In imaging a sample using an electron microscope, in order to reduce a time for focusing, a scanning range of a Z coordinate is reduced to complete focusing by obtaining SEM images such that: for a first predetermined number of portions, focal positions of an electron beam in obtaining each SEM image are moved in a predetermined range; then, a curved surface shape of the surface of the sample is estimated by using information relating to the focal positions of the electron beam in the first predetermined number of portions; after the images are taken, the range in which the focal positions of the electron beam are moved for scanning the electron beam on the surface of the sample is made to be narrower than the predetermined range by using the curved surface information estimated, thereby performing scanning to take the images of the sample.

The present invention relates to a defect inspection method and a defect inspection device used to inspect the quality of devices such as a semiconductor product, a magnetic head, a magnetic disk, a solar battery, an optical module, a light emitting diode, or a liquid crystal display panel, each of which is formed by repeating film formation, resist coating, exposure, development, etching, and the like on a substrate. Such a defect inspection method and a defect inspection device, for example, are used to inspect the dimension of a formed pattern, and the size and shape of a defect that has occurred, and the like. The present invention particularly relates to a defect inspection method and a defect inspection device which use a digital camera for an electron microscope or an optical microscope.
In recent years, electron microscopes are widely used to inspect the qualities of semiconductor products, magnetic heads, magnetic disks, solar batteries, optical modules, light emitting diodes, liquid crystal display panels, and the like, for example, to inspect a dimension of a formed pattern and the size and shape of a defect occurred.
In order to observe a pattern or a defect on a substrate using an electron microscope, a stage that holds thereon a substrate to be observed is moved so that specified XY coordinates are located near the center of an image. Next, a Z coordinate of the stage is moved so that the pattern or the defect is focused, and the image is acquired.
JP-A-2009-194272 (Patent Document 1) describes a method for registering an offset, called a focus map, of a Z coordinate in order to shorten a scanning range of the Z coordinate (in the direction of a normal to a stage surface on which a substrate is placed) and performing focusing the offset as a standard. In this method, a Z coordinate that causes a focal point to be adjusted to each of various positions on a certain substrate is measured, and a curved surface is approximated for measured XYZ coordinate groups, and the approximated curved surface is registered in an electron microscope as a focus map. Next, when another substrate is observed using the electron microscope, a Z coordinate that causes the focal point to be adjusted to certain XY coordinates is assumed to be close to the Z coordinate corresponding to the XY coordinates of the registered focus map, the Z coordinate is moved around the assumed Z coordinate, and focusing is performed.

Defect inspection method and device therefor


A detention cell locking system affording improved securement and reliability in the locking network of multiple detention cell doors. Mechanical actuation linkages are interconnected for motion responsive to either select manual, mechanical, or electrical signals actuating a DC motor drive. The locking mechanism incorporates an elongate toggle plate mounted to a carriage plate and a pair of cell door support rollers forming part of a mechanical locking system. The toggle plate assembly on the carriage plate permits a turning moment to be generated for lost motion actuation which effects locking and unlocking of the detention cell doors. A control network determines the length of time that the DC motor is electrically actuated and disengages the power to the motor during manual mechanical actuation.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to detention cell locking systems and, more particularly, to detention cell systems utilizing electro-mechanical operational networks, lost motion linkages and control networks therefor.
2. History of the Prior Art
Locking systems for detention cells used in jails, prisons and the like date back into technological antiquity. In early times, the primary import of such locking systems was simply securement of individual cell doors. Today, the criteria have expanded considerably with large detention institutions and multiple cell banks operated from a single control center.
Conventional detention cell locking systems typically utilize one or more complex electro-mechanical networks that facilitate the simultaneous locking and unlocking of multiple detention cell doors. A myriad of securement and safety considerations are then factored in, wherein the system permits emergency use in the event of an electrical power failure. Select manual operation thus incorporates mechanical overrides of the locking system for use by guards in the event of various emergencies. However, these systems must also include means for preventing either the disablement or actuation by those individuals being detained behind the detention cell doors. Such criteria have been mandated by the increase in jail and prison populations necessitating more jail cells as well as methods and apparatus for the control and operation thereof.
It is common place in the design of a detention cell door to incorporate mechanical linkage which is remotely actuatable by servo drive systems. The servo drive system generally imparts an engagement or disengagement action to a variety of looking elements within a single detention cell door For example, the bottom of the detention cell door may be simultaneously locked and unlocked with the top of the door through a vertical locking bar housed within the detention cell door frame. The mechanical linkage operating the locking bar and locking the upper part of the door are usually disposed in the upper cell door region or transom. It is typical to utilize a track upon which a door carriage moves. A typical detention cell door carriage and/or track comprises heavy metal elements from which the detention cell door depends with a series of rollers therebetween.
By way of example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,866,354 is a 1975 patent illustrating a combination electrical and mechanical security system incorporating a "lost motion" linkage. The cell door shown in this patent is also remotely controlled in an electrical mode. In the event of an electrical power failure, the security system may also be operated through a mechanical linkage to permit opening or closing of the cell doors. These are the very criteria described above that are necessary in conventional detention cell systems. The actual mechanism set forth and shown in this reference includes lost motion slots which permit the carriage assembly to travel through the lost motion region for locking and unlocking.
Yet another detention cell door looking system is seen in U.S. Pat. No. 3,571,974. This 1971 reference teaches a mechanical linkage also actuated by an electric motor utilizing a rack and pinion drive. A locking slide bar is shown to be movable at each end of travel of the carriage to bias a pivotable cell door lock bar carried by the carriage. The look bar is moved into locking engagement with the door upon arrival of the door at either of a fully open or fully closed position. Cams are provided to move the lock bar upon initiation of the driving force. The use of rack and pinion drives as well as cam actuated locking systems are well known in the prior art and are commonly utilized in mechanical linkages outside the detention cell door industry. The utilization of such linkages within the detention cell door industry is consistent with established mechanical design parameters. Likewise, the utilization of electric drive motors in conjunction therewith is conventional.
Yet another cam actuated, look control mechanism is seen in U.S. Pat. No. 4,190,985. This 1980 patent also teaches a door locking assembly utilizing a vertical drop bar in the door jam with catches for engaging and locking the door at preferably two locations. As shown therein, the bar may be lifted by three different means: by a remotely actuatable motor, by rotating a key in a key cylinder, and by an emergency release mechanism including a manually slidable linkage member disposed atop the door frame It may be seen that it is conventional in such detention cell looking assemblies to utilize multiple, backup operational systems in conjunction with the remotely actuatable system, motorized eccentrically mounted cams and double locking and vertical drop bars. Notwithstanding the above, improvements in the detention cell industry are necessary for purposes of utilizing innovations in both mechanical and electrical system technology as well as updating actuation linkage designs to further enhance reliability, safety, and effectiveness.
It would thus be an advantage therefore to provide a detention cell locking system utilizing an improved electro-mechanical drive assembly having improved reliability, efficiency, and safety aspects. The present invention provides such a system by utilizing a pair of interacting toggle plates in conjunction with an electrically driven, horizontal bar drive facilitating not only remote electrical actuation but also remote and local mechanical actuation.


A variable capacity compressor that is operable in a normal mode and either an upward or downward rapid transient mode includes a compressor that compresses a fluid and a motor that drives the compressor. A controller powers the motor from a main power source when operating in the normal mode and powers the motor from a supplemental power source when operating in the upward rapid transient mode.

Fuel cell systems include a fuel cell stack that produces electrical energy based on a reaction between a hydrogen-based feed gas (e.g., pure hydrogen or a hydrogen reformate) and an oxidant feed gas (e.g., pure oxygen or oxygen-containing air). The hydrogen-based feed gas and oxidant feed gas are supplied to the fuel cell stack at appropriate operating conditions (i.e., temperature and pressure) for reacting therein. The proper conditioning of the feed gases is achieved by other components of the fuel cell stack to provide the proper operating conditions.
The fuel cell system includes a compressor for compressing and pumping the oxidant feed gas to an appropriate operating pressure for reaction in the fuel cell stack. The compressor is required to respond to load change requests. For example, when a higher power output from the fuel cell is required (e.g., during a vehicle acceleration event), the compressor must increase capacity to provide the oxidant to the fuel cell at a quicker rate.
The upward transient response time is required to be a change from 10% to 90% capacity in approximately 1 second. Such rapid response times can cause short-term power drain several times the power rating of the compressor motor. Further, power is wasted when current is used to brake the motor during a downward transient (e.g., 90% to 10% capacity).

