I improve the impact shock resistance of bonds between composite elements by including Z-pin reinforcement. I prepare stubbled composite structure by using peel plys over the appropriate surface of the composite during pin insertion using conventional processes. I then use the stubbled composite structure with padups, as necessary, to produce the Z-pin reinforced joint or bond between composite elements using any of adhesive bonding, cocuring, or thermoplastic welding.

The use of composites in primary structure in aerospace applications is limited today because of the relatively high cost. A significant contribution to the total cost is the assembly cost where the precured composite elements are assembled, drilled, and fastened. The necessary design for mechanical fastening complicates the structure, especially in thin sections, because of the need for access to both sides of the bond line.
While composites might be adhesively bonded, cocured, or welded, these connecting processes generally produce bonds that rely upon the resin matrix for strength. The bond line lacks any reinforcing material to help with load transfer. These bonds generally have modest strength, and are susceptible to disbanding with shock impact or other "out of plane" forces affecting the assembly. Such forces often arise in environments prone to vibration. The present invention is a method to introduce Z-pin reinforcement along the bond line especially in fastenerless composite assemblies.
1. Composite Manufacturing
Fiber-reinforced organic resin matrix composites have a high strength-to-weight ratio (specific strength) or a high stiffness-to-weight ratio (specific stiffness) and desirable fatigue characteristics that make them attractive as replacements for metal in aerospace applications where weight, strength, or fatigue is critical. Thermoplastic or thermoset organic resin composites, would be more economical with improved manufacturing processes that reduced touch labor and forming time.
Prepregs combine continuous, woven, or chopped reinforcing fibers with an uncured matrix resin, and usually comprise fiber sheets with a thin film of the matrix. Sheets of prepreg generally are placed (laid-up) by hand or with fiber placement machines directly upon a tool or die having a forming surface contoured to the desired shape of the completed part or are laid-up in a flat sheet which is then draped and formed over the tool or die to the contour of the tool. Then the resin in the prepreg lay up is consolidated (i.e. pressed to remove any air, gas, or vapor) and cured (i.e., chemically converted to its final form usually through chain-extension or fused into a single piece) in a vacuum bag process in an autoclave (i.e., a pressure oven) to complete the part.
The tools or dies for composite processing typically are formed to close dimensional tolerances. They are massive, must be heated along with the workpiece, and must be cooled prior to removing the completed part. The delay caused to heat and to cool the mass of the tools adds substantially to the overall time necessary to fabricate each part. These delays are especially significant when the manufacturing run is low rate where the dies need to be changed frequently, often after producing only a few parts of each kind. An autoclave has similar limitations; it is a batch operation.
In hot press forming, the prepreg is laid-up to create a preform, which is bagged (if necessary) and placed between matched metal tools that include forming surfaces to define the internal, external, or both mold lines of the completed part. The tools and composite preform are placed within a press and then the tools, press, and preform are heated.
The tooling in autoclave or hot press fabrication is a significant heat sink that consumes substantial energy. Furthermore, the tooling takes significant time to heat the composite material to its consolidation temperature and, after curing the composite, to cool to a temperature at which it is safe to remove the finished composite part.
As described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,657,717 a flat composite prepreg panel was sandwiched between two metal sheets made from a superplastically formable alloy and was formed against a die having a surface precisely contoured to the final shape of the part.
Attempts have been made to reduce composite fabrication times by actively cooling the tools after forming the composite part. These attempts have shortened the time necessary to produce a composite part, but actively cooled tools are expensive and the cycle time for heating and cooling remains so fabrication costs remain high.
Boeing described a process for organic matrix forming and consolidation using induction heating in U.S. No. 5,530,227. There, prepregs were laid up in a flat sheet and were sandwiched between aluminum susceptor facesheets. The facesheets were susceptible to heating by induction and formed a retort to enclose the prepreg preform. To ensure an inert atmosphere around the composite during curing and to permit withdrawing volatiles and outgassing from around the composite during the consolidation, the facesheets are sealed around their periphery. Such welding unduly increased the preparation time and the cost for part fabrication. It also ruined the facesheets (i.e., prohibited their reuse which added a significant cost penalty to each part fabricated with this approach). So, Boeing described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,599,472 a technique that readily and reliably sealed the retort without the need for welding and permits reuse of the facesheets in certain circumstances. This "bag-and-seal" technique applies to both resin composite and metal processing.
2. Processing in an Induction Press
Boeing dies or tooling for induction processing are ceramic because a ceramic is not susceptible to induction heating and, preferably, is a thermal insulator (i.e., a relatively poor conductor of heat). Ceramic tooling is strengthened and reinforced internally with fiberglass rods or other appropriate reinforcements and externally with metal or other durable strongbacks to permit it to withstand the temperatures and pressures necessary to form, to consolidate, or otherwise to process the composite materials or metals. Ceramic tools cost less to fabricate than metal tools of comparable size and have less thermal mass than metal tooling because they are unaffected by the induction field. Because the ceramic tooling is not susceptible to induction heating, it is possible to embed induction heating elements in the ceramic tooling and to heat the composite or metal retort without significantly heating the tools. Thus, induction heating can reduce the time required and energy consumed to fabricate a part.
While graphite or boron fibers can be heated directly by induction, most organic matrix composites require a susceptor in or adjacent to the composite material preform to achieve the necessary heating for consolidation or forming. The susceptor is heated inductively and transfers its heat principally through conduction to the preform or workpiece that usually is sealed within the susceptor retort. Enclosed in the metal retort, the workpiece does not experience the oscillating magnetic field which instead is absorbed in the retort sheets. Heating is by conduction from the retort to the workpiece.
Induction focuses heating on the retort (and workpiece) and eliminates wasteful, inefficient heat sinks. Because the ceramic tools in the Boeing induction heating workcell do not heat to as high a temperature as the metal tooling of conventional, prior art presses, problems caused by different coefficients of thermal expansion between the tools and the workpiece are reduced. Furthermore, Boeing's induction heating press is energy efficient because significantly higher percentages of input energy go to heating the workpiece than occurs with conventional presses. The reduced thermal mass and ability to focus the heating energy permits us to change the operating temperature rapidly which improves the products we produce. Finally, the shop environment is not heated as significantly from the radiation of the large thermal mass of a conventional press, and is a safer and more pleasant environment for the press operators.
In induction heating for consolidating or forming organic matrix composite materials, Boeing generally places a thermoplastic organic matrix composite preform of PEEK or ULTEM, for example, within the retort. These thermoplastics have a low concentration of residual volatile solvents and are easy to use. The susceptor facesheets of the retort are inductively heated to heat the preform. They apply consolidation and forming pressure to consolidate and, if applicable, to form the preform at its curing temperature. The sealed susceptor sheets form a pressure zone that functions like a conventional vacuum bag processes for resin consolidation. The retort is placed in an induction heating press on the forming surfaces of dies having the desired shape of the molded composite part. After the retort and preform are inductively heated to the desired elevated temperature, differential pressure (while maintaining the vacuum in the pressure zone around the preform) across the retort which functions as a diaphragm in the press forms the preform against the die into the desired shape of the completed composite panel.
The retort often includes three susceptor sheets sealed around their periphery to define two pressure zones. The first pressure zone surrounds the composite panel/preform or metal workpiece and is evacuated and maintained under vacuum. The second pressure zone is pressurized (i.e., flooded with gas) at the appropriate time to help form the composite panel or workpiece. The shared wall of the three layer sandwich that defines the two pressure zones acts as the diaphragm in this situation.
Boeing can perform a wide range of manufacturing operations in its induction heating press. These operations have optimum operating temperatures ranging from about 350.degree. F. (175.degree. C.) to at least about 1850.degree. F. (1010.degree. C.). For each operation, the temperature is held relatively constant for several minutes to several hours. Controlling the input power fed to the induction coil provides temperature control, but a better and simpler way capitalizes on the Curie temperature. By judicious selection of the metal or alloy in the retort's susceptor facesheets, we can avoid excessive heating irrespective of the input power. With improved control and improved temperature uniformity in the workpiece, we produce better products. The method capitalizes on the Curie temperature phenomenon to control the absolute temperature of the workpiece and to obtain substantial thermal uniformity in the workpiece by matching the Curie temperature of the susceptor to the desired temperature of the induction heating operation being performed. This temperature control method is explained in greater detail in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/469,986.
3. Thermoplastic Welding
Three major joining technologies exist for aerospace composite structure: mechanical fastening; adhesive bonding; and welding. Both mechanical fastening and adhesive bonding are costly, time consuming assembly steps that introduce excess cost even if the parts that are assembled are fabricated from components produced by an emerging, cost efficient process. Mechanical fastening requires expensive hole locating, drilling, shimming, and fastener installation, while adhesive bonding often requires complicated surface pretreatments.
In contrast, thermoplastic welding, which eliminates fasteners, features the ability to join thermoplastic composite components at high speeds with minimum touch labor and little, if any, pretreatments. In our experience, the welding interlayer (compromising the susceptor and surrounding thermoplastic resin either coating the susceptor or sandwiching it) also can simultaneously take the place of shims required in mechanical fastening. As such, composite welding holds promise to be an affordable joining process. For "welding" a combination of thermoplastic and thermoset composite parts together, the resin that the susceptor melts functions as a hot melt adhesive. If fully realized, thermoplastic-thermoset bonding will further reduce the cost of composite assembly.
There is a large stake in developing a successful welding process. Its advantages versus traditional composite joining methods are:
reduced parts count versus fasteners PA1 minimal surface preparation, in most cases a simple solvent wipe to remove surface contaminants PA1 indefinite shelf life at room temperature PA1 short process cycle time, typically measured in minutes PA1 enhanced joint performance, especially hot/wet and fatigue PA1 permits rapid field repair of composites or other structures.
There is little or no loss of bond strength after prolonged exposure to environmental influences.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,673,450 describes a method to spot weld graphite fiber reinforced PEEK composites using a pair of electrodes. After roughening the surfaces of the prefabricated PEEK composites in the region of the bond, Burke placed a PEEK adhesive ply along the bond line, applied a pressure of about 50-100 psi through the electrodes, and heated the embedded graphite fibers by applying a voltage in the range of 20-40 volts at 30-40 amps for approximately 5-10 seconds with the electrodes. Access to both sides of the assembly is required in this process which limits its application.
Prior art disclosing thermoplastic welding with induction heating is illustrated by U.S. Pat. No. 3,966,402 and 4,120,712. In these patents, conventional metallic susceptors are used and have a regular pattern of openings of traditional manufacture. Achieving a uniform, controllable temperature in the bond line, which is crucial to preparing a thermoplastic weld of adequate integrity to permit use of welding in aerospace primary structure, is difficult with conventional susceptors.
Thermoplastic welding is a process for forming a fusion bond between two faying thermoplastic faces of two parts. A fusion bond is created when the thermoplastic on the surface of the two thermoplastic composite parts is heated to the melting or softening point and the two surfaces are brought into contact, so that the molten thermoplastic mixes, and the surfaces are held in contact while the thermoplastic cools below the softening temperature.
Simple as thermoplastic welding sounds, it is difficult to perform reliably and repeatably in a real factory on full-scale parts to build a large structure such as an airplane wing box. One difficulty is heating to the bond line properly without overheating the entire structure. It is difficult to achieve intimate contact of the faying surfaces of the two parts at the bond line during heating and cooling despite the normal imperfections in the flatness of composite parts, thermal expansion of the thermoplastic during heating to the softening or melting temperature, flow of the thermoplastic out of the bond line under pressure (i.e., squeeze out), and then contraction of the thermoplastic in the bond line during cooling.
The exponential decay of the strength of magnetic fields dictates that, in induction welding processes, the susceptible structure closest to the induction coil will be the hottest, since it experiences the strongest field. Therefore, it is difficult to obtain adequate heating at the bond line between two graphite carbon fiber reinforced resin matrix composites relying on the susceptibility of the fibers alone as the source of heating in the assembly. For the inner plies to be hot enough to melt the resin, the outer plies closer to the induction coil and in the stronger magnetic field are too hot. The matrix resin in the entire piece of composite melts. The overheating results in porosity in the product, delamination, and, in some cases, destruction or denaturing of the resin. To avoid overheating of the outer plies and to insure adequate heating of the inner plies, we use a susceptor of significantly higher conductivity than the fibers to peak the heating selectively at the bond line. An electromagnetic induction coil heats a susceptor to melt and cure a thermoplastic resin (also sometimes referred to as an adhesive) to bond the elements of the assembly together.
The current density in the susceptor may be higher at the edges of the susceptor than in the center because of the nonlinearity of the coil, such as occurs when using a cup core induction coil like that described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,313,037. Overheating the edges of the assembly can result in underheating the center, either condition leading to inferior welds because of non-uniform curing. It is necessary to have an open or mesh pattern in the susceptor embedded at the bond line to allow the resin to create the fusion bond between the composite elements of the assembly when the resin heats and melts.


