplish the system.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,756,866, J. Higgins describes a signal-guiding element in the form of a waveguide that has high impedance structures on its walls to provide phase shifting while maintaining power density across its width for amplification. The surface impedance of the walls is voltage controlled using voltage dependent capacitance which determines the resonant frequency of the wall impedance structure and results in a change of the wave propagation constant and, subsequently, the phase of transmission coefficients (S21 and S12). J. Higgins suggests the use of the impedance structure on all four walls of the waveguide to support simultaneous and active phase control of two linearly and orthogonally polarized microwave or millimeter wave signals. An array amplifier is an array of small amplifiers each with an input antenna and an orthogonally oriented (with respect to the input antenna) output antenna. The amplified wave is polarized orthogonally with respect to the input wave. The combination of such a waveguide and an array amplifier can establish a directional power amplifier module for guiding and amplifying the input signal.
One problem associated with the prior art power modules described above is the unidirectionality of their associated amplifier arrays. Amplifier arrays use input and output antennas that are perpendicular to one another and, because antennas radiate in both upstream and downstream directions, require polarizers to set the direction of gainful propagation. The orientation of the antennas in comparison to the polarization of the return signal prevents bidirectional signal gain for rotationally fixed power modules. If bidirectional signal gain is required, a second power module is typically used. This results in duplicative power modules.

Method and apparatus for changing the polarization of a signal


In an electronic control unit, it is determine whether a data frame received from a different electronic control unit via a communication network is abnormal. A prediction data, which is predicted to be a normal data supposed to be included in the data frame determined to be abnormal, is generated by using a past data that is a data included in stored data frames, based on a stored prediction generation method. A prediction data frame including the prediction data is transmitted via the communication network.

In recent years, various types of electronic control units, which are connected to each other via an in-vehicle network such as a CAN (Controller Area Network), are mounted on an automobile. These electronic control units include electronic control units that control the operation of the vehicle, such as the engine and steering wheel. Therefore, in order to ensure the safety of the vehicle, high security is required to prevent the electronic control unit from being incorrectly controlled by an unauthorized access by a third party, or to invalidate the unauthorized control performed by a third party.