Regenerative compressor motor control for a fuel cell power system


In the wiring board of the present invention, the land pattern for power supply, connected to the semiconductor element connection pad for power supply through a via conductor and arranged below the segment region, includes a strip-shaped continued portion in the position corresponding to the outer peripheral portion except the outer peripheral side of the mounting portion in the segment region, and the strip-shaped continued portion and the power supply plane arranged therebelow are connected through a via conductor.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a wiring board for mounting a semiconductor element.
2. Background
Conventionally, the wiring board for mounting a semiconductor element has a multi-layer structure where a plurality of insulating layers and conductor layers are alternately laminated (for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2000-31329). On a central portion of the upper surface of the wiring board, a mounting portion for mounting a semiconductor element is formed. On the upper surface and the lower surface of the multi-layer structure, a part of the conductor layer is exposed, and furthermore, a solder resist layer is deposited thereon. In the mounting portion, a plurality of semiconductor element connection pads to be flip-chip connected to electrodes of the semiconductor element are arranged in a lattice shape. The substantially entire surface of the lower surface of the wiring board is an external connection surface for connecting with the outside. A plurality of external connection pads for connecting with an external electric circuit board are arranged in a lattice shape on the lower surface. The semiconductor element connection pad includes those for signal, for grounding, and for power supply. Likewise, the external connection pad also includes those for signal, for grounding, and for power supply. Each of the semiconductor element connection pads is electrically connected to the corresponding one of the external connection pads through the internal conductor layer.
The semiconductor element connection pads for power supply and for grounding are mainly arranged in the central portion of the mounting portion. The semiconductor element connection pads for signal, for grounding, and for power supply are arranged in a mixed manner in the outer peripheral portion of the mounting portion. The semiconductor element connection pads for signal, for grounding, and for power supply arranged in the outer peripheral portion of the mounting portion form a small group of pad group where the respective sets of a plurality of pads are arranged in a predetermined positional relation. Here, the individual region where this pad group is formed is referred to as a "segment region".
In FIG. 2, a top view of a general wiring board is shown. A segment region B occupies a part of the outer peripheral portion of a mounting portion A of the wiring board. A plurality of such the segment regions B are present in the outer peripheral portion of the mounting portion A. An example of arrangement of the semiconductor element connection pads for signal S, for grounding G, and for power supply P in the segment region B is shown. It should be noted that "S" represents the semiconductor element connection pad for signal, "G" represents the semiconductor element connection pad for grounding, and "P" represents the semiconductor element connection pad for power supply. In FIG. 2, the semiconductor element connection pads S, G and P in the segment region B include five columns L1 to L5 along the outer periphery side of the mounting portion A. The semiconductor element connection pads for grounding G are arranged on the outermost column L1 and the innermost column L5 in the segment region B. The semiconductor element connection pads for power supply P are arranged on the column L3 in the center. On the column L2 between the L1 and the L3, and on the column L4 between the L3 and the L5, the semiconductor element connection pads for signal S are arranged in the central portion, and the semiconductor element connection pads for grounding G and for power supply P are arranged at both ends thereof.
A part of the conductor layer at an uppermost layer are exposed from the circular openings provided in the solder resist layer, whereby these semiconductor element connection pads S, G, and P are formed. In FIGS. 3A to 3D, a conductor layer 11 at the uppermost layer and conductor layers 12 to 14 formed below the conductor layer 11 in the vicinity of the segment region B of the conventional wiring board are shown. In FIG. 3A, the openings of the solder resist layer at the uppermost layer are indicated by dashed circles. In FIGS. 3B to 3D, positions of the via conductors connected to the conductor layer at the upper layer are indicated by dashed circles, and the sign G, the sign P and the sign S in these circles represent the via conductors for grounding, for power supply, and for signal, respectively.
As shown in FIG. 3A, the conductor layer 11 at the uppermost layer includes patterns 11a to 11d shown in the following (a) to (d):
(a) the signal pattern 11a forming a semiconductor element connection pad for signal S individually;
(b) the grounding plane 11b connecting the semiconductor element connection pads for grounding G on the column L1 and the column L2 to one, and extending to the outside of the mounting portion A;
(c) the grounding pattern 11c connecting the semiconductor element connection pads for grounding G on the column L5 and the column L4 to one; and
(d) the power supply pattern 11d connecting the semiconductor element connection pads for power supply P on the column L3 and the column L4 to one.
As shown in FIG. 3B, the conductor layer 12 formed below the conductor layer 11 includes patterns 12a to 12d shown in the following (a) to (d):
(a) the strip-shaped signal wiring pattern 12a extending from the bottom of the semiconductor element connection pad for signal S to the outside of the mounting portion A;
(b) the grounding plane 12b adjacent to the signal wiring pattern 12a, extending to the outside of the mounting portion A;
(c) the grounding pattern 12c formed in the same position as the grounding pattern 11c at the upper layer; and
(d) the land pattern for power supply 12d arranged so as to be separated by the signal wiring pattern 12a below a part of the semiconductor element connection pads for power supply P.
Each of the signal wiring patterns 12a is connected to the corresponding one of the signal patterns 11a at the upper layer through one via conductor. The grounding plane 12b and the grounding pattern 12c are respectively connected to the grounding plane 11b and the grounding pattern 11c at the upper layer through a plurality of via conductors. The land pattern for power supply 12d is connected to the power supply pattern 11d at the upper layer through a plurality of via conductors.
As shown in FIG. 3C, the conductor layer 13 formed below the conductor layer 12 includes a solidly spread grounding plane 13a and a land pattern for power supply 13b. The grounding plane 13a is connected to the grounding plane 12b and the grounding pattern 12c at the upper layer through a plurality of via conductors. The land pattern for power supply 13b is connected to the land pattern 12d at the upper layer through a plurality of via conductors.
As shown in FIG. 3D, the conductor layer 14 formed below the conductor layer 13 includes a power supply plane 14a and a land pattern for grounding 14b. The power supply plane 14a is connected to the land pattern 13b at the upper layer through a plurality of via conductors. Thereby, the semiconductor element connection pads for power supply P and the power supply plane 14a are electrically connected to each other through the land patterns for power supply 12d and 13b.
However, in such a conventional wiring board, the land pattern for power supply 12d of the conductor layer 12 connected to the power supply pattern 11d forming the semiconductor element connection pads for power supply P in the segment region B through the via conductors is divided by the signal wiring pattern 12a, and the area becomes smaller. Therefore, the inductance of the current path between the semiconductor element connection pads for power supply P and the power supply plane 14a connected to each other through the via conductors with the land patterns for power supply 12d and 13b interposed therebetween is increased. As a result, there has been a problem that the sufficient power is not supplied in each segment region B, and that it is difficult to sufficiently exert the capability of the semiconductor element to be mounted.


A headset for a mobile communication terminal is disclosed. The headset comprises a main body and a RF module printed circuit board (PCB) housed within it. A microphone is also housed within the main body and connected to the RF module PCB. A guide piece housing an antenna, which is connected to the RF module PCB, is connected to the main body on one end and has an opening on the second end. Finally, a speaker is connected to the main body opposite the guide piece.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a headset used for a mobile communication terminal and, more particularly, to a compact and portable antenna mounted inside a communication headset.
2. Description of the Background Art
In general, a radio earphone-microphone for a mobile communication terminal, or the like, is connected to the terminal by way of a wire. Korea Patent Application No. 2000-38718, dated Jul. 6, 2000, discloses a conventional radio earphone-microphone that includes a parent device connected to a mobile communication terminal and a child device wirelessly connected to the parent device. A transmission antenna and a reception antenna are installed inside a support bar in the child device.
The transmission and the reception antenna are installed close to the inside of the support bar. The transmission power flows from the transmission antenna to the reception antenna, resulting in performance degradation of the overall system due to interference between the transmission antenna and the reception antenna.
Distortion and performance degradation also occur when a microphone is installed at an end portion of the antenna, because a voice signal generated by the microphone is transmitted as a module by using an electric wire passing around the antenna. This results in reception being deteriorated due to a back current of the signal and interference. Furthermore, due to an impedance change, the antenna may not function properly.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a chip design with the antenna installed on a radio frequency (RF) module. Antenna 104 is mounted as an integrated circuit on a printed circuit board (PCB) 102 of a module of a mobile communication terminal. That is, in this structure, a dipole or a helical antenna is mounted on the surface of the PCB 102 by using a dielectric substance having a high dielectric constant. The dielectric constant of the dielectric substance is very high to provide for a very short wavelength and thus, a compact terminal. Due to the high dielectric constant, a power loss takes place. Also, the transmission characteristics and the gain of the antenna can be degraded.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a print-type monopole antenna installed on a PCB module of a mobile communication terminal. A monopole antenna 108 printed on the module PCB 106 is inexpensive. However, since a certain distance should be maintained from a ground plane, and since the dielectric constant of the substrate is small, module integration is difficult. Moreover, if the antenna is positioned close to the RF module, it would be susceptible to noise generated from the module. As such, the transmission properties of the antenna are degraded.

Antenna-headset combination for a mobile terminal


A process for separating a feed gas stream into an oxygen-enriched gas stream which is used in a combustor and an oxygen-depleted gas stream. The feed gas stream is compressed, and oxygen is separated from the compressed feed gas stream using an ion transport module including an ion transport membrane having a retentate side and a permeate side. The permeate side of the ion transport membrane is purged with at least a portion of a combustion product gas stream obtained from the combustion in the combustor of the gas stream exiting the permeate side of the ion transport module.