The present invention relates to a system and method for providing dynamic wizard interfaces to end users. In one embodiment, a client device retrieves a container encapsulating a number of packages utilizing a self-describing data format from a remote server. A wizard engine on the client device interprets the container and packages to produce a wizard interface. Preferably, the present invention utilizes a compatible data structure for receiving, saving, and transmitting captured information regarding the wizard interface.

Communication networks are well known in the computer communications field. By definition, a network is a group of computers and associated devices that are connected by communications facilities or links. Network communications can be of a permanent nature, such as via cables, or can be of a temporary nature, such as connections made through telephone or wireless links. Networks may vary in size, from a local area network ("LAN"), consisting of a few computers or workstations and related devices, to a wide area network ("WAN"), which interconnects computers and LANs that are geographically dispersed, to a remote access service ("RAS"), which interconnects remote computers via temporary communication links. An internetwork, in turn, is the joining of multiple computer networks, both similar and dissimilar, by means of gateways or routers, that facilitate data transfer and conversion from various networks. A well-known abbreviation for the term internetwork is "internet." As currently understood, the capitalized term "Internet" refers to the collection of networks and routers that use the Internet Protocol ("IP"), along with higher level protocols, such as the Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol ("TCP/IP") or the Uniform Datagram Packet/Internet Protocol ("UDP/IP"), to communicate with one another.
The Internet has recently seen explosive growth by virtue of its ability to link computers located throughout the world. Other interactive environments may include proprietary environments, such as those provided by the Microsoft Network (MSN) or other online service providers, as well as the "wireless Web" provided by various wireless networking providers, especially those in the cellular phone industry. As will be appreciated from the following description, the present invention could apply in any such interactive environments; however, for purposes of discussion, the Internet is used as an exemplary interactive environment for implementing the present invention.
The Internet has quickly become a popular method of disseminating information due in large part to its ability to deliver information in a variety of formats. To make information available over the Internet, a user typically composes a document or other data that resides on a server connected to the Internet that has mass storage facilities for storing documents and/or data and that runs administrative software for handling requests for those stored documents. A common way of addressing a document is through an associated Uniform Resource Locator ("URL") that provides the exact location of a linked document on a server connected to the Internet.
At the start of the Internet, the information stored on the Internet was generally static in nature and, if one wanted to change the information contained in a document on a server, it was necessary to manually configure the document by rewriting the document. However, at the present stage of the development of the Internet, many servers provide dynamic content that changes depending on a user's interaction between the user's consumer device and the server.
Concurrently with the development of the Internet, there has been a number of enhancements to graphical user interfaces ("GUIs") for computer systems. One such GUI is known as a wizard interface, also known as assistants interfaces in some instances. Wizard interfaces are generally a structured series of pages or dialogs that interact with a wizard engine to allow a user to produce a result. Wizard interfaces and wizard engines are collectively referred to herein as wizards. Unlike other forms of GUIs, such as tutorials and online help screens, wizards also accomplish one or more tasks. Since wizard interfaces were introduced, as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,301,326, the text and drawings of which are herein incorporated by reference, they have gained wide acceptance as a way to guide end users through complex tasks. As their acceptance has grown, so too has the complexity of the tasks that wizards have been called upon to perform. In addition, due to the increased usage, different types of individuals are being called upon to contribute to the creation of wizards.
Conventional wizard interfaces are generally hard-coded graphical user interface components require a substantial amount of expertise in software development to design. As the need for wizards has increased, the supply of experienced developers capable of creating and/or overseeing the creation of wizard interfaces has not increased proportionally. Accordingly, there is a need for a way to design wizards without the need for experienced software developers.
Conventional wizard interfaces, when in complete form, are easy to navigate and use for even inexperienced end users. However, altering a wizard interface by adding, deleting, or changing the pages of the wizard interface entails multiple levels of changes that are difficult to perform. For example, adding another branching page to a wizard interface might require all previous and/or subsequent pages to be updated to reflect the new page order. Additionally, all components for all pages in the wizard interface would need to be determined in advance and packaged with the wizard. A wizard interface having five branching pages, each with three possible branches, has over 200 possible page nodes and potentially over 100 variations of just the fifth page. This complexity is only exacerbated when more pages included in a complex wizard interface are added and when wizards provide more than three options in a page. Still further, the ability to integrate live data (e.g., listings of available servers or other real-time information) in conventional wizards is limited by the difficulty of dynamically changing the pages of a wizard interface. Rather, all possible combinations need to be determined in advance. This necessitates even larger and more cumbersome development and deployment of conventional wizards or simply hampers a wizard's ability to respond/interact in an efficient manner. It would be desirable to have an easy-to-use system and method of enhancing wizard interfaces without the increased complexity and/or resources required by previously developed wizard interfaces.

XGL and dynamic accessibility system and method


Techniques for evaluating patent impacts are provided. A claim of a patent is normalized and an abstract of the claim is generated. The abstract is used to search a repository of target sources and their corresponding abstracts. Related abstracts found during the search are returned for purposes of evaluating the claim in view of data sources associated with the related abstracts.

