An optical module blank includes a base portion, and a pair of retainers disposed on the base portion. The pair of retainers retains conduits at a predetermined location of the base portion to enable the conduits to be connected to an optical component, such as a laser module, if the optical module blank is replaced with an optical module. A line module of an optical communications equipment may be populated with one or more optical module blanks. However, if the entire line module is to be totally populated with optical module blanks, then a line module blank may be used. Such a device includes a tray portion, and a retainer portion disposed on a front section of the tray portion. The retainer portion has abutting base plates with four pairs of retainers disposed on one base plate and another four pairs of retainers disposed on the other base plate. The pairs of retainers retain conduits at predetermined locations of the base plates to enable the conduits to be connected to optical components if the line module blank is replaced with a line module.

A. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the communications field, and, more particularly to a blank module with conduit retainer.
B. Description of the Related Art
Presently, it is a problem in the field of communication cable installation to ensure the precise placement of the communication cable without the possibility of damage or performance degradation to the communication cable by the provision of tight bends, or inappropriate use of fasteners, or inadequate support to the communication cable. Such communication cables include conventional telephone cable having a plurality of copper conductors, coaxial cable, optical fiber, or the like. In all of these applications, the minimum radius of curvature of the communication cable is well defined, and bending the communication cable in a tighter bend can cause damage to the communication medium housed within the cable. The installer of communication cable is thus faced with the problem of routing the communication cable over surfaces, which typically include sharp bends, without over bending the communication cable, yet also securing the communication cable to these surfaces in a manner to ensure protection from damage.
This problem is further heightened when fiber optic cables are used. Glass fibers used in such cables are easily damaged when bent too sharply and require observation of a minimum bend radius to operate within required performance specifications. The minimum bend radius of a fiber optic cable depends upon a variety of factors, including the signal handled by the fiber optic cable, the style of the fiber optic cable, and equipment to which fiber optic cable is connected.
Inappropriately routed and damaged fiber optic cables may lead to a reduction in the signal transmission quality of the cables. Accordingly, fiber optic cables are evaluated to determine their minimum bend radius. As long as a fiber optic cable is bent at a radius that is equal to or greater than the minimum bend radius, there should be no reduction in the transmission quality of the cable. If a fiber optic cable is bent at a radius below the minimum bend radius determined for such cable, there is a potential for a reduction in signal transmission quality through the bend. The greater a fiber optic cable is bent below its minimum bend radius, the greater the potential for breaking the fiber(s) contained in the cable.
Optical communication equipment is typically housed in bays, which include a rectangular frame having dimensions conforming to a particular standard, such as the Network Equipment Building Standard (NEBS). NEBS was originally developed by Bell Telephone Laboratories in the 1970s and expanded by Bellcore. Long a requirement for equipment used in the Central Office in the North American Public Switched Network, the NEBS criteria have become a universal measure of network product excellence.
NEBS covers a large range of requirements including criteria for personnel safety, protection of property, and operational continuity. NEBS covers both physical requirements including: space planning, temperature, humidity, fire, earthquake, vibration, transportation, acoustical, air quality and illumination; and electrical criteria including: electrostatic discharge (ESD), electromagnetic interference (EMI), lightning and AC power fault, steady state power induction, corrosion, DC potential difference, electrical safety and bonding and grounding. The term xe2x80x9celectrostatic dischargexe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cESDxe2x80x9d, as used herein, refers to the rapid, spontaneous transfer of electrostatic charge induced by a high electrostatic field. Usually the charge flows through a spark (static discharge) between two bodies at different electrostatic potentials as they approach one another.
An optical communications equipment frame further typically has a plurality of shelves, each having one or more slots for accommodating circuit boards or cards that have optical and electrical components associated with a communication network mounted thereon. The components include, but are not necessarily limited to lasers, photodetectors, optical amplifiers, switching elements, add/drop multiplexers etc. In addition, fiber optic cables typically connect to one or more components.
One type of component used in optical communications equipment is a line module. A line module typically accommodates a circuit board or card, and a plurality of optical modules that have optical and electrical components mounted thereon. The line module has an opening for receiving the optical modules so that they may interconnect with the circuit board or card provided on the line module. A line module may also have components, normally contained on the optical modules, integrated directly into the line module. This type of line module has openings for optical interconnections, but no openings for optical modules.
Ideally, each shelf of an optical communications equipment frame will be fully populated with line modules with each line module fully populated with optical modules. However, the slots of each shelf typically are not fully populated, thereby resulting in the use of blank (dummy) line modules (alternatively called line module blanks) as well as with the use of blank (dummy) optical modules (alternatively called optical module blanks). Such blank modules are structurally configured the same way as modules, which contain electrical components, but specifically do not contain the typical electrical components found within the modules. These blank modules typically are used due to the equipment requirements of the user or the desire of the user is to leave room for future expansion of the communications system.
It also may be desirable to route all of the optical fibers (alternatively called fiber optic cables) to be used in a fully-populated communications equipment frame, even if line module blanks or partially populated line modules with optical module blanks are used, to thereby prevent over-handling and potentially damaging the fiber optic cables. Routing all of the fiber optic cables from the beginning also ensures that the cables will already be available when blank modules are replaced with true modules.
Currently in the installation process one of two events may occur, either the fiber optic cables are not provided for the unused port spaces in optical module blanks and line module blanks, or all the fiber optic cables are provided and the unused fiber optic cables are left to hang within the equipment frame. If the cables are not provided, then they need to be routed when additional components are installed in the equipment frame, increasing the potential damage that may be caused to over-handled existing fiber optic cables. If the fiber optic cables are provided and the unused fiber optic cables are hanging in the equipment frame, they may be damaged when line modules are moved in and out of adjacent slots in the equipment frame, or when the door to the equipment is opened or closed. Additionally, the installer needs to be able to verify that the fiber optic cables are of adequate length to reach the ports when optical modules are added.
The same holds true when other optical or electrical conduits are used. For example, during installation of electrical conduits, such as telephone cable having a plurality of copper conductors, coaxial cable, or the like, one of the two events discussed above may occur. As used herein, the term xe2x80x9cconduitxe2x80x9d refers to any electrical, optical, or other like media used to transmit and receive data or information from one point to another.
Thus, there is a need in the art to provide an inexpensive means for retaining conduits within a system, when blank modules are used, to permit an installer to route all of the desired conduits for a communications frame, to verify the conduits are routed to the correct length and to prevent the conduits from being damaged while they are stored within the frame.
The present invention solves the problems of the related art by providing blank modules that, when inserted within a slot of a bay (or shelf) of a communications system housing, allow an installer to route conduits within a communications frame to a desired length and have the conduits stored in a manner that is analogous to conduits that are used. This prevents the increased chance of the conduits being damaged from additional handling or inappropriate storage.
Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating various embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description. It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the invention, as claimed.


Methods for processing a semiconductor substrate are proposed. An example of a method includes forming cavities in the semiconductor substrate by implanting ions through a first surface of the semiconductor substrate. The cavities define a separation layer in the semiconductor substrate. A semiconductor layer is formed on the first surface of the semiconductor substrate. Semiconductor device elements are formed in the semiconductor layer. The semiconductor substrate is separated along the separation layer into a first substrate part including the semiconductor layer and a second substrate part.

Methods for processing a semiconductor substrate, e.g. when forming semiconductor devices in the semiconductor substrate, may include grinding a semiconductor wafer, e.g. to reduce an electrical resistance of the semiconductor device. Grinding can be time consuming and may include high consumption of semiconductor material, resulting in high costs for semiconductor devices. For example, no re-use concepts for forming further semiconductor devices using the semiconductor substrate are possible in this case.
Semiconductor substrates, e.g. silicon carbide wafers or silicon wafers, may be split so that reuse concepts can be enabled. However, splitting the semiconductor substrate may limit some semiconductor processes required for forming a semiconductor device or may result in imprecise thickness of the split semiconductor substrate part. For example, a required thickness of a split semiconductor substrate part might not be achievable by using some splitting concepts. There may be a desire for improved concepts for processing semiconductor substrates.