Many different oxygen separation systems, for example, organic polymer membrane systems, have been used to separate selected gases from air and other gas mixtures. Air is a mixture of gases which may contain varying amounts of water vapor and, at sea level, has the following approximate composition by volume: oxygen (20.9%), nitrogen (78%), argon (0.94%), with the balance consisting of other trace gases. An entirely different type of membrane, however, can be made from certain inorganic oxides. These solid electrolyte membranes are made from inorganic oxides, typified by calcium- or yttrium-stabilized zirconium and analogous oxides having a fluorite or perovskite structure.
Some of these solid oxides have the ability to conduct oxygen ions at elevated temperatures if an electric potential is applied across the membrane, that is, they are electrically-driven or ionic conductors only. Recent research has led to the development of solid oxides which have the ability to conduct oxygen ions at elevated temperatures if a chemical driving potential is applied. These pressure-driven ionic conductors or mixed conductors may be used as membranes for the extraction of oxygen from oxygen-containing gas streams if a sufficient partial oxygen pressure ratio is applied to provide the chemical driving potential. Since the selectivity of these materials for oxygen is infinite and oxygen fluxes generally several orders of magnitude higher than for conventional membranes can be obtained, attractive opportunities are created for the production of oxygen using these ion transport membranes.
Although the potential for these oxide ceramic materials as gas separation membranes is great, there are certain problems in their use. The most obvious difficulty is that all of the known oxide ceramic materials exhibit appreciable oxygen ion conductivity only at elevated temperatures. They usually must be operated well above 500.degree. C., generally in the 600.degree. C.-900.degree. C. range. This limitation remains despite much research to find materials that work well at lower temperatures. Solid electrolyte ionic conductor technology is described in more detail in Prasad et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,547,494, entitled Staged Electrolyte Membrane, which is hereby incorporated by reference to more fully describe the state of the art.
Combustion processes, however, usually operate at high temperature and therefore there is the potential for efficiently integrating ion transport systems with oxygen enhanced combustion processes and the present invention involves novel schemes for the integration of ion transport systems with oxygen enhanced combustion processes.
Most conventional combustion processes use the most convenient and abundant source of oxygen, that is, air. The presence of nitrogen in air does not benefit the combustion process and, on the contrary, may create many problems. For example, nitrogen reacts with oxygen at combustion temperatures, forming nitrogen oxides (NO.sub.x), an undesirable pollutant. In many instances, the products of combustion must be treated to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions below environmentally acceptable limits. Moreover, the presence of nitrogen increases the flue gas volume which in turn increases the heat losses in the flue gas and decreases the thermal efficiency of the combustion process. To minimize these problems, oxygen-enriched combustion (OEC) has been commercially practiced for many years. There are several benefits of oxygen-enriched combustion including reduced emissions (particularly nitrogen oxides), increased energy efficiency, reduced flue gas volume, cleaner and more stable combustion, and the potential for increased thermodynamic efficiency in downstream cycles. These benefits of OEC, however, must be weighed against the cost of the oxygen that has to be manufactured for this application. As a consequence, the market for OEC is greatly dependent on the cost of producing oxygen-enriched gas. It has been estimated that as much as 100,000 tons per day of oxygen would be required for the new markets in OEC if the cost of oxygen-enriched gas could be reduced to about $15/ton. It appears that gas separation processes employing ion transport membranes have the promise of reaching that goal. OEC is discussed in detail in H. Kobayashi, Oxygen Enriched Combustion System Performance Study, Vol. 1: Technical and Economic Analysis (Report #DOE/ID/12597), 1986, and Vol. 2: Market Assessment (Report #DOE/ID/12597-3), 1987, Union Carbide Company-Linde Division, Reports for the U.S. Dept. of Energy, Washington, D.C.).
Literature related to ion transport conductor technology for use in separating oxygen from gas stream include:
Hegarty, U.S. Pat. No. 4,545,787, entitled Process for Producing By-Product Oxygen from Turbine Power Generation, relates to a method of generating power from a compressed and heated air stream by removing oxygen from the air stream, combusting a portion of the resultant air stream with a fuel stream, combining the combustion effluent with another portion of the resultant air stream, and expanding the final combustion product through a turbine to generate power. Hegarty mentions the use of silver composite membranes and composite metal oxide solid electrolyte membranes for removing oxygen from the air stream.
Kang et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,516,359, entitled Integrated High Temperature Method for Oxygen Production, relates to a process for separating oxygen from heated and compressed air using a solid electrolyte ionic conductor membrane where the nonpermeate product is heated further and passed through a turbine for power generation.
Mazanec et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,160,713, entitled, Process for Separating Oxygen from an Oxygen-Containing Gas by Using a Bi-containing Mixed Metal Oxide Membrane, discloses bismuth-containing materials that can be used as oxygen ion conductors.
Publications related to oxygen-enriched or enhanced combustion (OEC) include the above-mentioned U.S. Dept. of Energy reports authored by H. Kobayashi and H. Kobayashi, J. G. Boyle, J. G. Keller, J. B. Patton and R. C. Jain, Technical and Economic Evaluation of Oxygen Enriched Combustion Systems for Industrial Furnace Applications, in Proceedings of the 1986 Symposium on Industrial Combustion Technologies, Chicago, Ill., Apr. 29-30, 1986, ed. M. A. Lukasiewics, American Society for Metals, Metals Park, Ohio, which discusses the various technical and economic aspects of oxygen-enhanced combustion systems.
Oxygen-enriched combustion has been commercially practiced using oxygen manufactured by either cryogenic distillation or noncryogenic processes such as pressure swing adsorption (PSA). All of these processes operate at or below 100.degree. C. and therefore are difficult to thermally integrate with combustion processes.
Research on solid electrolyte ionic conductors has been carried out for many years. Solid electrolytes have mainly been used in fuel cells and sensors, and to experimentally produce small quantities of pure oxygen from air, taking advantage of the infinite selectivity for oxygen transport. Electrically-driven solid electrolyte membranes have also been used for removing traces of oxygen from inert gas streams, where the application of a sufficient voltage to the membrane can reduce the oxygen activity of the retentate gas stream to a very low value. Many of these materials, however, did not have appreciable oxygen ion conductivity. Only recently have materials been synthesized that have sufficiently high oxygen ion conductivities so as to make the gas separation process economically viable. Commercial gas separation, purification, or enrichment processes based on these materials have yet to be developed. Also, methods for integrating oxygen separation with oxygen-enriched combustion have not been discussed in the prior art.
The inventors are unaware of the prior disclosure of a process configuration for the integration of an ion transport based oxygen production system with OEC.

Process for enriched combustion using solid electrolyte ionic conductor systems


Apparatus for heating water intended for the preparation of hot beverages, comprising a cold-water reservoir (2) for storing unheated water and a hot-water reservoir (3) for storing heated water, wherein a heat-maintaining element (4) is accommodated in the hot-water reservoir (3), wherein the hot-water reservoir (3) comprises a draw-off tap (5), and wherein a conduit (6) is connected to the cold-water reservoir (2) which conduit opens into the hot-water reservoir (3), wherein a through-flow heating element (7) is accommodated in this conduit (6).

The invention relates to an apparatus for heating water intended for the preparation of hot beverages. Such apparatus are known in the form of a reservoir in which a heating element is accommodated and to which a draw-off tap is connected. The known apparatus is filled with an amount of cold water, which amount is heated up to the desired temperature, whereupon a signal light indicates that the water has reached the desired temperature and warm water can be drawn off. When a given minimum water level is reached in the tank, drawing off can no longer take place and the tank should be replenished, whereupon one must wait until the water in the reservoir has again the desired temperature. Hence, the known apparatus provides a batchwise heating of a particular amount of water. The drawbacks thereof are that during the heating up of the amount of water introduced batchwise into the reservoir, no water of the desired end temperature can be drawn off, and the relatively long waiting period.
To overcome this drawback, there are also known apparatus comprising a reservoir in which a heating element and a draw-off tap are accommodated, the reservoir being connected to a water supply and the water level in the reservoir being kept substantially constant. In such an apparatus, as soon as water is being drawn off, the reservoir is replenished until the desired water level is reached. Drawbacks of this known apparatus are the long initial waiting period and the fact that when much water is drawn off successively, the temperature of the water in the reservoir drops as a consequence of the feed of cold water. Generally, the power of the heating element is insufficient for heating up the fed cold water quickly enough, so that the temperature of the water in the reservoir cannot be kept constant within a temperature range of .+-.3.degree.-4.degree. C.

Apparatus for heating water, intended for the preparation of hot beverages


The present invention provides a test strip for measuring a concentration of an analyte of interest in a biological fluid, wherein the test strip may be encoded with information that can be read by a test meter into which the test strip is inserted.

Measuring the concentration of substances in biological fluids is an important tool for the diagnosis and treatment of many medical conditions. For example, the measurement of glucose in body fluids, such as blood, is crucial to the effective treatment of diabetes.
Diabetic therapy typically involves two types of insulin treatment: basal, and meal-time. Basal insulin refers to continuous, e.g. time-released insulin, often taken before bed. Meal-time insulin treatment provides additional doses of faster acting insulin to regulate fluctuations in blood glucose caused by a variety of factors, including the metabolization of sugars and carbohydrates. Proper regulation of blood glucose fluctuations requires accurate measurement of the concentration of glucose in the blood. Failure to do so can produce extreme complications, including blindness and loss of circulation in the extremities, which can ultimately deprive the diabetic of use of his or her fingers, hands, feet, etc.
Multiple methods are known for determining the concentration of analytes in a blood sample, such as, for example, glucose. Such methods typically fall into one of two categories: optical methods and electrochemical methods. Optical methods generally involve spectroscopy to observe the spectrum shift in the fluid caused by concentration of the analyte, typically in conjunction with a reagent that produces a known color when combined with the analyte. Electrochemical methods generally rely upon the correlation between a current (Amperometry), a potential (Potentiometry) or accumulated charge (Coulometry) and the concentration of the analyte, typically in conjunction with a reagent that produces charge-carriers when combined with the analyte. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,233,029 to Columbus, U.S. Pat. No. 4,225,410 to Pace, U.S. Pat. No. 4,323,536 to Columbus, U.S. Pat. No. 4,008,448 to Muggli, U.S. Pat. No. 4,654,197 to Lilja et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,108,564 to Szuminsky et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,120,420 to Nankai et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,128,015 to Szuminsky et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,243,516 to White, U.S. Pat. No. 5,437,999 to Diebold et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,288,636 to Pollmann et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,628,890 to Carter et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,682,884 to Hill et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,727,548 to Hill et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,997,817 to Crismore et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,004,441 to Fujiwara et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,919,770 to Priedel, et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 6,054,039 to Shieh, which are hereby incorporated in their entireties. The biosensor for conducting the tests is typically a disposable test strip having a reagent thereon that chemically reacts with the analyte of interest in the biological fluid. The test strip is mated to a nondisposable test meter such that the test meter can measure the reaction between the analyte and the reagent in order to determine and display the concentration of the analyte to the user.
It is common practice in such test meter/test strip systems to ensure proper identification of the test strip in order to ensure proper test results. For example, a single test meter may be able to analyze several different types of test strips, wherein each type of test strip is designed to test for the presence of a different analyte in the biological fluid. In order to properly conduct the test, the test meter must know which type of test is to be performed for the test strip currently in use.
Also, lot-to-lot variations in the test strips normally require calibration information to be loaded into the test meter in order to ensure accurate test results. A common practice for downloading such calibration information into the test meter is the use of an electronic read-only memory key (ROM key) that is inserted into a socket of the test meter. Because this calibration data may only be accurate for a particular production lot of test strips, the user is usually asked to confirm that the lot number of the test strip currently in use matches the lot number for which the ROM key was programmed.
Many other instances in which it is desirable to have information relating to the test strip are known to those having skill in the art. Prior art attempts to code information onto the test strip for reading by the test meter have suffered from many problems, including a severely limited amount of information that can be coded and the use of relatively large amounts of test strip surface area for the information coding function.
Thus, a system and method are needed that will allow information to be coded onto a biosensor for reading of the information by the test meter. The present invention is directed toward meeting this need.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

