Disclosed herein is an LC aligning agent using diamine having dendron side chains. In detail, the present invention relates to a composition for an LC alignment film which employs diamine having dendron side chains to produce polyamic acid, followed by imidization. When the LC alignment film is applied to a liquid crystal display device, high heat resistance, high penetration in a visible ray range, excellent alignment, and a high voltage holding ratio are assured. Even though it contains a small amount of functional diamine, a high pretilt angle can be assured. Thus, the pretilt angle is easily controlled and a vertical aligning force is improved.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an LC (liquid crystal) aligning agent using diamine having dendron side chains. More particularly, the present invention relates to a composition for an LC alignment film which employs diamine having dendron side chains to produce polyamic acid, followed by imidization. When the LC alignment film is applied to a liquid crystal display device, high heat resistance, high penetration in a visible ray range, excellent alignment, and a high voltage holding ratio are assured. Particularly, even though it contains a small amount of functional diamine, a high pretilt angle can be assured, thus providing easy control of the pretilt angle and improving a vertical aligning force.
2. Description of the Related Art
A liquid crystal display device is operated using the property in which the arrangement of liquid crystal changes depending on the application of external voltage due to the effect of an electric field and external light incident on the LCD is blocked or passed therethrough due to the change in arrangement. Functions of the LCD, such as light penetration, a response rate, a visual angle, and a contrast ratio, depend on the arrangement of liquid crystal molecules. Accordingly, it is very important to uniformly control the arrangement of the liquid crystal molecules.
The demand for high quality displays is continuously growing in accordance with the recent growth of an LCD market, and the demand for an alignment film having high productivity is growing as the trend toward a large area is rapidly increasing in the fabrication of the LCD. Hence, there is a need to develop an alignment film having various excellent properties, such as low defective fractions, excellent electrooptical properties, and high reliability, in a process of fabricating the LCD. That is to say, there is a need for an LC alignment film which has excellent printability, a stable pretilt angle, high voltage holding ratio, and sufficiently small voltage accumulation due to a direct current, and which is capable of being reworked.
The LC alignment film is a polymer substance which is formed between a transparent conductive film, such as indium tin oxide (ITO), and liquid crystals to achieve the uniform arrangement of liquid crystal molecules, that is, alignment, and is used as means for controlling the liquid crystals using a mechanical method, such as rubbing, or other methods.
In a conventional process of uniformly arranging, that is, aligning, the liquid crystals in the LCD, which is called a rubbing process, polymer, such as polyimide, is applied on a transparent conductive glass to form a polymer film, and the alignment film is rubbed using a roller which is wound by a rubbing cloth, such as nylon or rayon, and which rotates at a high rate to achieve alignment. Through the rubbing process, the liquid crystal molecules are aligned at a predetermined pretilt angle on a surface of the alignment film.
A conventional polyimide resin for an LC alignment film is produced by polycondensating monomers which are exemplified by aromatic acid dianhydride, such as pyromellitic dianhydride (PMDA) or biphthalic dianhydride (BPDA), and aromatic diamine, such as p-phenylene diamine (p-PDA), m-phenylene diamine (m-PDA), 4,4-methylene dianiline (MDA), 2,2-bis(aminophenyl)hexafluoropropane (HFDA), m-bis(aminophenoxy)diphenylsulfone (m-BAPS), p-bis(aminophenoxy)diphenylsulfone (p-BAPS), 4,4-bis(aminophenoxy)phenylpropane (BAPP), or 4,4-bis(aminophenoxy)phenylhexafluoropropane (HF-BAPP).
However, if only aromatic acid dianhydride and diamine are used as described above, thermal stability, resistance to chemicals, and mechanical properties are excellent, but, disadvantageously, transparency and solubility are reduced due to a charge transfer complex, and electrooptical characteristics are worsened. Effort has been made to avoid the disadvantages using an aliphatic cyclic acid dianhydride monomer or aliphatic cyclic diamine (Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 11-84391). Additionally, the use of a functional diamine having side chains or functional acid dianhydride having side chains has been introduced to increase the pretilt angle of liquid crystals and achieve stability (Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 06-136122). Furthermore, effort has been made to develop a vertical alignment film capable of being used in a vertically aligned mode (VA mode) in which liquid crystals are aligned perpendicular to a surface in the course of forming an LCD panel (U.S. Pat. No. 5,420,233).
However, the demand for high quality displays continuously grows in accordance with the recent growth of the LCD market, and the demand for an alignment film having high productivity grows as the trend toward a large area is rapidly increasing in the fabrication of the LCD. Hence, there is increased need to develop a high performance LC alignment film which has low defective fractions, excellent electrooptical properties, and high reliability, and is capable of meeting various requirements of the LCD in a process of fabricating the LCD.

Composition for LC alignment film using diamine having dendron side chain


In a manufacturing method of a resin for developing agent, a first polymerization agent is added in an aqueous medium; a radical polymerizable monomer is polymerized in the presence of a chain transfer agent to form a low molecular substance resin particle; after consuming the chain transfer agent, a second polymerization initiator is added in the aqueous medium; and the remaining monomer is polymerized to form a high molecular substance resin particle, thereby improving fixability of the developing agent.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a manufacturing method of a resin for developing agent which is used in image forming devices, for example, copiers and printers.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, in an image forming device, an electrical latent image is first formed on an electrostatic latent image carrier such as a photoreceptor. This latent image is developed with a toner. The developed toner image is transferred onto a transfer material such as paper. Then, an image is formed through fixation by heating or pressurization. A toner particle which is used for the image formation is mixed with a carrier particle and used as a two-component system developing agent. Alternatively, a magnetic toner particle or a non-magnetic toner particle is used as a single-component system developing agent in a single body.
In general, a toner particle is constructed of materials including a resin which becomes a binder, a coloring agent, a mold releasing agent such as waxes, and a charge inhibitor. In recent years, an emulsion polymerization coagulation method is employed as a formation method of toner particle.
The emulsion polymerization coagulation method is to form a toner particle by the following process. First of all, a dispersion of a resin as formed by emulsion polymerization is prepared, whereas a coloring agent dispersion having a coloring agent dispersed in a solvent is prepared. In addition, a dispersion of a wax is prepared, if desired. Then, by mixing the resin dispersion and the coloring agent dispersion and optionally the dispersion of a wax, a coagulated particle corresponding to the toner particle diameter is formed. Then, for example, by fusing the coagulated particle by heating, a fused particle is obtained, followed by washing, filtration and drying to form a toner particle.
According to this emulsion polymerization coagulation method, by selecting conditions such as heating temperature, it becomes possible to control the shape or surface composition of the toner particle in a prescribed form of, for example, from an amorphous form to a spherical form. By stably controlling the particle shape of the toner in a prescribed particle size, it is possible to suppress a lowering of developability and deterioration of image quality. Furthermore, by controlling the surface composition of the toner particle such that the wax is not exposed on the surface of the toner particle, it is possible to suppress contamination due to separation of the wax. In addition, by controlling the surface composition of the toner particle such that the coloring agent is not exposed on the surface of the toner particle, it is possible to suppress defective electrification. Accordingly, improvements in image quality and reliability can be expected.
In the thus formed toner particle, an improvement in fixability to a transfer material is required. Due to the improvement in fixability, it becomes possible to achieve more improvements in image quality and reliability. For improving the fixability, it is required to fix the toner particle to a transfer material with low energy and to suppress the generation of an offset phenomenon at high temperatures. In general, in the resin which becomes a binder in the toner particle, one having a low molecular weight is softened at low temperature so that it can be fixed to a transfer material with low energy. However, due to a lowering of viscoelasticity at high temperatures, an offset phenomenon is generated. On the other hand, one having a high molecular weight suppresses a lowering of viscoelasticity at high temperatures. However, its softening temperature is high so that high energy is required for fixation to a transfer material. In this way, a characteristic to control the fixability varies depending upon the molecular weight of the resin. Accordingly, in order to improve the fixability, it is necessary to control the molecular weight distribution of the resin in forming a toner particle.
Usually, in order to control the molecular weight distribution, the molecular weight must be adjusted in a stage of polymerizing a resin from a monomer. Then, for example, as described in JP-A-2003-231707, there is proposed a measure in which a chain transfer agent is added at a point of time when a degree of polymerization is from 10 to 80%, thereby forming a resin particle for toner. However, a measure capable of more easily controlling the molecular weight of a resin particle is required.

Manufacturing method of resin for developing agent


An insulated drainage panel for use in cavity wall or veneer wall construction. The insulated panel includes a generally planar insulating board; and a porous structure disposed on one side of the board.