Electronic control unit and electronic control system


Method and apparatus for non-destructively picking locks which normally are operated by keys, such locks capable of having twisting tumbler pins and sidebars. The method requires that: the pins be raised high in the keyway; the plug be axially bored by a thin drill which enters through a low portion of the keyway, the rear end of the drilled bore opening to the bolt cam operator; the drill bit be removed from the bore; and then the bolt cam operator be directly turned to shift open the bolt. This method does not decode the tumblers nor release any sidebar. The preferred apparatus comprises a pin raiser tool, which is self-retaining due to bias on the pins, which is transmitted to the handle of this tool; and a torquing tool, which is passed through the bore and has a blade which seats in the cam operator for turning the operator to shift open the lock bolt. A unique safety shield can be installed on the tailpiece to prevent picking by the method of this invention.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to method and apparatus for picking locks, particularly locks of the pin tumbler type having pins which are displaced by insertion of a key, whereupon the key can be rotated sufficiently to intersect with lock structure to draw back or release the lock bolt.
2. The Prior Art
The picking, i.e. opening of locks, is a specialty of locksmiths in the non-destructive opening of a lock, without use of the key specific for that lock. As locks become more complex to thwart illegal and unwanted picking, it becomes more difficult for locksmiths to accomplish legal lock picking. Not only does lock picking require skill and experience, various different tools have been designed to be used on different types of key operating on pin tumbler type locks. If a lock is too difficult to pick, then the time-cost of picking might result in a decision to use destructive entry by: destroying the lock in the belief that it then can be opened; drilling/sawing the entire lock from the surface/door into which it is mounted; or breaking and entering into the locked area to locate another key for that lock, or to dismantle the lock from the interior side of the locked area. In each situation the total cost of the legal entry into the locked area can be significant, because the lock was made so well as to thwart picking.
Lock picking tools and methods, even those limited to locks having pins that are acted upon by the insertion of a key, are so numerous as to cause their description herein to be inappropriate. Historically, lock picking has attempted to simulate the action of the key as it slides along the keyway and encounters the biased pins sequentially. Thus, this form of picking displaces/aligns the tumblers, the pins or wafers, depending upon the mechanism of the lock. Some locks are built so that, once the pins are aligned in a certain manner, the plug in which they are housed can be removed from the cylinder within the lock; thereupon, the locksmith can encode that subassembly of pins to a key he supplies easily for opening the lock, since the newly encoded plug is reinserted in the lock cylinder. Some locks include a side bar, in addition to the pins, tumblers or wafers which the key displaces/aligns. Such side bar must be moved out of latching position, separate from the displacing of the pins, requiring additional lock picking tools and skills. More sophisticated locks have twisting tumblers, which require both axial displacement and rotation around their longitudinal axis to achieve correct displacement by the key or by picking tools.
There is a method of drilling into a side bar with wafer type of automobile lock, in which a tool is passed through the drilled passageway to retract the side bar, while another tool is used to align the wafers; whereupon, the lock assembly is removed for conventional re-keying. Even where drilling into a lock might be a possible step in picking, the drill often binds and then breaks inside the lock, thus forcing lock removal by another non-picking, destructive approach and then replacement of the lock. Even if lock drilling is not thwarted by security means and the drilling step is successful itself, there has been created a new problem--the removal of the drill caused burrs and bits of metal from the interior of the lock--so that the pins, springs, tumblers, side bar, etc. remain free to be displaced, rotated, moved, not restricted by impinging metallic burrs and bits due to the drilling. A well known, destructive method of forced entry employs drilling through the lock, along the shear line which is at the juncture of the shell and plug. If such drilling is not inhibited by lock security features, the plug then is freed to turn, but the lock must be replaced.