A base station comprises a GPS receiver configured to periodically locate and receive information from GPS satellites, and a transmitter configured to periodically transmit the received GPS satellite information to at least one of a plurality of GPS enabled devices. The GPS enabled device receives the information, stores it, and then uses the stored information to automatically acquire GPS satellites when it receives a position request.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to global positioning using the Global Positioning System (GPS) and more particularly to systems and methods for obtaining global positioning satellite information.
2. Background
A traditional GPS receiver receives and processes specially coded satellite communication signals. The satellite signals are generated from an array of satellites that comprise the GPS system. Nominally, this array consists of 24 satellites arranged in various orbits such that between 5 and 8 satellites are visible from any point on earth. GPS receivers convert the satellite signals into position, velocity, and time estimates. Four satellites are required to compute the three position dimensions (x,y,z) as well as the time.
More and more frequently wireless communication devices, such as cellular type handsets, are incorporating GPS capability. A driving factor behind the integration of GPS into wireless communication devices is the Federal Communication Commission's (FCC's) Enhanced 911 (E911) mandate. The purpose of the FCC's E911 rules is to improve the reliability of wireless 911 service and to provide emergency service personnel with location information that will enable them to provide emergency service faster and more efficiently. Wireless communication system operators are required to provide Automatic Location Identification (ALI) as part of phase II of the E911 implementation. Incorporating GPS within wireless communication devices enables wireless communication system operators to meet the phase II requirements.
Incorporation of GPS can, however, prove taxing on the limited resources of most wireless communication devices. Size, cost, memory, and processing power are all limited resources within a wireless communication device. In order to reduce the impact of incorporating GPS capability on such resources, the wireless communication devices' GPS capability is often "network assisted." In other words, the network portion of the wireless communication system provides information, such as acquisition assist (AA) or sensitivity assist (SA) information, that allows a wireless communication device to acquire, quickly and effectively, the GPS satellites needed to provide the requisite location information.
In a large-scale emergency, however, the network assist resources are likely to become inundated due to thousands of 911 calls. Such inundation is likely to cripple the positioning capabilities of wireless communication systems, just when they are needed most. Incorporating full GPS capability in wireless communication devices, thus eliminating the need for network assistance, can prevent this problem. But, as mentioned, such an approach is undesirable due to the negative impact it will have on the device's limited resources. Thus, the massive traffic created by a major disaster can cripple the ALI ability of conventional wireless communication systems and the only currently available solution overburdens already limited wireless communication device resources.

Systems and methods for transmitting global positioning system information from a wireless communication system base station


Method and apparatus for fracturing particulates during an air mill process. In some embodiments, a disc assembly is rotated within a housing about a central axis. The disc assembly includes a horizontally extending annular ring with opposing innermost and outermost edge surfaces. A retention flange extends adjacent the outermost edge surface of the annular ring. Spaced apart impellers project from an upper surface of the annular ring for movement in a direction of rotation of the annular ring to form an inner zone of lower pressure surrounded by an outer zone of higher pressure. During air mill processing, an inlet stream of particulates is introduced to the inner zone to induce collisions among previously introduced particulates into the inner zone. Reduced-sized fractured particulates are removed from the inner zone using a negative pressure supplied via a vacuum line.

Mills are used to break solid materials down into smaller pieces through grinding, crushing, cutting, pulverizing, fracturing, and/or other mechanical processes that involve the application of kinetic loads to the materials. Milling has historically been applied to a wide variety of materials including grain, ore, rock, soil, timber, textiles, etc.
Some milling processes induce contact between the material and various hardened elements such as grind stones, rollers, balls, blades, plates, etc. in order to impart the necessary compressive and/or shear forces to separate the material along grain boundaries. Other milling processes establish kinetic contact among particles of the material itself, such as in the case of drum mills and air mills. The motive power necessary to activate (e.g., rotate) active components of a mill and thus, impart the necessary separation forces to the material, has been supplied in a variety of ways including through the use of wind, water, livestock, electric motors, gravity, etc.
Regardless of form, a mill is generally designed to reduce the overall particulate size of individual pieces or grains of the inlet material to a desired range. While a wide variety of mill configurations have been proposed and used in the past, there remains a continual need for improvements in the art for the milling of various materials, including but not limited to silica, diamond, titanium carbide, certain nitrides and other particularly hard and/or abrasive materials.


Creping and cutting procedure and equipment, for paper manufacture which consists of a creping doctor (1) carrying a blade (2) which carries out the creping; a support plate (12) which can pivot on a pivot shaft (5) in the geometrical center of which the creping blade (2) works; primary means of actuation (3) which through the support plate (12) cause the rotation of the creping doctor (1) on a pivot shaft (4); and secondary means of actuation of variation of angle (6) which act on the support plate (12) and cause its rotation on a pivot shaft (5) ; in such a way that it is possible, with only two doctors (1), (7) to carry out the maneuvers of creping, blade changing, cutting and cleaning.

Machines for paper manufacturing have progressed technologically bringing about an increase in speed of manufacturing and in the widths of the paper band manufactured. Currently, paper manufacturing machines, mainly of crepe paper, manufacture of speeds around 2000 m/min., and with paper band widths of up to 8 meters.
On said machines it is necessary that an essential element for connect and rapid execution of the paper, as in the facility of creping equipment (doctors), should have elements that are precise, durable and reliable, which adapt the creping blade or element to the surface of the cylinder, that said blade can be substituted, when worn, rapidly, without interruption of the paper band, and allows cutting and creping of said band, and which also allows changing of the angle of application of the blade on the roller automatically in order to modify the quality of the creping and cut the band.
In the current state of the technique, there are mainly two known types of facility and procedures:
a) In machines which do not allow the installation of three doctors, the procedure is as follows:                1. With the creping and cleaning doctors supported on the drying cylinder turning at the working speed, the Pick Up is closed, taking the paper band through the drying cylinder until said paper band reaches the creping blade. The creping blade unsticks the paper band from the drying cylinder, causing, upon unsticking, wrinkling in the paper band called "creping". This creping can be controlled in various parameters (amplitude, percentage, etc.) through the use of an angle of application of the creping blade. Once the paper band is unstuck and creped, it is rolled on the roller (Pope).        2. When the creping blade, due to its constant friction against the drying cylinder, becomes blunt due to wearing of the edge, it must be changed. In order to do this, it is necessary to remove the creping blade, separating it from the drying cylinder with the action of the pneumatic cylinders on the creping doctor and extracting the creping blade and substituting it with a new one.
At the moment the creping blade is separated, the paper band continues to adhere to the drying cylinder until it is again unstuck by the cleaning blade which is applied with a high angle of application which does not allow creping, but only removes the paper band.
To again apply the creping blade to the roller, and given that the angle of application of the creping blade used to crepe does not allow cutting of the paper band so that the creping blade reaches the drying cylinder (5) entirely, it is necessary to open the Pick Up, thus directing the paper band to the recovery circuit and leaving the drying cylinder without a blade. The creping doctor is applied again and the cycle starts again.
Considerable time is taken in this operation of blade changing, resulting in a significant loss in production.
b) In machines which allow the installation of three doctors, the procedure is as follows:
1. With the creping and cleaning doctors supported on the drying cylinder turning at the working speed, and the cutting doctor removed, the Pick Up is closed, taking the paper band through the drying cylinder until said paper band reaches the creping blade. The creping blade unsticks the paper band from the drying cylinder, causing, upon unsticking, wrinkling in the paper band called "creping". This creping can be controlled in various parameters (amplitude, percentage, etc.) through the use of an angle of application of the creping blade. Once the paper band is unstuck and creped, it is rolled on the roller (Pope roller).
2. When the creping blade, due to its constant friction against the drying cylinder, becomes blunt due to wearing of the edge, it must be changed. In order to do this, it is necessary to divert the paper band toward the recovery circuit, which is done by applying the cutting doctor with the appropriate angle of application to produce a fast and clean cut of said paper band.
3. The creping doctor is removed and the worn creping blade is extracted and is substituted with a new one.
4. The creping doctor is applied again with the appropriate load and angle.
5. The cutting doctor is removed and the facility continues in production.