Protecting intellectual property is of enormous importance in today's highly technical world economy. Membership of countries into the World Trade Organization often depends on how well those countries recognize and enforce intellectual property rights of intellectual property holders. Everyday there is news of two large companies disputing each others property rights in our courts. Additionally, the United States Patent and Trademark Organization (PTO) is grappling with huge patent backlogs as patent filings continue to rise at a staggering pace.
It is therefore not surprising that enterprises utilize a substantial amount of time and resources in developing and protecting their intellectual property assets. This is done with the expectation that the enterprises can gain a competitive advantage in the marketplace. The large investment and work done by enterprises are the primary reasons why the governments, courts, and government agencies are becoming overwhelmed with work related to protecting, adjudicating, and evaluating intellectual property.
The most desirable form or intellectual property that an enterprise can hold is a patent. With a patent, an enterprise can exclude others from making, using, importing, and selling their prescribed invention. The claims of enterprise's patent define the metes and bounds of what an enterprise can legitimately lay claim to.
Yet, obtaining patent protection is expensive and time consuming; therefore, it is in the best interest of the patentee, PTO, and the marketplace as a whole that any existing publications (sources) related to what the patentee seeks to patent are found and evaluated during the patent process. There are a plethora of sources in a multitude of languages that can be potentially evaluated.
It is impractical and unrealistic to believe that even the surface can be scratched for purposes of determining what publications are available for proper evaluation. A patentee or an examiner could spend a year or more parsing through sources and still may not find something that was relevant. Thus, it is not surprising that sources related to a patent can turn up in litigation years later when those sources were never found when the patent was initially evaluated.
In fact, it is a huge challenge to locate relevant sources related to claims of a patent or a pending patent application. One hurdle has been addressed and that is making most sources available in electronic format and accessible via the World-Wide Web (WWW) and Internet; although to a large extent this is still an ongoing process.
Thus, improved and automated techniques are needed for evaluating the impact of patents and their claims in view of available electronic sources of information.


A method and system for context-based sorting of character strings. A first sorting weight of a current character of a character string is determined from a first table. The first sorting weight is stored. Provided the current character is a predetermined character, a second table is accessed. A second sorting weight of the current character is determined from the location of a preceding character within the second table. The first sorting weight is replaced with the second sorting weight for the current character. Embodiments of the present invention provide an efficient method of context-based sorting in languages, such as Japanese, where the sorting weight of a character can be altered by the preceding character.

As a business or organization expands, there is a greater need for effective management of data and records. A vast number of businesses and organizations use computer databases to collect and organize their data and records. A database is a collection of information organized in such a way that a computer program can access desired pieces of data. One of the ways in which databases are particularly useful is that records can be sorted in any number of ways. One common sort order is alphabetic, for example by last name of a purchaser or by a business name.
Sort orders vary from language to language, and many specifications require variations. For example, in traditional German (e.g.,  and ) and Spanish (e.g., ch or ll), one character may compare as if it were two, or two characters may compare as if they were one character. This is commonly referred to as multiple mapping. In most languages, multiple mapping characters are sorted alphabetically as if they were two characters. In other words, in most languages multiple mapping characters are alphabetically ordered as if they were two characters (e.g.,  is ordered as if it were the letters A and E).
However, in some languages, the definition of a character can be altered by the preceding character in the word or character string. For example, in Japanese (in both Hiragana and Katakana character sets), a length mark lengthens the vowel of the preceding character. The length mark can be depicted three ways: as a full-width length mark (FIG. 1A), as a half-width length mark (FIG. 1B) and as a dash (FIG. 1C). Depending on the vowel of the preceding character, the length mark will sort in a different alphabetic order. For example, after the character "ka" (FIG. 1D), the length mark indicates a long "a" and comes alphabetically after the character "a" (FIG. 1E) rather than before. In another example, after the character "ki" (FIG. 1F), the length mark indicates a long "i" and comes alphabetically after the character "i" (FIG. 1G) rather than before.
In current multilingual database architectures, Unicode is often used to depict characters. Unicode is a superset of the ASCII character set that uses two bytes for each character rather than one. Because Unicode is able to handle 65,536 character combinations rather than just 256, it can house the alphabets of most of the world's languages. Unicode is a desirable character set because it easily enables a database user to enter in records in a number of different languages.
In one current database architecture, alphabetic sort orders are performed by determining a character's sort weight by accessing a collation weight table. A collation weight table provides a numerical value for a character for sorting. For example, in a collation weight table the letter "A" may have a sorting weight of 10 and the letter "B" may have a sorting weight of 15. When the sort order performs the sort, "A" will be ordered before "B" because it has a smaller value. The collation weight table can have a sort weight for every Unicode character, thus allowing for sorting in multiple languages.
Occasionally, there are situations where the collation weight table cannot be used to determine the sort weight of a character. As described above, one character may compare as if it were two characters or two characters may compare as if they were one character. To account for this behavior of certain characters, the collation weight table will refer to a multiple mapping table to determine the ordering of these characters. Accessing the multiple mapping table requires extra processing time, but because only a small percentage of characters in most languages reside in the multiple mapping table, the extra processing time is typically nominal.
However, in performing Japanese character alphabetic sort orders, the processing time is substantial. To account for the effect a length mark (FIGS. 1A–C) has on a character, it is necessary to look ahead to the next character. Current database management systems accomplish this by referring to the multiple mapping table for every Japanese character. As a result, the processing time is effectively doubled for each character. The increased processing time reduces the efficiency of an alphabetic sort order. As several thousand or millions of records can be sorted using a Japanese alphabetic sort order, users are subject to substantial time requirements to perform Japanese alphabetic sort orders.

System and method of context-based sorting of character strings for use in data base applications


The invention relates to a sodium salt of (R)-3-[6-amino-pyridin-3-yl]-2-(1-cyclohexyl-1H-imidazol-4-yl)-propionic acid which is in a crystalline form or in at least partially crystalline form as a monohydrate or anhydrate, as well as a process for the preparation of the same, methods of using such salt to treat subjects suffering from conditions which can be ameliorated by the administration of an inhibitor of the enzyme TAFIa (activated thrombin-activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor).

(R)-3-[6-amino-pyridin-3-yl]-2-(1-cyclohexyl-1H-imidazol-4-yl)-propionic acid as a free acid shows the structure illustrated in Formula II:

(R)-3-[6-amino-pyridin-3-yl]-2-(1-cyclohexyl-1H-imidazol-4-yl)-propionic acid use in the preparation of a medicament for treating a patient suffering from, or subject to, conditions which can be ameliorated by the administration of an inhibitor of the enzyme TAFIa (activated thrombin-activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor), has been disclosed in WO 2005/105781.
The enzyme TAFIa is produced for example through thrombin activation from the thrombin-activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor zymogen (TAFI). The enzyme TAFI is also referred to as plasma procarboxypeptidase B, procarboxypeptidase U or procarboxypeptidase R and is a proenzyme similar to carboxypeptidase B (L. Bajzar, Arterioscler. Thromb. Vasc. Biol. 2000, pages 2511-2518).
During formation of a clot, thrombin is generated as the final product of the coagulation cascade and induces conversion of soluble plasma fibrinogen to an insoluble fibrin matrix. At the same time, thrombin activates the endogenous fibrinolysis inhibitor TAFI. Activated TAFI (TAFIa) is thus produced during thrombus formation and lysis from the zymogen TAFI through the action of thrombin; thrombomodulin in a complex with thrombin increases this effect about 1250-fold. TAFIa cleaves basic amino acids at the carboxy end of fibrin fragments. The loss of carboxy-terminal lysines as binding sites for plasminogen then leads to inhibition of fibrinolysis. Efficient inhibitors of TAFIa prevent the loss of these high-affinity lysine binding sites for plasminogen and, in this way, assist endogenous fibrinolysis by plasmin: TAFIa inhibitors have profibrinolytic effects.
In order to maintain hemostasis in the blood, mechanisms which lead to the clotting of blood and to the breaking up of clots have developed; these are in equilibrium. If a disturbed equilibrium favors coagulation, fibrin is produced in larger quantities, so that pathological processes of thrombus formation may lead to serious pathological states in humans.
Just like excessive coagulation may lead to serious pathological states caused by thrombosis, an antithrombotic treatment entails the risk of unwanted bleeding through disturbance of the formation of a necessary hemostatic plug. Inhibition of TAFIa increases endogenous fibrinolysis—without influencing coagulation and platelet aggregation—i.e. the disturbed equilibrium is shifted in favor of fibrinolysis. It is thus possible both to counter the buildup of a clinically relevant thrombus, and to increase the lysis of a pre-existing clot. On the other hand, buildup of a hemostatic plug is not impaired, so that a hemorrhagic diathesis is probably not to be expected (Bouma et al., J. Thrombosis and Haemostasis, 1, 2003, pages 1566-1574).
Inhibitors of TAFIa have already been described in the International Applications WO03/013526 and WO2005/105781. Processes for preparation are disclosed in WO2010/130718.
3-[6-amino-pyridin-3-yl]-2-(1-cyclohexyl-1H-imidazol-4-yl)-propionic acid bishydrochloride salt and its pharmacological activities have been disclosed in WO2005/105781. The bishydrochloride salt of 3-[6-amino-pyridin-3-yl]-2-(1-cyclohexyl-1H-imidazol-4-yl)-propionic acid and the free acid of 3-[6-amino-pyridin-3-yl]-2-(1-cyclohexyl-1H-imidazol-4-yl)-propionic acid have the disadvantage to occur as amorphous solids. Thus, said hydrochloride acid salts as well as said free acid cannot be purified by crystallization. Additionally, it was found that the free acid of 3-[6-amino-pyridin-3-yl]-2-(1-cyclohexyl-1H-imidazol-4-yl)-propionic acid is hygroscopic. Further it was found that (R)-3-[6-amino-pyridin-3-yl]-2-(1-cyclohexyl-1H-imidazol-4-yl)-propionic acid is chemically not stable under elevated temperature and humidity. A degradation of the molecule could be observed and the enantiomeric purity of (R)-3-[6-amino-pyridin-3-yl]-2-(1-cyclohexyl-1H-imidazol-4-yl)-propionic acid is reduced within a short time. Therefore, (R)-3-[6-amino-pyridin-3-yl]-2-(1-cyclohexyl-1H-imidazol-4-yl)-propionic acid is not suitable for the development in a pharmaceutical formulation.
Hygroscopicity is the ability of a substance to attract and hold water molecules from the surrounding environment through either absorption or adsorption with the adsorbing or absorbing material becoming physically 'changed,' somewhat, increase in volume, stickiness, or other physical characteristic changes of the material as water molecules become 'suspended' between the material's molecules in the process. Therefore hygroscopic compounds are generally very unfavorable for use in solid pharmaceutical compositions.
It is an object of the present invention to find crystalline salts of (R)-3-[6-amino-pyridin-3-yl]-2-(1-cyclohexyl-1H-imidazol-4-yl)-propionic acid with reduced absorption or adsorption of water molecules from the surrounding environment and are chemically stable. It has been found that crystalline sodium salts of (R)-3-[6-amino-pyridin-3-yl]-2-(1-cyclohexyl-1H-imidazol-4-yl)-propionic acid have favorable reduced absorption or adsorption of water molecules from the surrounding environment and are chemically stable.