Walls systems having a masonry exterior are typically constructed of at least one vertical layer of masonry and at least a second vertical layer of a material forming a back-up system. The back-up system may be constructed of lumber or of a concrete masonry unit. The brick and back-up system are typically bonded together by horizontal metallic ties spaced 16 inches in a vertical plane. A space is often provided in such wall systems (e.g., cavity wall systems) between the brick and back-up system for moisture drainage. Insulation may also be placed in the space to improve the energy efficiency of masonry buildings.
Masonry offers great durability and appeal. Masonry walls, however, tend to be permeable, allowing water to pass through the wall under certain conditions, such as storms associated with high winds. To solve the water leakage problem, recent construction trends have been towards a masonry wall system where the brick is intentionally separated from the back-up by a small vertical space of from 1-4 inches. When insulation is placed in the space, an effort is made to maintain at least one inch of space between the brick and insulation for drainage.
Masonry walls constructed with a back-up system and intervening drainage space are relatively effective and durable when guidelines are followed and drainage space is maintained. Problems often arise in construction, however, in maintaining an unobstructed space between the brick and associated back-up system. During construction, mortar often falls into the sometimes narrowed drainage space between the brick and back-up or between the brick and insulation, blocking the flow of water out of the wall interior.
In masonry construction using brick exteriors, it is critical to provide proper drainage in the form of a clear cavity within the wall system to prevent water related problems. A proper drainage path allows penetrating water to flow unobstructed to areas of the wall which facilitate drainage back to the exterior.
Normally the 1 to 2 inch air space provided between the brick and back-up system is adequate to provide drainage. However, in addition to mortar entering the air space during the process of brick laying, mortar extruded during the brick-laying process from the outer brick wythe also accumulates in the air space creating blockages, either falling into the air space or simply extending into and blocking the air space. Environmental debris may also fall, or blow, into the air space. Obstructions from these or other sources, either singly or together, may operate to substantially block the flow of water out of portions of the air space.
When blockage of water occurs, freezing of accumulated water inside the wall may cause damage to the wall system. In masonry construction using brick exteriors, for example, it is especially important to avoid water saturation which upon freezing and thawing may lead to cracking, crazing, spalling and disintegration of masonry structures. Furthermore, penetrating water can cause efflorescence to appear on exterior surfaces or water can be transferred to the interior of the building causing: metal supports to corrode, insulation to lose its effectiveness, interior finishes to deteriorate. Because of the importance of masonry structures in general, a need exists for a better method of ensuring water drainage from within brick walls.

Masonry insulated board with integral drainage


A prosthetic heart valve (1) for implantation at the mitral annulus of a heart, the prosthetic heart valve comprising: a support framework (10) reversibly transformable between a collapsed configuration and an expanded configuration; and one or more leaflets connected to the framework; wherein, in the expanded configuration: the support framework defines a fluid pathway through the prosthetic heart valve, the fluid pathway having a portion with a D-shaped cross section for engaging the mitral annulus; and the one or more leaflets allow fluid to pass through the fluid pathway in a first direction but prevent fluid from flowing in the opposite direction.

The mitral valve connects the left atrium and the left ventricle. In a healthy heart, during diastole when the left atrium fills with blood, the resulting increase in pressure will cause the mitral valve to open. This opening action provides a passageway for blood between the left atrium into the left ventricle. Atrial contraction results in the flow of blood through this passageway but at the end of the contraction the mitral valve closes, preventing blood from flowing back from the left ventricle to the left atrium.
Mitral regurgitation (MR) is one of the most common forms of heart valve disorder, occurring when blood leaks from the left ventricle into the left atrium.
This results from the failure of apposition of the mitral valve leaflets, due to degenerative or functional causes.
In recent years there has been a growing need for less invasive therapeutic approaches to valve replacement which has in turn led to the development of a number of reconstructive percutaneous treatments for MR. However; these procedures mainly contribute to alleviate the symptoms and are only suitable for very specific forms of mitral valve disease and anatomic subsets. The possibility to perform a complete percutaneous mitral valve replacement still represents an unmet need.
Transcatheter valve replacement has already been successfully applied to the treatment of pulmonary and aortic valves. However, despite the relevance of the described clinical need, the application of this approach to the mitral valve has been attempted only recently, and is still in its infancy. The overwhelming majority of prosthetic mitral valves are very closely based on aortic prosthetic valves. This invention aims to address the technical challenges associated with the geometry of the anatomical site at the mitral valve, and the more critical loading conditions specific to the mitral valve location.
Contrary to standard (open heart surgery) valves that are sutured onto the aortic annulus after dissection of the native leaflets, transcatheter valves are expanded into the diseased valve leaflets. This may result in gaps between the prosthesis and the surrounding native tissues, which would give rise to paravalvular leakage (PVL). The risk of PVL is thought to be even more prominent in the mitral position (as compared to the aortic position) due to the higher transvalvular pressure difference that exists either side of the mitral valve.


A symmetric type image filter processing apparatus having a symmetric type image filter composed of symmetric kernel coefficients, in which SIMD commands are utilized efficiently for making the filtering processes high speed, is provided. The symmetric type image filter processing apparatus provides a row-wise intermediate data generating section, a row-wise intermediate data utilizing section, and a memory. The row-wise intermediate data generating section multiplies each kernel coefficient of M pieces in each column of {(N+1)/2} columns at the right or left column by each pixel of M pieces in the column direction of image data having P pixels in one row, and cumulatively adds the multiplied results, by using SIMD commands that can process sequential data of Q pieces. This multiplication and addition operation is executed P/Q times, and intermediate data in one row of the image data are generated and stored in an intermediate data storing region in the memory. The row-wise intermediate data utilizing section reads out the intermediate data storing in the intermediate data storing region of the memory. And operation result pixels are calculated by cumulatively adding the intermediate data.

The present invention relates to a symmetric type image filter processing apparatus and a program and a method for filtering processes for image data in the apparatus, at a computer that provides a command set called single instruction stream, multiple data stream (SIMD) commands for making multi media processes high speed.

Symmetric type image filter processing apparatus and program and method therefor


Method and apparatus are disclosed for attack tolerant implementations of public key digital signatures based on a cloud of dedicated local devices. A system includes a first security device, a second security device, and a computing device remote from the first and second security devices. The first security device stores a first private key and, in response to receiving a message, generates a first signature based on a message received from the computing device and the first private key. The second security device stores a second private key that is independent from the first private key and, in response to receiving a message, generates a second signature based on a message received from the computing device and the first private key. The computing device generates a composite cryptographic signature based on the first signature and the second signature.

Increasingly, documents are being signed digitally. Digital signatures employ systems that (a) authenticates a person signing the document is who they say they are when they sign and (b) validates that a signed document is authentic. In this manner, a person who is relying on the document can be certain that the document is authentic and the person who signed the document cannot deny that they signed it. These digital signature systems often use asymmetric cryptography which rely on a secret private key and a non-secret public key associated with an individual. To forge a signature, a malicious actor needs to obtain the secret key or spend the computational cost (if possible) of breaking the signature scheme (i.e. signing a message without having the private key). Attack tolerance to a digital signature system can be classified into mathematical tolerance (e.g., the ability to forge a digital signature by breaking the signature mathematically) or physical tolerance (e.g., tampering with a physical device to forge a signature). Generally, it is harder to improve physical tolerance.

Digital signature system based on a cloud of dedicated local devices


This invention illustrates a method is provided for analyzing cross-coupling between an attacker signal line, upon which an attacker signal resides, and a victim signal line, upon which a victim signal resides. The method in this invention comprises the acts of selecting the victim signal, selecting the attacker signal, performing timing filtering upon a number of signal lines in order to identify a set of potential attacker signals, performing logic filtering upon a number of signal lines to identify a second set of potential attacker signals, and reducing the effects of the cross-coupling between the attacker signal line and the victim signal line.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to analyzing and eliminating the effects of signal to signal cross-coupling, and more particularly, to performing timing filtering and logic filtering to efficiently analyze and eliminate the effects of signal to signal cross-coupling.
2. Description of the Related Art
In electronic circuit applications, such as sub-micron and PC-board circuits, signal to signal cross-talk is a problem that is very difficult to control and overcome. Often, a capacitance develops between two or more signals, called cross-capacitance. Due to cross-capacitance, transitions in one signal can influence the behavior of other signals. A signal whose behavior is influenced by the signal transitions of another signal, is called the victim signal. A signal that influences another signal by means of cross-talk is called the attacker signal. During different periods of the circuit operation, an individual signal can be a victim signal at one point in time and an attacker signal at another point in time.
Attacker signals can cause victim signals to make: inadvertent transitions; transitions too early; or transitions too late. Any of these situations can cause serious errors in electronic circuits. One of the most serious problems faced by designers occurs when an attacker signal causes the victim signal to transition too early or too late. These problems are known as dynamic delay variations.
Dynamic delay variations can occur when the attacker signal switches in the same direction as that of the victim signal. This can cause the driver to switch the victim signal too early because the victim signal is already being switched, at least partially, by the attacker signal. Similarly, when the attacker signal switches in the opposite direction, the driver could switch the victim signal too late because it has to remove additional charge that was placed there by the attacker signal. These slow-down and speed-up dynamic delay variations can cause serious errors in the performance of the electronic circuit.
To date, the primary method of addressing cross talk problems has been primarily a trial and error approach. Currently, there are no automated methods to address the dynamic delay variation problems that are caused by cross-coupling signals. Generally, designers are reduced to predicting where cross-coupling may occur or only addressing the signals that are actually known to have cross-coupling tendencies, such as signal busses, which are generally known to have high coupling capacitance between adjacent bits, and very similar timing patterns. The process of identifying and addressing the problems of cross-coupling induced dynamic delay variations with today's methods are, at best, guesswork, and they are inefficient.
The present invention is directed to overcoming, or at least reducing the effects of, one or more of the problems set forth above.