System and method for coding information on a biosensor test strip


Provided is a multi-layer reflective coating for application to a lighting housing assembly, including a polymer substrate adjacent a polymer base coat layer applied to the lighting housing. Atop the polymer base coat layer is an aluminum adhesion layer, followed by a diffusive barrier layer, and a silver reflective layer. The aluminum adhesion layer promotes adhesion between the polymer base coat layer and the silver reflective layer. The diffusive barrier layer prevents aluminum and silver interaction, which could form a silver and aluminum alloy. A spectrum tunable layer is applied atop the silver reflective layer for spectrum tuning the silver reflective layer for maximum compatibility with a light emitting diode (LED) lighting source.

Conventional outdoor or streetlight housing assemblies typically use aluminum-based reflective coatings. Unfortunately aluminum-based reflective coatings have several drawbacks. Firstly, the theoretical reflectance of these coatings in the visible spectrum is about 91%, however the reflectance of an aluminum film with a typical topcoat produced from a coating process is only about 80%. This level of reflectivity is not the highest among available materials.
Secondly, aluminum has poor adhesion to plastic fixtures or basecoats. Polymer basecoats are often required in outdoor lighting assemblies in order to smooth out surfaces and for minimizing roughness and scratches. In conventional outdoor lighting assemblies, a ultra-violet (UV) cured polyimide is applied evenly to the surface of the lighting assembly and a thin film of aluminum is adhesively placed on top of the base coat to create an aluminum/base coat film system. Unfortunately, moisture in air attacks the aluminum/base coat film system, especially in high temperature and high humidity environments. As a result, the aluminum thin film coating deteriorates, and can easily peel off. Therefore, this is not an ideal material for long-term use in an outdoor environment.
It is more desirable to have a highly reflective material (95-100% reflective) that does not have the failings of the aluminum/base coast film system. It is also desirable to have a highly reflective coating that can tolerate the rigors of an outdoor environment. Furthermore, it is desirable to have a reflective material that is offers higher reflective lumens in the visible spectrum when paired with an LED array. Furthermore, it is desirable to have a reflective material this suitable for both indoor and outdoor use with LED arrays.

Hybrid metallization on plastic for a light emitting diode (LED) lighting system


An analytics module may be embedded into an application developed, published, or used by an entity in addition to the owner of the data under analysis. An access token may be submitted by the analytics module to a provider of hosted services. The access token may correspond to an n-dimensional cube containing data at a level of granularity permitted to the application. The access token may incorporate additional policies controlling access to the corresponding n-dimensional cube.

Online analytical processing ("OLAP") and other types of data warehouse systems may be used to perform various functions related to data mining, reporting, and forecasting. These types of systems may permit multidimensional analysis of data typically obtained from transaction-oriented systems and loaded into a multidimensional cube structure, on which data analytics may be performed. Although various commercial products may be used in the design and deployment of data warehouse systems, most such systems contain various proprietary components and are not suited for use by third parties.


The isomerization of an alkylated phenol composition that contains an ortho-alkyl substituted phenol component to isomerize and reduce the level of ortho-alkyl substituted phenol component therein can be accomplished by heating that composition in the presence of a catalytically effective amount of a solid acid catalyst to carry out such isomerization and reduction in the level of ortho-alkyl substituted phenol. Examples of suitable solid acid catalysts can be selected from the H-form zeolites, the supported sulfonic acids, and the heteropoly acids. The resulting isomerized product can be subsequently phosphorylated.

The present invention relates to the isomerization of an alkylation product, formed by the alkylation of phenol with an olefin in the presence of a super acid catalyst containing Bronsted acid functionality. The term xe2x80x9cisomerization, as used herein, is meant to indicate the change in overall isomer distribution of an alkylated phenol composition by intra- and/or intermolecular mechanism(s). Such a product normally contains a certain level of undesired mono, di and tri-substituted ortho-alkylphenols (or mixture thereof). It is desired to reduce the level of such ortho-substituted alkylphenols, in such an alkylation product since such ortho-substituted components are significantly less reactive in any later desired phosphorylation reaction using the alkylated phenol and also may be deemed by some persons to be more undesired from a toxicological viewpoint. The phosphorylation of such materials is a well-known reaction and involves treating them with a phosphorylating reagent (such as phosphorus oxytrichloride) at moderately elevated temperature (such as about 100xc2x0 C. to about 200xc2x0 C.), preferably in the presence of a Friedel-Crafts catalyst.
One prior art reference that relates to the use of trifluoromethane sulfonic acid (also termed xe2x80x9ctriflic acidxe2x80x9d) as the catalyst to achieve the general type of isomerization that forms the subject matter of the present invention is U.S. Pat. No. 4,103,096 to S. L. Giolito et al., which is incorporated herein in its entirety. This patent illustrates, in general terms, one conventional way in which this isomerization reaction has been practiced.
While the use of trifluoromethane sulfonic acid catalyst, as just described, has been utilized commercially, its use is attendant with certain disadvantages. The use of relatively high levels-of this catalyst (e.g., 800 to 1000 ppm) may be needed for the desired level of isomerization to take place, and the use of such levels of this acid can cause unacceptable color change in the product of the reaction. Trifluoromethane sulfonic acid is a strong acid that can cause corrosion damage in the process equipment that is used. This catalyst cannot be recovered and hence the catalyst costs are not trivial. Finally, the isomerization reaction using this acid is rather slow (e.g., 40 to 60 hours) in order to reach the target isomer distribution.
Other methods which have been proposed for practicing analogous isomerization reactions are shown in the following patent and literature references: Japanese Patent Publication No. 45-30091/1970; U.S. Pat. No. 3,014,079; and J. Org. Chem., 38, 1929 (1973).
The present invention relates to the isomerization of the previously described alkylation product to reduce the level of ortho-substituted product therein using a new class of catalyst: a solid acid catalyst.
As previously described, the present invention is an isomerization reaction which relies upon the use of a novel class of catalyst for that particular type of reaction. In general terms, the alkylation product which is treated herein will comprise a mixture of alkylated phenols: from about 10% to about 30%, by weight of the ortho-substituted alkylated phenols; from about 0% to about 5%, by weight of meta-substituted alkylated phenols; from about 5% to about 15%, by weight of para-substituted alkylated phenols; from 2% to 10% by weight 2,6-dialkylated phenol; and from 1% to 5% tri-alkylated phenol. The present invention relies upon a solid acid catalyst, as will be described below in further detail, to lower the amount of such ortho-substituted species so that the final product preferably has the following composition: from about 10% to about 20%, by weight of ortho-substituted alkylated phenols; from about 5% to about 20%, by weight of meta-substituted alkylated phenols; from about 10% to about 30%, by weight of para-substituted alkylated phenols; and from about 0.5% to 3% 2,6-di-isopropyl phenol. The present invention is useful, for example, in the isomerization of mono-alkylsubstituted phenols, such as monoisopropylphenol, of di-alkylsubstituted phenols, such as 2,6-diisopropylphenol, or mixtures containing such alkylated species. The alkyl group or groups on the phenols which are treated will generally have from about two to about twelve carbon atoms therein, preferably three or four, such as exemplified by the isopropyl and tert-butyl groups.
The general type of isomerization reaction is shown in the aforementioned Giolito et al. patent in which the catalyst is employed at a level of from about 0.01% to about 5%, by weight of the alkylphenol, preferably from about 300 to 3000 ppm, and the reaction temperature for the isomerization reaction will be in the range of from about 170xc2x0 C. to the reflux temperature of the alkylphenol-containing composition which is treated preferably from about 100xc2x0 C. to about 250xc2x0 C. The reaction can be performed advantageously at atmospheric pressure or elevated pressure (e.g., up to about 500 psig). The Present process is practiced in the absence of an alkylating agent, such as an olefin.
In accordance with the present invention, a variety of solid acid catalyst types, which are well known to the person of ordinary skill in the art for other chemical reactions, can be used herein. Included as general types of such solid acid catalysts are the H-form zeolites, the supported sulfonic acids, and the heteropoly acids.
Representative examples of H-form zeolites, which form a well-known class of commercially available materials, which find preferred utility in the present invention are the Y-type zeolites and the beta zeolites. Such materials contain Bronsted acid functionality that is needed in the process of the present invention. The ZSM type and mordenite class of zeolites also can be used, but they have been found to have somewhat lower activity. The zeolites that are used herein preferably have a silica/alumina ratio of from about 5 to about 100, most preferably from about 5 to about 80.
Representative supported sulfur acid catalysts include the sulfonic acid catalysts, sulfated zirconia (commercially available, for example, from MEI Chemicals) and the perfluorinated ionic exchange polymers that are available from DuPont under the trademark NAFION. The latter type of material is described at Col. 2, line 24 to Col. 3, line 47 of U.S. Pat. No. 5,001,281 to S. M. Li, which description is incorporated herein by reference.
A supported heteropoly acid catalyst can also be used in connection with the present invention. The description of these materials that appears at Col. 2, line 46 to Col. 5, line 24, for example, of U.S. Pat. No., 5,300,703 of J. F. Knifton, is incorporated herein as describing such known catalytic materials. The Knifton patent deals with the use of such heteropoly acid materials in the synthesis, rather than in the isomerization, of an alkylphenol composition.
The present invention""s catalyst selection has a number of advantages, as compared to the use of the liquid catalyst trifluoromethane sulfonic acid previously described. The use of a solid catalyst precludes the possibility that it will become lost by dissolution in the liquid reaction media. There is also no need to use the more difficult means needed to separate a liquid catalyst from a liquid reaction product. The solid acid catalyst is more amenable to a continuous reaction process as compared to the use of a liquid catalyst. The solid catalyst used herein is more easy to regenerate than the trifluoromethane sulfonic acid catalyst that has been previously described. Finally, the solid acid catalysts that are described for use herein have been found to generally yield a product having lower color characteristics than were achieved in many cases using the trifluoromethane sulfonic acid catalyst of the prior art.
When a zeolite is selected as the solid acid catalyst for use herein, it has been found that certain novel compositions can be obtained. Such compositions comprise a mixed alkylphenols wherein the ratio of ortho- to meta- and para- isomers is no more than about 1.0, the amount of 2,6-dialkyl phenol is no more than about 4.0%, by weight of the entire composition, and the amount of trialkyl phenol is from about 4% to about 75% (preferably about 4% to about 15%), by weight of the entire composition.
The present process can be practiced using a variety of reaction schemes. For example, it is possible to implement the present invention using batch reaction, fixed bed reaction, or reactive distillation reaction techniques, or a combination of those techniques.
In those cases where a zeolite catalyst is employed, it has been found that such catalysts undergo varying levels of deactivation, due to the formation of carbonaceous species that block the active sites. Such a catalyst can be easily regenerated using known regeneration procedures. For example, a controlled burnout of the carbonaceous species can be achieved using air/nitrogen mixtures that are lean in oxygen at temperatures of from about 200xc2x0 C. to about 500xc2x0 C.
The invention will be further illustrated in the following non-limiting Examples.