Crystalline salts of R)-3-[6-amino-pyridin-3-yl]-2-(1-cyclohexy1-1H-imidazol-4-yl)-propionic acid


Establishing and refining beams in MIMO sessions can include detecting establishment of a communication session between a cell site and a user equipment. The communication session can be conducted using a multi-input multi-output beam that can be supported by a first portion of an antenna array, the first portion including two or more antenna array elements of the antenna array. Device data that relates to the user equipment can be obtained, where the device data can include movement data that can describe a movement of the user equipment. A beamforming command can be generated to include instructions that, when implemented by an entity associated with the cell site, can cause the cell site to refine the multi-input multi-output beam based on the device data. A refined multi-input multi-output beam can be supported by a second portion of the antenna array. The beamforming command can be provided to the cell site.

In multi-user multi-input multi-output sessions, beam assignment can be an iterative process. A base station can initiate communications using a broadcast beam that then can be refined into one or more narrower beams based on reports from or about user equipment communicating in the session. Such an approach is not suitable for user equipment that moves, as each time a user equipment moves out of a line of sight of the antenna with which it communicates, the beam must be reestablished. Such beam reestablishment is a time consuming, iterative, and resource-consuming process. Such an approach is not an efficient use of network resources and can result in a poor user experience.


A motion compensation device having a motion compensation lens which moves to compensate for motion caused by, e.g, hand shake, to prevent blur of an image formed on an image forming plane. An actuator drives the motion compensation lens and when the motion compensation lens moves, a drive current flows in a coil of the actuator. A drive current measuring device measures the drive current. An ideal drive current calculating unit calculates an ideal drive current when the motion compensation lens receives no acceleration. The ideal drive current calculating unit includes a virtual actuator. The virtual actuator is a model of an actuator which behaves similarly to the actual actuator. The ideal drive current calculating unit calculates the ideal drive current for the state in which there is no acceleration caused by hand shake. A position instruction value calculating unit finds a value proportional to the hand shake acceleration by comparing the drive current measured by the drive current measuring device with the ideal drive current calculated by the ideal drive current calculating unit. The position instruction value calculating unit calculates a drive amount (target position signal) of the motion compensation lens which is necessary in order to compensate the motion.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a motion compensation device which compensates for motion caused by hand shake and the like in a camera or other optical device. More particularly, the present invention relates to a motion compensation device which compensates for motion of an image on an image forming plane without using special sensors, such as angular velocity sensors, to detect motion.
2. Description of the Related Art
Cameras having motion compensation devices are known. A conventional motion compensation device compensates for motion causing blurring of an image on an imaging plane, which occurs as a result of vibration of the camera during photography, by driving a motion compensation optical system (referred to hereinbelow as "motion compensation lens") which constitutes a portion of a photographic optical system.
The conventional motion compensation device detects hand shake with angular velocity sensors or acceleration sensors, or the like, and calculates a drive signal based on the detected hand shake. The conventional motion compensation lens is supported such that movement at approximately right angles to the optical axis is possible. An actuator drives the motion compensation lens, based on the drive signal, in a direction which cancels the motion causing blur of an image formed in the imaging plane (e.g., a film plane).
The motions of the camera which are the origin of image blur during photography are pitching, yawing and rolling motion, motion parallel to the vertical, motion parallel to the horizontal, and the like. Pitching and yawing motion are so-called angular motion. When photographing at long range, and when the lens focal distance is long, pitching and yawing motion have the effect of producing large motion of an image on the imaging plane (film plane) relative to the optical axis, and, as a result, a large amount of image blur in the imaging plane. Because angular motion is motion producing an angular velocity, the conventional motion compensation device determines the motion angle caused by pitching and yawing motion using two angular velocity sensors respectively detecting angular velocity in two axial directions, and by integrating the output signals of the angular velocity sensors. The motion compensation lens is then driven to cancel the movement of the optical axis accompanying the movement of the camera to prevent movement of the image in the film plane. Many prior art motion compensation devices compensate only the effects of pitching and yawing in the above-described manner.
A conventional motion compensation device requires angular velocity sensors or the like sensors in order to detect motion. However, angular velocity sensors and the like are expensive sensors. Therefore, a problem arises in that cameras and other optical instruments having a motion compensation device are expensive.

Motion compensation device to compensate for motion of an optical system without using motion sensors


Methods for implementing a message service based on IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) are disclosed in embodiments of the invention. One of the methods includes: determining a network domain of a called subscriber according to information in a message service of a calling subscriber; conducting the message service according to a type of the network domain of the called subscriber. Systems for implementing a message service based on IMS, IMS-based Serving-Call Session Control Function (S-CSCF), and IP-Short Message-Gateway are disclosed in the embodiments of the invention. The invention facilitate the network domain of calling side to select different processing procedures for the called subscriber information in different network domains by deciding the network domain of called subscriber, which makes the interworking procedure between an IMS-based message and a non-IMS-based message service clearer and the interworking procedure between an IMS-based message and the traditional short message more perfect.