This patent teaches and claims web brackets for open frame continuous conveyor systems and open frame continuous conveyor systems utilizing these web brackets. An exemplary web bracket is comprised of a plate; a side grip slot defining an opening within the interior area that extends from the peripheral edge which is shaped to have a pair of oppositely opposed skid rail grip tips, a wash out gap and a skid rail base and is adapted to friction fit a skid rail and a perimeter defining an opening for receiving a frame rail within the interior area.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains generally to conveyor frames and more particularly, to web brackets for open frame continuous conveyor systems.
2. Related Art
A Continuous Conveyor System (CCS) is a mechanism for transporting articles from one location to another. In a common CCS, there is a belt in an elongated loop configuration where a top portion of the belt loop is above a bottom portion of the belt loop. The belt is driven round and round by a motor. An article is placed on the belt and is held in place on the belt by gravity. As the belt moves, the article rides along the belt from a first point to another point.
The CCS may include legs to support the conveyor belt a distance above the ground/floor. The System may include guide rails to retain articles on the conveyor belt.
Continuous Conveyor Systems are used in the food and pharmaceutical industries. During operation, small pieces of meat, powders and/or other debris collect on or within the Continuous Conveyor System. Accordingly, the CCS requires routine cleaning which is labor intensive and/or not effective to sanitize the CCS. The cleaning CCS is made difficult by debris collecting within casings, in lap seams between components and/or in the interstitial spaces around penetrating fasteners.
An improved CCS is an Open Frame Continuous Conveyor System ("OFCCS") as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,591,979 issued to Applicant, Daniel P. Karpy, on Jul. 15, 2003 and incorporated herein by reference. An OFCCS is easier to clean than a common CCS.
In an OFCCS there is a Frame Rail (also called an Elongated Conveyor Support) that is like a horizontal spinal cord. When the OFCSS is fully assembled, the Frame Rail is located between the top and bottom portions of the endless conveyor loop and is approximately the length of the loop.
There are Web Brackets (also called Frame Members) mounted to the Frame Rail in a perpendicular fashion and spaced apart along the Frame Rail. When the OFCSS is fully assembled, the Web Brackets are located between the top and bottom portions of the continuous conveyor loop. The Web Bracket is of a sufficient length that its distal edges extends beyond the width conveyor belt.
At each of the distal ends of a Web Bracket, there is an arm in the plane of the bracket that further extends outward. Formed at the end of the arm is a right angle bend. This results in a Skid Rail Tab (also called a leg.) The Skid Rail Tab is for the attachment of a Skid Rail (also called a Track Guide or Wearstrip.)
A Skid Rail is an elongated strip on which the conveyor belt slides. The Skid Rail has a wide width and a short height and is said to be lying on Flat. The Skid Rail is attached to the Skid Rail Tab through a connector aperture in the Skid Rail Tab, an aperture in the Skid Rail and a fastener such as a bolt and nut.
As mentioned, the conveyor belt slides along the Skid Rail and there is abrasion of the surface of the Skid Rail. The short height of the Skid Rail becomes the limiting dimension for the life of the Skid Rail. That is, the short height defines an abrasion zone. A Skid Rail lying on flat provides strength for supporting articles on the conveyor belt; but, it does not provide great strength.
Typically, at the distal of the Web Bracket, there are additional arms for the attachment of support legs and guide rails.
In a typical application of OFCCS in the food and pharmaceutical industries there is a daily routine in which the OFCCS is run for 1 to 2 eight hour shifts and one eight hour sanitizing shift (usually at night.) During this sanitizing shift the conveyor is sanitized by in-place cleaning, followed by partial disassembly, followed by an out-of-place cleaning of some components and then re-assembly.
In more detail, the cleaning shift is begun with "clean in place" (CIP) cleaning to attempt to remove solids and visible dirt. A CIP cleaning is begun by foaming of the conveyor frame with a caustic foam to disinfect. This is followed by a hot water rinse. The CIP cleaning can leave behind solids in the lap seam between a Skid Rail and the Skid Rail Tab and in the interstitial spaces of penetrating fasteners. There can be thermal expansion of the Skid Rail with concomitant bowing of the Skid Rails between attachment points at successive Web Brackets. This in turn results in an uneven carrying surface for the belt which in turn causes articles to shift as they ride on the belt and higher wear of the Skid Rail.
The CIP is followed by a "clean off place/premises" (COP) cleaning of some components. This COP cleaning can be somewhat laborious. More precisely, there is a disassembly of the Skid Rails from the Web Brackets. This disassembly requires the use of tools to remove the penetrating fasteners that attach the Skid Rails to the Skid Rail Tabs of the Web Bracket. The Skid Rails and other removed components are put in a tank for a washing cycle. This is followed by re-assembly. As with disassembly, reassembly requires the use of tools and is somewhat laborious.
There is a need for an improved OFCCS which does not require tools for disassembly of Skid Rails for a COP cleaning.
There is a need for an improved OFCCS with Skid Rails that have enhanced mechanical strength compared to that in current OFCCS.
There is a need for an improved OFCCS with Skid Rails that wear longer compared to that in current OFCCS.
There is a need for an improved OFCCS that has web brackets that provides the utility of securing Skid Rails that is less expensive and easier to manufacture.
There is a need for an improved OFCCS that has web brackets that are stronger and more resistant to longitudinal bending
There is a need for an improved OFCCS that reduces or eliminates heat deflection of Skid Rails during CIP.
There is a need for an improved OFCCS that reduces or eliminates solids remaining in lap seams and the interstitial spaces of penetrating fasteners after CIP.
The present invention satisfies these needs, as well as others, and generally overcomes the presently known deficiencies in the art.


Coffee aroma gases are conveyed to a cryogenic collector in which liquid nitrogen is sprayed directly into the aroma gas stream to rapidly condense the aroma gas and form finely divided particles of coffee aroma frost suspended in a stream of nitrogen gas, while minimizing contact of the cooled gas with the walls of the collector. The suspension of aroma frost particles in gaseous nitrogen is passed through a tubular porous filter to remove the aroma frost particles which collect on the outer surface of the tubular filter, with the nitrogen gas passing through the porous filter and being exhausted from the collector. The porous filter is periodically back pulsed to dislodge aroma frost particles collected on the outer surface of the tubular filter, with the particles being recovered for incorporation in soluble coffee products. Condensation of aroma components present in the aroma gas may be carried out in several stages to effect fractionation of the aroma gas.

Gases containing volatile aroma constituents are evolved during one or more stages of processing beverages such as coffee, tea, and cocoa. For example, in coffee processing, gases containing aroma constituents are given off during a number of stages of the processing operation, such as during roasting of whole beans, grinding of the roasted whole beans, extraction of water solubles, steam distillation and the like. It has been recognized that the aroma and flavor of such beverage products, particularly soluble coffee products, can be improved by recovering the aroma gases and incorporating them in the beverage product, such as by addition of the aroma constituents to coffee extract prior to drying or to the dry powder or granules. Frequently coffee aroma gases are recovered by low temperature condensation of the gases at liquid nitrogen temperatures to form a coffee aroma frost. A number of procedures have been suggested heretofor for the recovery of coffee aroma frost. One such procedure which is widely used involves condensing the aroma gases on the walls of a scraped-surface heat exchanger which is cooled by means of liquid nitrogen. The condensed gases are scraped from the walls and collected at the bottom of the heat exchanger in the form of a frost or snow which is recovered. However, this procedure is inefficient and is subject to a number of disadvantages. For example, the total gas stream entering the heat exchanger is not necessarily entirely cooled down and fine frost particles tend to become entrained in the gas stream and leave the heat exchanger without being caught.


The present invention relates to an electrolytic cell, including: at least two electrodes, each electrode including: a first and a second surface; and a number of perforations arranged in a substantially uniform pattern; wherein the electrodes are positioned relative to each other such that: at least one surface of each electrode is opposed to a surface of the other electrode, and a gap is formed between the opposed surfaces of the electrodes; wherein the cell includes at least one electrically insulating layer positioned on the opposing surface of at least one electrode, the insulating layer including a number of perforations aligning with the perforations of the electrode on which it is positioned.

Electrochemical oxidation of solutes in water can occur through two different oxidation mechanisms—direct oxidation and indirect oxidation. Direct oxidation involves two steps: (1) diffusion of solutes from the bulk solution to the anode surface and (2) oxidation of solutes at the anode surface. During indirect electrochemical oxidation, a strong oxidizing agent is electrochemically generated at the anode surface and oxidizes the target solutes. The indirect oxidation mechanism is more favourable in processes involving dilute solutions and is used frequently in the water treatment applications.
The electrolytic generation of chlorine species has particular advantages in the disinfection of drinking water, the principal one being that onsite generation of the chlorine eliminates the transport, handling and the storage of dangerous chlorine gas or the hazardous concentrated hypochlorite. The electro-generation of chlorine process is safe, environmentally friendly, easily operated and known to inactivate a wide range of micro-organisms ranging from bacteria to viruses and algae, the primary function of a disinfectant. Chlorine remains a predominant method for disinfecting drinking water as it provides both the primary and secondary functions despite the disadvantages of unfavourable taste and odour and the generation of potentially toxic chlorinated organic chlorination by-products. Alternative processes developed to overcome these disadvantages generally do not meet the secondary function of providing a residual protection in the distribution system. Active chlorine is traditionally introduced to water in the form of hypochlorite or chlorine gas. More recently electrochemical generation of hypochlorite has been advocated.
While electrochemical techniques offer attractive possibilities for a variety of treatments of water and wastewater, including electro-chlorination and electro-oxidation as well as electrolytic stripping and recovery of metals, they are generally too inefficient to be economically viable—particularly because of the high cost of electrodes, high voltages and high power consumption.
At low concentrations the rate of desired electrode reaction is limited by the rate at which the electro active species can diffuse to the electrode. In aqueous solutions, the predominant competing reaction at the electrodes will be electrolysis involving either H+ or OH− ions which will be maintained at constant concentration by the dissociation of water.
It is an object of the present invention to address the foregoing problems or at least to provide the public with a useful choice.
All references, including any patents or patent applications cited in this specification are hereby incorporated by reference. No admission is made that any reference constitutes prior art. The discussion of the references states what their authors assert, and the applicants reserve the right to challenge the accuracy and pertinency of the cited documents. It will be clearly understood that, although a number of prior art publications are referred to herein, this reference does not constitute an admission that any of these documents form part of the common general knowledge in the art, in New Zealand or in any other country.
Throughout this specification, the word "comprise", or variations thereof such as "comprises" or "comprising", will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated element, integer or step, or group of elements integers or steps, but not the exclusion of any other element, integer or step, or group of elements, integers or steps.
Further aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the ensuing description which is given by way of example only.


The present invention relates to thermoplastic compositions for making a liquid impermeable moisture vapor permeable layer by coating the composition onto a substrate. The thermoplastic compositions comprise preferred thermoplastic polymers and suitable hydrophilic plasticizers that also enhance the moisture vapor permeability of films or layers made from the thermoplastic compositions. The layers made from the thermoplastic compositions of the present invention can find a variety of applications wherein moisture vapor permeability is desirable, such as within absorbent articles for example diapers, sanitary napkins, panty liners and incontinence products, and also protective bedding covers, protective clothing and the like.

