Substituted 1-benzylimidazole-5-methylidene hydantoins are disclosed as well as methods of preparing them, pharmaceutical compositions containing them, and method of using them. Intermediates useful in the preparation of the compounds of the invention are also disclosed and synthetic methods for preparing the novel intermediates. The compounds are useful as antagonists of angiotensin II and thus are useful in the control of hypertension, hyperaldosteronism, congestive heart failure, surgically induced vascular smooth muscle proliferation, and glaucoma.

The present invention relates to novel substituted derivatives of 1-benzylimidazole-5-methylidene hydantoins which are useful as pharmaceutical agents, to methods for their preparation, to pharmaceutical compositions which include the compounds and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, and to pharmaceutical methods of treatment as well as the use of these agents as diagnostic tools. The novel compounds of the present invention are antagonists of angiotensin II (AII) useful in controlling hypertension, hyperaldosteronism, congestive heart failure, and glaucoma in mammals.
The enzyme renin acts on a blood plasma .alpha..sub.2 -globulin, angiotensinogen, to produce angiotensin I, which is then converted by angiotensin-coverting enzyme to AII. The latter substance is a powerful vasopressor agent which has been implicated as a causative agent for producing high blood pressure in various mammals, such as rats, dogs, and humans. The compounds of this invention inhibit the action of AII at its receptors on target cells and thus prevent the increase in blood pressure produced by this hormone-receptor interaction. By administering a compound of the instant invention to a species of mammal with hypertension due to AII, the blood pressure is reduced. The compounds of the invention are also useful for the treatment of congestive heart failure, hyperaldosteronism, and glaucoma.
European Patent Application 0253310 discloses angiotensin II receptor blocking imidazoles of the formula ##STR1##
European Patent Application 0291969 discloses tetrazole intermediates to antihypertensive compounds ##STR2##
European Patent Application 401030 discloses substituted imidazo-fused 7-member ring heterocycles of Formula I and Ia ##STR3## which are useful as angiotensin II antagonists.
WO 91/00277 discloses substituted imidazoles useful as angiotensin II blockers ##STR4##
European Patent Applications 403158 and 403159 disclose angiotensin II receptor antagonists of formula ##STR5## in which:
R.sup.1 is phenyl, biphenyl, naphthyl, or adamantylmethyl, which are unsubstituted or substituted by 1 to 3 substituents selected from Cl, Br, F, I, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -alkyl, nitro, CO.sub.2 R.sup.7, tetrazol-5-yl, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -alkoxy, hydroxy, SC.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl, SO.sub.2 NHR.sup.7, SO.sub.3 H, CONR.sup.7 R.sup.7, CN, SO.sub.2 C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl, or C.sub.n F.sub.2n1, wherein n is 1 to 3;
R.sup.2 is C.sub.2 -C.sub.10 alkyl, C.sub.3 -C.sub.10 alkenyl, C.sub.3 -C.sub.10 alkynyl, C.sub.3 -C.sub.6 cycloalkyl, or (CH.sub.2).sub.0-3 phenyl unsubstituted or substituted by 1 to 3 substituents selected from C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl, nitro, Cl, Br, F, I, hydroxy, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkoxy, or NR.sup.7 R.sup.7 ;
X is a single bond, S, or O:
R.sup.3 is hydrogen, Cl, Br, F, I, CHO, hydroxymethyl, COOR.sup.7, CONR.sup.7 R.sup.7, NO.sub.2, or C.sub.n F.sub.2n1, wherein n is 1 to 3;
R.sup.4 and R.sup.5 are independently hydrogen, C.sub.1 -C.sub.5 alkyl, phenyl-Y-, naphthyl-Y-, or biphenyl-Y-, wherein the aryl groups are unsubstituted or substituted by 1 to 3 substituents selected from Cl, Br, F, I, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkoxy, hydroxy, CO.sub.2 R.sup.7, CN, NO.sub.2, tetrazol-5-yl, SO.sub.3 H, CF.sub.3, CONR.sup.7 R.sup.7, SO.sub.2 NHR.sup.7, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -alkyl, or NR.sup.7 R.sup.7, or by methylenedioxy, phenoxy, or phenyl, except that R.sup.4 and R.sup.5 are not both selected from hydrogen or C.sub.1 -C.sub.6 alkyl;
Y is a single bond, O, S, or C.sub.1 -C.sub.6 alkyl which is straight or branched or optionally substituted by phenyl or benzyl, wherein each of the aryl groups is unsubstituted or substituted by halo, NO.sub.2, CF.sub.3, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkoxy, CN, or CO.sub.2 R.sup.7 ;
R.sup.6 is --Z--COOR.sup.6 or --Z--CONR.sup.7 R.sup.7 ;
Z is a single bond, vinyl, CH.sub.2 --O--CH.sub.2 --, methylene optionally substituted by C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl, 1 or 2 benzyl groups, thienylmethyl, or furylmethyl, or --C(O)NHCHR.sup.9 --, wherein R.sup.9 is H, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl, phenyl, benzyl, thienylmethyl, or furylmethyl;
each R.sup.7 independently is hydrogen, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl, or (CH.sub.2).sub.m phenyl, wherein m is 0 to 4; and
R.sup.6 is hydrogen, C.sub.1 -C.sub.6 alkyl, or 2-di(C.sub.1 C.sub.4 alkyl)amino-2-oxoethyl; or
R.sup.5 and R.sup.6 are both hydrogen, R.sup.4 is --Z--COOR.sup.8 and Z is other than a single bond; or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,355,040 discloses imidazole-5-acetic acid derivatives of the formula ##STR6## wherein R.sup.1 is lower alkyl, cycloalkyl or phenyl which may be substituted with 1 to 3 of halogen, nitro, amino, mono(lower alkyl)amino, di(lower alkyl)amino, lower alkyl, lower alkoxyl, benzyloxyl and/or hydroxyl; X.sup.1, X.sup.2, and X.sup.3 are each hydrogen, halogen, nitro, amino, lower alkyl, lower alkoxyl, benzyloxyl or hydroxyl; Y is halogen and R.sup.2 is hydrogen or lower alkyl; provided that X.sup.1 is halogen, lower alkyl, lower alkoxyl, benzyloxyl or hydroxyl when R.sup.1 is unsubstituted or substituted phenyl only with 1 halogen, di(lower alkyl)amino, lower alkyl or lower alkoxyl, and its salts. The compounds are disclosed as having antihypertensive activity.
However, the compounds disclosed in the above references do not disclose or suggest the novel combination of structural variations found in the compounds of the present invention described hereinafter.

Substituted-5-methylidene hydantoins with AT.sub.1 receptor antagonist properties


An improvement to UV sterilization and disinfection devices and methods is disclosed. An apparatus for sterilization and disinfection includes: a compact, highly effective air sterilization and disinfection apparatus, which delivers clean, pure air directly into a blower/warmer device for clean and effective management of patient body temperature.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, there are over 51 million surgeries performed in the United States alone each year (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Online FASTSTATS—Inpatient Surgery). The majority of these surgeries require advanced techniques for regulating the patient's core body temperature. It is known in the art that a typical operating room is kept at about 20° C., thereby making it difficult to keep a patient's core body temperature between the desired 36-38° C. range. To further complicate matters, general anesthesia accelerates temperature loss from a patient. Without supplemental warming in this environment, a patient's core body temperature would quickly drop below 35° C. to a hypothermic state. Persons having ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that this may lead to serious complications such as increased incidents of blood clots, wound infection, and cardiac arrest. For these reasons, it is important to maintain a patient's normal body temperature during surgery. It is well known in the art to utilize a warming device in order to maintain the patient's normal body temperature.
There are multiple devices known in the art that are used to warm a patient in an operating room during and after a surgical procedure. Common methods of patient warming include passive warming, such as through the use of insulators, and active heating, through the use of convection or conduction based devices. One of the most common warming methods is known in the art as forced-air convection (Mahoney C B, and Odom, J. "Maintaining intraoperative normothermia: a meta-analysis of outcomes with costs"). Forced-air convection systems are well-described in the prior art and typically use a pump and heater system to blow warm air through a flexible hose and into an inflatable blanket, gown, or other covering in contact with the patient. The covering is typically inflated by the introduction of the forced-air through an inlet. An aperture array on the underside (patient-side) of the covering exhausts the heated air directly to the patient's body, thereby creating an ambient environment around the patient, the characteristics of which are determined by the temperature of the thermally-controlled forced air, which has the effect of raising the patient's body temperature through this forced-air convection.
While the prior-art forced-air convection warming systems have achieved their objective of regulating patient temperature, they have also brought with them serious, and undesirable, side-effects.
Studies, such as those reported in "Convection warmers—not just hot air," by Avidan, Jones, Ing, Khoosal, Lundgren, and Morrell, have indicated that forced-air convection warming systems are a potential source for nosocomial infection. Nosocomial infections are infections that have been caught in a hospital and are potentially caused by organisms that are resistant to antibiotics. A nosocomial infection is specifically one that was not present or incubating prior to the patient's being admitted to the hospital, but occurring within 72 hours after admittance to the hospital.
Other studies such as those reported by Albrecht, Gauthier, and Leaper, in "Forced-air warming a source of airborne contamination in the operating room?" found that forced-air warming systems have the potential to generate and mobilize airborne contamination in the operating room. The design of forced-air warming blowers was found to be questionable for preventing the build-up of internal contamination and the emission of airborne contamination into the operating room. A significant percentage of forced-air warming blowers with positive microbial cultures were emitting internally generated airborne contamination within the size range of free floating bacteria and fungi (<4 urn) that could, conceivably, settle onto the surgical site.
Although forced air warming systems are the preferred method of patient warming, the design of the current state of the art warmers have inherent design flaws that contribute directly to the delivery of airborne pathogens to the patient. Current air warmers are small. Their compact size is intentional in order to not be obtrusive in the operating suite, as well as portable to go with the patient from room to room. These small units are more often than not hung off the side or foot of the patient bed. This location places the air intake of the unit closer to the floor, and most importantly, outside of the sterile field.
Pathogen laden air is drawn in to the unit, where it then passes over a heating element, and is then expelled through a hose to the patient location, typically through the use of a blanket or covering, as described above. While most of these units incorporate a particulate filter, these filters do not keep out most pathogens, and their effectiveness depends directly on the care and maintenance of the unit. Like all particulate filters, they need to be regularly cleaned and/or replaced.
Once the pathogens have entered the unit, the heating chamber creates a breeding ground for fungi and other pathogens that thrive in warm, dark environments.
All of this combines to create a direct path for pathogen-laden air to be introduced directly into the sterile field—and directly to the patient.
There is a growing demand for improvements in hospital settings to reduce the transmission of pathogens. This demand is driven by hospitals that have to deal with an increasing amount of cases of infections, not caused by the patient's diagnosis upon admission, but rather, due to airborne pathogens that exist in a hospital environment. Highly effective devices and methods of removing airborne pathogens using UV LEDs are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,900,519, as well as the other priority documents, incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein.
It would, therefore, be desirable and beneficial to have an apparatus, and related system and method that purifies and sterilizes air before warming the air and distributing the heated air to the patient. Furthermore, it would be desirable to have an air sterilization and purification device that is compact, quiet, and unobtrusive, while also being highly effective in the removal and/or neutralization of harmful airborne pathogens in a forced-air warming system for patient temperature control.
The present invention is unique when compared with other known devices and methods because the present invention provides: (1) a compact footprint; (2) effective pathogen removal directly at the site of the blower/warmer; and (3) ease of maintenance.
The present invention is unique in that it is structurally different from other known devices or solutions. More specifically, the present invention is unique due to the presence of: (1) an airflow and irradiation management chamber comprising a single or a plurality of turbulators; (2) UV LEDs embedded in the walls of the airflow and irradiation management chamber; (3) one or more high efficiency particulate filters and/or HEPA filters; and (4) a blower/warmer that heats and delivers thermally controlled air that has been sterilized and, effectively, pathogen-free.