More sophisticated, high security locks use combinations of pick thwarting mechanisms, some of which have just been mentioned, and further employ structural inhibitors to defeat invasive, semi-destructive or significantly destructive tools and methods of lock opening and picking. Some of these structural inhibitors include: hardened steel, anti-drill inserts, especially in the plug; anti-pry pin covers; high strength steel components, including shields; anti-saw dead bolts, etc. As a consequence, the very well built high security locks are not pickable, at least not in an economic manner. This has lead to the destructive removal of these types of lock, when the key is not available. Such lock destruction and replacement with a new high security lock, even from the same manufacturers is costly and time consuming to obtain entry into the locked area and securing that area with the new lock. If entry was to be by an unauthorized person, when speed, not cost, is important, sawing around the entire high security lock assembly might be more practical than using locksmith tools and techniques; but that probably would trigger a burglar alarm system, as would breaking a window or door/wall panel of the secured area.
Because of their cost, high security locks are manufactured by only a few companies and are of a few basic types per company, at least when considering the variables with respect to lock picking tools and methods. Nevertheless, many state-of-the-art high security locks cannot be non-destructively picked by experienced locksmiths employing currently available tools and procedures. Moreover, certain of the more complex locks can be picked only by use of a plurality of tools, requiring simultaneous use of some of them; whereby, both hands of the locksmith are needed and at times a third hand would be beneficial.


A method of fabricating a semiconductor device uses selective epitaxial growth (SEG), by which leakage current generation is minimized using lateral SEG growth in case a contact intrudes a shallow track isolation feature. The method includes steps of forming a sidewall spacer on a gate, selectively growing an epitaxial layer in a lateral direction relative to the sidewall spacer and the gate, and forming a contact on the epitaxial layer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of fabricating a semiconductor device, and more particularly, to a method of fabricating a semiconductor device using selective epitaxial growth, by which leakage current caused by a contact between a device and metal is prevented from occurring.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Generally, as patterns of semiconductor devices are getting more finely reduced and more highly integrated, it becomes increasingly necessary to reduce a size of a wiring contact. Yet, the contact size cannot be reduced indefinitely due to the limitation of an aspect ratio of the contact.
It is highly probable that a contact intrudes an isolation area (STI) in such modern devices. Hence, an interface between silicon and oxide is vulnerable to leakage current.
FIG. 1A shows a cross-sectional diagram of a contact according to a related art, in which a portion bisected along a line A–A′ in FIG. 1B is shown.
Referring to FIG. 1A, in an area WELL A, when a contact 1 is formed, an interface between an STI oxide layer and STI silicon is vulnerable to various processes such as cleaning, etch, silicidation, and the like. Hence, the contact 1 may be formed deeper than is shown in the drawing.
In a case where the contact intrudes the STI interface, as shown in the area WELL A, a distance between a junction and substrate 2 becomes shorter, thus giving rise to leakage current.
FIG. 1C is a magnified cross-sectional diagram of a contact according to a related art.
Referring to FIG. 1C, in case of STI (shallow trench isolation), a device isolation property is excellent. Yet, a contact hole 1 intrudes into the STI boundary to trigger the leakage current. The shorter the distance 3 between the contact and junction, the more likely sizable leakage current is generated. And, FIG. 2A and FIG. 2B are real photos of contacts according to the related art.
To overcome the above-mentioned problem, selective epitaxial growth, (SEG) which is disclosed in Korean Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. 2001-73705, 2001-45423, or 2001-10442, is employed.
In Korean Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-73705, a method of growing SEG between a substrate and contact area is disclosed, in which a contact area is increased to secure a recess margin for overetch and to lower contact resistance.
However, as a width of a device is reduced, a contact is overlapped with a device isolation layer. Hence, it is unable to improve the problem of leakage current occurring.
In Korean Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-45423, SEG is employed as a design rule is further reduced to prevent a wordline and semiconductor substrate from being damaged by a contact etch prior to forming a contact.
However, there is no thickness difference between the SEG and gate. Consequently, the SEG is too thick for effectively fitting in a nano-sized and highly integrated semiconductor device.