Method for analyzing and efficiently eliminating timing problems induced by cross-coupling between signals


The invention relates to a workpiece positioner and assembly therefore which optimizes workpiece rotation for manufacturing processes, and specifically for use with an industrial robot. In general, the workpiece positioner assembly is supported on a base. The workpiece positioner assembly is rectangular in shape and includes drive arms and idler arms between which workpieces are supported. Due to the unique shape of the workpiece positioner assembly, the workpiece-to-workpiece rotational clearance can be reduced to zero due in part to the position of cross tubing from the drive end of the workpiece positioner assembly to the idler end of the workpiece positioner assembly. The cross tubing does not interfere with the workpiece rotational area thereby allowing workpiece size and orientation to be increased without affecting positioner swing or operation height.

This invention relates to a device for moving workpieces to predetermined positions with respect to an industrial robot for automated manufacturing operations.
This invention specifically improves upon the traditional positioner design currently employed by those in the prior art. A typical workpiece positioner includes an H-shaped frame structure having a plurality of fixture supports. These devices are generally known as "exchange-axis positioners", "three-axis tables" or "Ferris-wheel positioners". The Ferris-wheel positioner and the three-axis table are the two most typical styles currently used.
As shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,074,741 and 4,666,363, issued to Johansson, the traditional Ferris-wheel table operates about three axes. The workpieces are supported between the legs of the H-shaped frame structure and can be rotated around two independent horizontal axes. The H-shaped frame structure itself rotates about a similar horizontal axis. The three-axis table also rotates the workpieces about horizontal axes, and rotates the H-shaped frame structure about a vertical axis generally perpendicular to the plane of the H-shaped structure.
Several problems with these traditional types of positioners occur when workpieces sizes approach the maximum work envelope of most industrial robots. For example, in the Ferris-wheel positioner, floor clearance determines the maximum size of the workpiece that can be turned. As the workpiece gets larger, more floor clearance is required to allow the bigger piece to turn about the horizontal axis which runs axially along the H-shaped frame structure. As floor clearance gets larger, the center line of rotation, or third axis (exchange axis), gets higher and, resultantly, puts the station load height, or robot operation height, or both, inconveniently high.
In the three-axis table positioners, robot clearance is required to allow the positioner to turn about its vertical axis. As the workpiece gets larger, more robot clearance and distance from the table is required to allow the bigger piece to turn. As robot clearance increases, the proximity of the robot to the ultimate position of the workpiece is compromised. This imposes the additional requirement that the robot must either be moved during the turning of the positioner or forego optimum reach on the workpiece.
In both positioner styles, the speed of the axis exchange must always be compromised as part sizes and weights go up. This is because of the extreme distance of each workpiece axis from the center line of exchange axis or rotation.


The present invention relates to pyrimidine compounds that are useful as anti-proliferative agents. More particularly, the present invention relates to oxygen linked and substituted pyrimidine compounds, methods for their preparation, pharmaceutical compositions containing these compounds and uses of these compounds in the treatment of proliferative disorders. These compounds may be useful as medicaments for the treatment of a number of proliferative disorders including tumors and cancers as well as other disorders or conditions related to or associated with kinases.

Proliferative disorders such as cancer are characterised by the uncontrolled growth of cells within the body. As such proliferative disorders generally involve an abnormality in the control of cell growth and/or division leading to the formation of tumour and ultimately death. Without wishing to be bound by theory it is thought that this is caused by the pathways that regulate cell growth and division being altered in cancer cells. The alteration is such that the effects of these normal regulatory mechanisms in controlling cell growth and division either fails or is bypassed.
The uncontrolled cell growth and/or division ultimately proves fatal for the patient as successive rounds of mutations on the part of the cell then typically lead to the cancer cells having a selective advantage over normal healthy cells in the body of the patient leading to the cancer cells predominating in the cell mass of the patient. The cancer cells then typically metastasize to colonize other tissues or parts of the body other than the part of origin of the cancer cell leading to secondary tumours which eventually lead to organ failure and the death of the patient. It is the difficulty in controlling the rapid cell growth and division that is characteristic of cancer cells that make it hard to come up with effective chemotherapeutic strategies.
A number of traditional treatments for proliferative disorders such as cancer seek to take advantage of their higher proliferative capacity and thus their higher sensitivity to DNA damage. Treatments that have been utilised include ionizing radiation (γ-rays, X-rays and the like) as well as cytotoxic agents such as bleomycin, cis-platin, vinblastine, cyclophosphamide, 5′-fluorouracil and methotrexate. These treatments all rely on causing damage to DNA and destabilisation of the chromosomal structure eventually leading to death of the cancer cells.
The problem with many of these approaches is that they are non-selective for cancer cells and healthy cells can and often will be adversely affected by the treatment. This is hardly surprising given that the cellular mechanisms targeted by these strategies occur in healthy cells as well as in cancer cells (although typically at slower rates) and merely serves to highlight the difficulty in achieving successful treatment of the cancer in the patient without causing irreparable harm to the healthy cells. As such with many of these treatments there can be devastating side effects which can not only significantly reduce the short term quality of life of the patient but may also have long term detriments on the health of the patient should they survive the cancer attack.
Whilst some of the above problems have substantially been overcome by the development of selective anti-cancer agents (such as tamoxifen) the effectiveness of all chemotherapeutic agents is subject to the development of drug resistance by the cancer cells in the patient. The development of drug resistance in the cancer cells of a patient tends to be class specific and therefore if the cancer cells of a patient develop drug resistance to a class of anti-cancer drugs then all compounds within that class are typically rendered ineffective in the further treatment of that patient. As such in improving clinical outcomes for patients the identification of alternative chemotherapeutic agents is essential in providing the oncologist with an arsenal of drugs that may be used in any given situation.
The development of different classes of therapeutic agents is therefore important as it can help avoid the development of drug resistance and can also be used in combination therapies. Such combination therapies typically involve the use of anti-cancer drugs with different properties and cellular targets which in turn tends to increase the overall effectiveness of any chosen chemotherapy regime and limits the possibility of drug resistance developing in the patient.
One of the major advances in cancer research has been the clinical validation of molecularly targeted drugs that inhibit the activity of protein kinases. Small-molecule kinase inhibitors that are now approved for oncology indications include imatinib, gefitinib, erlotinib, sorafenib, sunitinib and dasatinib [Baselga J., Science, 2006, 312, 1175-1178]. A number of kinases such as JAK2, FLT3 and CDK2 are promising kinase targets for pharmacological intervention in solid tumours, hematological malignancies, myeloproliferative disorders and non-malignant proliferative disorders like keloids.
The Janus kinases (JAK) are a family of cytoplasmic tyrosine kinases consisting of JAK1, JAK2, JAK3 and Tyk2. They play a pivotal role in the signaling pathways of numerous cytokines, hormones and growth factors [Rawlings J S et al, J. Cell Sci., 2004, 117, 1281-1283]. Their intracellular substrates include the family of proteins called Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription (STAT). The JAK-STAT pathways, through the proper actions of the ligands, regulate important physiological processes such as immune response to viruses, erythropoiesis, lactation, lipid homeostasis, etc. However, dysfunctional signaling caused by a myriad of factors result in pathophysiological conditions such as allergies, asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, severe combined immune deficiency, hematological malignancies, etc. In particular, mutations in JAK2 have been associated with myeloproliferative disorders (including polycythemia vera, essential thrombocythemia and idiopathic myelofibrosis) and a wide range of leukemias and lymphomas [Percy M J et al, Hematol. Oncol., 2005, 23, 91-93]. Importantly, the myeloproliferative disorders belong to an area of unmet medical need where some treatment modalities have not been updated over the past few decades [Schafer A I, Blood, 2006, 107, 4214-4222].
The myeloproliferative disorders (MPDs) belong to a group of hematological malignancies arising from clonal expansion of mutated progenitor stem cells in the bone marrow. The association of one MPD, chronic myeloid leukemia, with the Philadelphia chromosome has been well documented. The Philadelphia negative MPDs include Essential Thrombocythemia (ET), Polycythemia Vera (PV) and Chronic Idiopathic Myelofibrosis (MF). No effective treatment is currently available. The recent discovery that a single acquired somatic mutation in JAK2 appears responsible for many of the features of these MPDs promises to impact the diagnosis and treatment of patients with these disorders and to spur additional research into the origins of dysregulated cell growth and function. Until recently, most MPDs have been considered to be rare or orphan diseases but studies underway suggest a much higher prevalence.
Essential Thrombocythemia is a chronic MPD characterized by an increased number of circulating platelets, profound marrow megakaryocyte hyperplasia, splenomegaly and a clinical course punctuated by hemorrhagic or thrombotic episodes or both. Current treatment options include low dose aspirin, or platelet lowering agents such as anagrelide, interferon or hydroxyurea. These treatments have severe side effects that compromise the quality of life of patients.
Polycythemia Vera is a chronic progressive MPD characterized by an elevated hematocrit, an increase in the red cell mass, and usually by an elevated leukocyte count, an elevated platelet count and an enlarged spleen. The most common cause of morbidity and mortality is the predisposition of PV patients to develop life threatening arterial and venous thromboses. Treatment options include: phlebotomy with low dose aspirin or myelosuppressive therapy options such as hydroxyurea, interferon or anagrelide. Again, these treatments are not ideal due to severe side effects.
Chronic Idiopathic Myelofibrosis (MF) is a chronic malignant hematological disorder characterized by an enlarged spleen, varying degrees of anemia and low platelet counts, red cells in the peripheral blood that resemble tear drops, the appearance of small numbers of immature nucleated red cells and white cells in the blood, varying degrees of fibrosis of the marrow cavity (myelofibrosis) and the presence of marrow cells outside the marrow cavity (extramedullary hematopoiesis or myeloid metaplasia). Current treatment is directed at alleviation of constitutional symptoms, anemia and symptomatic splenomegaly. Treatment options include hydroxyurea, interferon, thalidomide with prednisone, and allogeneic stem cell transplant. MF has the worst prognosis among the Philadelphia negative MPD and represents an area of greatest unmet medical need.
In addition, due to its role in the angiotensin II signaling pathway, JAK2 is also implicated in the etiology of cardiovascular diseases like congestive heart failure and pulmonary hypertension [Berk B C et al, Circ. Res, 1997, 80, 607-616]. Furthermore, a putative role for JAK2 has been demonstrated in keloid pathogenesis and may constitute a new approach for keloid management [Lim C P et al, Oncogene, 2006, 25, 5416-5425]. Yet another potential application for JAK2 inhibitors lies in the treatment of retinal diseases as JAK2 inhibition was found to offer protective effects on photoreceptors in a mouse model of retinal degeneration [Samardzija M et al, FASEB J., 2006, 10, 1096].
A family of Class III receptor tyrosine kinases (RTK), including c-Fms, c-Kit, fms-like receptor tyrosine kinase 3 (FLT3), and platelet-derived growth factor receptors (PDGFRα and β), play an important role in the maintenance, growth and development of hematopoietic and non-hematopoietic cells. Overexpression and activating mutations of these RTKs are known to be involved in the pathophysiology of diverse human cancers from both solid and hematological origins [Hannah A L, Curr. Mol. Med., 2005, 5, 625-642]. FLT3 mutations were first reported as internal tandem duplication (FLT3/ITD) of the juxtamembrane domain-coding sequence; subsequently, point mutations, deletions, and insertions surrounding the D835 coding sequence have been found [Parcells B W et al, Stem Cells, 2006, 24, 1174-1184]. FLT3 mutations are the most frequent genetic alterations reported in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and are involved in the signaling pathway of autonomous proliferation and differentiation block in leukemia cells [Tickenbrock L et al, Expert Opin. Emerging Drugs, 2006, 11, 1-13]. Several clinical studies have confirmed that FLT3/ITD is strongly associated with a poor prognosis. Because high-dose chemotherapy and stem cell transplantation cannot overcome the adverse effects of FLT3 mutations, the development of FLT3 kinase inhibitors could produce a more efficacious therapeutic strategy for leukemia therapy.
Cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) are serine-threonine kinases that play important roles in cell cycle control (CDK1, 2, 4 and 6), transcription initiation (CDK7 and 9), and neuronal function (CDK5) [Knockaert M et al, Trends Pharmacol. Sci., 2002, 23, 417-425]. Aberrations in the cell cycle CDKs and their cyclin partners have been observed in various tumour types, including those of the breast, colon, liver and brain [Shapiro G I, J. Clin. Oncol., 2006, 24, 1770-1783]. It is believed that the pharmacological inhibition of CDK1, 2, 4, 6 and/or 9 may provide a new therapeutic option for diverse cancer patients. In particular, the simultaneous inhibition of CDK1, 2 and 9 has recently been shown to result in enhanced apoptotic killing of lung cancer (H1299) and osteosarcoma cells (U2OS), compared with inhibition of single CDK alone [Cai D et al, Cancer Res, 2006, 66, 9270-9280].
Accordingly, compounds that are kinase inhibitors have the potential to meet the need to provide further biologically active compounds that would be expected to have useful, improved pharmaceutical properties in the treatment of kinase related conditions or disorders such as cancer and other proliferative disorders.