UV sterilization apparatus, system, and method for forced-air patient heating systems


The generally spherical handball includes a first spherical surface portion at a common radial distance from the ball center and a second spherical surface portion at a second common radial distance. In a preferred embodiment, a third surface portion is defined at the second radial distance. A curvilinear edge is formed at the abutment of the first, second and third surface portions. Dependent upon where the surface of the ball strikes the playing surface, the ball bounces irregularly. To enhance the irregularity of the play, the second and third surfaces are surfaces of two semi-spherical domes and each semi-spherical dome has a hollow core region.

Handballs are widely used for many types of games. A basic handball game involves tossing or throwing the handball at a surface, viewing the bounce of the ball off that surface and sometimes watching the ball bounce off a second surface and then catching the ball. However, this type of game quickly becomes monotonous because most handballs bounce with certainty and exhibit regular operational properties and characteristics. It is beneficial to develop a handball which has a irregular bounce to challenge the player of a ball game.


A color cathode ray tube includes an electron gun for generating and focusing three in-line electron beams, a deflection device for deflecting the three electron beams in the horizontal and vertical directions, and a phosphor screen which luminesces when the electron beams impinge thereon. A pair of electrodes of a plurality of electrodes form a final main lens between single openings provided in opposing ends of the pair of electrodes, each of the single openings being common to the three in-line electron beams, and a size of an aperture for a center electron beam of the three in-line electron beams in at least one of the first grid electrode and the second grid electrode is smaller than that of an aperture for a side electron beam of the three in-line electron beams in the at least one of the first grid electrode and the second grid electrode.

The present invention relates to a color cathode ray tube, and particularly to a color cathode ray tube including an electron gun which is improved in resolution by enhancing focus characteristics over the entire phosphor screen and over the entire electron beam current region.
A color cathode ray tube used as TV picture tubes or monitor tubes at information terminals contains an electron gun for emitting a plurality (in general, three) of electron beams at one end of an evacuated envelope, a phosphor screen coated with a phosphor film of a plurality (in general, three) of colors on the inner surface of the other end of the evacuated envelope, and a shadow mask serving as a color selection electrode closely spaced from the phosphor screen, wherein a plurality of electron beams emitted from the electron gun are two-dimensionally scanned by magnetic fields generated by a deflection yoke provided outside the evacuated envelope, to produce a desired image.
FIG. 12 is a sectional view illustrating a configuration example of a color cathode ray tube to which the present invention is applied. In FIG. 12, reference numeral 21 indicates a panel portion; 22 is a funnel portion; 23 is a neck portion; 24 is a phosphor film; 25 is a shadow mask; 26 is a mask frame; 27 is a magnetic shield; 28 is a shadow mask suspension mechanism; 29 is an in-line electron gun; 30 is a deflection device; 31 is a beam adjustment device; 32 is an internal conductive coating; 33 is a tension band; 34 is a stem pin; and 35 is a getter.
In this color cathode ray tube, an evacuated envelope is formed of the panel portion 21, the neck portion 23, and the funnel portion 22 connecting the panel portion 21 to the neck portion 23.
The panel portion 21 has on the inner surface thereof a display screen composed of the phosphor film 24 coated with phosphors of three colors. The neck portion 23 contains the electron gun 29 for emitting three in-line electron beams. The shadow mask 25 having a multiplicity of apertures therein or a parallel array of narrow stripes is spaced closely to the phosphor film 24 of the panel portion 21.
In addition, characters Bc, Bs indicate electron beams. The deflection device 30 is mounted in a transition region between the funnel portion 22 and the neck portion 23.
The getter 35 is supported at the end of a getter support spring with its one end fixed on a shield cup of the electron gun 29 for increasing the degree of vacuum in the evacuated envelope by evaporating and dispersing a getter material in the evacuated envelope. The getter 35 is welded to the shield cup during assembling of the electron gun.
The three electron beams emitted from the electron gun 29 are deflected in the horizontal and vertical directions by vertical and horizontal deflection magnetic fields generated by the deflection device 30, are subjected to color selection through electron beam apertures in the shadow mask 25, and then impinge on respective phosphors, to produce a color image on the phosphor film 24.
FIGS. 13A and 13B are schematic side views illustrating configuration examples of in-line type electron guns to be incorporated in the color cathode ray tube shown in FIG. 12, wherein FIG. 13A shows a so-called uni-potential type electron gun, and FIG. 13B shows a so-called bi-potential electron gun.
In FIG. 13A, reference character K indicates a cathode; 1 is a first grid (hereinafter, referred to as "G1 grid", and the same rule applies correspondingly to the following); 2 is a G2 electrode; 3 is a G3 electrode; 4 is a G4 electrode; 5 is a G5 electrode; 6 is a G6 electrode; 7 is a shield cup; 8 is a stem; and 9 is a beading glass. In this electron gun, the facing ends of the G4 electrode 4 and the G5 electrode 5 form a pre-main lens, and the facing ends of the G5 electrode 5 and G6 electrode 6 form a main lens.
In FIG. 13B, reference character K indicates a cathode; 1 is a G1 electrode; 2 is a G2 electrode; 103 is a G3 electrode; 104 is a G4 electrode; 7 is a shield cup; 8 is a stem; and 9 is a beading glass. In this electron gun, the facing ends of the G3 electrode 103 and the G4 electrode 104 form a main lens.
For a color cathode ray tube including at least an electron gun composed of a plurality of electrodes for accelerating and focusing three in-line electron beams, a deflection device for deflecting the electron beams in the horizontal and vertical directions, and a phosphor screen composed of a phosphor film which luminesces when the electron beams impinge thereon, various improvements have been made to obtain a desired reproduced image on the phosphor screen over the region extending from the center to the peripheral portions.
For example, Japanese Patent Publication No. Sho 53-18866 discloses a color cathode ray tube in which an astigmatic lens is provided in a lens region formed by a G2 electrode and a G3 electrode; Japanese Patent Laid-open No. Sho 51-64368 discloses a color cathode ray tube in which each of electron beam apertures in a G1 electrode and a G2 electrode of an in-line three-beam type electron gun is vertically elongated, the shapes of the electrodes are different from each other, and the ellipticity of the center beam electron beam aperture is smaller than that of the side electron beam aperture; Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 60-81736 discloses a color cathode ray tube in which at least one non-axially-symmetric lens is formed of slits provided in a G3 electrode of an inline type electron gun on the cathode side, the depth of the slit along the tube axis being larger for the center electron beam than the depth of the slit for the side electron beam, wherein electron beams are made to impinge on a phosphor screen via the non-axially-symmetric lens; and Japanese Patent Laid-open No. Sho 57-151153 discloses a color cathode ay tube in which three apertures corresponding to three Electron guns in a first grid electrode or a second grid electrode are configured that the areas thereof are equal to each other, and the diameter of the side beam apertures (side electron guns) is larger than that of the center beam aperture (a center electron gun) in the direction perpendicular to the in-line direction of the three beams.
The focus characteristics required of an in-line three-beam color cathode ray tube are improvement in resolution of images formed by three electron beams over the entire phosphor screen and over the entire electron beam current region in consideration of the luminous efficiency and luminosity factor of phosphors of three colors.
The design of an in-line electron gun capable of satisfying such requirements requires a high level technique.
To meet the above-described requirements of an in-line three-beam color cathode ray tube, the focus characteristics of three electron beams are required to be based on a good balance of the diameter of a main lens, the spherical aberration of a prefocus lens system, astigmatism correction, effects of an electron beam control portion, and the like. Also it is known that the diameter of a main lens is desired to be larger for improving the focus characteristics.
Furthermore, if the diameters of main lenses for three electron beams are to be increased as much as possible in a neck portion of a given diameter of a cathode ray tube, part of electric fields of the main lenses should be shared by the three electron beams, so that it becomes difficult to equalize the diameter of the main lens of a center electron gun to the diameter of the main lens of the side electron guns.