Phosphorylated product made by heating alkylated phenol in presence of solid acid catalyst


The present invention relates to a melanin concentrating hormone antagonist compound of Formula I: (I) wherein Ar1, Ar2, Ar3, L1, L2 and Q areas defined, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, solvate, enantiomer or mixture of diastereomers thereof useful in the treatment, prevention or amelioration of symptoms associated with obesity and Related Diseases

The affluence of the 90's along with the exponential increase in food production particularly in Western and Asian economies has resulted in feeding patterns that lead to obesity. Obesity is defined as being excessively overweight. Excessive weight is generally characterized by excessive body fat, because unused energy is stored in the adipose tissues as fat.
Obesity has associated with it, economic and social costs. Obese people, an increasing proportion of most western societies, are regarded as having out of control feeding habits often associated with low self-esteem. Moreover, obese persons are more likely to have medical problems associated with or exacerbated by the excess body weight. Examples of medical conditions caused, exacerbated or triggered by excessive weight include bone fractures, pains in the knee joints, arthritis, increased risk of hypertension, artherosclerosis, stroke, diabetes, etc.
Melanin concentrating hormone (MCH) is a 19 amino acid neuropeptide produced in the lateral hypothalamic area and zona incerta, although MCH-expressing neurons project to numerous regions of the brain. MCH is processed from a larger pre-prohormone that also includes a second peptide, NEI, and possibly a third, NGE (Nahon, Crit Rev in Neurobiology, 8:221–262, 1994). MCH mediates its effects through at least two G protein-coupled receptors, MCHR1 and MCHR2 (Saito et al. Nature 400: 265–269, 1999; Hill et al., J Biol Chem 276: 20125–20129, 2001). Both receptors are expressed in regions of the brain consistent with MCH neuronal projection and known MCH physiologic function (Hervieu et al., Eur J Neuroscience 12: 1194–1216, 2000; Hill et al., J Biol Chem 276: 20125–20129, 2001; Sailer et al., Proc Nat Acad Sci 98: 7564–7569, 2001).
Extensive evidence exists to support the orexigenic activity of MCH. MCH mRNA is elevated in rodent models of obesity and in the fasted state (Qu et al., Nature 380: 243–247, 1996). Intracerebroventricularly administered MCH increases feeding and blocks the anorexic effect of α-melanocyte stimulating hormone (Ludwig et al., Am J Physiol 274: E627–E633, 1998). MCH knock-out mice (MCH−/− mice) are lean, hypophagic and hypometabolic (Shimada et al., Nature 396: 670–674, 1998), while MCH over-expressing transgenic mice are obese and insulin resistant (Ludwig et al., J Clin Invest 107: 379–386, 2001). MCHR1−/− mice have recently been reported to be lean and hypermetabolic, indicating that the R1 isoform mediates at least some of the metabolic effects of MCH (Marsh et al., Proc Nat Acad Sci 99:3240–3245, 2002; Chen et al., Endocrinology, 2002, in press).
In addition to its effects on feeding, MCH has been implicated in regulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis through modulation of CRF and ACTH release (Bluet-Pajot et al., J Neuroendocrinol 7: 297–303, 1995). MCH may also play a role in the modulation of reproductive function (Murray et al., J Neuroendocrinol 12: 217–223, 2000) and memory (Monzon et al., Peptides 20: 1517–1519, 1999).
The current preferred treatment for obesity as well as Type II non-insulin dependent diabetes is diet and exercise with a view toward weight reduction and improved insulin sensitivity for diabetics. Patient compliance, however, is usually poor. The problem is compounded by the fact that there are currently only two medications approved for the treatment of obesity (sibutramine, or Meridia™ and orlistat, or Xenical™.
PCT application number WO 01/21577 (JP00/06375) filed Sep. 19, 2000, discloses compounds reportedly useful as antagonists of the MCH receptor. In particular the WO 01/21577 application claims a compound of formula A
wherein:    Ar1 is a cyclic group that may have substituents;    X is a spacer having a main chain of 1 to 6 atoms;    Y is a bond or a spacer having a main chain of 1 to 6 atoms;    Ar is a monocyclic aromatic ring which may be condensed with a 4 to 8 membered non-aromatic ring, and may have further substituents;    R1 and R2 are independently hydrogen atom or a hydrocarbon group which may have substituents;    R1 and R2 together with the adjacent nitrogen atom may form a nitrogen-containing hetereo ring which may have Substituents; R2 may form a spiro ring together with Ar; or R2, together with the adjacent nitrogen atom and Y, may form a nitrogen-containing hetero ring which may have substituents; or salts thereof.
PCT application number WO 01/82925 also discloses compounds reportedly usefull as antagonists of the MCH receptor. In particular the WO 01/82925 application claims a compound of formula B
wherein:    Ar1 is an optionally substituted cyclic group;    X and Y are independently a spacer having a C1-6 main chain;    Ar is an optionally substituted fused polycyclic aromatic ring;    R1 and R2 are independently hydrogen atom or an optionally substituted hydrocarbon group; or alternatively R1 and R2 together with the nitrogen atom adjacent thereto may form a nitrogenous heterocycle, or R2 together with the nitrogen atom adjacent thereto and Y may form an optionally substituted nitrogenous heterocycle, or R2 together with the nitrogen atom adjacent thereto, Y, and Ar may form a fused ring.
PCT application number WO 01/87834 also discloses compounds reportedly useful as antagonists of the MCH receptor. In particular the WO 01/87834 application claims a compound of formula C.
wherein;    R represents hydrogen, halogen, or an optionally substituted cyclic group; X represents a bond or a spacer in which the main chain has one to ten atoms; Y represents a spacer in which the main chain has one to six atoms; ring A represents a benzene ring which may have other substituents; ring B represents a five- to nine-membered nitrogenous nonaromatic heterocycle which may have other substituents; and R1 and R2 are the same or different and each represents hydrogen, an optionally substituted hydrocarbon group, or an optionally substituted heterocyclic group, or R1 and R2 may form an optionally substituted nitrogenous heterocycle in cooperation with the adjacent nitrogen atom and R2 may form an optionally substituted nitrogenous heterocycle in cooperation with the adjacent nitrogen atom and Y.
Japanese patent application number JP2001-226269A also discloses compounds reportedly useful as antagonists of the MCH receptor. In particular the JP2001-226269A application claims a compound of formula D.
wherein:    Ar is a substituted group-contg. arom. ring, X1 is a substituted group-contg. divalent main chain of 1–5 atoms, X2, X3 and X4 are linking arms, and R2 is a basic substituting group, and its salts.
PCT application number WO 01/21169 also discloses compounds reportedly useful as antagonists of the MCH receptor. In particular the 01/21169 application claims a compound of formula E.
Wherein:    Ar1 and Ar2 are each an optionally substituted aromatic group; P and Q are each a divalent aliphatic hydrocarbon group which may contain ethereal oxygen or sulfur in the carbon chain and may be substituted; R1 and R3 are each (i) hydrogen, (ii) acyl, or (iii) optionally substituted hydrocarbyl; R2 and R4 are each (i) hydrogen, (ii) optionally substituted alkyl, or (iii) optionally substituted alkylcarbonyl; alternatively R1 and R2 or R3 and R4 together with the nitrogen atom adjacent thereto may form a monocyclic or fused nitrogenous heterocyclic group; and j is 0 or 1, salts of the same, or prodrugs thereof.
PCT application number WO 02/04433 also discloses compounds reportedly useful as antagonists of the MCH receptor. In particular the 02/04433 application claims a compound of formula F.
Wherein:    Q=(E)- or (Z)-CR10:CR11, C.triplebond.C, Formula G (wherein A=(un)substituted alkylene); R1–R8=H, halo, CN, etc.; R9–R19=H, allyl; W═N, CRa (Ra═H, OH, alkoxy, etc.); X=halo, CN, NO2, etc.; Y═O, S, SO, SO2; Z allyl, mono, di or trifluoromethyl, etc.
PCT application number WO 02/06245 also discloses compounds reportedly useful as antagonists of the MCH receptor. In particular the 02/06245 application claims compounds of formula H, I, J, K, L, and M.