1. Field of the Technology
The invention relates to the field of network communication technology, and particularly to methods and systems for implementing a message service based on IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS), IMS-based Serving-Call Session Control Function (S-CSCF), IP-Short Message-Gateway (IP-SM-GW).
2. Background of the Technology
Along with development of broadband networks, mobile communications go beyond traditional voice communication. Multimedia services in association with various media types, such as audio, video, picture and text, will be developed gradually. By combining with such data services as presence, short message, WEB browsing, location information, PUSH and file sharing services, mobile communications can meet various demands of mobile subscribers.
Driven by various applications, standardization organizations of 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) and 3rd Generation Partnership Project 2 (3GPP2) put forward an architecture based on IMS successively, the objective thereof is to provide a standardized open architecture in mobile networks to implement various multimedia applications, and provide mobile subscribers with more choices and experiences.
In 3GPP Release 5 (R5), an IMS domain is introduced. The IMS domain is overlaid on the Packet Switched (PS) domain network and includes Call Session Control Function (CSCF), Media Gateway Control Function (MGCF), Media Resources Function (MRF) and Home Subscriber Server (HSS) etc. The CSCF may be categorized into S-CSCF. Proxy-CSCF (P-CSCF) and Interrogating-CSCF (I-CSCF). The S-CSCF is a service switching center of IMS for executing session control, maintaining session status, managing user information and generating charging information, and so on. The P-CSCF, as an access point from which a terminal subscriber accesses the IMS, is used for registering a subscriber, controlling the Quality of Service (QoS) and conducting the security management, and so on. The I-CSCF is responsible for interworking between the IMS domains, managing assignment of the S-CSCF, hiding the network topology and the configuration information from the outside and generating billing data, and so on. The MGCF implements the interworking between an IMS network and other networks by controlling gateways. The MRF is used for providing media resources, such as receiving and playing voices, coding and decoding as well as multimedia conference bridges. The HSS is a user database which stores subscription data and configuration information of IMS subscribers, and so on.
Since the architecture of IMS network is independent of the bearer network of lower level, the IMS network defined by the 3GPP may be applied to other packet networks apart from the packet domain network defined by the 3GPP, such as a packet network, a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) and a Next Generation Network (NGN) defined in the 3GPP2, such that the IMS network is independent of the types of terminals and the types of access networks. Therefore, the IMS may be applied to networks and applications related to the 3GPP, and also may be applied to other types of services and applications of access networks and bearer networks. In this way, the IMS provides the future multimedia applications with a universal service enablement platform, which is an important step of system evolution to All IP Network services providing system.
At present, the 3GPP defines two kinds of IMS-based message service: an Immediate Message service and a Session Based Message service.
The method for implementing the Immediate Message service is hereinafter described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
When a called subscriber UE#2 has registered in the IMS domain, a process of sending an immediate message from an IMS-based calling subscriber UE#1 to UE#2 is as shown in FIG. 1, which includes the following steps.
Step 101. UE#1 edits a message containing multimedia contents and needs to send the message to UE#2 (UE#1 generates the multimedia content to be sent).
Step 102 UE#1 sends to a P-CSCF#1 corresponding to UE#1 a MESSAGE request, the multimedia contents edited by UE#1 is contained in a message body of the MESSAGE request.
Step 103. P-CSCF#1 implements the MESSAGE request to an S-CSCF#1 in which UE#1 currently registers.
Step 104. S-CSCF#1 implements Service control.
To be specific, S-CSCF#1 checks a length and a type of the message in the MESSAGE request according to an operator strategy configured in S-CSCF#1. Besides, S-CSCF#1 may trigger a service logic matching the MESSAGE request according to service logics to which UE#1 has subscribed; for example, the MESSAGE request is routed to an Application Server (AS) for the subsequent processing.
Step 105. S-CSCF#1 forwards the MESSAGE request to I-CSCF-#2. In this step, S-CSCF#1 determines I-CSCF#2 according to information related to called subscriber contained in the MESSAGE request.
Step 106. I-CSCF#2 inquires about the route (Location Query procedure with HSS), i.e. requests address information of S-CSCF of UE#2 from an HSS. The address information of S-CSCF of UE#2 is the address information of S-CSCF#2.
Step 107. I-CSCF#2 forwards the MESSAGE request to S-CSCF#2.
Step 108. S-CSCF#2 implements Service control.
To be specific, S-CSCF#2 checks a length and a type of the message in the MESSAGE request according to an operator strategy configured in S-CSCF#2; besides, S-CSCF#2 may trigger a service logic matching the MESSAGE request, for example, the MESSAGE request is routed to an AS for the subsequent processing. If it is impossible to deliver the message when an activated service currently exists in UE#2, such as a service for hiding son kind of messages, the AS may return an error response to S-CSCF#2.
Step 109. S-CSCF#2 forwards the MESSAGE request to the current P-CSCF#2 of UE#2.
Step 110. Upon receiving the MESSAGE request. P-CSCF#2 forwards the MESSAGE request to UE#2; UE#2 displays multimedia contents to the terminal Subscriber (UE#2 renders multimedia content).
Steps 111 to 116. UE#2 returns to UE#1 a response message (200 OK) for accepting the MESSAGE request.
When UE#2 has not registered in the IMS domain but has subscribed to a "service of unregistered state", a process of sending an immediate message from an IMS-based calling subscriber UE#1 to a called subscriber UE#2 is as shown in FIG. 2, which includes the following steps.
Step 210. UE#1 edits a message containing multimedia contents and needs to send the message to UE#2.
Step 202. UE#1 sends to a P-CSCF#1 corresponding to UE#1 a MESSAGE request, the multimedia contents edited by UE#1 is contained in a message body of the MESSAGE request.
Step 203. P-CSCF#1 forwards the MESSAGE request to S-CSCF#1 in which UE#1 currently registers.
Step 204. S-CSCF#1 checks a length and a type of the message in the MESSAGE request according to an operator strategy configured in S-CSCF#1; besides, S-CSCF#1 may trigger a service logic matching the MESSAGE request, for example, the MESSAGE request is routed to an AS for the subsequent processing.
Step 205. S-CSCF#1 forwards the MESSAGE request to I-CSCF#2.
Step 206. I-CSCF#2 inquires about the route, i.e. I-CSCF#2 requests the address information of the S-CSCF corresponding to UE#2 from an HSS; the address information of the S-CSCF corresponding to UE#2 is the address information of S-CSCF#2.
At this point, since UE#2 has not registered in the IMS domain, the HSS checks whether the unregistered UE#2 has subscribed to a "service of unregistered state", if so, the HSS designates a certain S-CSCF as S-CSCF#2 and returns the address information of this S-CSCF#2 to I-CSCF#2; alternatively, the HSS returns the required capability information of S-CSCF to I-CSCF#2, and I-CSCF#2 selects an appropriate S-CSCF as S-CSCF#2 by itself
Then, I-CSCF#2 forwards the MESSAGE request to S-CSCF#2; after receiving the MESSAGE request and downloading the data related to UE#2 from the HSS according to the subscriber identifier of UE#2, S-CSCF#2 triggers the matched service control logic according to the "service of unregistered state" to which the subscriber has subscribed, and forwards the MESSAGE request to an AS; the AS makes the subsequent processing. If the subscriber has not subscribed to a "service of unregistered state", the HSS returns a route-inquiring failure response.
Step 207. I-CSCF#2 towards the MESSAGE request to S-CSCF#2.
Step 208. S-CSCF#2 checks a length and a type of the message in the MESSAGE request according to an operator strategy configured in S-CSCF#2, and further checks whether an activated service that will stop the message being delivered exists, such as an activated service for hiding some kind of messages. Besides, S-CSCF#2 may trigger a service logic matching the MESSAGE request, for example, the MESSAGE request is routed to an AS for the subsequent processing. Eventually, the MESSAGE request is sent to UE#2.
Steps 209 to 212. S-CSCF#2 returns to UE#1 the response message for accepting the MESSAGE request returned from UE#2.
At present, the 3GPP sets forth a network architecture illustrating the interworking between an IMS-based message service and the traditional short message service, which is as shown in FIG. 3.
In FIG. 3, the Short Message Entity (SME), Short Message-Service Center (SM-SC), Gateway Mobile Switch Center/Short Message-InterWorking Mobile Switch Center (GMSC/SM-IWMSC), Home Subscriber Server/Home Location Register (HSS/HLR), Charging Gateway Function/Charging Data Function (CGF/CDF) and Online Charging System (OCS) are function entities for implementing short message service (SMS) in the existing mobile networks.
The SM-SC is used for storing short messages; the GMSC is used for inquiring routing information) from the HSS/HLR when a mobile subscriber is receiving a short message; the SM-IWMSC is used for checking whether a short message is allowed to be sent to its home SM-SC when a mobile subscriber is roaming. The short message centers used in mobile networks integrate SM-SC, GMSC and SM-IWMSC into one device, rather than implement these services by three independent physical devices. Therefore, the short message center hereinafter represents a network device integrated with SM-SC GMSC and SM-IWMSC.
The HSS/HLR is used for storing the data information of a mobile subscriber including routing information; the CGF/CDF is used for collecting and processing offline charging bill information of mobile subscriber and transferring the offline charging bill information to the charging center; the OCS is used for collecting and processing the online charging bill information of mobile subscriber and transferring the online charging bill information to the charging center.
The IP-SM-GW illustrated in FIG. 3 is a newly added network entity which facilitates the interworking between message protocols of IP network and the existing short message protocols of Wide-band Code Division Multiple Addressing/Globe System for Mobile Communication (WCDMA/GSM) network to implement communications between IP User Equipment (UE) and a GMSC/SM-IWMSC.
When using an immediate short message service, a UE based on Session Initial Protocol (SIP) has to register in an IP-SM-GW firstly; the IP-SM-GW notifies the HSS that the UE has registered and the address of IP-SM-GW; the HSS stores the state of IP subscriber as IP Connected, and stores the address of IP subscriber and the address of IP-SM-GW to which the IP subscriber has registered.
A variety of methods for establishing a secure connection between a UE and an IP-SM-GW have been proposed in the present standards, the methods include a manner based on the secure architecture of General Authentication Architecture (GAA), a manner based on the network architecture of IMS and a tunnel-based manner.
In the case of establishing a secure connection between a UE and an IP-SM-GW based on the network architecture of IMS, a process of an IMS-based calling subscriber UE registers in an IP-SM-GW is as shown in FIG. 4; the process includes the following steps.
Step 401. The calling subscriber UE establishes an IP connection (Establishment of IP connection).
Step 402. Upon establishing the IP connection successfully, the calling subscriber UE registers in an S-CSCF according to the IMS registering process (IMS Registration). Functional entities of I-CSCF and P-CSCF and information transmitted between the S-CSCF and an HSS will be involved in the IMS registering process, which will not be further described for brevity
Step 403. The S-CSCF checks initial filter criteria (iFC) information obtained from the HLR/HSS in the IMS registering process (Check iFC information).
Step 404. After an IMS registration is successful, the S-CSCF notifies, according to the iFC information, an IP-SM-GW that the UE has registered in the IMS domain (SIP REGISTER).
Step 405. The IP-SM-GW sends a registration request (IP-IWF-Register Req) to the HLR/HSS to register its own address information and an identifier of UE in the HLR/HSS.
Step 406. The HLR/HSS stores the address information of IP-SM-GW and the identifier of UE, and then returns an IP-IWF-Register Res to the IP-SM-GW.
Step 407. The IP-SM-GW returns an acceptance response (SIP 200 OK) message to the S-CSCF.
After a piece of UE has registered in an IP-SM-GW by the registering process illustrated in FIG. 4, a processing procedure that the UE implements a message service between an IMS-based calling subscriber and a traditional called subscriber is shown in FIG. 5; the processing procedure includes the following steps.
Step 501. A piece of UE registers in an S-CSCF according to the IMS registering process (SIP/IMS Registration/re-registration procedure).
Step 502. The UE sends a MESSAGE request to the S-CSCF based on a Session Initial Protocol (SIP) MESSAGE manner.
Step 503. The S-CSCF forwards the MESSAGE request to an IP-SM-GW according to iFC information.
Step 504. The IP-SM-GW returns to the S-CSCF an SIP 202 acceptance message indicating that the MESSAGE request has been accepted (Accepted).
Step 505. The S-CSCF forwards the SIP 202 acceptance message to the UE.
Step 506. After parsing the MESSAGE request, the IP-SM-GW forwards a short message parsed from the MESSAGE request to an SM-IWMSC using a standard Mobile Application Part (MAP) signaling (Forward message). The address information of SM-SC may be parsed from the Requested-Uniform Resource Identifier (R-URI) or the message body of the MESSAGE request.
Step 507. The SM-IWMSC forwards the short message to an SM-SC (Message transfer).
Step 508. The SM-SC sends a short message delivery report to the SM-IWMSC (Delivery report).
Step 509. The SM-IWMSC sends the short message delivery report to the IP-SM-GW.
Step 510. The IP-SM-GW sends the short message delivery report to the S-CSCF using the SIP MESSAGE.
Step 511. The S-CSCF sends the short message delivery report to the UE using the SIP MESSAGE.
Step 512. The UE responds to the short message delivery report by a 200 ok message.
Step 513. The 200 ok message is forwarded to the IP-SM-GW via the S-CSCF.
It can be seen from the above description that, when a calling subscriber having registered in an IMS network domain initiates an IMS-based immediate message service, the called subscriber may be a subscriber having registered in an IMS network domain or a subscriber having only registered in a traditional Circuit Switch/Packet Switch (CS/PS) network domain or network domain of other types. The called subscribers having registered in different network domains have different processes on the selection of called network domain and on the routing of subsequent message. However, related art only describes the processes in the case of the called side network being an IMS network domain and there is no description about the processes to send a message from an IMS-based calling side net domain to a called subscriber via such network domains when the called side network is a traditional CS/PS network domain or network domain of other types, which makes the interworking processes between an IMS-based message and a non-IMS-based message unclear, thereby the practicability of message interworking between an IMS-based message and a non-IMS-based message is low.