Systems and methods of the present disclosure generally relate to a detection of interface mixing between downhole materials within a wellbore. A system comprises a sensor configured to detect volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The sensor is in fluid communication with a downhole material recovered from a wellbore, wherein the sensor is fluidly coupled to a circulatory system for the wellbore. The system also includes a system controller in communication with the sensor. The system controller is configured to indicate concentrations of the VOCs.

During a wellbore cleanup operation, a fluid such as a spacer fluid, may be circulated from the surface, into the wellbore, and back up to the surface to clear the wellbore of fluid and debris that may interfere with downhole operations such as cementing or drilling, for example. Determining content of the fluid and debris recovered from the wellbore, may be useful for managing an effective wellbore cleanup operation.

Systems and methods to detect and quantify contaminants and components of a wellbore servicing fluid


A system and method are presented for measurement on an article. The system comprises an illuminator for producing light of at least one predetermined wavelength range; an optical system; a displacement arrangement; and a control system. The optical system is configured to define at least a measurement channel, and comprises a light directing assembly for directing an input light beam, propagating along an input light path from the illuminator, onto the article and directing a light beam returned from the illuminated region of the article to at least one light detector. The displacement arrangement is associated with at least the light directing assembly of the optical system, and is configured and operable by the control system to rotate said at least light directing assembly of the optical system with respect to a stage supporting the article about a rotational axis substantially normal to the stage.

Ellipsometry is a well-known measurement technique for measuring polarization changes in a light beam caused by interaction with an article (i.e., reflection from or transmission through the article). Due to high accuracy of ellipsometric measurements and due to high sensitivity of ellipsometric parameters to thin films (articles), these measurements are widely used in different fields, including biological and medical applications, as well as electro-chemistry and microelectronics. Ellipsometry has been used in the semiconductor industry to measure thickness of very thin films, such as silicon dioxide films, silicon nitride and the like, and thus to control critical processes of semiconductor manufacturing like thermal oxidation, chemical-vapor deposition, etc.
Spectrophotometric measurements (also termed reflectometry, spectrometry, scatterometry) are also widely used techniques for measuring thickness and optical properties of thin films and patterns in semiconductor manufacturing. Usually, spectrophotometry is applied for measuring of thicker films than ellipsometry, but spectrophotometry has substantial advantages in many aspects like a spot size, throughput, cost, etc.
Different types of spectrophotometers and ellipsometers are known in the art and disclosed for example in "Ellipsometry and Polarized Light", R. M. Azzam et al., 1986. Ellipsometric and spectrophotometer systems typically include a stationary optical head and an appropriate support assembly, for example having two-coordinate stage for holding and locating an article under measurement relative to a light spot.
The reflectometry and ellipsometry systems can be implemented to operate in both normal and oblique incidence of a light beam onto the article plane. The incidence plane (IP) is defined in space as a plane perpendicular to the article plane and including an incident light beam and a returned (e.g., reflected) beam. In case of optically isotropic articles, measurements are independent of the IP orientation relative to the article. In case of optically anisotropic articles, e.g. gratings, relative orientation of the IP and the article's features should be well defined in order to ensure correct measurement conditions.
Semiconductor wafers are typically in the form of an array of identical patterned regions (termed "die") arranged on a substrate. In case of a semiconductor wafer, if a measurement site within or near a die is a grating (line array) oriented along X- or Y-axis and a wafer is oriented on an X-Y-stage at a required angle relative to the IP, all such sites along the wafer surface are oriented at the same angle so measuring different sites by moving the stage from one location to another is carried out under the same conditions.
Recently, polar stages for wafer movement have been used in some optical systems mainly for reaching a small system footprint, allowing using them in integrated metrology (i.e., installing them into a limited space of processing equipment). In order to measure different sites on a wafer, the polar stage should move the wafer by both translation (R-coordinate) and rotation (Theta-coordinate). In this case, each measurement site will be oriented differently relative to the IP of the optical head of an oblique angle reflectometer or ellipsometer, thus not allowing the same measurement condition for anisotropic sites. For this reason, polar stages are typically used only with normal incidence measurement devices, while oblique incidence devices like ellipsometers utilize only X-Y-stages.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,859,279 discloses a method of measuring a small area on a substrate with an ellipsometer. According to this technique, a substrate is oriented with respect to the ellipsometer such that an elliptical light spot produced by the ellipsometer fits diagonally within the test area. Then, the surface properties of the substrate within the test area are measured with the ellipsometer.


The present invention discloses a sensing circuit, a processing method of the sensing circuit and a curved surface profile measuring method. Conductors of the sensing circuit are arranged in flexible protection bodies in a braiding manner, and the conductors and the flexible protection bodies are at a compressed state. Therefore, the sensing circuit of the present invention has better flexibility and tensile property, can be attached to a surface of equipment, can be used for sensing multiple situations of the equipment, such as slight touch and collision of a large displacement, and can also be applied to precise measurement of a size of a curved surface profile.

With the constraint of materials, an existing capacitive screen is unable to perform induction in some special occasions. For example, with respect to a smart wristwatch which changes to a straight strip state from a bent state, the anti-bending ability of a conducting material of the wristband is finite, thus leading that the wristband is not durable. The existing capacitive screen is composed of a deformable material per se, but the force of deformation and the displacement caused by deformation cannot be detected; and the material is likely to be excessively damaged due to deformation, and is thus short in life.
In addition, a processing technology of the existing sensing circuit is complicated in procedure owing to the adoption of manners, such as sputtering and coating, and relatively high in processing requirement and processing cost; and generally, the processed sensing circuit is not flexibly tensile, thereby having poorer tensile property and thus limiting an application scope thereof to a certain degree.
In addition, the measurement of the size, shape, and the like of a curved surface are accomplished mainly depending on a three-coordinates measuring machine at present. It is well-known that the existing three-coordinates measuring machine is more complicated in structure and higher in production cost, and because a calculation process thereof is realized mainly depending on software tools, there is also a great space for improvement in measuring speed and efficiency. Therefore, it is necessary to research a novel curved surface profile measuring method, for a purpose of solving the problems, such as complicated structure, high cost and low measuring speed existing in the prior art.