The present invention relates to thermoplastic compositions for making a moisture vapour permeable, liquid impermeable layer by coating the composition onto a substrate. The compositions of the present invention can find a variety of applications, wherein moisture vapour permeability is desirable for example within absorbent articles such as diapers, sanitary napkins, panty liners and incontinence products, protective bedding covers, protective clothing and the like.
Thermoplastic films which provide a liquid barrier in addition to providing moisture vapour permeability are known in the art. Particularly preferred are hydrophilic continuous films that do not allow the flow of moisture vapour through open pores or apertures in the material, but do transfer substantial amounts of moisture vapour through the film by absorbing water on one side of the film where the moisture vapour concentration is higher, and desorbing or evaporating it on the opposite side of the film where the moisture vapour concentration is lower.
For example WO 95/16746 discloses films prepared from mixtures of a) block copolyether ester, block copolyether amides (e.g. Pebax(trademark)) and or polyurethane and b) thermoplastic polymer which is incompatible with a, and c) a compatibiliser. The films are liquid impermeable and have moisture vapour permeability of about 700 g/m2xc2x7day. Also, U.S. Pat. No. 5,447,783 discloses a vapour permeable water resistant multi component film structure having at least three layers. The outer layers are hydrophobic copolyetherester elastomers having a thickness of 1.3-7.6 micrometers and a WVTR of 400-2500 g/m2xc2x724 h and the inner layer is a hydrophilic copolyetherester elastomer having a thickness of 7.6-152 micrometers and a WVTR of at least 3500 g/m2xc2x724 h.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,445,875 discloses a waterproof, bloodproof and virusproof breathable laminate. The laminate comprises a woven/nonwoven fabric and an extruded film such as Hytrel(trademark) having a thickness of about 1 mil (25.4. micrometers).
Other composite laminates are described for example in U.S. Pat. No. 5,599,610 which discloses tri-laminated fabric for surgical gowns comprising outer layers of woven fabric and an inner layer of a microporous polyurethane membrane. The microporous film has a thickness of 12-55 micrometers and a MVTR of 1100 g/m2xc2x724 h upright and 5500 g/m2xc2x724 h inverted (ASTM E96-B). Polyetherpolyurethane adhesive is used to join the layers.
Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 5,532,053 discloses a high moisture transmission medical film which can be laminated onto a nonwoven material. The laminate film comprises a first layer of polyetherester copolymer and second and third layers selected from a specified group of polymers. The film has a MVTR of greater than 750 g/m2xc2x724 h (ASTM F1249) and a thickness of less than 1 mil (25.4 micrometer) preferably 0.6 mil to 0.75 mil (15-19 micrometers).
U.S. Pat. No. 4,938,752 discloses absorbent articles comprising films of copolyether esters which have reduced water permeability, a water vapour permeability of 500 g/m2xc2x724 h (as measured in a specified described test) and a thickness of 5-35 micrometers. There is no disclosure of a supportive substrate.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,493,870 discloses a flexible layered waterproof product comprising a textile material covered with a film of a copolyetherester having an MVTR of at least 1000 g/m2xc2x724 h (ASTM E96-66) having a thickness of 5 to 35 micrometers.
GB 2024100 discloses a flexible layered water resistant article comprising a microporous hydrophobic outer layer which is moisture vapour permeable but resist liquids and a hydrophilic inner layer of polyetherpolyurethane having a MVRR of above 1000 g/m2xc2x724 h.
In our patent application Ser. No. 09/702,000 entitled xe2x80x9cLow viscosity thermoplastic compositions for moisture vapour permeable structures and the utilisation thereof in absorbent articlesxe2x80x9d filed on the same day as the present application, thermoplastic compositions are disclosed for making hydrophilic continuous moisture vapour permeable, liquid impermeable layers having preferred characteristics of moisture vapour permeability and liquid imperviousness. The thermoplastic compositions comprise preferred thermoplastic polymers such as polyurethanes, poly-ether-amides block copolymers, polyethylene-acrylic acid copolymers, polyethylene oxide and its copolymers, poly lactide and copolymers, polyamides, polyester block copolymers, sulfonated polyesters, poly-ether-ester block copolymers, poly-ether-ester-amide block copolymers, polyacrylates, polyacrylic acids and derivatives, ionomers, polyethylene-vinyl acetate with a vinyl acetate content of more than 28 weight %, polyvinyl alcohol and its copolymers, polyvinyl ethers and their copolymers, poly-2-ethyl-oxazoline and derivatives, polyvinyl pyrrolidone and its copolymers, thermoplastic cellulose derivatives, or mixtures thereof. The disclosed preferred thermoplastic compositions are also readily processable so as to provide a coating having the desired thickness onto a substrate, so avoiding the need of complex traditional extrusion apparatuses. This is achieved by modifying the viscosity of the thermoplastic polymers by means of the inclusion in the composition of a suitable plasticiser that lowers such viscosity. This allows to utilise with these preferred compositions typical process conditions known in the art for the direct coating of low viscosities hot melts onto a substrate in order to form a moisture vapour permeable, liquid impervious film or layer.
It has surprisingly been discovered that by suitably selecting the plasticiser or blend of plasticisers a thermoplastic composition can be obtained for making a moisture vapour permeable, liquid impermeable film or layer, which has an enhanced moisture vapour permeability if compared to a corresponding film or layer made form a composition not comprising the plasticiser or blend of plasticisers. Of course the preferred plasticiser or blend of plasticisers can also adjust the viscosity of the thermoplastic composition to allow the production of a film or a layer from the thermoplastic composition by means of a simplified coating process.
The present invention relates to a thermoplastic composition for making a moisture vapour permeable, liquid impervious layer by coating said composition onto a substrate. The composition comprises:
a thermoplastic polymer or mixture of polymers selected from the group consisting of polyurethanes, poly-ether-amides block copolymers, polyethylene-acrylic acid copolymers, polyethylene oxide and its copolymers, poly lactide and copolymers, polyamides, polyester block copolymers, sulfonated polyesters, poly-ether-ester block copolymers, poly-ether-ester-amide block copolymers, polyacrylates, polyacrylic acids and derivatives, ionomers, polyethylene-vinyl acetate with a vinyl acetate content of more than 28 weight %, polyvinyl alcohol and its copolymers, polyvinyl ethers and their copolymers, poly-2-ethyl-oxazoline and derivatives, polyvinyl pyrrolidone and its copolymers, thermoplastic cellulose derivatives, or mixtures thereof,
a suitable compatible hydrophilic plasticiser or blend of hydrophilic plasticisers,
wherein said thermoplastic composition has a viscosity of from 50 poise to 4000 poise at a frequency of 1 rad/s at a temperature of 210xc2x0 C. or less and a viscosity of less than 2000 poise at a frequency of 1000 rad/s at a temperature of 210xc2x0 C. or less,
wherein said hydrophilic plasticisers are selected from the group consisting of acids, esters, amides, alcohols, polyalcohols, or mixtures thereof.

Low viscosity thermoplastic compositions for structures with enhanced moisture vapor permeability and the utilisation thereof in absorbent articles


An optical identification friend-or-foe (IFF) system for vehicles comprises an active cooperative identification friend-or-foe (ACTIFF) system wherein a responder optical head is located on each friendly vehicle. That responder optical head comprises a number of small panels arranged in an array with surfaces of adjacent panels being at an angle to each other, the outer surfaces of the panels being coated with laser paint designed to emit radiation at one or more selective wavelengths when subjected to a suitable interrogation pump beam. Those selective wavelengths form an identification code for a vehicle. In operation, an interrogating vehicle would transmit a narrow well-collimated infrared (IR) beam towards a target vehicle causing laser paint on the coated surfaces to emit the selective wavelengths when subjected to that IR beam. These wavelengths can then be detected by the interrogating vehicle for identification purposes.