Color cathode ray tube having improved resolution


The invention relates to a rear parcel shelf system for a convertible vehicle with a hard folding roof. The system has a first retractable shelf. The inventive system also has a second shelf which is intended to be disposed under the bonnet of the rear boot when the roof is in the closed position and has a device for moving and guiding the second shelf towards the front of the vehicle in order to fill the space between the back of the corresponding seats and the front edge of the bonnet when the roof is in the folded position.

(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a rear package shelf system for a convertible vehicle with a hard roof, which may be folded away into a trunk, and to a vehicle equipped with such a system.
(2) Prior Art
This system conventionally comprises a shelf, or tray adapted for covering in its normal position, the space located behind the back of the corresponding seats, and means for displacing this shelf between its normal position and a retracted position to allow the passing the components of the roof toward their folded position inside the rear trunk of the vehicle.
This shelf, which is brought back to its substantially horizontal normal position after the passing of the components of the roof in one direction or in the other, generally has a rear edge which extends to the front edge of the hood of the rear trunk of the vehicle, and which is therefore located under the rear edge of the roof rear component when the roof is in its closed position.
Such a package shelf system does not give entire satisfaction to certain users who deplore the presence of a certain play between the shelf and the rear edge of the rear roof component in this closed position of the roof corresponding to the two-door sedan configuration of the vehicle.
If the shelf is limited to the rear edge of the rear roof component, a space remains between the shelf and the front edge of the hood of the rear trunk when the roof is in its folded position in the rear trunk.

Rear parcel shelf system for a convertible vehicle with a hard folding roof


A system and method for conditioning a polishing pad in a chemical-mechanical polishing process for polishing a semiconductor device. In one aspect, a vibrating conditioning device 20 removes slurry build-up, such a slurry glaze and slurry impregnation, on the polishing pad 10 surface to enhance the polishing pad effectiveness. The vibrating conditioning device 20 includes a vibrating mechanism 30 coupled to a pad conditioning device, such as a conventional pad conditioning disk, to vibrate the pad conditioning device 20 during the conditioning operation. In another aspect, a high pressure spray device 12 removes particles from the polishing pad 10 surface to reduce damage to a semiconductor device during chemical-mechanical polishing. The high pressure spray device 12 includes a tube 22 formed to include a plurality of delivery holes 32 through which a pressurized substance is delivered onto the polishing pad 10 surface.

Advances in electronic devices generally include reducing the size of the components that form integrated circuits. With smaller circuit components, the value of each unit area of a semiconductor wafer becomes higher. The planarization, contaminant count, and general uniformity of a semiconductor wafer become critical to achieving this reduction in size of integrated circuits and enhancing the performance of these integrated circuit devices.
In order to planarize a semiconductor wafer and to remove particle contaminants, many wafer manufacturer employ chemical mechanical polishing ("CMP") processes. CMP systems place a semiconductor wafer in contact with a polishing pad that rotates relative to the semiconductor wafer. The CMP process will reduce voids in the wafer, increase the flatness of the wafer, and generally will enhance the performance of the integrated circuit. To enhance the effectiveness and the life of the polishing pad, CMP systems typically employ a conditioning disk to condition the polishing pad. The conditioning disk will contact the polishing pad surface to condition the polishing pad to enhance the planarization of the polishing pad. Conventional pad conditioning systems typically dispense a slurry onto the polishing pad prior to the conditioning disk contacting the polishing pad. These conventional pad conditioning systems have several limitations.
One problem associated with conventional pad conditioning using conditioning disks involves particle damage to the wafer. The conditioning disk removes a relatively small layer of the polishing pad to condition the polishing pad. The particles removed from the polishing pad can contact the wafer during polishing and scratch or otherwise damage the wafer.
The conditioning disks can provide another source of particulate generation. The conditioning disks used in conventional pad conditioning systems typically have an abrasive surface. The particles from this abrasive surface, such as the diamonds and nickel used in diamond impregnated disks, can break away from disk onto the polishing pad during conditioning. This can lead to scratches on the wafer surface during wafer polishing that damage the wafer.
The slurry used in the polishing pad conditioning process can also cause problems. The slurry can contaminate voids in the polishing pad surface or impregnate into the polishing pad surface. The slurry can also create a glaze over the polishing pad surface. Both of these slurry-related problems can reduce the polishing pad's effectiveness, which in turn, can reduce the uniformity of the wafer. The slurry may also provide a source of particle contamination that can damage the wafer during polishing.

Vibrating polishing pad conditioning system and method


An apparatus includes a substrate and an electronic circuit comprising a plurality of conductive tracts forming a printed litz line on the substrate for distributing a signal therebetween in order to increase effective conductance relative to a single conductive line not divided into tracts. The plurality of conductive tracts may be formed by printing a pattern on the substrate and removing portions of the pattern to leave the plurality of conductive tracts. The removing portions of the pattern may be performed by a removal process such as laser cutting, milling, etching, or masking. For example, the removal may be performed by applying ultrashort laser pulses. The printing may be performed by a jetting process, a spray process, an extrusion process, a dispensing process, and/or other types of processes for applying materials.

A litz line or litz wire generally consists of a plurality of strands of wired which are electrically insulated from one another with the strands generally being twisted or woven. Litz line is used to conduct radio-frequency (RF) signals. The benefit of the structure of a litz line is to reduce skin effect and proximity losses. Thus, benefits are obtained from using the litz line which are useful in a variety of RF applications.
However, there are several limitations on the use of the litz line. First, given the physical structure of the litz line, there are limitations in the frequencies of RF signals for which transmission benefits may be achieved. A further limitation is that litz lines do not lend themselves well to modern circuit manufacturing processes including increasing miniaturization of electronic devices, especially as needed in various RF applications.
Therefore, what is needed is a printed litz line that provides the advantages of a traditional litz line but may be created through printed circuit board (PCB) manufacturing processes or 3D printing techniques and allows for use at higher frequencies than commonly used for conventional litz lines.


The present invention relates to a sandwich immunoassay for rapidly and readily measuring N-peptide using two kinds of monoclonal antibodies recognizing different portions of the N-peptide. The method for measuring N-peptide or a precursor thereof includes the steps of: incubating a mixture containing a sample and a first monoclonal antibody recognizing a portion of N-peptide; adding a labelled second monoclonal antibody recognizing a portion of N-peptide to the mixture, followed by further incubation; and detecting the resulting antigen-antibody complex in the mixture. Alternatively, the method includes the steps of: incubating a mixture containing a sample, a first monoclonal antibody recognizing a portion of N-peptide, and a labelled second monoclonal antibody recognizing another portion of N-peptide; and detecting the resulting antigen-antibody complex.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for rapidly and easily measuring N-peptide clinically useful for the diagnosis of cardiac incompetence and chronic renal failure, a monoclonal antibody used in the method, and a hybridoma producing the monoclonal antibody.
2. Description of the Related Art
Human atrial natriuretic polypeptide (hANP) is biologically produced as a peptide including 126 amino acids which is referred to as hANP(126) (.gamma.-hANP). This .gamma.-hANP accumulates in intra-atrial granules, and is secreted in response to an atrium pressure stimulus. At this time, .gamma.-hANP is cleaved into hANP(1-98) (N-peptide) and hANP(99-126) (.alpha.-hANP) and simultaneously released into the blood.
The blood level of .alpha.-hANP reflects the cardiac conditions as marker in cardiac incompetence and chronic renal failure, and immunoassay thereof has already been employed for diagnostic purposes. However, the immunoassay has some disadvantages. For example, a very long reaction time (3 days) is required for the assay, and an immunological activity of a-hANP markedly decreases during the process of collecting or storage of a sample due to instability of a-hANP in the blood (See, T. Tsuji et al., Clin. Chim. Acta, 225, 171-177 (1994)). In contrast, N-peptide is more stable and lower in clearance than .alpha.-hANP, the concentration of which is high in the circulatory blood. Therefore, immunoassay of the N-peptide has been developed.
It has already been reported that the immunoassay of the N-peptide which is an N-terminal peptide of the above-mentioned .gamma.-hANP is useful for the diagnosis of cardiac incompetence and chronic renal failure (See, J. A. Sundsfjoed et al., J. Clin. Endocrionol. Metab., 66, 605-610 (1988); H. Itoh et al., J. Clin. Endocrinol., 67(3), 429-437 (1988); M. G. Burckley et al., Clin. Sci. 77, 573-579 (1989); and M. G. Burckley et al., Clin. Chim. Acta, 191, 1-14 (1990)). All of immunoassays for the N-peptide previously reported depend on competitive radioimmunoassay (RIA) methods using one kind of antibody. As a result, the methods require a long period of time (3 to 4 days), a limited temperature condition (about 4.degree. C.), and/or a complicated operation (i.e., Sep-pak C-18 extraction) in which the plasma has to be pretreated (See, J. A. Sundsfjoed et al., supra; and M. G. Burckley et al., (1990) supra). Furthermore, any of these immunoassays have problems such as low precision and poor reproducibility. Thus, the development of a method for rapidly and easily measuring N-peptide has been required.