Sensing circuit, processing method of sensing circuit and curved surface profile measuring method thereof

SUZHOU JILVDA INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.


An electrical connection device and a chip module connection device are disclosed. The electrical connection device includes: an insulating body, provided with multiple accommodating holes; multiple terminals, correspondingly accommodated in the accommodating holes; and multiple solder balls. Each accommodating hole is provided with a stopping portion. Each terminal has two arm portions and a stopping block located lower than the two arm portions, and the stopping block is formed by tearing downward from the accommodating groove. An accommodating groove is formed between the two arm portions and is located higher than the stopping block. The stopping portion is located on an upward moving path of the stopping block. A gap is formed between the stopping block and the stopping portion. The solder balls are correspondingly accommodated in the accommodating grooves of the terminals.

The background description provided herein is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the disclosure. Work of the presently named inventors, to the extent it is described in this background section, as well as aspects of the description that may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly nor impliedly admitted as prior art against the present disclosure.
A conventional electrical connector includes an insulating body, multiple terminals and multiple solder balls. The insulating body is provided with multiple accommodating holes respectively correspondingly accommodating the terminals. Each terminal is provided with multiple clamping portions for clamping a corresponding solder ball, and further provided with a stopping portion for stopping the corresponding solder ball in a direction in which the corresponding solder ball is loaded into the corresponding accommodating hole to limit the depth of the corresponding solder ball being loaded into the corresponding accommodating hole. Multiple barbs are provided at two opposite sides of each terminal to form an interference fit with the insulating body to fix the terminal. However, since the barb form an interference fit with the insulating body, the insulating body is squeezed to exert a force on the insulating body, and the insulating body is prone to warpage and deformation when soldering. Meanwhile, the formation of the barbs increases the complexity of the terminals during the forming process.
Therefore, a heretofore unaddressed need to design an improved electrical connection device and a chip module connection device exists in the art to address the aforementioned deficiencies and inadequacies.

Electrical connection device and chip module connection device


A tool for assisting people in opening pull tab actuated cans of two types. The tool is provided with structural features for engaging a pull tab ring to facilitate pivotal movement of a pull tab. The tool is also provided with structural features including a hook for engaging a pull tab ring of a pull tab to facilitate substantially linear movement of the pull tab for removing tear-away lids of cans so equipped.

1. Field of the Invention:
The present invention relates to a tool for facilitating the opening of pull tab cans. More particularly, the present invention relates to a tool which is operable to assist a user in both pivotally rotating pull tabs and linearly pulling pull tabs.
2. Description of the Prior Art:
Pull tabs, as openers on cans housing a variety of products, have been in public use for a number of years. As shown in FIG. 10, a pull tab normally includes a ring 2 which has an opening 4 formed therein to receive a finger of a user therethrough. The ring 2 is attached to a can lid portion 6 by a rivet 8 or the like. Generally speaking, there are two common types of cans with pull tab actuators.
The first type of pull tab actuated can provides a limited size opening in the can lid for drinking or pouring out the liquid contents of the can. This "small opening" can is opened by pivotally rotating the pull tab to break a seal around the small opening and to force a tear-away portion of the lid downwardly into the can, the tear-away portion of the lid remaining attached, at one thereof, to the remainder of the can lid.
The second type of pull tab actuated can which is commonly available today is a "tear-away lid" type in which the entire upper surface or lid of the can is removable in a two-step process. When removing the lid from this second type of can, the pull tab is first pivotally rotated to break a seal at the edge of the lid, in a manner similar to that used to open the small opening type of can. Then, once the seal has been broken, the user pulls substantially linearly on the pull tab to tear the lid away from the can along a scored groove provided around the outer edge of the lid. In removing the lid from this type of can, it is worth noting that the edge of the tear-away lid may be razor sharp, and may pose some safety hazard unless it is carefully handled and disposed of. Some examples of products which are sold in the "tear-away lid" type of can include cat food, individually packaged pudding servings and fruit cups, vienna sausages, and other products which generally share the characteristic of not being 100% liquid, i.e., these products all include some non-liquid ingredients which necessitates complete removal of the can lid in order to access the contents of the can.
While pull tab actuated cans are convenient and do not require the use of an extraneous can opener, people with limited strength or with limited manual dexterity, or people who wish to protect their nails from potential breakage, would benefit from the provision of a tool that could facilitate the opening of pull-tab actuated cans, particularly if such a tool would assist a user in opening the tear-away lid type of can as well as the small opening type of can. In addition, because of the extreme sharpness of the tear-away lids, as noted above, it would be advantageous to have a tool for opening the tear-away lid cans which would keep the hand of a user as far from the sharp edge of the lid as possible. Ideally, such a tool would assist a user both in pivotally rotating pull tabs and in linearly pulling pull tabs, because of the two types of motion involved in opening cans of the tear-away variety, as noted hereinabove.

Apparatus for facilitating opening of pull tab cans


A memory card connector has an insulative frame, a plurality of conductive terminals received in the insulative frame, an ejecting device for guiding a memory card in or out, a shell shielding the insulative frame, and an activation switch. The conductive terminals have at least two power terminals for power supply. Each power terminal has double springy connecting points and a channel between the two connecting points, whereby the two connecting points are apart from each other for engaging contacting points of the memory card firmly. The activation switch is normal-closed type and includes a switch base, a bias strip integrally stamped from an end of the switch base, and an interferential strip at another end of the switch base. The bias strip is substantially inclined upwardly and has a guiding portion, a connecting portion, and a bending portion for providing a certain resiliency.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a memory card connector, and particularly to a Push—Push Type memory card connector which has a normal-closed switch and double springy connecting points for power supply thereby insuring stable data transmission.
2. Related Art
Push—Push Type memory card connectors allow a memory card being inserted in or ejected out by pressing the memory card and are popularly used in digital cameral, mobile phone, and Personal Digital Assistant. These memory card connectors often have a small profile and short card insertion distance. Therefore it is uneasy to determine whether the memory card is positioned. In the case that the memory card does not reach a prescribed position, a user performs data transmission of the card, tending to damage the card or to transmit data unstably due to improper contact.
Moreover, the memory card connectors often contact the card in horizontal direction. Namely, conductive terminals of such a memory card connector have suspending structure and engage contacting points of the memory card inserted horizontally. Manufacture tolerance often makes improper contact between the contacting points of the memory card and the conductive terminals. Especially, once some conductive terminals for power supply do not contact the corresponding contacting points exactly, the data transmission is apt to be unstable.


A cutting insert includes a cutting edge extending obliquely relative to a center line of the insert. A chip breaking recess is spaced inwardly from the cutting edge and extends parallel hereto. A drill tool contains three inserts situated along a common diameter. The center insert has a cutting edge radially overlapping the cutting edges of the other two inserts. Each of the cutting edges of the other two inserts extends axially rearwardly and radially outwardly.

The present invention relates to a cutting insert for chipforming machining of metallic workpieces comprising at least one cutting corner and an adjacent cutting edge provided at the intersection between an upper rake face and a lower clearance face on the insert, the rake face being provided with a chip breaking recess. The invention also relates to a drilling tool equipped with such an insert.
Prior art drilling tools, including a drill shaft equipped with inserts having one or several sintered-in chip breaking grooves in the rake face are disclosed for instance in U.S. Pat. No. 4,215,957. Such drilling tools, however, cannot always provide a desirable optimum formation of the chip. It is often desirable to be able to obtain very short comma-shaped chips, thus making it possible to increase the efficiency of chip discharge. At the same time, however, a reduction of the energy needed for powering the drill has not been achievable.
It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide a novel insert and a drilling tool that enables a more favorable chip formation when drilling occurs in tough materials and materials of medium tough conditions.
It is another purpose of the invention to provide a new type of insert and a drilling tool that enables a reduction of the power energy needed for its operation.


An overhead scanner successively obtains a plurality of images by controlling an area sensor, calculates a movement pattern by image difference extraction by using the obtained images, detects a page turning movement on the basis of the movement pattern, and determines that a read operation be started when the page turning movement is detected.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an overhead scanner, an image obtaining method, and a computer-readable recording medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional overhead scanners that improve operability have been developed.
In order to provide excellent operability when reading documents and to obtain high-definition images, there is an overhead scanner that determines that a read operation is started on the basis of velocity vectors obtained by extracting feature points (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2011-254366).
Moreover, there is a scanner that, when a scanned image is formed by correcting a frame of a moving image captured by a high-speed area sensor, successively monitors a projected light pattern reflected from an object, detects a change within an area region by extracting a difference, and detects a change in an object by comparing the detection results (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2003-244531).
However, there is a problem with conventional scanners that they easily produce a false detection, i.e., the detection of a movement other than a predetermined movement, and therefore the accuracy with which a predetermined movement is correctly detected is low.
The present invention is achieved in view of the above and has an object to provide an overhead scanner, an image obtaining method, and a computer-readable recording medium capable of preventing a false detection and detecting the start of a read operation with high accuracy.