PCT application number WO 02/057233 also discloses compounds reportedly useful as antagonists of the MCH receptor. In particular the 02/057233 application claims a compound of formula N
Wherein:    Ar1=(un)substituted (hetero)aryl; Ar2=(un)substituted (hetero)aryl, aralkyl; or Ar1 and Ar2 together form (un)substituted fluorene, fluorenone with the proviso that Ar3 must be arylene; A3=(un)substituted (hetero)arylene; X═O, S, N(CN); Y=a single bond, alkylene; R1=thiazole, (hetero)aryl, etc.; R2=H, alkyl].
PCT application number WO 02/51809 also discloses compounds reportedly useful as antagonists of the MCH receptor. In particular the 02/51809 application claims a compound of formula O
Wherein:    W═R1-CR3R12NR4C(O), R11C(O)NR4; X═CHR8, C(O), C(═NOR9), when the double bond is present CR8=; Y═CH, C(OH), C(alkoxy) or when the double bond is present C; R1=R5-cycloalkyl, R5-(hetero)aryl, R5-heterocycloalkyl; R2=R6-(hetero)aryl; n=1–3; R3=alkyl, (hetero)aryl; R4=H, alkyl; R5=H, alkyl, halo, OH, alkoxy, CF3, alkoxycarbonyl, SO2NHR4, C(O)NHR4, NR4C(O)NHR4, NR4C(O)R4, NR4SO2R4, etc.; R6=H, alkyl, halo, OH, SH, S(alkyl), CN, alkoxy, alkylcarboxy, CF3, NO2, NH2, alkylamino, Ph, alkoxycarbonyl, R7-phenoxy, etc.; R7=H, alkyl, halo, OH, alkoxy, CF3; R8=H, alkyl, alkoxyalkyl; R9=H, alkyl, arylalkyl; R10=H, alkyl, aryl; R11=cyclopropylphenyl or when R2=R6-heteroaryl or R10 is not H, R11 can also be R5-phenyl-alkyl; m=1–5; R12=H, alkyl; R13=H, alkyl, halo, OH, alkoxy, CF3, OCF3, NO2, C(O)CH3; R14=H, alkyl, halo, OH, alkoxy, CF3.
PCT application number WO 02/10146 also discloses compounds reportedly useful as antagonists of the MCH receptor. In particular the 02/10146 application claims a compound of formula P
Wherein:    A=H, C1–6alkyl optionally substituted by hydroxyl, C1–6alkoxy, C1–6alkenyl, C1–6 acyl, halogeno, OH, CN, CF3; R3=H, CH3, CH3CH2; R4=arom carbocycle, heterocycle; Z=O, S, NH, CH2, single bond, at the 3 or 4 position of R4 relative to the carbonyl group; R5=arom. carbocycle, heterocycle; Q=XYNR1R2; X═O, S; Y═C2–4 alkylene, C5–6 cycloalkylene; R1, R2 independently=C1–6 alkyl, phenyl-C1–6 alkyl; R1R2=5-, 6-, 7-membered ring optionally contg. one or more heteroatom selected from O, S, N; etc.
PCT application number WO 02/76947 also discloses compounds reportedly useful as antagonists of the MCH receptor. In particular the 02/76947 application claims a compound of formula Q

Current treatments targeted at obesity have side effects. Examples of such treatments include phen-fen®, and various over-the-counter appetite suppressants. These agents have not been proven effective for all patients and for sustainable periods of time.
Therefore, there is a need for new and/or improved therapeutically effective agents useful as anatagonists of melanin concentrating hormone to better control the dietary habits, minimize the preponderance of obesity and treat, prevent and/or ameliorate the effects of obesity including for example diabetes.


A low fuming phenolic resin prepreg comprising a fibrous base impregnated with 20 to 60% by weight of a resin composition comprising (a) 100 parts by weight of a resol phenolic resin, (b) from 1.5 to 15 parts by weight of polyacrylamide, (c) from 1.5 to 25 parts by weight of an epoxy resin, and (d) from 1.5 to 15 parts by weight of an inorganic filler, and the method for preparing the prepreg by impregnating a solution of (a), (b) and (c) having dispersed therein the filler into a fibrous base. The method for the prepreg comprising impregnating the fibrous base with the resin composition. The phenolic resin prepreg has low fuming properties as well as excellent self-adhesion.

Honeycomb sandwich panels are widely used as structural materials in aircraft, sports goods, marine structures, vehicles, and the like because of their lightness and rigidity. In particular, panels for aircraft interior parts are produced by impregnating a reinforcing fibrous base with an epoxy matrix resin to prepare prepregs, laminating the prepregs on a honeycomb core, and heating the laminate under pressure.
Regulations providing fuming properties of aircraft interior parts have recently been laid down and enforced by the Federal Aviation Administration, U.S.A. (F.A.A.) from the standpoint of safety assurance for passengers in the case of fire, and structural materials having low fuming characteristics on burning have been reguired.
Phenolic resins are essentially flame retardant and low fuming. However, when used as a surfacing material of honeycomb sandwich panels, phenolic resins are very brittle and poor in self-adhesion.

Low fuming phenolic resin prepreg and process for producing the same


Methods, apparatus, systems, and computer-readable media are provided for generating and applying outgoing communication templates. In various implementations a corpus of outgoing communications sent by a user may be grouped into a plurality of clusters based on one or more attributes of a context of the user. One or more segments of each outgoing communication of a particular cluster may be classified as fixed in response to a determination that a count of occurrences of the one or more segments across the particular cluster satisfies a criterion. One or more remaining segments of each communication of the particular cluster may or may not be classified as transient. Based on sequences of classified segments associated with each communication of the particular cluster, an outgoing communication template may be generated to automatically populate at least a portion of a draft outgoing communication being prepared by the user.

Emails and similar communications sent by one or more users may follow various patterns. For example, under particular circumstances, a user or group of users may tend to draft and send emails sharing particular attributes. Suppose users within a particular department are required to draft and send reports by a particular deadline. Such outgoing communications likely will conform at least to some extent to one or more patterns. For example, the outgoing communications may share a number of textual segments that may be considered "boilerplate" or "fixed," while other textual segments may differ between communications and thus may be considered "transient" or "variable."

Generating and applying outgoing communication templates


A pile driving system for driving a pile comprising a support system comprising an arm assembly, an engaging system comprising a primary housing and a secondary housing, a suspension system, a vibratory system, and first and second clamp assemblies. The first clamp assembly rigidly connects the secondary housing to the pile. The second clamp assembly rigidly connects the secondary housing to the pile. The second clamp assembly rigidly connects the secondary housing to the side portion of the pile. The tip portion of the at least one pick member engages at least one sheet pile of a substantially horizontal stack of sheet piles to remove the at least one sheet pile from the stack of sheet piles. The pile driving system drives the pile using at least one of a driving force generated by the support system and a vibrational force generated by the vibratory system.

Modern construction design often requires piles to be driven into the earth at desired locations. In the context of the present invention, the term "pile" will be used to refer to a rigid, elongate member capable of being driven into the earth. Piles may take many forms and are normally used as part of the footing for a structural element such as a building foundation or bridge pier, but piles may be used for many reasons, and the end use of the pile is not a part of the present invention.
The term "drive" as used herein refers to the application of a force along a longitudinal axis of the pile either to force the pile into the earth or to extract the pile from the earth. The terms "handle" or "handling" as used herein refer both to the driving of a pile into the earth and to the movement of pile prior to driving.
The present invention is of particular significance when the pile takes the form of a steel H-beam, and that application will be described herein in detail. However, the principles of the present invention may be applied to other pile configurations, such as cylindrical piles (e.g., wooden piles, pipe piles, caissons, etc.) and/or sheet piles.
Pile handling systems that use vibratory loads in combination with driving loads are highly effective at forcing piles into or extracting piles from the earth. The vibratory forces of such vibratory pile driving systems are transmitted to the pile to be driven by a clamping assembly. The clamping assembly ensures that the vibratory forces in both directions are applied to the pile to be driven.
Conventional clamping assemblies engage an end of the pile such that the driving and vibratory forces are applied along an axis of the pile. Some specialized pile handling systems employ clamping assemblies that are adapted to grip a side of the pile. Other specialized pile handling systems employ clamping assemblies that are adapted to grip either a side or an end of the pile. The ability to grab either the side or the end of a pile facilitates both moving of the pile prior to driving and driving of the pile without the use of additional equipment. The present invention relates to pile handling systems having clamping assemblies that are adapted to grip either the side or the end of the pile.
The need exists for improved pile handling systems capable of gripping a pile from either the side or the top and driving the pile with a combination of driving and vibration forces.


A gimbaled wheel video amusement ride is disclosed.

1. Technical Field
This invention relates to amusement rides.
2. Background of the Prior Art
Various types of amusement rides are known including, for example, rotating wheels, or Ferris wheels, revolving columns, etc. and all having a number of cars. The cars may be rotated regularly or irregularly to achieve an exciting movement varying in speed and direction. Other known types of rides exploit centrifugal force to maintain passengers in a given position in opposition to the force of gravity. However, people are always seeking new amusement thrills, and therefore there is a constant need to improve and design new amusement rides which will satisfy this need.