A high temperature fluid-to-fluid heat exchanger is described wherein heat is transferred from a higher temperature fluid flow core region to a lower temperature fluid flow annulus. The wall separating the high and low temperature fluid flow regions is comprised of a material having high thermal absorptivity, conductivity and emissivity to provide a high rate of heat transfer between the two regions. A porous ceramic foam material occupies a substantial portion of the annular lower temperature fluid flow region, and is positioned to receive radiated heat from the wall. The porosity of the ceramic foam material is sufficient to permit a predetermined relatively unrestricted flow rate of fluid through the lower temperature fluid flow region.

This invention relates to heat exchangers and, more particularly, to an improved high temperature fluid-to-fluid heat exchanger.
Fluid-to-fluid heat exchangers are typically designed in accordance with the principles of forced convection heat transfer. Convection heat transfer is entirely dependent upon the fluid dynamics and associated turbulence of a particular process. Moreover, at high temperatures, such as those in excess of about 850.degree. C. (1562.degree. F.), forced convection becomes inefficient. Very high temperature processes also lead to other heat exchanger design problems due to loss of material strength, thermal stress and material reactivity, limiting the materials and hardware configurations that can accommodate such temperatures.
The foregoing problems become particularly acute in connection with high temperature gas-to-gas heat exchangers. Thus, typical prior art gas-to-gas exchangers, such as those used in flue gas recovery systems, are not very efficient where temperatures in excess of about 850.degree. C. (1562.degree. F.) are encountered.
Attempts have been made to construct high temperature heat exchangers, i.e., fluid-to-fluid or gas-to-gas heat exchangers, capable of operating at temperatures in excess of 850.degree. C. Known prior art heat exchangers, however, have typically suffered from fabrication difficulties and are very difficult to operate and maintain. Moreover, such heat exchangers have typically been easily damaged, suffer from frequent breakdowns due to severe thermal stress, and are very expensive to construct.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved fluid-to-fluid heat exchanger.
Another object of the invention is to provide an improved fluid-to-fluid heat exchanger capable of successful operation at temperatures in excess of about 850.degree. C.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a heat exchanger capable of operating at very high temperatures which is relatively compact and inexpensive to construct and maintain.
Other objects of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description.


A laser marking device including an oscillating mechanism that enables the laser beams emitted from the device to be emitted in either a constant state or in a pulsed state to enhance the visibility of the laser beam in various lighting conditions. The oscillating mechanism modulates the power supplied by the power source into either a constant state or a pulsed state in order to send the power in that state to the laser generator, which consequently emits a laser beam in either a constant or pulsed state. In bright light conditions in which the beam is not readily visible, the beam can be emitted in a pulsed state to be sensed by a separate detector capable of detecting the pulsed beam from the device. The detector provides an indication to the operator of the position of the beam relative to the detector such that the operator can readily determine the location of the beam.

At present, a large number of line laser products i.e. laser markers or levels, are used in the fields of construction and home remodeling. As a tool used to generate a horizontal base line and vertical base line, laser markers of this type are widely applied in construction fieldwork as a result of their ability to generate a bright line, which is both easily visible and affords higher precision than other measuring or marking devices. Many applications of laser markers of this type use a laser sensor or detector, which typically senses the presence of the beam output by the laser marker and provides a signal (typically an audible and/or a visual signal) in response to detection of the laser beam.
With known laser markers, the emitted laser line power signal is constant, which makes it difficult to observe the laser line over even a short distance with the naked eye, especially in bright sunlight conditions. In addition, bright sunlight conditions can prevent the laser sensor or detector from sensing the laser beam emitted by the laser marker. Thus, in actual application, a stronger power laser generator is required to enhance the brightness of the laser line such that it is more capable of being observed or sensed when in operation. However, this also causes an increase in the cost of constructing and using the marker. Further, even if a stronger power laser generator is used, it can still be difficult to observe the laser line with the naked eye in bright sunlight, or to sense the laser line with the sensor, unless the observer or sensor is located a very short distance from the marker. Therefore, increasing the power of the laser generator cannot rectify the problems with line visibility or sensing in markers of this type.

Laser level with selectable constant or pulsed beam output


An apparatus and a method for editing an image in a portable terminal which can conveniently edit the image are provided. The apparatus for editing the image includes a touch screen unit for displaying an image, and a controller for controlling such that, when one or more edit points are selected from edit points displayed in the image in an image edit mode, an edit function window for editing the selected one or more edit points is displayed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for editing an image in a portable terminal. More particularly, the present invention relates to an apparatus and a method, which can conveniently edit an image in a portable terminal.
2. Description of the Related Art
Portable terminals have evolved from supporting only one main function to supporting a plurality of various functions. With the diversification of functions of the portable terminal, methods of storing various types of data have been studied and provided. For example, the portable terminal converts an image photographed by a user to data and stores the converted data through a function included in the portable terminal.
Further, the portable terminal provides a function capable of editing the photographed image or applying special effects.
More particularly, the portable terminal equipped with a touch screen can edit a desired image conveniently through a touch action using a finger of a user or a pen.
However, the portable terminal equipped with the touch screen has a disadvantage of deteriorating usability of the portable terminal since, when the user touches a corresponding area of the touch screen with his/her finger in order to edit an image, the desired area may be hidden by the finger and thus a touch of a small part may be difficult.

Apparatus and method for editing image in portable terminal


The invention disclosed herein is directed to methods of identifying a polypeptide suitable for epitope liberation including, for example, the steps of identifying an epitope of interest; providing a substrate polypeptide sequence including the epitope, wherein the substrate polypeptide permits processing by a proteasome; contacting the substrate polypeptide with a composition including the proteasome, under conditions that support processing of the substrate polypeptide by the proteasome; and assaying for liberation of the epitope. The invention further relates to vectors including a housekeeping epitope expression cassette and also vectors including epitope cluster regions. The housekeeping epitope(s) can be derived from a target-associated antigen. The housekeeping epitope can be liberatable, that is capable of liberation, from a translation product of the cassette by immunoproteasome processing. The invention also relates to a method of activating a T cell comprising contacting a substrate polypeptide with an APC and contacting the APC with a T cell.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention disclosed herein is directed to methods for the design of epitope-encoding vectors, and epitope cluster regions, for use in compositions, including for example, pharmaceutical compositions capable of inducing an immune response in a subject to whom the compositions are administered. The invention is further directed to the vectors themselves. The epitope(s) expressed using such vectors can stimulate a cellular immune response against a target cell displaying the epitope(s).
2. Description of the Related Art
The immune system can be categorized into two discrete effector arms. The first is innate immunity, which involves numerous cellular components and soluble factors that respond to all infectious challenges. The other is the adaptive immune response, which is customized to respond specifically to precise epitopes from infectious agents. The adaptive immune response is further broken down into two effector arms known as the humoral and cellular immune systems. The humoral arm is centered on the production of antibodies by B-lymphocytes while the cellular arm involves the killer cell activity of cytotoxic T Lymphocytes.
Cytotoxic T Lymphocytes (CTL) do not recognize epitopes on the infectious agents themselves. Rather, CTL detect fragments of antigens derived from infectious agents that are displayed on the surface of infected cells. As a result antigens are visible to CTL only after they have been processed by the infected cell and thus displayed on the surface of the cell.
The antigen processing and display system on the surface of cells has been well established. CTL recognize short peptide antigens, which are displayed on the surface in non-covalent association with class I major histocompatibility complex molecules (MHC). These class I peptides are in turn derived from the degradation of cytosolic proteins.

Expression vectors encoding epitopes of target-associated antigens and methods for their design


A talking book with a plurality of pages each having a switch operable from opposite sides of the page, with all of the audio components located other than on the page, e.g., in the binding. A switch may also be provided in the binding for a selective audio presentation without opening the book, and illumination means may be provided within the pages in addition to the audio.