Overhead scanner, image obtaining method, and computer-readable recording medium


A scraper assembly for a split gauge wheel of a planter row unit. The scraper assembly includes a scraper blade having a finger projection configured to extend downwardly into a gap between the inner and outer wheel members of the split gauge wheel. An inner scraper flange extends laterally inward from the finger projection and is disposed in proximity to a circumferential periphery of the inner wheel member. An outer scraper flange extends laterally outward from the finger projection and is disposed in proximity to a circumferential periphery of the outer wheel member. As the gauge wheel rotates, the inner and outer scraper flanges remove soil buildup on the circumferential periphery of the respective inner and outer wheel members and the finger projection removes soil buildup in the gap between the inner and outer wheel members.

Scrapers for scraping soil buildup and debris from gauge wheels are well known, including as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,269,380; 5,884,711; 7,730,962; 8,960,322, 9,113,587 and in U.S. Patent Publication No. US2018/0103570. However, such gauge wheel scrapers are configured for use with conventional gauge wheels. If such scrapers were used with split gauge wheels, such as the type used with Precision Planting's Conceal™ system, the soil buildup and debris scraped from the wheels would fall into the space between the split gauge wheels and potentially into the open furrow or the falling soil buildup and debris may accumulate in the space between the split gauge wheels adversely affecting performance.


A tool holder is provided, including a main body, a back cover and a handle. The main body has two side faces opposite to each other. An end of the main body is a first end, and the second end of the main body is a second end. The first end is formed with a hanging portion. The back cover is pivoted to the second end, and the back cover is closable or expendable relative to the main body to make an inner surface thereof selectively cover or uncover one side face of the main body. The handle is disposed on the hanging portion, and one said side face of the main body is recessively formed with a receiving space. The handle is selectively expendable or closable to be arranged in the receiving space.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a tool holder.
Description of the Prior Art
A tool holder as disclosed in TWM454911 includes a main body and a connecting member. An upper end of the main body is further fixedly formed with a handle, and the connecting member is detachably disposed on the main body. The connecting member can fixedly arrange a plurality of tools between the main body and the connecting member.
The handle of the conventional tool holder stands straightly on the main body; therefore, when in actual practice, the handle occupies space.
The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages.


A method for searching for a modification site of a peptide molecule includes: calculating, by a computer, a second steric structure of the peptide molecule by using data of a first steric structure of the peptide molecule, the first steric structure being a steric structure of the peptide molecule in a complex structure of a target molecule and the peptide molecule, the second steric structure being a stable steric structure of the peptide molecule in a state where a steric configuration of a main chain of the peptide molecule in the first steric structure is fixe; and comparing data of the second steric structure with the data of the first steric structure in order to search for a side chain having a difference in steric configuration between the two steric structures.

A binding free energy of a target molecule (for example, a protein) and a drug candidate molecule to a stable binding structure (also referred to as a complex structure) in a solvent is predicted by using a computer experiment. In a case where a drug candidate molecule is a low molecular compound, various methods for predicting the binding free energy have been studied.
Related techniques are disclosed in, for example, Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2006-209764 and Ming-Hong Hao, Omar Haq, and Ingo Muegge, "Torsion Angle Preference and Energetics of Small-Molecule Ligands Bound to Proteins", J. Chem. Inf. Model. 2007, 47, 2242-2252.

Method for searching for modification site of peptide molecule and information processing apparatus


A mechanism is provided for removing rotation clamping members in which a rotor of a cable reel is temporarily clamped to a stator. Rotation clamping members which are temporarily positioned over the stator and the rotor of the cable reel are connected with a vertical piece through a hinge that allows a lateral piece to pivot downwardly easily from a root. When removing the rotation clamping member for permitting rotation of the rotor, the lateral piece of the rotation clamping members which is lifted up engages against the periphery of the wheel hub followed by downward pivoting from the root, so that the clamping members are removed smoothly through the side of the wheel boss.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a temporary clamp mechanism in a cable reel mounted on a steering apparatus of vehicles. The present invention also relates to a temporary clamp mechanism that eliminates the need to provide a steering wheel with a pullout clamp hole under the condition where a rotor of a cable reel is fastened to a steering column with the cable reel temporarily clamped to a stator through a rotation clamping member and the rotation clamping member, which has temporarily stopped the rotation of a rotor, are pulled out after assembling a steering wheel over the stator and rotor.
2. Description of Background Information
A known temporary rotation clamping mechanism for a cable reel is shown in FIG. 6 from, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No.2000-48925. The cable reel 51 is mounted on a steering apparatus of a vehicle for electrically connecting circuits of a vehicle body with electrical devices (a horn switch, an air bag, etc.) A stator 52 fastened to a steering column and a rotor 53 fastened to a steering wheel (hereafter abbreviated as a wheel) side are constructed so that they relatively rotate. In the annular hollow space 54 formed by the stator 52 and the rotor 53, a flat cable 55 is housed in a wound condition and the flat cable 55 is wound up of wound out in accordance with the direction of rotation of the rotor 53 which follows the wheel rotation.
In mounting the aforementioned cable reel 51 on the steering apparatus, the stator 52 and the rotor 53 are positioned in a predetermined rotation phase, and side, generally T-shaped, rotation clamping members 56 are temporarily placed over the stator 52 and the rotor 53 from an upper position so that the stator 52 and the rotor 53 cannot rotate in order to maintain the predetermined rotation phase. That is, a lateral piece 57 of the rotation clamping member 56 is fixed to an upper surface 53a of the rotor 53 through a clamp hole 57a, and a bottom portion 58a of a vertical piece 58 is fixed in the recess 59a of a stop 59 on the peripheral surface of the stator, preventing rotation of the stator and the rotor.
The aforementioned cable reel 51 is fastened to a steering column under the condition of the rotor 53 connected with the stator by the rotation clamping member 56, and subsequently, the steering wheel 60 is assembled on top. After mounting the steering wheel 60 (note FIG. 7), the rotation clamping member 56 is removed to enable the rotor 53 to rotate. That is, as shown in FIG. 7, the wheel hub 61 of the steering wheel 60 is provided with a clamp hole 61a for removing the rotation clamping member 56. In order to effect removal of the rotation clamping member, an operator holds and pulls up the top portion 58b of the vertical piece 58 of the rotation clamping member 56 through the clamp hole 61a.
However, with the temporary rotation clamping construction in the cable reel 51, the clamp hole 61a cannot be machined through the wheel hub of the steering wheel 60, the rotation clamping member 56 must be extracted laterally, and it is difficult to laterally remove the rotation clamping member because of a narrow working space. In addition, when the clamp hole 61a is provided through the wheel hub of the wheel 60, there are problems such as decrease in strength of the wheel 60, and the like.
The present invention has been made considering the aforementioned problems, and makes it possible to remove the rotation clamping member, not by removing it laterally, but by pulling it upwardly without providing the wheel hub of the steering wheel with a clamp hole.
In order to solve the aforementioned problems, the present invention offers a temporary rotation clamping mechanism for a cable reel, the cable reel being mountable on a steering apparatus and includes a rotor and stator. The rotor is temporarily clamped to the stator through rotation clamping members. The rotation clamping members include a vertical piece positionable in an axial direction of the cable reel and a lateral piece horizontally projecting toward the center of the cable reel from a middle position of the vertical piece, and a lateral piece is connected with the vertical piece through a hinge which is pivotable downwardly. A bottom portion of the vertical piece is inserted into an engaging area provided on an outer peripheral surface of the stator and the lateral piece projects over an upper surface of the rotor. A projection on the upper surface of the rotor is inserted into an engaging clamp hole provided in the lateral piece to temporarily stop rotation of the rotor.
When releasing the rotation clamping, the lateral piece and the rotor are disengaged by holding and pulling up an upper portion of the vertical piece to allow the lateral piece to be lifted up through the outside of the wheel boss by engagement against a periphery of a wheel hub followed by downward pivoting of the hinge, so that the rotation clamping members may be removed.
In another aspect of the temporary rotation clamping mechanism in a cable reel of the present invention, the rotation clamping members temporarily placed over the stator and the rotor have a construction where the lateral piece is connected through the hinge which permits the lateral piece to pivot downwardly from the level of the root. Therefore, the lateral piece of the rotation clamping members may be lifted up to release the clamped rotation of the rotor and the stator which engages the periphery of the wheel hub to pivot downwardly from the level of the root and passes through the outer surface of the wheel hub to be removed smoothly upwardly. As a result, even if a removal clamp hole is not provided through the wheel hub, the rotation clamping members can be quickly removed by turning aside the wheel hub smartly.
In a further aspect of the present invention, the hinge is formed unitarily and in one piece to include a lateral piece with a thin neck portion, and the lateral piece and the vertical piece are formed unitarily and in one piece through the hinge. The rotation clamping members may be formed of any suitable resin, and the vertical piece and the lateral piece are connected through the hinge. It is also possible that the vertical piece and the lateral piece are formed separately and integrated into a unit by engagement.