Method and system for implementing a message service based on IP multimedia subsystem


A differential input buffer operable at power supply voltages below 3.0 V comprises first and second field effect transistors connected between a power supply and a current source as a differential pair in receiving input and input bar signals. Using enhancement mode field effect transistors and heterojunction bipolar transistors for a current source, a power supply voltage Vcc as low as 2 V is possible for circuit operation.

This invention relates generally to buffer circuitry for high frequency applications, and more particularly the invention relates to a high frequency input buffer operable with low power voltages.
In modulator circuitry for cellular phone applications, in phase (I, I) and quadrature phase (Q, Q) inputs are received by respective differential buffers. FIG. 1 is a schematic of a conventional buffer for the baseband I, I inputs using a Vcc power source of 5 V, for example. The bipolar transistors Q1, Q2 form a differential pair which respectively receive the I and I inputs through resistors R1, R3. Resistor R2 connected between the transistor base regions forms a voltage divider with R1 and R2. Vcc is connected through resistors R7, R8 to the collectors of Q1, Q2 with the buffer outputs taken at the collectors. Transistors Q3, Q4 form a current source for the differential pair with diode connected transistor Q4 connected through resistor R6 to a regulated voltage (Vreg) and to circuit ground with the base of Q4 providing base current to Q3. Transistor Q3 is connected to circuit ground and through resistors R4, R5 to the emitters of Q1, Q2.
Since Vce of Q3 has a minimum voltage of 0.6 V for gallium arsenide heterojunction bipolar transistor (GaAs HBT) technology, and 0.8 to 1.0 V for silicon bipolar technology, the bases of Q1 and Q2 must be at 2 V or above. Therefore, Vcc must be greater than 4 V if the I and Q ports are at Vcc/2. If Vcc is less than 4 V, then the current source cannot be implemented and a common resistor to ground must be used. Further, a power down function cannot be implemented. If Vcc is further reduced to 3 V and less, Vcc/2 becomes less than Vbe of the heterojunction bipolar transistor and the circuit cannot be implemented at all with HBT technology.


Apparatus and methods for tagging, or otherwise marking, a perpetrator or suspected perpetrator are provided. The apparatus includes a marker delivery device configured to mark the perpetrator, for example, with a canine scent or fluorescent marker; and a trigger configured to actuate the marker delivery device, for example, a button or switch. The marker delivery device may deliver a fluid or a solid to the clothes or accessories of a perpetrator when activated. The apparatus may also include a sensor adapted to detect the presence of the perpetrator, for example, an optical or mechanical sensor. The sensor may be adapted to detect the presence of the perpetrator in a target area of the marker delivery device. Methods of tagging are also disclosed. Aspects of the invention are uniquely adapted for convenience store or gas station security, but can also be applied in residential and office environments, among others.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, generally, to apparatus and methods for tagging a perpetrator, for example, with a detectable marker. Particularly, the present invention relates to apparatus and methods for covertly tagging a perpetrator while the perpetrator is exiting a store with a scent or dye that can be detected by law enforcement personnel.
2. Description of Related Art
Small commercial establishments, for example, convenience stores, liquor stores, and gas stations, are often the targets of thieves and delinquents due to their availability and since they are typically employed by single employees, especially at off-peak hours, such as, in the late evening. Though attacks or robberies of such establishments are common, statistics strongly indicate that the perpetrators are often not apprehended nor are potential suspects even identified.
The reasons for the lack of success in apprehending perpetrators and in reducing the number of incidents are myriad and unclear. However, a clear need exists to discourage perpetrators while increasing the rate at which perpetrators are apprehended and brought to justice. Aspects of the present invention provide apparatus and methods addressing this well-recognized need.

Apparatus and method for tagging a perpetrator


An image display device, in which image display media are sealed between opposed substrates, at least one of two substrates being transparent, and in which the image display media, to which an electrostatic field is applied, are made to move so as to display an image. A construction of particles used as the image display media is improved (the first, second, fourth, fifth, sixth, eighth and ninth aspects of the invention), and a material of the particles used as the image display media is improved (the third, seventh and tenth aspects of the invention). Whiteness of the particles and a liquid powder using the particles is improved, particle agglutination is prevented, and the charge property is controlled. Moreover, durability is improved such that a contrast of the image display during a repetition display is not decreased. As a result, an excellent image display can be achieved.