Talking books are well known and generally include a plurality of pages of printed material, (i.e., pictures and/or text) and a plurality of voice chips selectively activated through a speaker by switches operable as the reader turns the pages to access the text.
Known talking books generally require separate audio units to be used in connection with the book, although self-contained talking books are also known. One such system is disclosed in U.S Pat. No. 4,752,230 which employs a rear cover mounted, push button panel such as generally found on a Touch-tone.RTM. telephone, in which the panel is accessible from all pages in the book through cut-outs in the pages. Another book such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,990,092 includes a back panel wherein all of the electronic components are mounted along with a plurality of switches which may be operated, the switches being operated through the pages by pressing predetermined marks on the various pages. Other books of this general type locate all of the audio components and switches in the margin on the inside of the back cover where they are accessible to the right of the pages in the book.
Difficulties arise in the operation of the switches through one or more pages of the book and/or the loss of surface area of the page which can be devoted to illustrations and/or text because of the cut-outs. In addition, the known talking books require that the reader risk a loss of continuity in the story by diverting attention from the material on the page to a separate audio unit.
It is accordingly an object of the present invention to obviate many of the deficiencies of known talking books and to provide a novel talking book in which the switches that control the supplemental audiovisual components are carried by the page in locations consistent with the story printed thereon so that the reader need not risk the loss of continuity of the story in invoking the audiovisual effects.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a novel talking book in which the switches that control the supplemental audiovisual components are contained entirely internally of the pages of the book.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a novel talking book in which the supplemental audiovisual components carried externally of the pages are controlled by switches carried by the pages of the book.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a novel talking book in which supplemental visual components carried by the pages of the book are controlled by switches carried by the pages of the book.
It is still yet another object of the present invention to provide a novel talking book in which supplemental audiovisual components and the printed materials are fully integrated.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a novel talking book in which the characters illustrated on the various pages may become the story tellers.
In addition, known talking books do not use illumination in connection with the audio components to supplement the story. It is accordingly a further object of the present invention to provide a novel talking book which selectively supplements the text by drawing attention to, or back-lighting, the illustrations and/or text of the story, thereby attracting and retaining the attention of young readers.
These and many other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent to one skilled in the art from a perusal of the claims when read in conjunction with the drawings and following detailed description.


To avoid a predetermined amount of time and or a certain amount of processing time prior to determining a number of frames for each speech input portion, a fast voice recognition system enables real-time frame counting based upon a comparison between a decreasing number of frames and an increasing time-dependent threshold. The real-time voice recognition also enables a substantially reduced rate for erroneous partial matching.

Prior art approach includes a word spotting technique as disclosed in Japanese Patent 4-362699. In general, word spotting generally does not rely upon a particular pair of speech event boundaries. In other words, in a pure word spotting approach, all possible beginnings and endings are implicitly selected and are considered for the pattern-matching and recognition-decision process. For example, a continuous dynamic programming matching technique (a DP matching) continuously adjusts input data in the time domain to enhance matching results. In the word spotting approach, the best matching result is defined to have a minimal DP value between input voice data and standard voice pattern data. To determine a speech or word portion in voice data, the minimal DP value point is back tracked to a beginning point.
The word spotting technique in general has a partial matching problem. In other words, a portion of the whole word is matched, and the partial match is erroneously recognized as an output. For example, if a Japanese word "roku" meaning a number six is inputted for voice recognition, the word spotting technique finds at least two matches including the entire word "roku" and a partial match "ku," meaning a number nine. According to one experiment as disclosed in Japanese Patent Hei 4-362699, "roku" has a DP value of 3.51 while ku has a DP value of 3.34. Thus, a partial match, "ku" is erroneously selected as the best match.
In order to correct the above described partial match artifact, the DP values are weighed according to the length of the match according to Japanese Patent Hei 4-362699. The DP values are multiplied by a weight value which has a smaller value for a shorter match. As a result of the multiplications, the weighted or corrected DP values for the two matches in the above example are now reversed, and the entire word "roku" is now correctly recognized for an output.
According to a second prior art approach, Japanese Patent Hei 5-127696 discloses a corrective method using a statistical tendency for similarity based upon the length of a match. In other words, the length of input data is determined, and a similarity between the input data and standard data is calculated. These pairs of the values are considered as an original data set. Based upon the original data set, a statistical tendency is determined between the two parameters and the second comparison standard data is generated. The input data is then compared against the second comparison standard data so as to reduce the erroneous partial matching results.
According to a third prior art approach, Japanese Patent Application JP95-00379 disclosed a technique for reducing erroneous partial matching problems in word spotting based upon a number of frames. According to this technique, the number of frames is conventionally determined if a similarity between input data and standard data is above a predetermined threshold. If clusters of continuous frames are independent or non-overlapping with each other, each cluster is used to recognize a voice output and the recognized standard is outputted as a voice recognition result. On the other hand, if the continuous frame clusters are overlapping with each other, the length of each cluster is compared for selecting the longest frame cluster as a voice recognition result. In case of the same length or tie in the frame cluster length, the cluster with a higher similarity value is selected.
In view of the above described prior art approaches, an efficient technique for determining a number of continuous frames for each input data is desired for a real-time voice recognition. To conventionally determine the frame length, in general, the number of frames is determined in a retroactive fashion after a certain predetermined period of silence is confirmed in the input voice data. That is, the path is retraced in input voice data to count a number of frames. Further more, in determining a speech boundary using the power or zerocrossing information, a speech ending must be first determined. In any case, either of the above techniques requires a predetermined amount of time and or a certain amount of processing time. For these and other reasons, it is difficult to implement a fast voice recognition system without a real-time frame counting technique and let alone, a real-time voice recognition with a substantially reduced rate for erroneous partial matching.

Method and system for efficiently avoiding partial matching in voice recognition


A modular sensing apparatus includes a sensing diaphragm that accommodates a particular pressure range. A pressure port can be connected to the sensing diaphragm to provide pressure data thereof. Additionally, the modular sensing apparatus includes a connector and a temperature sensor pre-selected by a user, such that the connector is attached to a pressure port. An integrated circuit can be configured to provide a desired output for respective pressure and temperature from the sensing diaphragm and the temperatures sensor and to provide error corrections thereof. The sensing diaphragm, the temperature sensor, the integrated circuit and the connector are electrically connected utilizing flexible circuitry to form the modular sensing apparatus assembled to at least one requirement of the user in order to provide simultaneous and application independent pressure and temperature sensing data.

Pressure and temperature sensors are utilized in a variety of commercial, consumer and industrial applications. Pressure and temperature transducers are well-know sensing devices. One type of pressure transducer, for example, is a device formed with a silicon substrate and an epitaxial layer, which is grown on the substrate. A portion of the substrate can then be removed, leaving a thin, flexible diaphragm portion. Sensing components can be located in the diaphragm portion to form a pressure transducer. In operation, at least one surface of the diaphragm can be exposed to a process pressure.
In a pressure and/or temperature pressure-sensing configuration, a diaphragm deflects according to the magnitude of the pressure, and this deflection bends the attached sensing components. Bending of the diaphragm creates a change in the resistance value of the sensing components, which can be reflected as a change in the output voltage signal of a resistive bridge formed at least partially by the sensing components.
Some techniques for forming a composite diaphragm for a pressure transducer or similar device involve configuring a substrate layer having a first conductivity type, wherein the substrate layer includes a first surface. Positive implants can then be deposited in the first surface of the substrate layer, and an epitaxial layer grown on the first surface of the substrate layer so that the positive implants form positive diffusions in the epitaxial layer. An oxide pattern can be then formed on the epitaxial layer, and a top layer deposited over the epitaxial layer and oxide pattern. The substrate layer and positive diffusions of the epitaxial layer can then be etched to form the composite diaphragm. Such a composite diaphragm can therefore be provided for use in a pressure sensor or like device. The diaphragm comprises a first layer of silicon nitride and a second layer attached to the silicon nitride layer and comprising a pressure sensor pattern of silicon material.
Pressure transducers of the type which comprise a thin, relatively flexible diaphragm portion of suitable material, such as silicon or ceramic, on which either a selected resistive element or a capacitive plate is printed whereby exposure to a pressure source causes deflection of the diaphragm will cause a change in the resistive value of the resistive element or a change in the spacing of the capacitive plate with a mating capacitive plate and concomitantly a change in capacitance are therefore well known in the art.
When used as a low-pressure sensor, for example, economical packaging of the transducer in a housing so that an effective seal is obtained while at the same time preventing stress related to the mounting and sealing of the transducer from influencing the output becomes problematic. This is caused, at least in part, by the significant difference in thermal expansion between the material used to form the transducer, e.g., silicon, ceramic or the like, and the housing of plastic or the like.
A conventional sealing arrangement involves placement of a ring of sealing material around an inlet pressure port in a housing and mounting the transducer so that the pressure sensitive diaphragm is precisely aligned with the pressure port. This conventional arrangement not only involves stress isolation issues, it also limits flexibility in design choices in defining the location of the transducer within the package.
Typical sensors utilized to measure both temperature and pressure simultaneously are limited by the manner in which the pressure sensing technology utilized is attached to the pressure connection or port. An internal seal or gasket is typically utilized to seal the connection, but such components limit the burst pressure of the sensor to approximately three to five times the operating range.
Another difficulty cause by these types of sensors is that varying seal materials are required to accommodate a wide range of sensing media. In other words, the sensor's mechanical structure must be matched to the media present in the measurement. Additionally, typical solutions offer few options for pressure and/or temperature range, usually limited to one or two options. For example, such sensors usually offer only one output type for pressure and temperatures and one type of electrical termination. Such devices offer few ports for pressure and/or temperature connections. If something other than these standard options is desired, then a special sensor must be constructing, adding time and costs to the construction of the sensor.
Based on the foregoing it is believed that what is need to overcome the aforementioned problems is the development of an improved pressure and temperature sensing device that allows a number of varying options without requiring special sensor configurations, while accommodating a wide range of sensing media.