A control method includes collecting a biometric image through a sensing area of a biometric recognition sensor provided at a control button of an electronic apparatus, in response to a press operation of a user on the control button; determining whether the biometric image meets a condition; in response to determining that the biometric image meets the condition, allowing the control button to be moved from a first position to a second position; and in response to determining that the biometric image does not meet the condition, prohibiting the control button from being moved from the first position to the second position.

With continuous development of electronic technology, application of a fingerprint sensor is also developing rapidly. Most existing electronic apparatuses tend to have a narrow bezel design, and the fingerprint sensor is added to the bezel. Because the fingerprint sensor arranged at a side of the bezel has a small sensing area, it is difficult for a user to locate during fingerprint recognition, which results in a low fingerprint recognition rate and poor user experience.
Therefore, how to effectively increase the recognition rate of the electronic apparatus to improve user's control experience of the electronic apparatus is an urgent problem to be solved.


A rail seat which includes                a) a rail tie        b) a pair of rail fastening support shoulders mounted on said rail tie so that a rail can be held to the tie between said shoulders each shoulder having a a rail face and side portions on each side of said rail face extending away from the rail        c) a rail pad adapted to lie on said tie between said shoulders which has a pair of projections extending parallel to the tie along side each side portion of each shoulder.

Rail pads are used to electrically and dynamically insulate the rail tie from the rail and U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,618,093 and 5,203,502 are examples of rail pads used with elastic rail clip support shoulders that are fixed to the tie on either side of the rail.
Often shims and gaskets are also placed under the rail pad.
It is now common practice for the rail pads to be placed in the rail seats at the rail tie manufacturing plant in order to save time at the track installation. The ties are usually stacked on flat rail cars at the tie plant. There may be 4 layers of ties with wooden dunnage between each layer. The dunnage sits on the rail seats. The pads gaskets and shims on the top layer may be blown off in transit or from any tie during installation. If this is not noticed and the rail ties are fed onto the track this can create difficult problems as the rail is automatically fed onto the ties even if the pads are not in place. Then the pads must be inserted after the mobile tie installation machinery has passed. This is difficult expensive and time consuming.
Anther component of the rail fastening system is the insulator that lies between the rail and the rail fastener. U.S. Pat. No. 4,379,521 is an example of such an insulator.
A recent development affecting the design of rail pads has been the adoption of deep post rail insulators where the portion of the insulator lying between the support shoulder and the rail flange extends below the bottom of the rail which means that the rail pad has to be modified to accommodate the deep post insulator. The deep post insulator can be accommodated by making a cut out in the edge of the pad. However this means that this type of pad is not suitable for pre assembly with the shoulders because it needs to be precisely located between the shoulders to accept the insulator post and it is difficult to reposition the pad when the rail is sitting on it. One attempt as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,692,677 has been to make the vertical post of the insulator slightly shorter so that a thin section of pad remains to locate the pad against the shoulder. The difficulty of this approach is that the thin section abutting the shoulder is not strong enough to locate the pad against the shoulder.
Another difficulty with insulators of the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,379,521 is that they wear out or break before the other components in the rail seat. A problem associated with rail pads has been that under the creep load conditions such as on slopes the rail under the load of trains passing tends to creep relative to the rail seat and under this force the pad may be forced out of position . One approach to dealing with that problem is to provide an upstanding projection on the outer edge of the pad adjacent the insulator so that movement of the pad would be inhibited because movement of the post would be resisted by the insulator. This approach still allows considerable pad movement because of the tolerances required to ensure that the insulators could be fitted.
It is an object of this invention to address the above mentioned problems.

Abstract: The rail seat is adapted to be used with a deep post insulator and incorporates a rib on the support shoulder extending from each side portion against which a face of the rail pad projections abut to locate the pad in position to accommodate the post of the insulator. The rail pad projections are proportioned to prevent the pad from moving out of position under the creep load conditions present when rail cars pass over the rail seat. A resilient tab is provided on each projection to abut the side portions of the support shoulder to retain the pad in position between the support shoulders during transport of the rail tie to the installation site.


A device for the dosed administration of an injectable product, including a housing with a receptacle for the product and a drive mechanism movable via a dosing element supported displaceably in the housing, wherein the drive mechanism includes engagement elements situated together in groups, the distance between the groups corresponding to a dosing amount of the injectable product and the distance between the engagement elements corresponding to a priming amount of the injectable product, and wherein the dosing element is coupled to the drive mechanism so that the dosing element at one time interacts with a group of engagement elements to administer the dosing amount and at another time interacts with an engagement element to release the priming amount.

The present invention relates to devices and methods for administering or dispensing selected amounts of substances, including devices and methods used in medicine. More particularly, it relates to devices and methods for delivering a selected amount or dose of a substance, including dosing devices that provide for a semi-automated priming function, and to the dosed administration of an injectable product.
Devices for the dosed administration or delivery of a medication, such as insulin, hormones, and the like, are well known. Such devices include injection devices, including those known as injection pens. An injection pen is an injection device that a patient, for example a diabetic, can operate in order to self-administer a desired dose of insulin. Typically, such injection pens possess a dosing knob that projects from an opening of a housing. For the administration of an injection, the dose to be administered is selected or set by means of the dosing knob. Through the turning of the dosing knob, a drive means is preset. For the injecting, the dosing knob is then moved forward from a first end position slightly into the housing, until a second end position is reached. In the process, the preset amount of the product to be injected is administered. Further, in the process of injecting a drive means is moved forward and acts on a piston, which acts on the injectable product in an ampoule, so that the medication is displaced from the ampoule and expelled or delivered via a cannula.
After administration of the medication, it is typically necessary to prepare the injection pen for a new, subsequent injection by carrying out a priming process. As is known, in this process the cross-section or central bore of the injection cannula is deaerated as well as freed of residual materials through the expelling of a certain small amount of the product to be injected without an injection being carried out.
This priming process, which may be referred to more simply as priming, is an additional operating step for a patient that has to undertake an injection, which step must not be forgotten if an optimal injection after the priming is to be obtained. In at least one known dosing device or injection pen, a priming is effected in that, through the rotating of an adjusting section, a changeover from an administration position into a priming position is achieved. This adjustment must be reset again for a subsequent administration or injection. This requires an additional effort and additional attention of the patient. It is precisely in stressful situations, when a quick insulin injection must absolutely take place, that the patient can inadvertently disregard or improperly carry out this operating process.


The invention presents an automatically positioned needle guard for a hypodermic needle. The needle guard includes a hollow stem having one end adapted to fit a syringe and an opposite end designed to hold the base of a hypodermic needle. One end of a housing is slidably mounted on the stem for sliding between a first position wherein the housing covers the needle and a second position wherein the needle tip protrudes from the housing. An elastic member is attached to the side of the stem, and a slidable ring is mounted around the stem near the elastic member. When expanded, the elastic member blocks the housing from sliding from the first position to second position. When the ring is slid over the elastic member, the ring forces the elastic member flush against the stem so that the housing can slide to its second position. After the needle has been used, a spring cooperative between the housing and stem automatically pushes the housing toward its first position. Upon exiting the housing, the elastic member expands to lock the housing in its first position covering the needle.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of safety devices for hypodermic needles, and in particular to an automatically positioned protective needle guard for a hypodermic needle.
2. Description of Prior Art
The hypodermic needle is one of the most useful tools in modern medicine, but it is also one of the most dangerous. In the urgent environment of ambulances or hospital emergency rooms, a hypodermic needle may accidentally stick a medical worker or patient. These accidental needle stick injuries are the main cause of occupationally acquired Hepatitis B, HIV, and other infections.
The most dangerous time in using a hypodermic needle is immediately before and after performing an injection, when the tip of the needle is usually exposed. At these times, an accidental drop or mis-handling of the needle by the operator could easily cause an accidental stick if the needle is not protected. Thus, there is a need for a needle guard that prevents the needle from being exposed before, during, and after the needle's use. Additionally, the needle guard should automatically re-position itself over the needle, since the operator will not be able to manually position the needle guard during an accidental drop or slip.
There have been numerous attempts to provide needle guards that perform these functions. Most of them involve an elastic element connected to a cover that encases the needle. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,256,152 issued to Marks on Mar. 11, 1992 describes a safety needle having a protective sheath for encasing the needle. The sheath has flexible ribs and a cup having an opening mis-aligned with the needle. A force applied to the cup bows the ribs and aligns the needle with the opening, so that the needle tip may pass through the opening into a patient's body.
This simple solution proposed by Marks has several disadvantages. First, it requires a person to handle the tip of the sheath to expose the needle, possibly leading to accidental punctures of the skin. Second, it provides no locking mechanism for keeping the needle encased once it has been used, so that an accidental stick may still occur when the needle is dropped or mis-handled. Third, the sheath is not strong enough to prevent the needle from jabbing through it.
More complex solutions have tried to address each of these problems. U.S. Pat. No. 5,242,401 issued to Colsky on Oct. 9, 1992 describes a protective needle head assembly. The assembly has a hub portion which attaches to a syringe and a cover portion for covering the needle head. The cover slides on a recessed, W-shaped track to expose the needle during use. After use, a spring automatically pushes the cover back along the track to a position covering the needle. This invention has the advantage of not requiring any extra effort to lock the needle in the exposed and covered positions, but its main disadvantage is that it is complicated to build, requiring precise machining for the track.
Another solution involving a needle cover that is guided on a track is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,292,314 issued to D'Alessio et al. on Feb. 11, 1993. In this device, the needle cover has change-over slots to enable it to change directions when sliding on the track. A spring forces the cover back to its position protecting the needle after the needle is used. This device also has the advantage of locking the cover in a position that protects the needle. Unfortunately, it also has the disadvantage of requiring the user to manually rotate the cover after injection to initiate the return of the cover to the position in which the needle is protected. This manual step between needle exposure and needle covering does not prevent accidental sticks from occurring when the needle is dropped or mis-handled. This device also requires precise machining of the slots, which adds expense to its construction.
A simpler solution involving a manual locking mechanism is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,246,428 issued to Falknor on Jul. 30, 1992. This device has a sheath that slides between a first position covering the needle and a second position exposing the needle for use. The sheath includes a latching mechanism which can lock the sheath into either position. A spring mounted within the sheath forces the sheath from its second position exposing the needle to its first position covering the needle after the latching mechanism has been manually released by an operator. This invention also suffers from the problem of requiring a manual step between exposing the needle for use and safely covering the needle after use. It is also difficult to produce a latch small enough to fit a sheath for a hypodermic needle, yet strong enough to resist breaking under pressure.
Another assembly having a spring loaded shield and latching mechanism for the shield is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,863,435 issued to Sturman et al. on Aug. 24, 1988. In this assembly, the shield also moves between a first position covering the needle and a second position exposing the needle for use. However, the latching mechanism is only able to lock the shield in the second position that exposes the needle. After using the needle, the operator manually unlocks the latching mechanism, and the spring forces the shield back to its needle covering position. This invention suffers from the same disadvantage of requiring the operator to manually unlock the latching mechanism before the shield returns to its needle covering position. Additionally, this device has the disadvantage of not allowing the shield to be locked in a position that covers the needle.
Another device for protecting a needle is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,336,187 issued to Terry et al. on Jun. 24, 1993. In this device, a syringe has a sleeve with a protective sheath for covering the needle of the syringe. A collapsible bellows is mounted inside the sleeve so that the bellows constantly urges the sheath toward a position that covers the needle. During use of the syringe, the pressure exerted on the sleeve by contact with a patient's body causes the sheath to retract so that the needle may be inserted into the body. As the needle is withdrawn from the body, the collapsed bellows expands, causing the sheath to automatically reposition itself in a protective position over the needle. The main disadvantage of this device is that it lacks a mechanism for locking the sheath in a position that covers the needle, so that an accidental pressure applied to the sleeve would also expose the needle, allowing an accidental stick. Additionally, this device must be attached permanently to the syringe, so that the device is not reusable.
Thus, no existing needle guard combines adequate safety features to prevent an accidental needle stick before, during, and after use of the needle. Additionally, no existing needle guard combines these features in a device that is simple to construct, inexpensive to manufacture, and easy to use.