One of the problems that face military platform commanders on a modern battlefield is to positively identify potential targets as being friend-or-foe when one is detected which is within range of a commander's weapon systems. That identification of friend-or-foe targets presents a very difficult decision for a commander of a military platform, such as a tank, who must decide in a split-second as to whether or not a detected target should be engaged while, at the same time, attempting to minimize any possibility of fratricide killing. This problem is rendered even more complex by the proliferation of military equipment which could result in possible conflicts between nations using similar military platforms. Therefore, visual assessments of potential targets is no longer a reliable method of identification for military platforms. Furthermore, technical advances have increased the range and accuracy of weapon systems which increases the difficulty of accurately identifying targets. That difficulty increases with distance, particularly distances which are located near the edge of useful ranges for current identification aids. This problem also exists for air-to-ground combat scenarios as well as ground-to-ground engagements.
No current systems exist which provide reliable, rapid and positive friend-or-foe identification for military platforms on modern land battlefields. Commanders often still rely on low-resolution visual and infrared images to determine if detected targets, be they tanks or other support vehicles, are enemy ones or not. That information may possibly be supported by information derived from a radio network. However, this is not always possible since commanders often have to operate under radio silence in order to avoid being detected by an enemy. In the case of infrared (IR) imagers, the identification of land vehicles is not straight forward even with the most sophisticated thermal viewers. The IR signatures of land vehicles observed by these type of thermal viewers are dependent, to a very large degree, on uncontrollable factors such as the time a vehicle's engine has been running, the time a vehicle has been exposed to direct sunlight, etc. These factors make it difficult to determine if the observed IR signature from a vehicle is that of a friend-or-foe military platform.
Several different types of systems have been previously proposed to perform identification friend-or-foe (IFF) functions, most of which are based on radar or radio technology and a few on electro-optical technology. However, none of these systems have managed to satisfactorily meet the reliability requirements necessary for the type of operations envisaged while, at the same time, remaining covert and secure from observation by enemy forces. Among known IFF systems, some are purely passive and just provide distinctive passive features for interrogation vehicles to identify while others are considered to be active since they have to emit a signal to provide adequate identification. These active IFF systems can be based on a transponder that emits a signal which should only be detectable by a friendly platform and may also involve an interrogator and responder for each platform in order to perform active cooperative identification.
One known IFF technique is for a vehicle to carry a transponder that emits a coded return signal when an interrogating radar pulse is detected by its receiver. U.S. Pat. No. 4,851,849 by Otto Albersdoerfer describes one such active system while another type of IFF system, one which does not require an active transponder, is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,694,297 by Alan Sewards. The IFF system described in U.S.Pat. No. 4,694,297 only requires an antenna on a target vehicle which can re-radiate or reflect a radar beam and modulate that re-radiated beam in a distinctive manner. This latter system is based on the idea that an illuminating radar source would only detect a small reflected signal from a good antenna which is terminated in a matched load. However, all of the energy intercepted by that antenna will be re-radiated when the antenna terminating impedance provides a short circuit. A substantial reflected signal would then be created which could be detected by the source of the illuminating radar beam. Therefore, an antenna on a target vehicle with a variable termination impedance can modulate a re-radiated radar beam back to the radar source and, as a result, provide an identification signal to the source with that passively reflected radar beam being modulated with the code of the day.
One type of active cooperative electro-optical IFF system is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,143,263 by K. Eichweber. This system consists of a number of retroreflectors arranged in a circular pattern to obtain omnidirection reception of any interrogating laser beam with a modulator connected in front of each retroreflector. That modulator, for example a liquid crystal, is normally kept in an opaque blocking state and only opened after a coded signal of an interrogating beam has been picked up by a parallel sensor and been decoded to verify it as being a friendly signal. When the modulator is open, the interrogating laser beam is retroreflected back to its source. By varying the light transmittancy of the modulator to selectively mask and unmask the associated retroreflector, an identification coded signal can be added to the retroreflected laser beam to identify the receiver of the interrogating laser beam to the source of that beam.
Another active cooperative electro-optical IFF system is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,274,379 by R. Carbonneau et al. In this system, each friendly vehicle is provided with a narrow-beam laser transmitter and a receiver with a panoramic detector for a transmitted coded laser beam originating from an interrogating vehicle. If a vehicle detects a coded interrogating laser beam and identifies the code transmitted as being from a friendly source, it provides an unblocking signal to a blocking means surrounding a rotating retro-reflector to clear a transmission path so that the retro-reflector will reflect the interrogating laser beam back to the source where it can be identified by a narrow field-of-view detector of the interrogator. A further modulation is added to the reflected beam to identify the interrogated vehicle as being friendly. If a laser beam is detected from a source without a valid code being identified, the blocking means does not clear the transmission path preventing reflection of that beam by the retro-reflector and a warning is sent to the commander of the vehicle that an unfriendly laser transmission has been detected by the vehicle. Both U.S. Pat. No. 4,143,263 and 5,274,379 reflect an interrogating laser beam back towards the source while adding a further code to the reflected beam.

Active cooperative tuned identification friend or foe (ACTIFF)

Her Majesty the Queen in right of Canada, as represented by the Minister of National Defence


The present disclosure relates to a semiconductor device, such as a transistor. The device includes a gate terminal, a source terminal, a drain terminal, a transconductance component, and a boost component. The gate terminal is configured to receive a bias voltage. The drain terminal is coupled to the boost component. The transconductance component is coupled to the gate terminal, the source terminal and the drain terminal and provides an output current proportional to the bias voltage. The boost component is coupled to the transconductance component and boosts the output current at a selected frequency range.

The transconductance of semiconductor devices, such as metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) transistors, determines the gain for the device. Transconductance is a property of certain electronic components. Conductance is the reciprocal of resistance. Transconductance is the ratio of the current change at an output port to a voltage change at an input port.
The transconductance is generally proportional to hole or electron mobility, at least for low drain voltages. However, as device sizes are reduced, the fields in the channel increase and dopant impurity levels can increase. Both impact carrier mobility and tend to lower transconductance. Furthermore, increasing the electric field in the channel can result in velocity saturation, thereby limiting the current and transconductance.

MOS transconductance gain boosting techniques in millimeter-wave range

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.


An eNB 100-1 that performs radio communication by using the adaptive array control in the TD-LTE system: receives SRS utilized in the adaptive array control from a plurality of UEs 200; and performs an assignment for each subject downlink RBG, out of a plurality of downlink RBGs. The eNB assigns the subject downlink RBG to a UE 200 that transmitted a specific SRS that is SRS having the highest match rate in a frequency band with the subject downlink RBG, out of a plurality of SRSs received recently before the subject downlink RBG.

In a radio communication system (LTE system) that complies with LTE (Long Term Evolution) with its standards currently being discussed in 3GPP (Third Generation Partnership Project), a radio base station assigns a radio resource in radio communication between the radio base station and a radio terminal (for example, see Non Patent Literature 1).
For example, a radio base station assigns one or a plurality of uplink reference signal resources for transmitting an uplink reference signal (SRS: Sounding Reference Signal) and one or a plurality of downlink radio resources for transmitting downlink data, to a radio terminal (see Non Patent Literatures 1 and 2, for example).
Further, in an LTE system according to a Time Division Duplex (TDD) scheme (hereinafter, referred to as "TD-LTE system"), in order to increase a frequency utilization efficiency and improve quality of radio communication, it is considered that adaptive array control using an array antenna is introduced to the radio base station.
The adaptive array control includes a beamforming in which the peak of a directivity pattern of the array antenna is oriented to a radio terminal subordinate to the radio base station and a null steering in which the null of the directivity pattern of the array antenna is oriented to a radio terminal subordinate to another radio base station.

Radio base station and communication control method including downlink radio resource allocation


A switching loss is reduced by reducing a deviation from the operational principle of zero-volt switching (ZVS). A semiconductor integrated circuit includes high-side switch elements Q11 and Q12, a low-side switch element Q2, and a controller CNT. A decoupling capacitance Cin is coupled between one end of a high-side element and an earth potential, and the high-side element includes the first and second transistors Q11 and Q12 coupled in parallel. In changing the high-side elements from an on-state to an off-state, CNT controls Q12 from an on-state to an off-state by delaying Q12 relative to Q11. Q11 and Q12 are divided into a plurality of parts inside a semiconductor chip Chip 1, a plurality of partial first transistors formed by dividing Q11 and a plurality of partial second transistors formed by dividing Q12 are alternately arranged in an arrangement direction of Q11 and Q12, inside the semiconductor chip Chip 1.

The present invention relates to a semiconductor integrated circuit used for a DC-DC converter of a switching regulator system and a method for operating the same, and in particular relates to a technique effective in reducing a switching loss by reducing a deviation from the operational principle of zero-volt switching (ZVS).
For battery powered electronic devices such as a notebook PC (Personal Computer), a DC-DC converter is used for converting a DC voltage supplied from an AC adapter or a battery into a DC voltage supplied to a load that is a central processing unit of a notebook PC (CPU), namely, a microprocessor.
In recent years, as a countermeasure against global environmental problems, energy saving has been emphasized and an attention has been paid on an increase in efficiency and a reduction in power consumption, in particular a reduction in standby power consumption, of a switching power supply used for various electronic devices.
Conventionally, in a DC-DC converter, a high conversion efficiency is achieved by using a switching regulator performing a PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) control, a PFM (Pulse Frequency Modulation) control, or the like. That is, the DC-DC converter of a switching regulator system controls the on/off of a semiconductor switch by feedback control so as to maintain a DC voltage supplied to a load at a predetermined target value.
The following FIG. 31 of Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-197348 (Patent Document 1) and the disclosure related thereto describe a voltage-mode-type DC-DC converter including an error amplifier, a comparator, a triangular waveform generation circuit, a driver circuit, a high-side switch element, a low-side switch element, an inductor, and a capacitor.
A reference voltage is supplied to a non-inverting input terminal of the error amplifier, and an output voltage at a connection node between the inductor and the capacitor is supplied to an inverting input terminal of the error amplifier. An output voltage of the error amplifier is supplied to a non-inverting input terminal of the comparator, a triangular waveform signal generated from the triangular waveform generation circuit is supplied to an inverting input terminal of the comparator, and an output signal of the comparator is supplied to the driver circuit. Since the driver circuit complementarily drives the high-side switch element and the low-side switch element, an on-off operation of the high-side switch element is opposite to an on-off operation of the low-side switch element.
The following Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-016083 (Patent Document 2) describes that in a switching semiconductor device, such as a transistor or a field effect transistor, one such element cannot strike a balance between an increase in switching speed (speed of switching between an on-state and an off-state) and a reduction in on-resistance (saturation voltage) because the switching speed and the on-resistance are generally in a trade-off relationship. The following Patent Document 2 describes that in order to reduce a power loss, a first transistor having a high switching speed and a second transistor having a low on-resistance are coupled in parallel, and thus a conductive state and non-conductive state of a conduction path are switched by using both the first and the second transistors. At the time of switching from a non-conductive state to a conductive state, first, the first transistor having a high switching speed is turned on, and then at the timing when this element is saturated, the second transistor having a low on-resistance is turned on, and at the time of switching from a conductive state to a non-conductive state, the first transistor is turned off after turning-off of the second transistor. Furthermore, FIG. 17 of Patent Document 2 and the disclosure related thereto describe that the first transistor, the second transistor, and a controller are formed in a first region 64a, a second region 64b, and a third region 64c of a semiconductor chip, respectively.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-040854 (Patent Document 3) describes that in a chopper type switching power supply, a first transistor having a small current capacity and a second transistor having a large current capacity are coupled in parallel on a power supply path. Here, the first transistor having a small current capacity is controlled to be in an off-state by delaying the first transistor relative to the second transistor having a large current capacity. Thus, in the course of switching, a source to drain voltage of a MOS transistor is maintained at zero and a power loss in a switch element is suppressed.