The present invention aims to provide a two-dimensional photonic crystal having an optical resonator, which allows the control of the front/back emission ratio of light. To achieve this object, a refractive index member made of a material having a refractive index different from that of air is mounted on a two-dimensional photonic crystal having a body in which holes are periodically arranged. In this construction, the body and the refractive index member cooperatively function as an optical resonator located at the position where the refractive index member is mounted. The light emitted from this optical resonator is stronger on the side having a higher refractive index, i.e. on the side where the refractive index member is mounted. Accordingly, the light emitted from the side where the refractive index member is mounted is stronger than the light emitted from the other side. The ratio of the emission intensity of the two rays of light and, i.e. the front/back emission ratio, can be controlled by changing the material, shape and/or size of the refractive index member.

Recently, photonic crystals have been drawing attentions as a new optical device. A photonic crystal is a functional material having a periodic distribution of refractive index, which provides a band structure with respect to the energy of light or electromagnetic waves. One of its particular features is that it has an energy region (called the photonic bandgap) that forbids the propagation of light or electromagnetic waves.
Introduction of an appropriate defect into the distribution of refractive index in the photonic crystal will create an energy level (called the defect level) due to the defect within the photonic bandgap. This allows only a specific wavelength of light having an energy corresponding to the defect level to exist within the wavelength range corresponding to the energy levels included in the photonic bandgap. Forming a linear defect in the crystal provides a waveguide, and forming a point-like defect in the crystal provides a resonator.
Photonic crystals can be classified into two-dimensional and three-dimensional crystals. Each of them has its own features and advantages. For example, two-dimensional crystals are advantageous in that they are relatively easy to manufacture. The Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2001-272555 discloses a two-dimensional photonic crystal with cylindrical holes periodically arranged in a triangular lattice pattern to provide a periodic distribution of refractive index, in which a linear zone devoid of the cylindrical holes is formed as a waveguide ([0025], FIG. 1) and a point defect is formed in proximity to the waveguide ([0029], FIG. 1). The Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2001-272555 includes the analysis of an embodiment of a point defect that is formed by increasing the diameter of the periodically arranged cylindrical holes.
In the Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2003-279764, the applicant of the present invention has proposed the creation of a cluster defect by making defects of two or more pieces of modified refractive index areas adjacent to each other within a plurality of modified refractive index areas forming a periodic distribution of refractive index. The defects of the modified refractive index areas are formed by making the refractive index of the desired part of the modified refractive index areas different from that of the rest of the modified refractive index areas. A defect having a refractive index lower than that of the rest of the modified refractive index areas is called the acceptor type defect, whereas a defect having a higher refractive index is called the donor type defect. The defect disclosed in the Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2001-272555, which is created by enlarging the cylindrical hole, is an acceptor type defect, whereas a defect created by not providing the modified refractive index area is a donor type defect. The cluster defect and a point defect created by the absence of a single piece of modified refractive index area are generally called the "point-like defect."
The two-dimensional photonic crystal with a point-like defect or point like defects can be used for various purposes, a typical example of which is the optical multiplex communication. Recently, optical multiplex communications use the wavelength division multiplexing in which plural wavelengths of light, each carrying a different signal, propagate through a single transmission line. With a waveguide accompanied by a plurality of point-like defects each having a defect level corresponding to each wavelength, the two-dimensional photonic crystal can be used as a demultiplexer for taking out a specific wavelength of light (i.e. signal) through each point-like defect from the light propagating through the waveguide, or as a multiplexer for introducing a specific wavelength of light through each point-like defect into the waveguide.
In the case of taking out a ray of light from a point-like defect (i.e. optical resonator) of a demultiplexer or a similar device, if the defect has a cylindrical shape or a similar shape symmetrical in the direction orthogonal to the surface of the two-dimensional photonic crystal, the light is emitted from both sides with the same intensity. However, if the two-dimensional photonic crystal is mounted on a substrate, the light emitted from the side facing the substrate is lost, and only the light emitted from the free side of the crystal is available. Taking this into account, in the Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication Nos. 2001-272555 and 2003-279764, research is conducted on methods for controlling the ratio of the emission intensity of the light from one side to that of the light from the other side (this ratio is called the "front/back emission ratio" hereinafter) by making the point-defect asymmetrical between the two sides. This increases the emission intensity from one side and accordingly improves the emission efficiency (or take-out efficiency) of light. For example, the Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2001-272555 discloses a cone-shaped point defect functioning as an acceptor type defect ([0032], FIG. 5) and a point defect having different diameters on both sides ([0032], FIG. 6).
However, it is not easy to create a point-like defect by asymmetrically working the body of the two-dimensional photonic crystal itself on both sides. For example, the Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2001-272555, in [0039] and [0040], describes a method of creating a point-like defect by masking one face of a crystal with a photoresist, except for the area corresponding to the defect, and etching the face with a reactive ion beam. This method is capable of forming a point-like defect having a cylindrical shape or a similar shape that is symmetrical between the two sides, but not capable of forming a point-like defect having a conic shape or a similar shape that is asymmetrical between the two sides.
In view of the aforementioned problem, the present invention aims to provide a two-dimensional photonic crystal having a point-like defect or point-like defects that enable the control of the front/back emission ratio of light and are easier to manufacture than conventional defects.

Two-dimensional photonic crystal slab having three-dimensional local structure


A new elbow canister fuseholder is provided that includes an electrically insulated and shielded housing for placing a fuse in-line between a cable and an electrical apparatus for underground distribution application. An insulating tube is contained within the housing for easy sliding removal of the fuse through an end plug such that the elbow is reusable when a fuse is replaced.

The present invention relates to electrical elbows and, in particular, the present invention relates to an elbow canister fuseholder that allows for the simple replacement of fuses in electrical elbow applications.
There are several ways of achieving an in-line fuse for underground application. One provides an insulated molded housing where the fuse is inserted, with interference, into rubber housing or is molded into epoxy housing. The disadvantage of the rubber housing is that the fuse changeout procedure is difficult to perform in the field.
Another application is to use an epoxy housing where the fuse is integral to the part, making the housing non-reusable after the fuse opens. A second type of epoxy housing, allows replacement of the fuse, but is large and bulky. In neither case does an epoxy type housing provide direct connection to a cable or apparatus without the use of additional connector components. Further, epoxy housings tend to fragment on failure, expelling hard pieces that can cause damage or injury, unlike rubber housings that split or rupture to release internal pressure, but stay intact.
Another application exists in the use of a dry well canister. This is a holder that requires additional insulation around the outside, such as oil or SF 6 gas. It is typically mounted in a tank filled with this insulating medium. It requires an auxiliary bushing mounted on the tank wall and additional connector components to provide connection between the fuse and the cable.
The present invention eliminates the above difficulties and disadvantages by providing a new elbow canister fuseholder comprising an electrically insulated and shielded housing for placing a fuse in-line between a cable and an electrical apparatus for underground distribution application. An insulating tube is contained within the housing for easy sliding removal of the fuse through an end plug opening such that the elbow is reusable when a fuse is replaced.
In accordance with a preferred arrangement of the invention, an elbow fuseholder comprises a housing including a generally elongate insulative sleeve defining at one end thereof a cable entrance for receipt of a cable therein, and at the opposing end a fuse entrance opening. An elbow interface is joined to the sleeve at an angle and defines a mating interface for electrical connection with an external bushing insert. A fuse is electrically connected at one end thereof to a conductor of a cable received in the sleeve and electrically connected at the other end thereof to the elbow mating interface. An insulative tube is disposed interiorly of the insulative sleeve, and slidably supports the fuse therein. In a particular form of the invention, the elbow fuseholder includes a plug disposed within the sleeve, the plug being detachably connected to the fuse at the elbow interface. As such, the fuse and plug are joined in an assembly that is removable from the tube through the fuse entrance opening.


Provided is a light-emitting device which can prevent appearance of an after-image after power on. Before or after supply of a power voltage applied to a light-emitting element is cut, a potential of a gate electrode of a transistor controlling the supply of the power voltage to the light-emitting element is initialized. Specifically, in the case where the transistor is n-channel type, the potential of the gate electrode is initialized so that a gate voltage is equal to or lower than a threshold voltage. In the case where the transistor is p-channel type, the potential of the gate electrode is initialized so that the gate voltage is equal to or higher than the threshold voltage.

Since light-emitting devices using light-emitting elements have high visibility, are suitable for reduction in thickness, and do not have limitations on viewing angle, they have attracted attention as display devices which are alternatives to CRTs (cathode ray tube) or liquid crystal display devices. Specifically proposed structures of active matrix display devices using light-emitting elements are different depending on manufacturers. In general, a pixel includes at least a light-emitting element, a transistor that controls input of image signals to the pixel (a switching transistor), and a transistor that controls the amount of current supplied to the light-emitting element (a driving transistor).
In recent years, a metal oxide having semiconductor characteristics, which is called an oxide semiconductor, has attracted attention as a novel semiconductor having high mobility as in the case of polysilicon or microcrystalline silicon and having uniform element characteristics as in the case of amorphous silicon. Oxide semiconductors can be deposited on a substrate which has a low strain point, such as a glass substrate, and can be used for a large substrate of the fifth generation (one side of which exceeds 1000 mm) or later generation. Further, a light-emitting device in which the oxide semiconductor is used for a transistor in a pixel instead of a conventional semiconductor such as silicon or germanium is being put to practical use.
Patent Document 1 describes an organic EL display device in which an active layer of a TFT for driving an organic EL element contains an oxide semiconductor. Patent Document 2 describes an organic electroluminescent display device in which an active layer of a thin film transistor is formed using an oxide semiconductor.