Temporary rotation clamping mechanism for a cable reel


The present invention relates to a catalyst for reforming a hydrocarbon comprising a carrier containing manganese oxide and carried thereon (a) at least one component selected from a ruthenium component, a platinum component, a rhodium component, a palladium component, an iridium component and a nickel component and a process for producing the same and to a process for reforming a hydrocarbon (steam reforming, self thermal reforming, partial oxidation reforming and carbon dioxide reforming) using the above catalyst. Provided are a catalyst for reforming a hydrocarbon which comprises ruthenium, platinum, rhodium, palladium, iridium or nickel as an active component and in which a reforming activity is elevated, a process for producing the same, and a steam reforming process, a self thermal reforming process, a partial oxidation reforming process and a carbon dioxide reforming process for a hydrocarbon using the above catalyst.

The present invention relates to a catalyst for reforming a hydrocarbon, a production process for the same and a process for reforming a hydrocarbon using the above catalyst, more specifically to a catalyst for reforming a hydrocarbon in which manganese oxide is used for a part of a carrier, a production process for the same and a process for steam reforming, self thermal reforming, partial oxidation reforming and carbon dioxide reforming for a hydrocarbon using the above catalyst.

Catalyst for reforming hydrocarbon and method for preparation thereof, and process for reforming hydrocarbon using said catalyst


Provided is a catalyst composition using other metals different from noble metals as a catalytic activity component and which has an excellent catalytic activity even after a thermal duration treatment. Provided are an exhaust gas purifying catalyst composition which includes ceria-zirconia particles with a feature in that a peak arising from (111) plane is divided into two peak tops in an XRD pattern and in which a transition metal including at least one of Cu, Cr, Fe, Mn, Co, Ni, and Ag is supported on the ceria-zirconia particles, and a catalyst using the exhaust gas purifying catalyst composition.

An exhaust gas of automobiles which use gasoline for fuel contains hazardous components such as hydrocarbon (THC), carbon monoxide (CO), and nitrogen oxide (NOx). Therefore, it is necessary to purify each of the hazardous components in such a manner that the hydrocarbon (THC) is converted into water and carbon dioxide by oxidation; the carbon monoxide (CO) is converted into the carbon dioxide by oxidation; and the nitrogen oxide (NOx) is converted into nitrogen by reduction.
As a catalyst (hereinafter, referred to as an "exhaust gas purifying catalyst") adapted to treat these exhaust gases, three way catalysts (TWC) capable of oxidizing and reducing CO, THC, and NOx have been used.
Three way catalysts are well known, in which a noble metal is supported on a refractory oxide porous body having a high-specific surface area, for example, an alumina porous body having a high-specific surface area and the noble metal is supported on a substrate, for example, a monolithic substrate made of a refractory ceramic or metallic honeycomb structure, or on refractory particles.
On the other hand, the exhaust gas discharged from the diesel engine contains sulfate salts based on sulfur content in a fuel, tar-like particulate matters (referred to as "PM") derived from incomplete combustion, nitrogen oxide (NOx) or the like.
As an apparatus for removing the PM contained in the exhaust gas discharged from the diesel engine, an exhaust gas purification apparatus, which collects the PM in a diesel particulate filter (referred to as a "DPF") and burns the collected PM at an appropriate timing to remove, has been well known.
Usually, this DPF is configured such that a porous filter substrate with a honeycomb structure forms a skeleton to collect the PM in a surface of a partition wall of the substrate when the exhaust gas flows inside the partition wall.
In both of a catalyst for purifying the exhaust gas discharged from the gasoline engine and a catalyst for purifying the exhaust gas discharged from the diesel engine, conventionally, expensive noble metals such as platinum (Pt) or rhodium (Rh) have been used as a catalytic activity component in many cases. However, these noble metals are very expensive due to a small amount of reserves and suffer sharp fluctuations in price depending on changes in demand. Therefore, a catalyst containing transition metals, and alumina powder or ceria-zirconia powder has been proposed in the related arts, as a catalyst in which the expensive noble metals are not used or noble metal usage is reduced using other metals different from the noble metals.
For example, Patent Document 1 proposes a catalyst containing a catalyst component consisting of a carrier formed of a ceria-zirconia solid solution and an oxide of at least one metal selected from Cu, Fe, and Mn which is supported on the carrier, as a catalyst capable of improving DPF combustion efficiency.
Patent Document 2 proposes a catalyst in which Cu, Fe, Co, or Ni is supported on a ceria-zirconia solid solution having a pyrochlore structure.
Patent Document 3 proposes a catalyst in which particles consisting of copper or copper oxide are supported on a ceria•zirconia carrier and a ratio between Ce and Zr (Ce/Zr, mass ratio) in a surface of the carrier is in a range of 0.5<Ce/Zr<2.5, as a catalyst capable of improving purification performance of NOx.
Patent Document 4 proposes an exhaust gas purifying catalyst containing a spinel-type composite metal oxide, which is represented by AB2O4, and at least one selected from Al2O3, ZrO2, TiO2, and SiO2.

Exhaust gas purifying catalyst composition and exhaust gas purifying catalyst


A system of navigational referencing for a robot moving within a defined space is provided. A database contains x-y coordinate positional information on a plurality of doorway openings in terms of an x-y coordinate system. A mobile robot is provided that has the capability to access the database, define its location in terms of an approximate position within the defined space, and sense the presence of one of the plurality of doorway openings. The robot is positioned and moved along a path that traverses the one doorway opening at a known speed. The doorway opening's top door frame is detected from first and second sensor positions on the robot. The first and second sensor positions are separated by a known distance along a line orthogonal to the path that traverses the one doorway opening. An angular orientation of the robot is based on a time difference between when the first and second sensor positions detect the top door frame, the known speed of the robot and the known separation distance between the first and second sensor positions. A y-coordinate position of the robot is based on the positional information from the database when the first or second sensing position detects the top door frame. A lateral position of the robot is determined during a portion of the time between when the first and second sensor positions detect the top door frame. The lateral position is compared with the positional information from the database in order to determine an x-coordinate of the robot.

The ultimate goal of a robotics system is of course to perform some useful function in place of its human counterpart. Benefits typically associated with the installation of fixed-location industrial robots are improved effectiveness, higher quality, reductions in manpower, greater efficiency, reliability and cost savings. Additional benefits include the ability to perform tasks for which humans are incapable and the removal of humans from dangerous or life-threatening scenarios. The concept of mobility has always suggested an additional range of applications beyond that of the typical factory floor, wherein free-roaming robots moved about with an added versatility that brought even greater returns. In practice, however, the realization of this dream has been slow in coming.
One of the most significant technological hurdles impeding the widespread introduction of mobile robotics systems arises from the need for a mobile platform to successfully interact with the physical objects and entities in its environment. The robot must be able to navigate from a known position to a desired new location and orientation, at the same time avoiding any contact with fixed or moving objects while enroute. A robust navigational scheme that preserves the validity of a world model for free-roaming platforms has remained an elusive research goal, and for this reason many proposed applications of autonomous mobile robots are yet to be implemented.
The simplest form of autonomous control is sometimes termed guidepath control and involves a navigational control loop which reacts (in a reflexive manner) to the sensed position of some external guiding reference. The intent is to free a human operator from the requirement of steering the moving platform. For example, encoded reflective stripes might be applied to the floor of the robot's environment. The robot would then be equipped with stripe detecting/decoding for determining the robot's position in its environment as provided on the encoded stripes. Such automated guided vehicles (AGVs) have found extensive use in factories and warehouses for material transfer, in modern office scenarios for material and mail pickup and delivery, and in hospitals for delivery of meals and supplies to nursing stations, to name but a few.
Advantages of guidepath control are seen primarily in the improved efficiency and reduction of manpower since an operator is no longer required to guide the vehicle. Large numbers of AGVs can operate simultaneously in a plant or warehouse without getting lost or disoriented. The AGVs are typically scheduled and controlled by a central computer which monitors overall system operation and vehicle flow. Communication with individual vehicles can be via RF links or directional near-infrared modulated light beams, or other means. However, the fundamental disadvantage of guidepath control is the lack of flexibility in the system. A vehicle cannot be commanded to go to a new location unless the guidepath is first modified. This is a significant drawback in the event of changes to product flow lines in assembly plants, or in the case of a security robot which must investigate a potential break-in at a designated remote location.
Thus, truly autonomous control implies the ability of a mobile platform to travel anywhere so desired, subject to nominal considerations of terrain. Many potential applications await an indoor robot that could move in a purposeful fashion from room to room without following a set guidepath, with the intelligence to avoid objects and, if necessary, choose alternative routes of its own planning. To do this, specialized sensors must be coupled with some type of "world modeling" capability that represents the relative/absolute locations of objects detected by these sensors. In this way, a mobile platform can be provided with sufficient awareness of its surroundings to allow it to move about in a realistic fashion, i.e., a path not forever dictated by a guidepath stripe.
The accuracy of this model, which is constructed and refined in a continuous fashion as the robot moves about its workspace, is directly dependent throughout this process upon the validity of the robot's perceived location and orientation. Accumulated dead-reckoning errors can quickly render the information entered into the model invalid in that the associated geographical reference point for data acquired relative to the robot's position is incorrect. As the accuracy of the model degrades, the ability of the robot to successfully navigate and avoid collisions diminishes rapidly, until it fails altogether. One solution to this problem is to provide navigation landmarks within the robot's environment for use by the robot in periodic (absolute) positional updates. The concept of using existing interior doorways as navigation landmarks for a mobile robotics system has always been appealing, in that no modifications to the surrounding environment are required. The robot by necessity must travel through a doorway to enter an adjoining space. If in so doing the system could obtain an accurate positional update, then such would indeed represent an elegant solution to the problem of cumulative dead-reckoning errors.
Thus, the need exists for a navigational referencing system for a mobile robot that can derive its own updated positional information as it moves through its environment. Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a navigational referencing method and system for a mobile robot that derives x-y position and angular orientation of the robot within a world model of the robot's environment as the robot traverses doorway openings. Another object of the present invention is to provide a navigational referencing method and system for a mobile robot that derives a relative x-y position and angular orientation of the robot without any modifications to the robot's environment. Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a method and system of navigational referencing for a mobile robot that provides for sufficient updates to the x-y position and angular orientation of the robot within a world model of the robot's environment thereby avoiding the accumulated effect of navigational dead-reckoning errors.