Method of fabricating semiconductor device using selective epitaxial growth


A high speed connector assembly includes a first surface-mount connector (SMC) and a second SMC. The first SMC includes a first flexible printed circuit (FPC) that has conductors that extend from a first FPC edge to a second FPC edge. The first edge includes surface-mount contact structures for surface mounting to a first printed circuit board. The second SMC includes a second FPC that has conductors that extend from a first FPC edge to a second FPC edge. The first edge includes surface-mount contact structures for surface mounting to a second printed circuit board. A set of contact beams is disposed along the second FPC edge. The first and second SMCs are mateable such that the contact beams make electrical contact between conductors in the first FPC and conductors in the second FPC. The FPC of the second SMC flexes to adjust for misalignments between the first and second SMCs.

Electrical connectors are used in electronic equipment and devices to communicate electrical signals from one printed circuit board to another. As operating speeds of the electronics of such electronic equipment and devices have increased, the communication of the electrical signals in a noise-free fashion has become more important and more difficult to achieve. If, for example, an electrical signal is transmitted down a conductor and if there are discontinuities in the characteristic impedance of the conductor, or if the conductor is not properly terminated, then electrical reflections may be generated. These reflections are undesirable and may obscure the desired signal that was to be conducted down the conductor. If, for example, two conductors extend parallel and close to one another for a long distance, a signal propagating down one of the conductors may induce a signal into the other conductor. Again, the induced signal is undesirable and may obscure a desired signal that was to be conducted down the other conductor. If, for example, an adequately long segment of a conductor is left unshielded and if a high frequency signal is present on the segment, then the segment may act as an antenna and radiate electromagnetic radiation or receive electromagnetic radiation. This is undesirable as well. As the operating speeds of the electronics within the electronic equipment and devices have increased over time, the need to minimize reflections, cross-talk and the radiation of electromagnetic energy in the conductors within electrical connectors has become more important.
FIG. 1 (Prior Art) is a simplified perspective view of a piece of electronic equipment 1 such as a router or computer. Equipment 1 includes a first printed circuit board 2 extending in a first plane and a second printed circuit board 3 extending in a second plane perpendicular to the first printed circuit board. The first printed circuit board is often referred to as a motherboard or a backplane. The second printed circuit board is often referred to as a daughterboard or line card or expansion board. Although not illustrated in FIG. 1, there are typically many daughterboards within the piece of electronic equipment.
Electrical signals are communicated between first printed circuit board 2 and second printed circuit board 3 across a right angle connector assembly. The connector assembly includes a first connector 4 disposed on the motherboard and a second connector 5 disposed on the daughterboard. The first connector 4 is often referred to as the motherboard connector and the second connector 5 is often referred to as the daughterboard connector. The assembly is called a right angle connector because the two printed circuit boards are disposed at right angles with respect to one another.
FIG. 2 (Prior Art) is an expanded perspective view of motherboard 2, motherboard connector 4, daughterboard 3, and daughterboard connector 5. To couple the daughterboard to the motherboard, the daughterboard is moved with respect to the motherboard in the direction of arrow 6 such that female daughterboard connector 5 mates with male motherboard connector 4. Individual signal conductors within daughterboard connector 5 are thereby coupled to corresponding individual signal conductors within motherboard connector 4.
FIG. 3 (Prior Art) is a cross-sectional diagram showing how motherboard connector 4 is mechanically and electrically coupled to motherboard printed circuit board 2. Daughterboard connector 5 is coupled to daughterboard 3 in similar fashion. Motherboard connector 4 is a male connector that includes an insulative housing 7 and a plurality of metal pins 8 and 9. Each pin has a first end for mating with female daughterboard connector 5 and a second press-file contact tail end. Each press-fit contact tail extends into a corresponding through hole in the printed circuit board. There are two press-fit contact tails 10 and 11 illustrated in FIG. 3. Each contact tail has a hollow eye which allows the contact tail to be compressed by the sidewalls of the through hole as the contact tail is forced into the through hole when connector 4 is fixed to motherboard 2. The contact tail presses back out against the sidewalls of the through hole and thereby holds the contact tail and pin in place. All the contact tails of the all the pins in turn hold the connector 4 in place on the printed circuit board.
FIG. 4 (Prior Art) is an end view of male motherboard connector 4. Insulative housing 7 includes a first sidewall portion 12 and a second sidewall portion 13. The ends of pairs of numerous signal pins are seen extending upward toward the viewer from the plane of the page. Pins 8 and 9 are one such pair. The signal pins are disposed in pairs because differential electrical signals are conducted over the signal conductors. The electric signal being communicated is a differential signal between a signal on the first signal pin of the pair and the second signal pin of the pair.
In addition to pairs of signal pins, a plurality of vertically oriented ground strips 15 is illustrated. Each ground strip includes a set of press-fit contact tails. The contact tails extend into through holes in the printed circuit board and make electrical contact with a ground plane in printed circuit board 2. In the illustration of FIG. 4, the opposite strip bar side of each ground strip is seen extending upward toward the viewer from the plane of the page. The contact tails (not seen) of the ground strip extend into the plane of the page. Motherboard connector 4 is made by inserting the signal pins and ground strips into accommodating holes and slots in insulative housing 7. See U.S. Pat. No. 6,872,085 for additional details.