Light-emitting device having circuits and method for driving the same

SEMICONDUCTOR ENERGY LABORATORY CO., LTD.


A method, device and computer program for handling a data stream comprising a number of data objects, wherein for at least one of these data objects a decision is made whether a compression is conducted based on a value representing a compression factor of the data object.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to the field of handling data and more particularly, to a method and a device for handling data comprising a number of data objects in order to compress this data. The invention further relates to a computer program product with a computer-readable medium and a computer program stored on the computer-readable medium with program coding means which are suitable for carrying out such a method when the computer program is run on a computer. Furthermore, the invention relates, to a method for setting up a repository.
2. Description of the Related Art
In database systems particularly in regularly updated database systems use of data compression methods is well-known in order to save storage capacity. Due to information entropy increase compression efficiency decreases over time. Accordingly, the compression process requires increasing processing resources and furthermore, reveals compression results having low compression ratios. Hence, if the entropy of the data to be compressed is very high, size reduction will be very low and the compression will not be effective. In this case, only additional processing power and processing time will be consumed by the compression. The compression factor, i.e. ratio of uncompressed data to compressed data, will then fall below an acceptable value. Therefore, at this point users often decide to switch off the compression.
Data to be compressed often consist of many single data objects having different compression rates. Although some of the data objects have a good compression rate the overall compression rate of the whole data stream may be unacceptable. The problem is that the system conducting the compression needs to have knowledge of the data objects before the compression. However, analyzing the data objects before compression requires additional processing power and time and therefore, is not a valid option.
A file compression processor monitoring current available capacity on a file unit has been proposed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,675,789. The disclosed method is based on a threshold driven compression of files dependent on the capacity of the file unit. U.S. Pat. No. 4,847,619 discloses an adaptive data compression system which is reset when performance drops below a predetermined threshold.

International Business Machines Corporation


In one embodiment of the present invention, intervening material layers (208) are recessed (304) relative to membrane layers (208) thereby providing increased surface area contact between the membranes (208) and support posts (408). Increased surface area contact assists in reducing membrane shape changes (122) and defects (124, 126) that can result from thermal and physical stress.

Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS) processing is being investigated as an alternative for fabricating extreme ultraviolet (EUV) transition radiation laser (TRL) and transition radiation oscillator (TRO) structures. MEMS TRO fabrication can involve forming layers of membranes spaced apart by layers of intervening material or vacuum regions. The total number of membranes, membrane thickness, membrane spacing, and presence or absence of the intervening material can all affect the output wavelength of the TRO device. When fabricating TRO devices that operate at higher frequencies, for example in the extreme ultraviolet (EUV) region (around 13 nanometers), it may be necessary to remove intervening material between membrane layers to insure proper TRO device operation. Removal of intervening material can produce problems with TRO device operation if it damages the membranes or results in membrane shape changes.
Shown in FIG. 1A, is a cross section of a prior art EUV TRL (or TRO) structure 100. Under normal operation, relativistic particle energy 140 is directed through membranes 120 to produce EUV radiation 150 at the output of the structure 100. In this example, intervening material has been removed from between membranes 120 thereby forming vacuum regions 130. The structure 100 thus comprises alternating layers of membrane regions 120 and vacuum regions 130. The edge of membrane regions 120 are held in place by support posts 110. Here, even though membranes 120 are not supported or spaced apart by an intervening material layer, the membranes' surfaces 132 are of uniform shape and planer relative to each other. The distance 134 between membranes is relatively constant along the surface 132 of the membrane. In addition, this distance is also relatively constant from membrane-to-membrane. Under these conditions, the structure 100 operates normally to produce a coherent superposition of transition radiation at EUV wavelengths.
Shown in FIG. 1B, is a TRL (or TRO) structure similar to that shown in FIG. 1A. However, In FIG. 1B, some membranes 121, 123 have become defective or experienced shape changes. These membrane defects/shape changes can include membrane bowing 122, membrane breaking 126, and membrane support post separation/fracture 124. Membrane bowing 122 can be the result of thermally induced stress resulting from the high temperature operation of the TRL (or TRO) device. Membrane breaking 126 can result from mechanical or thermal stress induced into the membrane 125 during operation, handling, or fabrication of the structure. Membrane support post separation 124 can result when the membrane's intrinsic stress exceeds the fracture point of the interface between the support post 110 and the membrane 130. When this occurs, the membrane 123 can snap away from the support post 110, as shown in FIG. 1B.
The membrane shape changes can impact the structure's performance by producing aberrational output radiation 160. The effect of this aberrational output radiation 160 can be manifested in a variety of undesirable ways that include shifts in the output radiation's peak intensity or wavelength.

Transition radiation apparatus and method therefor

Abstract: In an alternative embodiment, problems related to stiction during release of a stack of membranes (208) is reduced by using different processes to completely remove portions of intervening material layers (206) between membrane layers (208). The first process removes the bulk of the intervening material layer (206). The second process removes the remaining portions of the intervening material layer (602).


A firing control apparatus and method for installing in a firearm, the apparatus comprising: an energy storing mechanism configured to store mechanical energy which is produced by a mechanical system, upon firing the firearm or by manual operation of the firearm, an electromagnet configured to control the energy storing mechanism, wherein the energy storing mechanism holds or releases the mechanical energy to prevent or enable the firearm from firing, and a processor or an electro-mechanical switch configured to activate or deactivate the electromagnet to control the operation of the energy storing mechanism according to preselected rules.

The automatic firearm was developed over a century ago, and has been in use, in combat, ever since. Modern automatic firing mechanisms are usually mechanical systems that enable a user to switch between firing one round per trigger engagement or multiple rounds consecutively until the trigger is released, based on a simple mode change of the safety lever, as disclosed also in the US patent "AUTOMATIC MACHINE-GUN" U.S. Pat. No. 1,293,021 by J. BROWNING dated 1916. The use of an automatic firing mode, enables firing rounds at a high rate. Most automatic firearm's fire rate range is between 650 to 1200 rounds per minute ("RPM"). The fire rate is mainly affected by the physical characteristics of the mechanical mechanism of the firearm, which relies on the pressure created by the gas emissions originating from the gunpowder combustion process, of each round fired. When a round is fired, some of the gases that are emitted during the combustion of the gunpowder are directed to push a bolt carrier assembly within the firearm, which cocks the hammer of the firearm. In some firearms the possibility of regulating the fire rate can be changed by setting the pressure of the returning gasses. This is usually dune by using a mechanical regulator, enabling only a few different operation modes, as described, for example, in the NEGEV® Light Machine Gun (LMG) manufactured by IWI.
The movement rate of the bolt carrier assembly and hammer, which controls the fire rate in an automatic mode of the firearm, are set by the mechanical mechanism designed by the manufacturer of the firearm. Therefore, the automatic firing rate of a firearm is typically set by the physical characteristics of its mechanical mechanism.

Electro mechanical fire control apparatus


Disclosed is a method, system, and computer program product for performing edge optimization on an electronic design. According to some approaches, the number of edges and/or the length of edges within an IC design are configured for optimized manufacturability and yield of an integrated circuit. The edge optimization may occur in real-time during layout, placement, and/or routing, or occur in a post-optimization step.

A semiconductor integrated circuit (IC) has a large number of electronic components, such as transistors, logic gates, diodes, wires, etc., that are fabricated by forming layers of different materials and of different geometric shapes on various regions of a silicon wafer.
Many phases of physical design may be performed with computer aided design (CAD) tools or electronic design automation (EDA) systems. To design an integrated circuit, a designer first creates high level behavior descriptions of the IC device using a high-level hardware design language. An EDA system typically receives the high level behavior descriptions of the IC device and translates this high-level design language into netlists of various levels of abstraction using a computer synthesis process. A netlist describes interconnections of nodes and components on the chip and includes information of circuit primitives such as transistors and diodes, their sizes and interconnections, for example.
An integrated circuit designer may uses a set of layout EDA application programs to create a physical integrated circuit design layout from a logical circuit design. The layout EDA application uses geometric shapes of different materials to create the various electrical components on an integrated circuit and to represent electronic and circuit IC components as geometric objects with varying shapes and sizes. After an integrated circuit designer has created an initial integrated circuit layout, the integrated circuit designer then verifies and optimizes the integrated circuit layout using a set of EDA testing and analysis tools. Verification may include, for example, design rule checking to verify compliance with rules established for various IC parameters.
Typically, geometric information about the placement of the nodes and components onto the chip is determined by a placement process and a routing process. The placement process is a process for placing electronic components or circuit blocks on the chip and the routing process is the process for creating interconnections between the blocks and components according to the specified netlist.
Based upon this geometric information, photomasks are created for lithographic manufacturing of the electronic product. A photomask, or more simply a "mask," provides the master image of one layer of a given integrated chip's physical geometries. A typical photolithography system projects UV light energy on to and through the mask in order to transmit the mask pattern in reduced size to the wafer surface, where it interacts with a photosensitive coating on the wafer.
The manufacturability of modern IC designs using conventional optical lithography technology is increasingly being challenged by the sub wavelength, or low-kl, dimensions of the critical. IC feature geometries. Not only are the critical dimension feature geometries decreasing in size in accordance with, or even faster than, Moore's Law predictions, the already large number of these feature geometries is growing at a dramatic rate as well. Furthermore, due to the necessity to mitigate optical proximity effect distortions through resolution enhancement techniques at the mask level, the overall polygonal figure count is skyrocketing. These critical feature geometries are patterned far more precisely as well due to the severity and sensitivity of the non-linear imaging. Extreme precision is required for sub wavelength, or low-kl, applications due to highly non-linear imaging behaviors which often magnify mask errors by large factors and non-intuitive manners.
In deep submicron design, a significant amount of time and effort is usually spent dealing with design manufacturability rules. The problem is that conventional approaches for handling design rules tend to break down when handling deep submicron designs.
The present invention is directed to a method, system, and computer program product for performing edge optimization on an electronic design. According to some embodiments, the number of edges and/or the length of edges within an IC design are configured for optimized manufacturability and yield of an integrated circuit. The edge optimization may occur in real-time during layout, placement, and/or routing, or occur in a post-optimization step. Other and additional objects, features, and advantages of the invention are described in the detailed description, figures, and claims.