As an image display device substitutable for liquid crystal display (LCD), image display devices with the use of technology such as an electrophoresis method, an electro-chromic method, a thermal method, dichroic-particles-rotary method are proposed. As for these image display device, it is conceivable as inexpensive visual display device of the next generation from a merit having wide field of vision close to normal printed matter, having smaller consumption with LCD, spreading out to a display for portable device, and an electronic paper is expected.
Recently, electrophoresis method is proposed that microencapsulate dispersion liquid made up with dispersion particles and coloration solution and dispose the liquid between faced substrates. However, in the electrophoresis method, there is a problem that a response rate is slow by the reason of viscosity resistance because the particles migrate among the electrophoresis solution. Further, there is a problem of lacking imaging repetition stability, because particles with high specific gravity of titanium oxide is scattered within solution of low specific gravity, it is easy to subside, difficult to maintain a stability of dispersion state. Even in the case of microencapsulating, cell size is diminished to a microcapsule level in order to make it hard to appear, however, an essential problem was not overcome at all.
Besides the electrophoresis method using behavior in the solution, recently, a method wherein electro-conductive particles and a charge transport layer are installed in a part of the substrate without using solution is proposed. [The Imaging Society of Japan "Japan Hardcopy '99" (Jul. 21–23, 1999) Transaction Pages 249–252] However, the structure becomes complicated because the charge transport layer and further a charge generation layer are to be arranged. In addition, it is difficult to constantly dissipate charges from the electro-conductive particles, and thus there is a drawback on the lack of stability.
In order to solve the problems mentioned above, as an image display device enabling rapid response due to a dry-type device, simple construction, inexpensive cost and excellent stability, it is known a dry-type image display device which comprises an image display panel, in which two groups of particles or liquid powders having different colors and different charge characteristics are sealed between a transparent substrate and an opposed substrate, and, in which the particles or the liquid powders, to which an electrostatic field produced by two electrodes having different potentials is applied, are made to move so as to display an image. In the image display device, image display elements are formed by arranging partition walls between the transparent substrate and the opposed substrate.
However, the following tasks arise.
<Tasks of a First Aspect of the Invention>
In the dry-type image display device mentioned above, there is an advantage such that a particle moving resistance is small and a response speed is rapid with respect to the electrophoresis method. A theory of the image display on the dry-type image display device mentioned above is that a pattern is recognized by obtaining a contrast of respective particles. Therefore, it is important to control a luminance factor of white particles, which are a base for reflecting a light. Generally, the white particles are produced by mixing fine particles made of a material having high refraction index into a material having low refraction index. In this case, if the number of the white particles is small. An opacifying rate becomes insufficient, and thus there is a limit for an achievable luminance factor.
<Tasks of a Second Aspect of the Invention>
In the dry-type image display panel mentioned above, there occurs a phenomenon such that the sealed particles do not move after a repetition use because of particle adhesions with each other. Therefore, there occurs a problem such that an image contrast is deteriorated, and thus a durability after the repetition use is insufficient.
<Tasks of a Third Aspect of the Invention>
In the dry-type image display panel mentioned above, as a particle behavior between the substrates each having an actual electrode, it is a common phenomenon that all the particles having the same charge characteristics are not adhered evenly to one electrode surface but they sometimes generate an agglutinated cluster between the substrates. In this case, the number of the particles adhered to a display electrode surface becomes small, and thus there occurs a problem such that a display performance is extremely deteriorated.
In the case of the agglutinated cluster generated by the particles having different charge characteristics, it is relatively easy to crush the agglutinated cluster by making an electric field intensity larger, since the agglutination occurs due to Coulomb's force etc. between two particles. However, it is difficult to crush the agglutinated cluster in the same manner if the agglutinated cluster is formed by the particles having the same charge characteristics. In this case, it is not possible to crush the agglutinated cluster by en external electronic stress, and thus a solving method is not certain.
<Tasks of the Fourth Aspect of the Invention>
In the dry-type image display device mentioned above, there is an advantage such that a particle moving resistance is small and a response speed is rapid with respect to the electrophoresis method. A theory of the image display on the dry-type image display device mentioned above is that a pattern is recognized by obtaining a contrast of respective particles. Therefore, it is important to control a color of the white particles which are a base for emitting a color.
Heretofore, as coloring particles such as white particles and so on, use is made of: crushed particles obtained by mixing pigment and dye into a polymer and crushing/classifying the mixed polymer; polymerized particles obtained by involving the pigment and dye by means of a polymerization method such as suspension polymerization, emulsification polymerization and seed polymerization and so on; and composite particles in which the pigment and dye and so on are adhered to a surface of mother particles. However, in the crushed particles, there are problems: such that a desired color is not obtained since a particle shape is varied and there is a limit for filling amounts of the pigment and dye; and such that the particles have a damage such that a crack generation and so on when crushed. Moreover, in the polymerized particles, there is a problem such that filling amounts of the pigment and dye become further smaller and thus a desired color is not obtained. Further, in the composite particles, there are problems: such that a coloring is insufficient since the pigment and dye are not existent in the mother particles; such that the pigment and dye are easily picked away from the surface; and such that manufacturing processes are made larger.
<Tasks of a Fifth Aspect of the Invention>
In the dry-type image display panel mentioned above, there occurs a phenomenon such that the sealed particles do not move after a repetition use because of particle adhesions with each other. Therefore, there occurs a problem such that an image contrast is deteriorated, and thus a durability after the repetition use is insufficient.
<Tasks of a Sixth Aspect of the Invention>
In the dry-type image display device mentioned above, there is an advantage such that a particle moving resistance is small and a response speed is rapid with respect to the electrophoresis method. A theory of the image display on the dry-type image display device mentioned above is that a pattern is recognized by obtaining a contrast of respective particles. Therefore, it is important to control a color of the white particles which are a base for emitting a color.
Heretofore, the white particles mentioned above are manufactured by filling white pigment such as titanium oxide (TiO2), zinc oxide, zirconium oxide and so on into a base resin. As a manufacturing method, use is made of a polymerization method and a mixing/crushing method. In the mixing/crushing method, a larger amount of the pigment such as titanium oxide can be added, and thus an excellent whiteness can be obtained. As a shape, circular particles can be obtained in the polymerization method, but the particles have an indefinite shape in the mixing/crushing method. As filling amounts of the white pigment, 50 parts by weight of the white pigment is maximum in the polymerization method with respect to 100 parts by weight of the base resin, but it is possible to fill about 300 parts by weight of the white pigment in the mixing/crushing method with respect to 100 parts by weight of the base resin. As mentioned above, the polymerization method and the mixing/crushing method have good and bad points respectively, but the mixing/crushing method is preferably used from a viewpoint of the most important whiteness.
However, in the mixing/crushing method, if titanium oxide is added more and more to a high extent, a scattering becomes insufficient and thus there is a problem such that a white refraction index decreases. For example, the whiteness becomes maximum at about 200 parts by weight of titanium oxide with respect to 100 parts by weight of the base resin. Then, if titanium oxide is added over 300 parts by weight, it is difficult to perform a mixing process and the white refraction index also decreases. Particularly, in the case of using titanium oxide, there is a problem such that it is difficult to fill over 300 parts by weight of titanium oxide with respect to 100 parts by weight of the base resin.
<Tasks of a Seventh Aspect of the Invention>
As one example of the particles used in the image display device comprising the dry-type image display panel, heretofore, there is a case such that use is made of the particles obtained by: melting pigment, charge control agents and so on with respect to a base resin made of a thermoplastic resin such as polycarbonate (PC) and so on; and mixing/crushing the melted base resin. The particles obtained by the mixing/crushing method using the thermoplastic resin as the base resin in the manner mentioned above have a low heat resistance. Therefore, there is a problem such that the particles are melted and thus adhered/agglutinated to the image display panel during the use of the image display panel under a high temperature or during the works under a high temperature such as a substrate stacking process of the image display panel.
<Tasks of an Eighth Aspect of the Invention>
In the dry-type image display panel mentioned above, an image contrast is not still sufficient, and there occurs a phenomenon such that the sealed particles do not move after a repetition use because of particle adhesions with each other. Therefore, there occurs a problem such that an image contrast is deteriorated, and thus a durability after the repetition use is insufficient.
<Tasks of a Ninth Aspect of the Invention>
In the dry-type image display panel mentioned above, an image contrast is not still sufficient, and there occurs a phenomenon such that the sealed particles do not move after a repetition use because of particle adhesions with each other. Therefore, there occurs a problem such that an image contrast is deteriorated, and thus a durability after the repetition use is insufficient.
<Tasks of a Tenth Aspect of the Invention>
Heretofore, it is not possible to control charge characteristics (positive charge performance and negative charge performance) of a particle material constituting image display media using the image display device having the dry-type image display panel, and the charge characteristics are a value inherent from a resin material constituting the image display media itself.

Particle use for image display media, image display panel using the particles, and image display device


A method and apparatus are provided for driving heaters of a thermal print head in a thermal image transfer. The method divides each of the heaters, which consecutively print at least two color images, into a predetermined number of groups of multiple heaters. The heaters in each group consecutively printing a first color image. When printing an image by consecutively printing more than two color images, the heating order is divided into 12 phases and the image is sequentially printed. Power consumed in driving the heaters is therefore reduced.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to thermal image transfer. More particularly, the present invention relates to an apparatus and method of driving a thermal print head wherein an image is formed by consecutively printing at least two color images. The images are printed using a plurality of heaters within the thermal print head. The heaters are used in a heating order that is organized into phases to print the image sequentially.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, an image forming apparatus converts a document written by a user via an application program, or an image photographed with, for instance, a digital camera, into encoded data. The image forming apparatus outputs the encoded data onto printing media making it visible to the user.
A thermal transfer printer produces an image by applying heat onto an ink ribbon in contact with a printing medium by using a thermal print head. On application of heat, ink is transferred from the ink ribbon onto the printing medium. Alternatively, another type thermal transfer printer produces an image by applying heat to a printing medium that has an ink layer. A predetermined color is produced in response to heat provided by a thermal print head.
The thermal print head includes a plurality of heaters having a predetermined resistance R. The heaters supply heat to the printing medium in response to application of a predetermined voltage, VHD. By increasing the number of heaters, an improvement in printing quality can be achieved. Accordingly, the number of control signals required to control operation of the thermal print head increases as the number of heaters increases. Power P consumed by a single heater on application of voltage VHD can be calculated using Equation 1.
                    P        =                              VHD            2                    R                                    (        1        )
Therefore, as the number of heaters increases, to obtain high quality images, the power consumed by the thermal print head also increases.

Method and apparatus of driving a thermal print head to form an image


A betatron, adapted, e.g., for use as a high-energy electromagnetic radiation source in a borehole well logging tool, includes modulator circuitry for actively controlling the electron beam radius during acceleration and for extracting the electron beam at or near maximum magnetic field strength. Such control may be effected by suitable separate pulsing of field-coil and core-coil magnets, and results in enhanced efficiency of betatron magnet-excitation power conversion and beam end-point energy stability and intensity over a range of operating temperatures.