Semiconductor integrated circuit and method for operating the same


The instant invention refers to an optical method to extrapolate cell membrane conductance by indirect measurement of changes in transmembrane voltage, upon exposure of a cell sample to electric current pulses. The method is advantageously used for evaluating the activity of molecules able to alter, directly or indirectly, membrane permeability. A specific field of application is the screening of candidate compounds putatively acting on ion channel activity. In particular, it is open to the study of all ion channels with no limitations on the mechanisms of activation or to the ion species involved. The method is also advantageously used for evaluating a cell status, namely a differentiative or a pathologic status.

Cell Membrane and Ion Channels
Cell membranes are composed of a lipid bilayer and a number of proteins, including ion channels. Accordingly, membranes exhibit both capacitive and resistive responses. Capacitive properties remain fairly constants, while resistive responses depend on the number and type of channels that are open.
Every cell shows a difference in potential between the aqueous solutions on the opposite sides of the plasma membrane. This transmembrane potential is sustained by the selective permeability of the membrane to ions as well as by the activity of electrogenic pumps. It follows that cytosolic ion concentration is tightly controlled with respect to the extracellular environment. On the one hand, this sets the conditions to trigger and propagate bioelectric events in specialized cells and, on the other hand, it sustains controlled changes in the cytosolic ionic concentrations, an important and ubiquitous mechanism of intracellular signalling. The measurement of transmembrane potential, traditionally performed via insertion of an electrode in the cell, has been the starting point to investigate the variation in membrane permeability or, equivalently, its conductance. Such equivalence between biological and electric parameters is motivated by the representation of the cell membrane as a dielectric material (lipid bilayer) that is essentially impermeable to most charged molecules, and causes the membrane to act as a capacitor by separating the charges lying along its interior and exterior surfaces. The opening of selective aqueous pores within transmembrane proteins (ion channels) enables specific ions to move in and out the cell, down their electrochemical gradient, thus temporarily or steadily modifying the membrane conductance.
Ion channels are generally classified according to either their ion selectivity (K+, Na+, Ca2, Cl−) or the type of activation mechanism. According to the latter criterion, main gating mechanisms of ion channel opening can be classified as:                binding of molecules (either in the extracellular or intracellular milieu);        changes in transmembrane potential;        mechanical strain of the cell membrane.
Cellular permeability is determined by both the type and the number of ion channels present and active in the plasma membrane Recent evidence shows that the expression of channels can be determined not only by the control of their biosynthesis but also by local recycling between inner compartments and cell surface, thereby permitting the rapid adaptation of their functional expression in response to specific signals. Moreover, biologically active molecules whose activity is expressed after their incorporation into the membrane bilayer induce the formation of pores with variable levels of ionic selectivity. This is the case of some antibiotics showing an ohmic behaviour (such as nistatin, amphotericin B, gramicidin) or non-ohmic behaviour (such as alameticin).
The control of ion fluxes (and consequently the membrane permeability) is fundamental for cell life as well as for main cellular functions (neurotransmitters/hormones release, excitability control, gene activation etc.); then it is evident that any alteration of the ionic balance can have important consequences on cell physiology. The wide interest in this field is documented by the introduction of the term "channelopathies" to include all the diseases associated with mutations of ion channels subunits. Therefore, there is the need for an easy and fast screening of candidate compounds able to modulate membrane permeability/conductance by specifically affecting ion channel activities and then acting as channelopathies drugs.

Method for optical measuring variations of cell membrane conductance


Systems and methods are provided for remotely a monitoring an individual's ability to carry out a various exercise activities and to evaluate the individual's range of motion. The individual can stand or sit in the field of view of the camera and carry out a set of base line activities. The baseline activities can be stored for subsequent retrieval and analysis. Based on the results of that evaluation, other activities can be prescribed for the individual to systematically carry out. The results of the subsequent activities can be evaluated and compared to the result of the base line activities to determine how the activities should be revised or whether other treatments are required or appropriate.

Individuals that have range of motion limitations due to either disease or surgical procedures often need to be monitored. One way that such monitoring can be carried out is to have the patient physically meet with a physician or a therapist for an evaluation. While useful, and the historical norm, physically consulting with a physician or therapist is often very difficult for a debilitated or ill individual. Additionally, it may be difficult for the individual to obtain a short term appointment due to both the physician and therapist being very busy.
There is an ongoing need to be able to monitor individuals, for example, for range of motion, in a way that is not only cost effective but which provides relatively short-term access by the individual to the respective medical professional. It would thus be desirable to be able to provide information pertaining to exercise ability and/or range of motion to an individual's physician or therapist on a short-term basis without necessarily requiring that the individual physically meet with his or her physician or a therapist. Being able to conduct remote evaluations of the individual's range of motion and/or exercise abilities can be especially advantageous relative to those individuals who are not able to travel easily to either the doctor's office or the therapist's office for an appointment.

Systems and methods of monitoring exercises and ranges of motion


A method of accumulating and maintaining the accumulated data comprises steps of maintaining an intermediate count in a first memory device (12), reading a plurality of count values from a second memory device (14), determining a greatest count value of a subset of the plurality of count values which satisfy at least one criterion, and determining an updated count based upon the intermediate count and the greatest count value. The at least one criterion includes a criterion that the greatest count value differs from a second greatest count value of the subset of the plurality of count values by at most a predetermined difference greater than one. A system and a device to perform the method are detailed.

In many applications, accumulated data such as up-counts or down-counts are to be maintained for a long time duration. In an example application, three million counts are to be incrementally stored in a serial EEPROM (electronically erasable programmable read only memory) over a ten year lifetime without exceeding a 0.05% inaccuracy tolerance in a harsh operating environment.
The process of accumulating data and maintaining the accumulated data can be corrupted in a number of ways. For example, a memory location in an EEPROM can experience a write-cycle based EEPROM failure because a threshold (commonly referred to as a wear-out specification) of supported write cycles thereto is attained or exceeded. The threshold is not fixed for any given EEPROM device but is a function of many factors such as process variation when the EEPROM device is initially fabricated, as well as its operating environment. As the threshold is approached, a fading failure can occur where data written to a memory location is initially readable, but fades over time to be corrupted or unreadable, thus the integrity of the data written can be lost completely. Once the threshold is exceeded, a hard failure can occur where data written to the memory location cannot be read immediately after being written. A wear-out specification for a memory location of a typical EEPROM at room temperature is about 1,000,000 write cycles. At higher temperatures, however, the wear-out specification degrades to about 100,000 write cycles.
An interface-based failure can occur when communication between a controller and the EEPROM device is corrupted. Communication can be corrupted, for example, when a serial interface coupling the controller and the EEPROM device is subjected to electromagnetic interference such as a radio frequency interference, noise, glitches, or other disturbances.
What is needed is an improved approach for accumulating data and maintaining the accumulated data in an EEPROM device that is more reliable and robust against errors caused by fading and interface-based disturbances.

Method, system, and device for accumulating data and maintaining the accumulated data


A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device begins when a first dielectric pattern is formed on and/or over a substrate, and a first etching process is performed to form a trench in the substrate. An edge portion of the first trench is exposed. An oxidation process is performed on and/or over the substrate rounding the edge portion of the trench. A second dielectric is formed on and/or over the substrate including the trench, and a planarization process is performed on the second dielectric. A photoresist pattern is formed on and/or over the second dielectric corresponding to the trench, and a second etching process is performed to form a second dielectric pattern filling the trench. The photoresist pattern is removed. A second cleaning process is performed on the substrate including the trench to form a device isolation layer, which is formed by removing a portion of the second dielectric pattern. A portion of the second dielectric remains on the first dielectric pattern after the performing of the planarization process on the second dielectric.

Embodiments relate to a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device. As semiconductor devices become more highly integrated, the cell size in memory devices becomes smaller. Accordingly, the size of device isolation regions within memory cells must be minimized. However, the size of a device isolation region is dependent on a device isolation region formation process and an alignment between structures in a memory array. Therefore, the reduction of the size of the device isolation region is somewhat limited.
Device isolation regions may be formed using a shallow trench isolation (STI) process instead of a local oxidation of silicon (LOCOS) process. The switch may be motivated by a "bird's beak" phenomenon in the LOCOS process, while the STI process has excellent device isolation characteristics. In addition, a device isolation region with a narrow width can be obtained using the STI process.
The STI process includes forming a trench in a semiconductor substrate, filling the trench with an oxide layer, and performing a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) process. However, when the device isolation layer is formed using the STI process, an electric field may be concentrated on an edge of the trench of the device isolation layer to form an undesirable transistor. This degrades device characteristics.