To facilitate the design of transmission lines having constant characteristic impedances, signal conductors and dielectrics and ground planes are realized that have preset physical forms and orientations with respect to one another. One such set of forms and orientations is illustrated in cross-section in FIG. 5 (Prior Art). The signal conductors 16 and 17 within the dielectric 18 of a printed circuit board are disposed between two ground planes 19 and 20. In the diagram, two coupled stripline conductors 16 and 17 extend parallel to one another into the plane of the page.
FIG. 6 (Prior Art) illustrates another form and orientation called microstrip. In this form and orientation, there is one ground plane 20 disposed on one side of a pair of signal conductors 21 and 22, and the signal conductors are embedded in dielectric material 23 of the printed circuit board.
The stripline and microstrip forms of signal conductors, dielectric and ground planes are employed in the design of male motherboard connector 4 of FIG. 4. Note the similarity in appearance between the ground strips and signal conductor pins of the connector of FIG. 4 and the ground planes and signal conductors of the printed circuit boards of FIGS. 5 and 6.
FIG. 7 (Prior Art) is a simplified cross-sectional diagram that shows the female daughterboard connector 5 aligned with respect to the male motherboard connector 4. Female daughterboard connector 5 includes an insulative housing 24 and a set of signal conductors. Signal conductor 25 is referred to as an example. Signal conductor 25 terminates at one end in a press-fit contact tail 26 that extends into an associated through hole in the printed circuit board of daughterboard 3. Signal conductor 25 terminates at the other end in a pair of contact beams 27. When the two connectors 4 and 5 of the assembly are mated, pin 8 of male connector 4 extends through a hole 29 in insulative housing 24 and slidingly engages contact beams 27 so as to make electrical contact with signal conductor 25. Once mated, an electrical signal can pass from a conductor (not shown) within motherboard 2, through the contact tail 10 of pin 8 of motherboard connector 4, through pin 8 and to contact beams 27 of signal conductor 25, through signal conductor 25 in daughterboard connector 5, through the contact tail 26 and into a signal conductor (not shown) within daughterboard printed circuit board 3.
Daughterboard connector 5, in one embodiment, is made of multiple "wafers". See U.S. Pat. No. 6,872,085 for further details. The signal conductors of one such wafer are illustrated in FIG. 7.
FIG. 8 (Prior Art) is an exploded view of one wafer. The wafer includes a shield plate of metal 31, insulative housing 24 and signal conductors 33. Signal conductor 25 is one of signal conductors 33. The metal signal conductors can be made by stamping them out of a metal plate. The metal plate is typically a thick, approximately 0.2 millimeter thick, stiff sheet of copper or copper alloy. The stamped metal signal conductors 33 are pressed into accommodating slots in insulative housing 24. Similarly, shield plate 31 can be stamped out of a sheet of metal and can be pressed into an accommodating recess in insulative housing 24. Many such wafers are stacked together so that the holes (for example, hole 29) in the insulative housings of the wafers align to form a two-dimensional matrix of holes. The stack of wafers is held together in place by a conductive stiffener clip (not shown). See U.S. Pat. No. 6,872,085 for further details.
Although this type of connector assembly works well in many environments, there exist problems in certain applications due to mismatches between connectors when motherboard and daughterboard connectors are brought together when printed circuit boards of electronic equipment are to be connected to one another. FIG. 9 (Prior Art) illustrates one such problem. Due to shortcomings in some printed circuit board fabrication techniques, a separation 28 between two daughterboard connectors 5 and 34 may vary in a range of plus or minus 0.1 millimeters. Similarly, a separation 30 between two motherboard connectors 4 and 35 may also vary in a range of plus or minus 0.1 millimeters. When daughterboard 3 and motherboard 2 are brought together, there can be a significant mismatch between connectors of each connector assembly. When the connectors are mated, the misalignment gives rise to mechanical stress between the connectors and the printed circuit boards to which they are attached. This mechanical stress must be absorbed satisfactorily without breaking the connectors or structures by which the connectors are attached to the printed circuit boards.
FIG. 10 (Prior Art) is a cross-sectional diagram illustrating such stress. The pin that extends downward and terminates in contact tail 36 is strong and absorbs stress due to connector 37 being pushed in the direction of arrow 38 with respect to printed circuit board 39 being pushed in direction of arrow 40. As signal frequencies increase, however, the length of such a contact tail and the associated plated through hole and the irregular shape and discontinuous electrical characteristics of the contact tail and plated through hole cause electrical reflections, cross-talk and/or electromagnetic radiation. Although strong and reliable, the structure of FIG. 10 is undesirable due to its electrical characteristics.
FIG. 11 (Prior Art) is a simplified cross-sectional diagram of an alternative structure wherein connector 37 is surface mounted to printed circuit board 39. A solder ball or surface mount connector pin 41 on connector 37 is soldered to a solder pad 42 on printed circuit board 39 by a solder joint 43. This structure does not have the irregularly shaped contact tail of FIG. 10, but the structure does have a somewhat long and conductive plated through hole 44. Plated through hole 44 may act as an antenna is an undesirable way. To help avoid this problem, a backdrilling step may be employed to remove much of the plated through hole 44. The dashed line 45 in FIG. 12 (Prior Art) illustrates the hole that results after back drilling.
FIG. 13 (Prior Art) illustrates another structure wherein expensive back drilling step is not needed. In the structure of FIG. 13, stacked blind vias or conductive plugs 46, 47 and 48 are built into printed circuit board 39 to connect surface mounted connector 37 to electrical conductor 49 within printed circuit board 39. Although it may be desired to be able to have the improved electrical properties of the surface mount structures of FIGS. 11–13 in a connector assembly design, stress due to the misalignment of connectors may cause solder joints between connector 37 and printed circuit board 39 to fail. The stress may lift the solder pad 42 off printed circuit board 39. It is therefore difficult or impossible to employ the surface mount techniques in high speed connector assemblies involving many signal pairs where there may be multiple connectors on each printed circuit board. An improvement upon the connector assembly structure of U.S. Pat. No. 6,872,085 is desired.