Method and system for implementing edge optimization on an integrated circuit design


The vehicle alternator comprises a rotor (2) having interleaved polar horns (18), at least one of the horns having, facing towards another one of the horns, a side face (20) formed with a profiled groove (22). The groove has one longitudinal end (30) which is blind in a longitudinal direction of the groove.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to alternators and alternator-starters for motor vehicles.
2. Description of Related Art
It is known from the document EP-0 425 132 and the corresponding document U.S. Pat. No. 4,959,577 to provide a motor vehicle alternator having a rotor which includes polar wheels with interleaved horns. Grooves are formed in the side faces of the horns in facing relationship with each other, and magnets are lodged in these grooves to improve the magnetic properties of the rotor. In order to form the grooves, the pole wheels are assembled together, thereby interleaving the horns, and then a milling tool is traversed along each space between the horns, machining the two grooves in facing relationship with each other in a single pass, the milling tool being extracted through the longitudinal end of the groove that was last machined. However, with this method, the horns have to be disposed at a good radial distance away from the heart of the rotor, otherwise there is a danger that the motion of the milling tool will damage parts of the heart of the rotor that project most prominently, such as a length of wire, the capstan member by which the wire is positioned, and so on. However, this results in the rotor and the alternator having a large radial dimension.
One object of the invention is to reduce the volume of the alternator, or to preserve its volume when elements are added to it.
With a view to achieving this object, the invention provides a vehicle alternator comprising a rotor having interleaved polar horns, at least one of the horns having, facing another one of the horns, a side face which has a profiled groove, wherein the groove has a longitudinal end which is blind in a longitudinal direction of the groove.
Thus, by locating the blind end close to the portions of the heart of the rotor that project by the greatest radial amount towards the horns (the capstan member, wire, . . . ), it is possible to locate the horns radially closer to the heart so as to reduce the overall diameter of the rotor and the volume of the alternator. Though they are blind, the grooves are able to receive an interpolar magnet. In addition, the blind end provides an abutment which facilitates the longitudinal positioning of the magnet in the grooves, and, usually, its lateral positioning.
Preferably, the two horns have respective grooves facing each other and with blind ends.
Preferably, the blind ends are in facing relationship with each other.
Preferably, the alternator includes a magnet which is received in the grooves between the or each pair of horns.
Preferably, the magnet has at least one face in the form of a sector of a cylinder contiguous with a side face and with an end face of the magnet.
Thus, since the closed end of the groove is itself also in the form of a sector of a cylinder, the longitudinal and lateral positioning of the magnet in the grooves is facilitated, especially as, for the sector of a cylinder of the magnet, the same radius of curvature is chosen as for the sector of a cylinder of the groove. In addition, the magnet thus occupies most of the available space.
Preferably, the magnet has two faces in the form of cylindrical sectors which are contiguous to a common longitudinal end of the magnet.
Thus, this configuration facilitates introduction of the magnet into the grooves.
Preferably, the alternator includes a lamination, which is for example made of a material softer than the material of the magnet, and which extends within the grooves.
The said lamination contributes to the taking up of clearances between the magnet and the grooves.
Also in accordance with the invention, there is provided a method of making a vehicle alternator, comprising a rotor which includes interleaved polar horns, wherein a profiled groove is formed on at least one side face of one of the horns which is adapted to be in facing relationship with another one of the horns, and the groove is formed with a longitudinal end which is blind in a longitudinal direction of the groove.
Preferably, after the horns have been interleaved, two grooves are machined in the side faces of two horns facing each other, both in the same pass of a tool.
Preferably, the grooves are machined starting from an axial end of the grooves which is open in the longitudinal direction, and the tool is then extracted from the grooves through the open end.

Alternator with interpolar magnets for a motor vehicle


A service take-over method based on apparatus disaster recovery, the method includes: transferring, by a service transfer apparatus, a service control message originally sent to a production machine to a backup machine which configures disaster recovery ability for the production machine, when detecting that the production machine gets a failure; starting, by the backup machine, a process of taking over the service control message transferred from the service transfer apparatus, when receiving the service control message meeting a prescribed condition transferred from the service transfer apparatus. In the present invention, when the apparatus configured with the disaster recovery ability gets a failure, the take-over speed of the service control message may increase so as to reduce the interruption time of the service as much as possible, thereby configuring the disaster recovery ability for the apparatus is realized.

Communication apparatuses with service processing ability are provided with disaster recovery ability respectively, so as to ensure that a communication system can provide communication service safely and reliably. The operating principle of the disaster recovery is as follows: providing a corresponding backup machine for a production machine and maintaining the synchronization of service data and configuration mechanism between the backup machine and the production machine; if the production machine gets a failure in the communication process, the backup machine takes over the production machine to continue to provide communication service processing ability, so as to guarantee to provide the communication service continuously.
But at present, if the production machine gets a failure in the communication process, a manual take-over manner is generally used to complete the process of the backup machine talking over the production machine to continue to provide the communication service processing ability. That is, a failure monitoring apparatus is configured in advance to monitor operating states of the production machine and the related peripheral apparatuses, and if the network administrator finds that the failure monitoring apparatus sends out alarm information, then when they determine that the production machine gets a failure by analyzing the alarm information, related processing measures may be taken to complete the process of the backup machine taking over the production machine to continue to provide the communication service processing ability. The following will briefly illustrate the main process of completing the process of the backup machine taking over the production machine to continue to provide the communication service processing ability in a manual take-over manner.
FIG. 1 is a topological diagram of a simple communication system configured with disaster recovery ability, in which the process from a production machine getting a failure to a backup machine talking over to continue to provide the communication service processing ability may be mainly divided into three stages: failure discovering stage, service switching stage and backup machine take-over stage. The main process to complete the three stages in a manual take-over manner is as follows:
1. Failure Discovering Stage
The network administrator determines whether the production machine gets failure or not by analyzing alarm information sent out by the failure monitoring apparatus, which is used for monitoring whether the production machine, a service access apparatus and other related communication apparatus get failure. If the failure of the production machine is affirmed after the analyzing, then the following service switching stage is performed.
Certainly, the network administrator can also determine the failure occurring in the production machine based on the complaint of the subscriber received by the customer service center.
2. Service Switching Stage
After the network administrator determines that the production machine gets a failure, they switch service control messages sent from the service access apparatus or other related intermediate communication apparatus to the production machine, to the backup machine to be processed. In the disaster recovery technology, service control messages generally refer to control message or signaling transmitted before the establishment of a communication. There are different service switching manners to complete switching the service control message originally sent to the production machine to the backup machine to be processed. For example, when the production machine and the backup machine are both Service Control Point (SCP) apparatuses, the service switching manners may be two types as follows:
Apparatus for performingServiceServiceservice switchingaccess mannerswitching mannerService SwitchingCAMEL/INAP-the networkPoint (SSP) or otherTCAP-MTP-SS7/administratorcommunication apparatusSS1 signalingmodifies theaccessing in aaccessdestinationsignaling mannersignaling addressin the SSP orintermediatecommunicationapparatusService ManagementTCP-IPthe networkPoint (SMP) or otheraccessadministratorcommunication apparatusmodifies theaccessing in datadestination IPmanneraddress in theSMP or intermediatecommunicationapparatus
3. Backup Machine Take-Over Stage
A backup machine is started manually by the network administrator. Based on the self-stored service data and configuration mechanism synchronized with the production machine, the backup machine takes over the service processing ability of the production machine, so as to continue to provide communication service processing ability for the whole communication process to ensure to provide the communication service continuously.
When a backup machine provides the disaster recovery ability for several production machines at the same time, the network administrator may also need to select the corresponding service data and configuration mechanism in the service data and the configuration mechanism stored in the backup machine, so as to take over the corresponding production machine getting a failure to continue to provide service processing ability.
In fact, one of the main objects for configuring the disaster recovery ability in the communication system is to ensure reliability and safety of the communication service as much as possible, so as to reduce the interruption time of the communication service as much as possible. However, for the above mentioned process of implementing service switching in a manual take-over manner, the time required for the service switching process depends completely on the time required for the manual intervention because there are several manual interventions in the process. Therefore, due to excessive manual interventions, the communication service will be not taken over for a long time, and thereby the communication system can not be configured with the disaster recovery ability.

Service take-over method based on apparatus disaster recovery, service transfer apparatus and backup machine