Method of manufacturing semiconductor device


A system for reducing the vibration sensitivity of an implantable microphone without an equal or greater reduction in sound sensitivity. The system reduces non-ambient vibrations by placing at least one compliant member into the path of transmission for tissue-borne vibration, but not into the path for ambient sound-induced vibration. More particularly, a compliant member is interposed along the path between a source of non-ambient vibration and an implanted microphone. In one aspect, a compliant base member is disposed between an implanted microphone and an implant wearer's skull. In another aspect, a microphone is compliantly suspended relative to an implant housing using a support membrane. In either aspect, the compliant member (i.e., base member and/or membrane) and the supported member (i.e., housing and/or microphone) define a supported system having a natural or resonant frequency. This natural frequency may be set to a value to advantageously isolate the microphone against transmitted vibration.

In the class of hearing aid systems generally referred to as implantable hearing instruments, some or all of various hearing augmentation componentry is positioned subcutaneously on or within a patient's skull, typically at locations proximate the mastoid process. In this regard, implantable hearing instruments may be generally divided into two sub-classes, namely semi-implantable and fully implantable. In a semi-implantable hearing instrument, one or more components such as a microphone, signal processor, and transmitter may be externally located to receive, process, and inductively transmit an audio signal to implanted components such as a transducer. In a fully implantable hearing instrument, typically all of the components, e.g., the microphone, signal processor, and transducer, are located subcutaneously. In either arrangement, an implantable transducer is utilized to stimulate a component of the patient's auditory system (e.g., ossicles and/or the cochlea).
By way of example, one type of implantable transducer includes an electromechanical transducer having a magnetic coil that drives a vibratory actuator. The actuator is positioned to interface with and stimulate the ossicular chain of the patient via physical engagement. (See e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,702,342). In this regard, one or more bones of the ossicular chain are made to mechanically vibrate, which causes the ossicular chain to stimulate the cochlea through its natural input, the so-called oval window.
As may be appreciated, hearing instruments that propose utilizing an implanted microphone will require that the microphone be positioned at a location that facilitates the receipt of acoustic signals. For such purposes, an implantable microphone may be positioned (e.g., in a surgical procedure) between a patient's skull and skin, typically at a location rearward and upward of a patient's ear (e.g., in the mastoid region). For a wearer of such a hearing instrument (e.g., middle ear transducer or cochlear implant stimulation systems), undesirable vibration (e.g., non-sound vibration) originating within the user's skull and/or tissue may be detected and amplified by the microphone to an undesirable degree. For instance, a middle ear transducer used with a hearing instrument may create such vibration. In this case, detection and amplification of the vibration can lead to objectionable feedback. Unwanted vibration can also arise naturally from talking or chewing. In both cases, undesired vibrations are transmitted through the user's skull or tissue to the site of the implanted microphone where a component of these undesired vibrations may be received by a microphone diaphragm and where the skin and tissue covering such a microphone diaphragm may undesirably increase the overall vibration sensitivity of the system. In this regard, while proposed implantable hearing aid instruments are sensitive to the sources of undesired vibration, they are intended by design to be sensitive to "ambient" sound vibrations from outside a user's body.
It is therefore desirable to have a means of reducing system response to sources of non-ambient (i.e., undesired) vibration, without affecting the desired ambient sound vibration sensitivity.

Passive vibration isolation of implanted microphone


An actuator for axially displacing an object includes an actuator piston disc and an actuator piston rod, which together form an actuator piston, a cylinder volume, the actuator piston disc dividing the cylinder volume into a first part and second part and being displaceable in the cylinder volume between an inactive and active position, a pressure fluid circuit arranged for controllable fluid communication with the first part, and a first hydraulic circuit including a liquid-filled space, the actuator piston rod being disposed to be axially displaced in relation to the liquid-filled space in connection with axial displacement of the actuator piston disc in the cylinder volume. The actuator piston includes a second hydraulic circuit, the liquid-filled space being in fluid communication with an inner cavity in the second hydraulic circuit when the actuator piston disc is in the inactive position, the inner cavity partly being delimited by a positioning piston.

Actuators of the type mentioned by way of introduction are known from, for instance, the applicant's own U.S. Pat. No. 7,121,237. Said document discloses an actuator for the driving of an engine valve, wherein the actuator piston rod of the actuator piston has a hydraulic braking device in the area of the free end thereof, which hydraulic braking device interacts with a mechanical stop in the actuator housing of the actuator. The object of this hydraulic braking device is to reduce the movement speed of the engine valve just before the valve head of the engine valve contacts the valve seat in the cylinder of the combustion engine, and thereby obtain a controlled closing motion, in order to spare the included details and reduce wear and dissonance. Upon closure of the engine valve, the actuator piston rod should contact a mechanical stop in the actuator housing together with the engine valve contacting the seat of the same, in order to obtain correct braking of the engine valve and actuator piston in connection with closure of the engine valve.
It is utmost important that the mutual distance between the hydraulic braking device of the actuator piston rod and the valve head of the engine valve is as large as the mutual distance between the mechanical stop and the seat of the engine valve. The problem of known actuators is that the actuator piston rod does not reach its mechanical stop in the actuator housing, whereupon the retarding effect varies or does not appear at all.
Because the engine valve is exposed to high temperatures during operation, the valve stem of the same will undergo dimensional changes, which directly affects the condition above. In addition, the manufacturing costs will be high if the dimensional tolerances in the production of the included details are narrow, alternatively less narrow dimensional tolerances are used, which entails a need of using shims or the like to adjust the mutual positions of the details. Furthermore, the included details are worn during operation, which further affects the mutual positions of the details.
It should be mentioned that the actuator piston rod, besides the hydraulic braking device, also has other functions where the position of the same in relation to the actuator housing is used for different purposes, for establishing the size of the first part of the cylinder volume, for regulating the fluid communication with the first part of the cylinder volume, etc.

Actuator for axial displacement of a gas exchange valve in a combustion engine


Variants of human papilloma virus (HPV) E6 and E7 able to elicit a humoral or cellular immune response against HPV in a host animal but not being cell-transforming in the host animal are disclosed, and are useful in treatment or prevention of diseases or conditions involving HPV.