Automatically positioned hypodermic needle guard


An adhesive manufacturing process, an adhesive, and an article are disclosed. The adhesive manufacturing process includes mixing THV with a polar aprotic solvent and sodium azide to form an adhesive having an azide group. The mixing is at about the melting point of the THV for a duration of at least about 24 hours. The adhesive includes THV having an azide group. The article includes a substrate and an adhesive positioned on the substrate, the adhesive comprising THV having an azide group.

Adhesives are used in a variety of environments for a variety of applications. Such environments and applications require adhesives to have specific temperature profiles, viscosity profiles, chemical and flammable resistant profiles, and adhesion characteristics. Known adhesives do not adequately meet all of these requirements.
In wiring applications, adhesives can be used with fluoropolymers. Fluoropolymers have low surface energy, for example, below 25 dynes/cm. This low surface energy makes it difficult for an adhesive to bond to the fluoropolymer. Surface treatments can ameliorate this; however, surface treatments present other problems and are often not available in repair conditions. For example, chemical etching or high energy plasma treatment can be used to activate a fluoropolymer surface. However, etching chemicals (such as sodium naphthalene) cannot be used in a repair area due to the toxicity and flammability. Also, plasma equipment is not able to be used due to the crowded nature of a repair area.
Polytetrafluoroethylene surfaces can be especially difficult for adhesion. Certain polymeric materials are unable to diffuse into the surface, thereby resulting in a lack of adhesion. Polymeric materials that are able to diffuse into the surface may not have desired properties. For example, such materials may drip and/or have melting points being below a maximum service temperature.
Current adhesives do not desirably bond to polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). Positioning current adhesives in contact with a surface having PTFE creates a microgap and/or delamination between the adhesive and the PTFE surface.
Certain polymers can provide adhesion to fluoropolymers by having similar chemical structures, relatively low surface energies, and low melting points. Such polymers can have desirable flow and wet-ability on the fluoropolymers. However, such low melting temperatures result in dripping issues in high service temperature applications, such as aerospace applications. The dripping issues can cause seal failure.
Other fluoropolymers can provide adhesion to PTFE surfaces when the PTFE surfaces are etched, have an acid application, and/or are otherwise surface-modified. Such limitations render PTFE surfaces difficult to repair. In addition, such surface modifications can be undesirable by relying upon expensive or environmentally-unfriendly chemicals.
An adhesive manufacturing process, an adhesive, and article having an adhesive that do not suffer from one or more of the above drawbacks would be desirable in the art.

Adhesive manufacturing process, adhesive, and article


Some example embodiments include methods of operating a wireless communication device supporting carrier aggregation, the methods include allocating a memory of a plurality of memories to each of a plurality of component carriers based on a memory allocation priority; determining a demodulation priority for each of the plurality of component carriers based on one of a size of each memory allocated to each of the plurality of component carriers, and the memory allocation priority; and demodulating signals received via the plurality of component carriers based on the demodulation priority.

Some example embodiments relate to a method of operating a wireless communication device, and more particularly, to a wireless communication device supporting carrier aggregation and a method of operating the wireless communication device.
A carrier aggregation technique for increasing transmission throughput in a wireless communication system is applied. As the number of component carriers used for carrier aggregation increases, the size of a memory for storing signals (or data) received via the component carriers also increases. In particular, in long term evolution (LTE), since a physical layer decodes the received signals (or received data) within a specific time in order to support automatic repeat request (ARQ), the size of the memory is increased for storing the received data as well as the speed of data processing blocks. Accordingly, a method of reducing a degree of increase in the size of the memory by efficiently using the memory would be desirable.

Wireless communication device including memory de-allocator for efficient memory usage and method of operating the same


Heterocyclic spiro compounds represented by the following general formula and salts thereof: ##STR1## The above compounds act upon muscarinic acetylcholine receptors, thereby activating the acetylcholine nervous functions in the central nervous system.

Acetylcholine is known as neurotransmitter playing an important role in cognition and mental functions in the central nervous system. Lowering of the cholin function is suggested to cause neurological and psychotic symptoms in Alzheimer's diseases, senile dementia of Alzheimer type, Huntington's chorea, Pick's diseases and senile dyskinesia. Particularly, intellectual deficits (concerning memory and cognition) are considered to result from lowered functions of acetylcholine-related central nervous system. An acetylcholinesterase inhibitor such as physostigmine, a precursor of acetylcholine such as choline and lecithin, or an acetylcholine receptor agonist such as arecoline have been used in clinical trials with these diseases [refer, for example, to S. Hirai; Clinical Neurology, 1, 200 (1983)]. However, these drugs have no therapeutical benefit, have severe side effects, and narrow range of the effective dose. Under the circumstances, there has been a demand for a new drug capable of selectively activating central cholinergic nervous system and effective for the treatment of above-mentioned diseases with little side effect.

Heterocyclic spiro compounds and methods for preparing the same


A method of selecting resource element for UCI transmission and countering a ping-pong effect includes adjusting transmission parameters without adjusting a channel quality indicator/pre-coding matrix index. The transmission parameters include a modulation coding set of a transport block and a transport block size. Another method of selecting resource element for UCI transmission and countering the ping-pong effect includes selecting a transport block having a highest modulation coding set index or the transport block having a lowest modulation coding set index. Alternatively, the evolved Node B may select the transport block having a largest size or the transport block having the smallest size.

The Third Generation Partnership Project ("3GPP") has specified Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access ("E-UTRA") for support of wireless broadband data service. E-UTRA is also known as Long Term Evolution ("LTE") and is a standard in mobile network technology. 3GPP uses a system of parallel releases to provide a stable platform for implementation and allows for the addition of new features.
Long Term Evolution Advanced ("LTE-A") started in 3GPP. The Technical Specification Group—Radio Access Network Working Group 1 ("TSG-RAN WG1") is responsible, in part, for the specification of the physical layer of a radio interface for user equipment ("UE"), a Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network ("UTRAN"), and an Evolved UTRAN; covering both frequency division duplexing ("FDD") and time division duplexing ("TDD") modes of radio interfaces.
The TSG-RAN WG1 addressed multiplexing uplink control information ("UCI") on a Physical Uplink Shared Channel ("PUSCH") in the case of a Single User-Multiple Input Multiple Output ("SU-MIMO") system. The TSG-RAN WG1 also described formulas for calculating a rank indicator ("RI"), a Channel Quality Indicator/Pre-coding Matrix Index ("CQI/PMI"), and resources per layer of acknowledgement/negative acknowledgement ("ACK/NACK") code.
However, there are certain unique scenarios for which the TSG-RAN WG1 has not described formulas for calculating the RI, the CQI/PMI, and resources per layer of ACK/NACK code. Furthermore, the ping-pong effect and settlement on multi-beta values also remain to be properly addressed. Accordingly, there is a need for improved methods for countering the ping-pong effect; selecting a code word to transmit the CQI/PMI; multiplexing UCI and data per code word; and addressing certain scenarios for determining ACK/NACK code and a RI.

Method for multiplexing uplink control information on a physical uplink shared channel