Doorway transit navigational referencing system

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy


A membrane potentiometer that uses magnets to keep the membranes separated. A controller has a backplate and a cover that has sidewalls and a top wall which has a central opening defining a cavity. The cover mounts to the backplate. A pair of membrane potentiometer are interposed between the cover and the backplate to receive a first voltage, and output a second voltage that is a percentage of the first voltage. A pair of magnet assemblies are located on outer surfaces of the membrane potentiometer to generate a magnetic repulsion force to keep the membrane potentiometer separated from each other.

1. FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a resistive controller, and more specifically to a membrane potentiometer, for use as a light dimmer or other voltage controlling device, that uses magnets to keep the membranes separated.
2. DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART
Potentiometers are well known for controlling voltage selection in numerous types of applications in both home and industry. For example, these devices may be used in the control panels of such things as aircraft and aerospace applications, computers, arcade games, kitchen appliances, or lighting systems to name a few.
In the past, prior art Potentiometers for providing voltage selection have typically been operated using a mechanical wiper that is typically controlled by a knob or slider on a control panel. The wiper contacts a resistive element, which provides for voltage selection over a continuous range of voltages. The constant mechanical contact between the wiper and the resistive element tends to accelerate the wear and eventual failure of this type of potentiometer.
A more recently devised potentiometer uses a membrane comprising a continuous length of electrically resistive material, a corresponding continuous length to of electrically conductive material, which serves as a wiper, and an electrically insulating spacer which serves to simultaneously support and separate the resistive and conductive layers. Either one or both of the resistive and conductive materials are designed as flexible members so that they can be pressed together at any selected location along their length to bring them into electrical contact.
If a voltage is applied across the resistive material, a voltage gradient is established along the length of the material. Thus, touching either the top or bottom surface of the flexible member will cause the resistive and conductive materials to contact each other, producing a voltage output on the conductive material or wiper. The advantage of this device is that it minimizes wiper contact and reduces wear and yet provides a continuous range of output voltage levels.
A potentiometer membrane as described can be used to make a reliable and economical dimmer and/or switch for use with a light fixture. However, the flexible members must be kept separate, to prevent false readings, particularly in the middle of the member. In order to accomplish this, dielectric bumps are added to the member to keep portions of the member from sagging and touching each other. This problem becomes worse when the membrane potentiometer is desired to have a large area. Unfortunately, these dielectric bumps also cause portions of the resistors to become insulated which causes the output voltage from the resistor to have a nonlinear behavior which is undesirable.
It is desirable to have a large surface area membrane potentiometer with a linear output.
3. RELATED ART
Examples of patents that are related to the present invention are as follows, and each patent is herein incorporated by reference for the supporting teachings:
U.S. Pat. No. 5,876,106 is an illuminated controller. PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 5,241,308 is a force sensitive touch panel. PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 5,228,562 is a membrane switch and fabrication method. PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,494,105 is a touch controlled circuit apparatus for voltage selection. PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,532,395 is a flexible touch switch plate. PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,968,467 is a touch controlled voltage-divider device.
The foregoing patents reflect the state of the art of which the applicant is aware and are tendered with the view toward discharging applicant's acknowledged duty of candor in disclosing information which may be pertinent in the examination of this application. It is respectfully stipulated, however, that none of these patents teach or render obvious, singly or when considered in combination, applicant's claimed invention.

Resistive controller using magnetic repulsion


A semiconductor memory device comprising a substrate, a longitudinal source diffusion layer for a plurality of memory transistor source regions continuously formed on the substrate, and a longitudinal drain diffusion layer for a plurality of memory transistor drain regions continuously formed on the substrate in parallel to the source diffusion layer. A word line is formed crossing over the diffusion layers. And an electrically insulating film is interposed between the word line and the diffusion layers. The insulating film is thicker than a gate oxide film formed between the diffusion layers.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor memory device having a planar cell structure.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, an MOS type semiconductor integrated circuit device is formed in such a way that a field oxide film is used for device isolation and that a source region and a drain region are formed by diffusing impurities in a substrate by a self-alignment method with the use of a gate electrode as a mask. One or two contacts are required for connecting the source region and the drain region per one transistor. Therefore, space is needed for margine for the contacts and wiring, which impedes the realization of a minute and compact device.
In order to improve this point, a semiconductor integrated circuit device having a planar cell structure has been proposed in Japanese Patent Application Laying Open (KOKAI) Nos. 61-288454 and 63-96953, for example.
In the planar cell structure, a first continuous diffusion area for a plurality of MOS transistor source regions and a second continuous diffusion area for a plurality of MOS transistor drain regions are formed in parallel to each other on a substrate. A word line is formed on the substrate crossing over the first and second diffusion areas through an electrically insulating film.
In accordance with the planar cell structure, it becomes unnecessary to form a field oxide film for device isolation. Also, the source region and the drain region are formed in common to a plurality of MOS transistors. Therefore, only one contact is needed for several or more transistors, which makes it possible to realize a compact IC device of high density.
In the planar cell structure, it is desirable that a relatively thick insulating film be formed on the diffusion areas since the word line is formed crossing over the diffusion areas for the source and drain regions. This is because if the insulating film is thin, the capacity between the diffusion area and the word line, resulting that the functional speed is lowered.
To the contrary, however, with respect to the channel region, the gate oxide film have to be thin to make the structure minute and compact and obtain a high speed function thereof.
In accordance with the planar cell structure, the resistance of the bit line becomes high, since the bit line is constituted from the continuous diffusion layer in common to a plurality of memory transistors. The transmission speed of a memory signal of a memory device is determined from the product of the bit line resistance and the capacity. Therefore, it is one way to lower the resistance of the bit line in order to raise the transmission speed of the memory signal.


A system and method for using a sectored antenna arrangement within a cellular base station to provide redundant coverage within the surrounding cell is disclosed herein. An antenna feed network connects elements of the sectored antenna arrangement to a set of communication transceivers, wherein the feed network includes a combiner array for combining selected ones of the antenna beams upon failure of one of the communication transceivers. A switch network serves to provide the resultant combined beam to an operative one of the communication transceivers.. Alternately, the sectored antenna arrangement includes an antenna array having a plurality of switchable antenna elements, each connected to one of the communication transceivers. The switchable antenna elements project a set of variable-width antenna beams over the plurality of cell sectors. Upon one of the communication transceivers becoming inoperative, an antenna control network operates to adjust beam width of a selected one of the variable-width antenna beams by switching configuration of an associated one of the switchable antenna elements.. In another approach each antenna within a primary array is disposed to project a beam over a single sector, while each element within a redundant array is designed to encompass a pair of adjacent sectors. Upon one of the transceivers becoming inoperative, a transceiver nominally assigned to cover a sector neighboring the failed sector is connected to the element within the redundant array encompassing both the failed and neighboring sectors.

I. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to cellular communication systems, and, more particularly, to a novel and improved method and apparatus for providing redundant coverage within a cellular communications system using a sectored antenna arrangement array.
II. Description of the Related Art
In cellular communication systems, communication between a base station and subscriber units is facilitated by partitioning the surrounding cell into "sectors". Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a first exemplary cell 10 in which are disposed a plurality of subscriber units 12 and a base station 14. As is indicated by FIG. 1, the cell 10 is partitioned into six sectors S1-S6. The base station 14 may include a set of six fixed-beam antennas (not shown) dedicated to facilitating communication with subscriber units in the sectors S1-S6, respectively.
Within the base station 14, a separate communications transceiver will typically be coupled to each of the fixed-beam antennas. Each communications transceiver is responsible for processing the information signals exchanged between the base station 14 and the subscriber units 12 within a particular sector. Each communications transceiver will generally include, for example, signal amplifiers, frequency up/downconverters, and baseband signal processing apparatus.
Since each communications transceiver is dedicated to a particular sector, the failure of one of the transceivers results in the interruption of service to the subscriber units 12 within the associated sector. Accordingly, in order to prevent service interruption it has been common practice to provide redundant communications hardware within each cell-site base station. For example, in the event of failure of a high-power amplifier (HPA) within a given communications transceiver, a spare HPA may be switched into the transceiver during replacement of the inoperative HPA.
Unfortunately, the provision of spare communications hardware within each cell-site increases system cost and complexity. Moreover, since identification of the specific hardware element causing a given communications transceiver to become inoperative may require sophisticated monitoring apparatus, it is often necessary to provide at least one entire redundant transceiver unit.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for providing redundant sector coverage within a cellular communications system without reliance upon spare communications hardware.

Method and apparatus for providing redundant coverage within a cellular communication system