Papillomaviruses are small DNA viruses that infect a variety of animal species. Some are associated with the development of malignancies in their natural hosts. Over 60 types of human papillomavirus (HPV) have been identified. These infect humans at a variety of body locations and are responsible for common skin warts, laryngeal papillomas, genital warts and other wart-like lesions. Genital HPV infections are particularly common and a number of HPV types, but most frequently types 6, 11, 16 and 18, infect the genital tract in both men and women. In women, HPVs infect various portions of the genital tract including the cervix.
Genital HPVs are a significant clinical problem. HPV infection of the ano-genital region is now regarded as the most common form of viral sexually-transmitted disease (STD). The viruses cause genital infections which become manifest in one of three ways:
i clinical infection, where gross genital warts are visible; PA1 ii subclinical infection, where viral lesions are not obvious but are detectable using special viewing techniques; and PA1 iii latency, where the only sign of infection is the presence of HPV DNA. PA1 (i) use whole proteins (this introduces the possibility that contaminating DNA may be associated with the proteins); PA1 (ii) use point mutants (this can lead to reversion to native protein, which requires multiple mutations to avoid; in addition, any point mutation leads to loss of potentially vital epitopes); PA1 (iii) use specific peptides (this requires a very large number of peptides, the identification of which is very complex, to make a vaccine of broad utility); and PA1 (iv) use variants such as fusions and combinations of deletion mutants (this method has none of the above limitations).
Subclinical infections are common. It is estimated that 2 to 4% of Papanicolaou (Pap.) smears show evidence of HPV. Latent infections are even more frequent and the majority of adults harbour one or more types of genital HPV.
Carcinoma of the uterine cervix (CaCx) is a common cancer in women. Two forms of cervical cancer are recognised; squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is by far the most frequent representing about 90% of observed cases; adenocarcinoma, a cancer of the secretion cells, accounts for about 10%. Cancer of the cervix develops through pre-cancerous intermediate stages to invasive forms (the carcinoma) which can become life threatening. The pre-cancerous stages of increasing severity are known as cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) grades 1 to 3. Over a 20 year period about 40% of the untreated CIN3 patients develop invasive cancer, the increasingly serious forms of which are known as stage I to IV. Invasive cancer frequently leads to death.
Cervical cancer in both its pre-cancerous and invasive stages is one of the few cancers for which a highly reliable and relatively cheap screening method is available. The Papanicolaou (Pap.) smear involves cytological examination of cervical scrapes to test for the presence of abnormal cervical cells which are indicative of pre- or invasive cancer. Detection of abnormalities leads to further investigation and treatment if necessary.
To be effective at reducing the number of cervical cancers and resultant deaths, Pap. smear screening is undertaken on a mass scale and ideally includes all women of sexually-active age. Detection and subsequent treatment of CIN has a very high success rate in the prevention of invasive cancer, while early detection of the latter can have a marked effect on mortality.
Most developed countries have highly developed Pap. smear screening programs which have resulted in a 30% drop in age-specific mortality due to CaCx between 1960 and 1980. However, apart from the Scandinavian countries, few developed countries screen more than 50 to 60% of women, allowing CaCx and resultant deaths to remain a significant problem. In the developing world the situation is even worse as few organised screening programs exist, resulting in 400,000 new cases of invasive cancer annually in these countries.
As outlined earlier, a variety of types of HPV cause genital infections in humans, although four types (6, 11, 16, 18) predominate. Evidence collected over the past 15 years strongly suggests that several of the HPVs are associated with the development of cervical cancer. Indeed many researchers have concluded that specific HPV types are the essential aetiologic factor responsible for the development of many of the cancers.
Infection with HPV-16 and HPV-18 has been associated with the development of cancer of the cervix. It has been postulated that HPV acts as an initiator in cervical carcinogenesis and that malignant transformation depends on interaction with other factors. Infections with HPV-6 and HPV-11 have been associated with the development of genital warts. The incidence of HPV infection appears to be increasing as shown by a large increase recently in patient visits related to genital HPV infections in both males and females and the presence of HPV in Pap. smears of some women under 30 years of age.
The nature of HPV-16 in particular and papilloma viruses in general has been well studied recently. HPV-16 contains a 7904 bp double-stranded DNA genome (Siedorf, K. et al., Virology (1985) 145:181-185). The capsid is 50 nm and contains 72 capsomers (Klug, A., J. Mol. Biol. (1965) 11:403-423). U.S. Pat. No. 4,777,239 discloses a series of 17 synthetic peptides which are said to be capable of raising antibodies to HPV-16 and thus may be useful for diagnostic purposes. In addition, European Patent 0 412 762 discloses polypeptides which are antagonists of the biochemical interaction of the HPV E7 protein and the retinoblastoma gene (RBG) protein, and which are said to be useful in the treatment of genital warts and cervical cancer.
The DNAs of several papilloma viruses have been sequenced, including several HPV types, bovine papillomavirus (BPV) and cottontail rabbit papillomavirus (CRPV). All of these display similar patterns of nucleotide sequence with respect to open reading frames. The open reading frames can be functionally divided into early regions (E) and late regions (L); the E regions are postulated to encode proteins needed for replication and transformation; and the L regions to encode the viral capsid proteins (Danos, O., et al., J. Invest. Derm. (1984) 83:7s-11s).
Two HPV encoded proteins, E6 and E7, are thought to be involved in the pathogenesis of HPV-induced abnormal cell proliferation (reviewed in Stoppler et al., Intervirology, (1994) 37:168-179). The amino acid sequences of the HPV-16 E6 and E7 proteins as deduced from the nucleic acid sequence are shown in Siedorf et al., Virology, (1985) 145:181-185.
The HPV genes encoding the E6 and E7 proteins are invariably expressed in tissue or tumor cells obtained from cervical cancers associated with HPV infection. In addition, the HPV E6 and E7 genes derived from the HPV-16 strain are capable of inducing epithelial cell transformation in cell culture without the presence of other HPV genes. These observations indicate that at least part of the stimulation of cell proliferation caused by HPV infection is due to the E6 and E7 viral proteins.
The HPV E6 and E7 proteins are believed to be effective immunological targets for tumour regression. As described above, however, the E6 and E7 genes are known to "transform" cells possibly by the action of their protein products in interfering with cellular proteins involved in the control cell growth. Accordingly, if even minute traces of DNA encoding the E6 and E7 proteins were to be present in a vaccine preparation, this could cause that vaccine preparation to initiate irreversible transformation events in the cells of a recipient of the vaccine preparation. It is an object of the present invention to provide non-transforming variants of the HPV E6 and E7 proteins which are able to induce in a host animal (particularly a human) a range of humoral and cellular immune responses, and which are therefore suitable for use in the production of vaccines for the prevention, prophylaxis, therapy and treatment of HPV-induced diseases or other conditions which would benefit from inhibition of HPV infection.
In the work leading to the present invention, it has been recognised that there are four ways to induce immune responses to E6 and/or E7 proteins:
In addition to the cell transforming properties of the E7 protein itself, fusions of this protein with .beta.-galactosidase have also been shown to be cell-transforming (Fujikawa et al., Virology, 204, 789-793, 1994). Accordingly, it could not be predicted that fusions of E6 and/or E7 moieties, either full length or non-full length, would not also be cell-transforming.

Variants of human papillomavirus antigens


The present disclosure is for a LED submersible light comprising a light-emitting lampshade in thread connection with a back cover to form a closed chamber housing a circuit board, lamp beads, batteries, and a control switch. A silica gel sealing ring is disposed in a positioning groove along an inner surface of the back cover. When engaged the sealing ring expands laterally in both directions to fill up spaces between internal and external threads and the positioning groove.

Submersible lights are applied to lamplight decoration and brightening underwater such as swimming pools, fish tanks and the like. Since the submersible lights are placed in the water for a long time, higher requirements are proposed for the waterproofness of the submersible lights.
Chinese patent 201520835968.6 discloses an LED submersible light, a plastic back cover is connected to the back of a plastic upper cover through threads, as shown in FIG. 2, an annular circular bead vertical to a thread axis is arranged at a thread tail end of the plastic upper cover, an O-shaped waterproof ring 4' is arranged on the circular bead, and an upper end part of the plastic back cover touches, extrudes and presses the waterproof ring by tightening the plastic back cover, so as to realize sealing. However, on one hand, the plastic back cover and the plastic upper cover are connected through the threads, which belongs to clearance fit, as a result, only a small part of the upper end part of the plastic back cover can touch the waterproof ring, and a sealing surface formed on the plastic back cover is narrow; and on the other hand, after the plastic back cover is tightened, its upper end face will drive the waterproof ring to rotate in the circumferential direction, since the outer circumference of the waterproof ring is unobstructed and the O-shaped sealing ring is soft, the waterproof ring is prone to distortion, partially offsets outward along the radial direction and is staggered from the original sealing surface, resulting in a gap between the waterproof ring and the sealing surface, external water can leak into the submersible light through the gap, so good and reliable seal cannot be achieved, and the water leakage rate is high, as a result, the defective rate of the submersible light is high. The water leakage directly causes a short circuit of an internal circuit, such that an LED lamp is burnt or a battery is scrapped, the service life is greatly shortened, and the user experience is poor.


The present invention provides a multi-range composite-evaporator type cross-defrosting system for continuous heating operation under an environment temperature range from 20 degree to negative 40 degree Celsius. Said system employs a combination of two defrosting methods under different temperature and humidity conditions; the first defrosting method is used for the outdoor temperature range of 20 degree Celsius to 0 degree Celsius, the second defrosting method is used in the outdoor temperature range of 10 degree Celsius to negative 40 degree Celsius, and a control system will adjust the appropriate threshold for switching between the two defrosting methods.

The present invention is a divisional application of the patent application Ser. No. 11/311,085 filed on Dec. 20, 2005, entitled "Multi-range cross defrosting heat pump system and humidity control system."
In general, current heat pump system has very limited range of working temperatures due to the limitation and the operation efficiency of the compressor; however, in many circumstances, the environment temperature may vary from negative 40 degree to 20 degree Celsius, therefore it is main objective of the present invention to provide a multi-range cross defrosting heat pump capable of operating under a wide range of working environment temperature at high efficiency.

Multi-range composite-evaporator type cross-defrosting system


A method for securely encoding and transmitting a message by an originating device to one of a plurality of recipient devices, said message being associated with a particular one of a plurality of application running on the originating device. Transmission is generated by using a device identifier, an application identifier and an application value, of a message value; combining the message value with one or more first secret values, said secret values being known substantially only to the originating device and one or more intended recipient device of the message, to establish a secret message value; applying the secret message value and the message to an encoding process to form a secure message block, and combining an address with a device identifier, the application identifier, the application value and the secure message block, to form a secure message for transmission which is decodable by the one or more of said intended recipient devices which thereby recover the message, the address, the device identifier, the application identifier and the application value.

The advent of secure storage and processing devices such as smart-cards, coupled with the increasing use of practicable electronic commerce technology, has highlighted shortcomings in secure message transfer technology. This relates in particular to the robustness and auditability of secure messages when transmitted over different types of "best effort" networks.
Fundamental requirements for electronic commerce include the ability to transmit and receive messages with an acceptable level of confidentiality and integrity, where this level depends on the particular commercial application. In addition, reliable authentication of these messages, namely identification and verification of the source of a received message is also needed to ensure that fraudulent transactions are not being initiated.
Emerging best effort networks such as wireless and the Internet, place additional demands on messaging technology, since message delay, loss and occasionally duplication does occur.
Proposed standards for cryptographic and authentication functions often exact a commercially prohibitive penalty on secure messaging, because of their requirement for significant overhead data and associated complex equipment to provide the cryptographic and/or authentication functions. Available techniques have also not been proven to be reliable or efficient in the context of the aforementioned best effort networks.
It is an object of the present invention to ameliorate one or more disadvantages of the prior art.

Message identification with confidentiality, integrity, and source authentication