This invention relates to magnetic induction accelerators of the betatron type and, more particularly, to active electron control circuits for betatrons.
1. Cross Reference to Related Patents
The invention of the present application is related to the invention described in the commonly-owned U.S. Pat. No. 5,077,530, issued Dec. 31, 1991 to the present inventor for Low-voltage Modulator for Circular Induction Accelerator, and to the invention described in the commonly-owned U.S. Pat. No. 5,122,662, issued Jun. 16, 1992 to the present inventor et al. for Circular Induction Accelerator in Borehole Logging, the disclosures of both of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
2. Background of the Invention
Prominent among performance criteria for betatrons, and in particular for miniature betatrons, as used, for example, in borehole logging tools, are power efficiency, beam end-point energy stability, and beam energy and flux stability under changing ambient temperature. Specifically as to power efficiency, two contributing factors may be distinguished, namely (i) the efficiency of a modulator in the conversion and delivery of power to the betatron magnet and (ii) the efficiency of conversion of the magnet excitation power into beam power. The former, namely modulator efficiency, is a primary concern of the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 5,077,530. The present invention is mainly concerned with the latter, namely the efficiency of magnet-excitation power conversion.
In a betatron, almost all the magnetic-circuit excitation energy is stored in the air gap of the field magnet. This is because the air gap in the magnetic circuit which provides the confining magnetic field is considerably wider than the air gap in the core magnetic circuit which provides the bulk of the acceleration voltage, and because of the high permeability of the core material. On the one hand, with the magnetic induction (field strength) B at an electron-beam target as a reference, the excitation energy is approximately proportional to B.sup.2 ; on the other hand, the end-point energy of a relativistic beam in a betatron is proportional to r.multidot.B, where r is the radial position of the target. Furthermore, B is proportional to r.sup.-n, with n between 0 and 1. Thus, optimal power conversion is realized if the target is placed at the outer edge of the field magnet and if the electron beam is extracted to strike the target when B is at its peak. Since the beam must be located within r during acceleration, the beam radius has to be expanded as the magnetic field increases towards its peak.
Prior art techniques for beam extraction have reduced the confining magnetic field either with an extraction coil and switch arrangement in the field magnetic circuit, or with a magnetic flux clamping circuit in the core circuit. These techniques are relatively simple to implement, but neither effects extraction of the beam at its maximum possible energy.
Typically, in an accelerator-based logging tool, e.g., a density tool, the electromagnetic radiation is relatively intense and has a short duty cycle, and the detectors operate in an energy deposition mode. In the case of a betatron as the radiation source, this holds true at least for near-spaced detectors. However, the total radiation energy depends not only on the amount of charge accelerated per pulse (which affects radiation intensity but not spectrum shape), but also on the end-point energy, affecting spectrum shape. While variations in radiation intensity are scalable (e.g., doubling the intensity will double the detector count rate without regard to source-detector spacing) and thus are normalizable, variations in end-point energy affect the radiation transport processes and affect detector response differently at different spacings. It is important, therefore, that end-point energy variation be kept as small as possible.
In a betatron, one important factor that affects the extracted beam energy is extraction timing. Since the end-point beam energy is determined mainly by B (i.e., by the magnetic induction at the target), and since B varies essentially sinusoidally, it is desirable to extract the beam when B is at or near its peak, where a change in extraction timing has the least effect on beam energy.
Magnetic properties of materials change as a function of temperature. Where power consumption is of no concern, a sufficiently large air gap in a magnetic circuit will minimize the magnetic effects of temperature changes; this, however, is impractical in the case of a miniature betatron, for borehole use, for example. In the case of a cut core made of Metglas S-3 and SC and without a large gap, as described, for example, in the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 5,122,662, the apparent permeability drops with temperature, with the core current increasing by as much as 50 percent for a temperature change of 50 degrees C. A larger current results in a higher resistive loss in the core, and this in turn modifies the betatron condition in such a way that the electron orbit shrinks with temperature. In such circumstances, unless corrected, at the least extraction will be delayed, because the smaller the electron orbit before expansion, the longer it takes to expand it to the target. In the extreme case, electrons may even strike the inside of the betatron "donut" before expansion takes place. A change in the betatron condition may further result in excessive electron loss, and hence a reduction in beam intensity.


A directional coupler which can adjust a degree of coupling easily and by comparatively low cost is provided. A directional coupler has a substrate, a 1st transmission line formed on the substrate, a 2nd transmission line formed on the substrate, and a coupling substrate provided with a 3rd transmission line and a 4th transmission line which form a coupling part. The coupling substrate is attached to the substrate so that the coupling part may be inserted in the 1st transmission line and 2nd transmission line.

In a transmission apparatus of a digital wireless communication system and a broadcasting system, a directional coupler is used for combining process or distributing process of a transmission signal. As broadening a bandwidth of the transmission apparatus is requested in recent years, this directional coupler is strongly desired to have a wideband and good characteristic. For this reason, when the directional coupler is manufactured, a structure of multi-stage coupling is usually used.
In the directional coupler, it may be necessary to change a degree of coupling between each transmission line. In this case, a design change of a circuit pattern is obliged and it may be necessary to exchange the whole substrate which constitutes the directional coupler.
As conventional technology related to this kind, there is a radio frequency filter indicated in JP, PH06-97766A. In this high pass filter, two signal lines are formed on mutually different planes and a substrate is sandwiched between both lines. A degree of coupling is adjusted by choosing thickness of the substrate sandwiched.
An example of a directional coupler which has a multi-stage coupling part considered conventionally is shown in FIG. 12. Directional coupler 300 has coupling parts 302, 304 and 306. Coupling parts 302, 304 and 306 are formed by transmission line 310 formed on one surface of substrate 308 and transmission line 320 formed on another surface. In coupling parts 302 and 306 with shallow degree of coupling, transmission lines 310, 320 are coupled between their edges. In coupling part 304 whose degree of coupling is comparatively deep, transmission line 310 counters transmission line 320 via substrate 308, and transmission line 310 and transmission line 320 are coupled between the surfaces. In this directional coupler, substrate thickness tolerance will influence the degree of coupling greatly depending on the thickness of substrate 308 to be used. And in order to adjust the degree of coupling, it is required to exchange substrate 308 whole. Terminals 330 and 340 are connected with ends of transmission line 320 via through holes 332 and 342.
In the directional coupler according to the conventional technology, when the degree of coupling is changed, it is obliged to exchange the whole substrate with other substrate and a cost increases sharply.


A method for providing inventory for expedited loading and transport of compressed natural gas entails obtaining pressurized high-energy content gas; separating the high-energy gas into saturated gas and liquids; and removing impurities from the saturated gas. Water is removed from the gas forming a dry pressurized gas. The dry gas is cooled forming a two-phase gas. The gas is loaded into a storage element located on a floating vessel, while the liquids are loaded into the storage element forming a mixture. One or more storage elements are collected on the land to create an inventory that is quicker to load than comparable loading of natural gas unto the floating vessel. The floating vessel transports the inventory to a desired location at a lower cost than comparable submarine pipeline transport costs for distances of less than about 2500 nautical miles while utilizing the vapor phase during transit to power the floating vessel.

The current art teaches three known methods of transporting natural gas across bodies of water. A first method is by way of subsea pipeline. A second method is by way of ship transport as liquefied natural gas (LNG). A third method is by way of barge, or above deck on a ship, as compressed natural gas (CNG). Each method has its inherent advantages and disadvantages.
Subsea pipeline technology is well known for water depths of less than 1000 feet. The cost of deep water subsea pipelines is very high and methods of repairing and maintaining deep water subsea pipelines are just being pioneered. Transport by subsea pipeline is often not a viable option when crossing bodies of water exceeding 1000 feet in depth. A further disadvantage of subsea pipelines is that, once laid, it is impractical to relocate.
Liquefied natural gas systems, or LNG systems, require natural gas to be liquefied. This process greatly increases the fuel's density, thereby allowing relatively few numbers of ships to transport large volumes of natural gas over long distances. An LNG system requires a large investment for liquefaction facilities at the shipping point and for re-gasification facilities at the delivery point. In many cases, the capital cost of constructing LNG facilities is too high to make LNG a viable option. In other instances, the political risk at the delivery and/or supply point may make expensive LNG facilities unacceptable. A further disadvantage of LNG is that even on short routes, where only one or two LNG ships are required, and the transportation economics are still burdened by the high cost of full shore facilities. The shortcoming of a LNG transport system is the high cost of the shore facilities that, on short distance routes, becomes an overwhelming portion of the capital cost.
Natural gas prices are currently increasing rapidly due to an inability to meet demand. Unfortunately, the LNG import terminals existing in the United States are presently operating at capacity. New import terminals of the type currently used in the United States cost hundreds of millions of dollars to build. Moreover, it is very difficult and expensive to find and acquire permissible sites for such facilities. Besides the space needed for the import tanks, pumps, vaporizers, etc., large impoundment safety areas must also be provided around all above-ground LNG storage and handling vessels and equipment. LNG import facilities also consume large amounts of fuel, gas and/or electrical energy for pumping the LNG from storage and vaporizing the material for delivery to gas distribution systems.
Compressed natural gas, or CNG, can be transported by way of barge or above deck on a ship. For the method to work, the CNG is cooled to a temperature around −75 degrees Fahrenheit at a pressure of around 1150 psi. The CNG is placed into pressure vessels contained within an insulated cargo hold of a ship. Cargo refrigeration facilities are not usually provided aboard the ship. A disadvantage of this system is the requirement for connecting and disconnecting the barges into the shuttles that takes time and reduces efficiency. Further disadvantages include the limited seaworthiness of the multi-barge shuttles and the complicated mating systems that adversely affect reliability and increase costs. In addition, barge systems are unreliable in heavy seas. Finally, current CNG systems have the problem of dealing with the inevitable expansion of gas in a safe manner as the gas warms during transport.
The amount of equipment and the complexity of the inter-connection of the manifolding and valving system in the barge gas transportation system bears a direct relation to the number of individual cylinders carried onboard the barge. Accordingly, a significant expense is associated with the manifolding and valving connecting the gas cylinders. Thus, the need has arisen to find a storage system for compressed gas that can both contain larger quantities of compressed gas and simplify the system of complex manifolds and valves.
A need exists to transfer compressed natural gas across heavy seas to locations greater than 500 nautical miles.
A need exists for a system that can solve the concerns of the inevitable expansion of gas experienced as CNG warms during transport.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Method to provide inventory for expedited loading, transporting, and unloading of compressed natural gas