High speed connector assembly with laterally displaceable head portion


The present invention relates to isolated Cpn10 polypeptides possessing an increased affinity for a PRR ligand compared to Ala Cpn10 polypeptide. In a further embodiment, the present invention also relates to modified chaperonin 10 polypeptides, and to nucleic acids encoding the same and to compositions comprising such polypeptides and uses thereof.

Mammalian chaperonin 10 (Cpn10), also known as heat shock protein 10 (Hsp10) and early pregnancy factor (EPF), is typically characterised as a mitochondrial 'molecular chaperone' protein involved in protein folding together with chaperonin 60 (Cpn60), also known as heat shock protein 60 (Hsp60). Cpn10 and Cpn60 are homologues of the bacterial proteins GroES and GroEL respectively. GroES and Cpn10 each oligomerise into seven member rings that bind as a lid onto a barrel-like structure comprising fourteen GroEL or seven Cpn60 molecules respectively, which tether denatured proteins to the complex (Bukau and Horwich, 1998, Cell 92:351-366; Hartl and is Hayer-Hartl, 2002, Science 295:1852-1858).
Cpn10 proteins are highly conserved across species. Human Cpn10 is 100% identical to bovine, canine, ovine and porcine Cpn10 and differs from rat Cpn10 at only a single amino acid position. Human Cpn10 shares 38% sequence identity (60% similarity) with GroES from Escherichia coli. Cpn10/GroES proteins are dome shaped heptameric rings wherein each monomer is comprised of essentially three different structural regions, a core anti-parallel β-barrel region flanked by a "roof" β-hairpin loop region and a "mobile loop" region. The anti-parallel β-barrel region of each monomer forms the core of a dome and when assembled in the heptamer the β-hairpin loops of each monomer form the roof of the dome. In each monomer, the mobile loop region is at the opposite end of the β-barrel to the roof loops. A section of the anti-parallel β-barrel region forms an inward facing lower rim region of the cavity. This lower rim region contains a number of phylogenetically conserved amino acids including a Tyrosine at position 75 (Y75).
In addition to its intracellular role as a molecular chaperone, Cpn10 is also frequently found at the cell surface (see Belles et al., 1999, Infect lmmun 67:4191-4200) and in the extracellular fluid (see Shin et al., 2003, J Biol Chem 278:7607-7616) and is increasingly being recognised as a regulator of the immune response with potential in the treatment of inflammatory disorders. Accordingly, the efficacy and safety of Cpn10 has recently been established in the treatment of human patients with rheumatoid arthritis (Vanags et al. Lancet 2006, 368: 855-863) and psoriasis (Williams et al. Arch. Dermatol. 2008, 144: 683-685).
However the sites within the Cpn10 molecule responsible for mediating this immunomodulatory activity have remained elusive. The present invention relates to the discovery that modification of Cpn10 affects the immunomodulatory activity of Cpn10, in particular its role in binding ligands of pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) such as Toll-like Receptors (TLR), Nucleotide-binding domain LRR-containing family (NLR), RIG-I-like receptors (RLR), DNA-dependent activators of IRF (DAI), C-type Lectin receptors (CLR) or a member of the IFI20X/IFI16 family (e.g. Ifi16, Aim2, MNDA and IFIX).


A motor drives a window glass of a door of a vehicle in an opening direction and a closing direction. A rotation sensing device outputs a pulse signal in response to rotation of the motor. A controller senses pinching of an object by the window glass based on the rotational speed signal. Specifically, the controller computes a rate of change in the rotational speed, i.e., a rotational speed difference based on the rotational speed signal. The controller senses start of the pinching based on the rotational speed difference. When an amount of change in the rotational speed since the time of sensing the start of the pinching exceeds a pinching determining threshold value, the controller confirm the pinching of the object.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an opening and closing member control system for controlling movement of an opening and closing member.
2. Description of Related Art
In a case where a power window system of a vehicle is designed to detect pinching of a hard object by a window glass, when a soft object is pinched by the window glass, the pinching of the soft object may not be detected, or the detection of the pinching of the soft object may be delayed. In contrast, in a case where the power window system is designed to detect pinching of the soft object, a threshold value for detecting the pinching is reduced. This will likely cause erroneous detection of the pinching.
In order to address the above disadvantage, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. H07-158338 discloses use of two threshold values, i.e., a threshold value for the hard objects and a threshold value for the soft objects. In Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. H07-158338, a change rate of a rotational period is computed based on a pulse signal, which indicates rotation of a motor that drives the window glass. When the change rate of the rotational period exceeds the first threshold value (the threshold value that corresponds to the hard objects), it is immediately determined that the object is pinched by the window glass. When the change rate of the rotational period is decreased below the first threshold value but above a second threshold value (the threshold value that corresponds to the soft objects) through a period of a predetermined number of pulses, it is determined that the object is pinched by the window glass. In this way, the technique recited in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. H07-158338 allows detection of both the hard objects and the soft objects.
However, in the above described technique, when an object of an intermediate hardness between the soft objects and the hard objects is pinched by the window glass, the pinching of the object cannot be detected until the second threshold value, which corresponds to the soft objects, is exceeded continuously a predetermined number of times. Thus, at the time of detecting the pinching of the object, the pinching load is disadvantageously increased, so that detection of the pinched object at a relatively low pinching load is not possible.

Opening and closing member control system