The present invention provides a system and method for performing ranging operations in a able modern system. In accordance with embodiments of the present invention, transmission times, transmission power levels, transmission carrier frequencies, and pre-equalization parameters are adjusted to provide for robust operation of the cable modem system. More particularly, iterative processing steps are used to provide coefficient ordering, scaling, and aligning between the multiple cable modems and the cable modem termination system present in a cable modern system.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is generally related to communication systems. More particularly, the present invention is related to cable modem systems and methods for ranging cable modems.
2. Background Art
In conventional cable modem systems, a hybrid fiber-coaxial (HFC) network provides a point-to-multipoint topology for supporting data communication between a cable modem termination system (CMTS) at the cable headend and multiple cable modems (CM) at the customer premises. In such systems, information is broadcast downstream from the CMTS to the cable modems as a continuous transmitted signal in accordance with a time division multiplexing (TDM) technique. In contrast, information is transmitted upstream from each of the cable modems to the CMTS as short burst signals in accordance with a time division multiple access (TDMA) technique. The upstream transmission of data from the cable modems is managed by the CMTS, which allots to each cable modem specific slots of time within which to transfer data.
Conventional cable modem systems utilize DOCSIS-compliant equipment and protocols to carry out the transfer of data packets between multiple cable modems and a CMTS. The term DOCSIS (Data Over Cable System Interface Specification) refers to a group of specifications published by CableLabs that define industry standards for cable headend and cable modem equipment. The most recent version of DOCSIS is DOCSIS 2.0. In part, DOCSIS sets forth requirements and objectives for various aspects of cable modem systems including ranging, operations support systems, management, data interfaces, as well as network layer, data link layer, and physical layer transport for data over cable systems.
Ranging is the process used to adjust transmit levels and time offsets of individual cable modems in order to make sure the data coming from the different modems line up in the right time slots and are received at the same power level at the CMTS. Ensuring that data arrives at the same power level is essential for detecting collisions. If two Cable Modems transmit at the same time, but one is weaker than the other one, the CMTS will only hear the strong signal and assume everything is okay. However, if the two signals have the same strength, the signal will garble and the CMTS will know a collision occurred. Carrier frequency adjustments are also made during the ranging process. Adjustments to the carrier frequency are made to ensure that the CM and CMTS are exchanging transmissions at an agreed upon frequency.
Pre-equalization is a process for reducing distortion over the transmission path between the CM and the CMTS and is a part of the above described ranging process. Pre-equalization is achieved using pre-equalization coefficients. The DOCSIS specification provides guidelines for how the pre-equalization coefficients are utilized; however, it does not stipulate as to how the coefficient values are derived.
It has been observed that cable modem systems have not been operated according to their greatest potential. Accordingly, what is desired is a system and method for optimizing the ranging process. In this way robust operation between the multiple cable modems and the cable modem termination system in the HFC network can be achieved.

System and method for performing ranging in a cable modem system


Vehicle engine systems and inserts for such systems are presented. The insert can be positioned between an air intake system and a cylinder bank of an engine. In some arrangements, the insert can be positioned such that a first abutment surface directly contacts portions of a surge tank and a second abutment surface directly contacts portions of a cylinder head cover. The insert can be constructed, positioned, and/or oriented to absorb or transfer forces acting upon the engine system during impacts. For instance, the insert can be arranged such that it extends between the surge tank and the cylinder head cover along an axis that is substantially parallel to a predetermined force direction of a predetermined impact force.

Modern vehicles, such as passenger and commercial vehicles, have various components and systems within vehicle engine systems. Examples of such components and systems can include fuel and air intakes. Air intake systems may include a surge tank and a lower inlet manifold. The lower inlet manifold connects to a portion of an engine. Fuel intake systems can include fuel delivery components. An example of a fuel delivery component is a fuel rail that is installed near the top of one or more cylinder heads of the engine system.
The intake system components can be subjected to various forces resulting from collisions, accidents, or impacts to the area of the vehicle near the engine system. For example, the surge tank may contact a dash panel during a frontal vehicle collision. Under certain impact conditions, portions of the surge tank or lower inlet manifold may fracture, break, crack, or otherwise fail. Such failure can cause damage to other engine systems or components such as an engine fuel delivery component.

Protection of vehicle engine intake components

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.


A method for preparing catalysts suitable for hydroprocessing and hydrocracking of naphthas and gas oils is provided. Catalysts consist of an aerogel support comprising one or more transition metal oxide polymers, prepared by the super-critical fluid extraction of alkoxide alcogels, together with one or several promoting metals in oxide or sulfide form. A process for hydroprocessing hydrocarbons using the catalyst of this invention is also provided.

This invention relates to a catalyst composition useful in the removal of sulfur and nitrogen from gas oils, as practiced in the hydrocarbon refining industry, in a process commonly referred to as hydroprocessing.
A solid catalyst, such as the material provided by the present invention, is contained by a reactor. The material to be hydroprocessed is passed over the catalyst together with a flow of hydrogen, at comparatively moderate temperatures and pressures and flow rates. In customary practice, the catalysts consist of metal oxides on a support, where the oxides are converted to sulfides prior to use to produce an active, stable catalyst. The hydroprocessed product is a gas oil in which the sulfur and nitrogen contents have been substantially reduced. Any improvement of this process, especially as relating to the use of a material having improved activity for catalyzing this reaction, will result in significant economic savings as well as improved yield.
In the catalytic hydroprocessing art, as it is currently practiced, catalysts typically consist of active metals, either molybdenum or tungsten plus either nickel or cobalt, optionally with promoters, on an inert support consisting of alumina, silica or a mixture thereof. The use of different supports, or other active metals, has been found to either enhance or decrease the activity as compared to the base catalyst. Also, varying the method of preparation of these materials can result in a change in catalytic activity.
Hydroprocessing catalysts have traditionally been prepared by depositing aqueous solutions of molybdenum, tungsten, nickel and cobalt salts onto a support, either in separate steps or by co-deposition. Alternately, the support and the deposited metals can be formed simultaneously. Intermediate and final calcining steps are necessary to produce the final form of the catalyst, i.e., an alumina support holding more-or-less dispersed molybdenum, tungsten, nickel and cobalt oxides. Numerous variations in both methods and compositions of this procedure have been described.
These hydroprocessing catalysts can be improved. One method is to use an improved support structure, including improvements in composition and physical structure. A small increase in the cost of the catalyst, which might be incurred by implementing additional process steps in making the improved support structure, can result in significant overall savings, by permitting operation of the hydroprocessing process at less severe conditions or at a higher throughput.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved catalyst, suitable for use in hydroprocessing, containing molybdenum and nickel on an improved titanium and/or zirconium oxide support.
Moreover, another object of the present invention is to provide a process for the removal of sulfur and nitrogen from hydrocarbon streams, employing the improved hydroprocessing catalyst of this invention.

Hydrodesulfurization and hydrodenitrogenation over a transition metal oxide aerogel catalyst


The invention relates to methods for producing vanillin and related compounds. The methods involve use of a vanillin synthase capable of catalyzing side chain cleavage of ferulic acid to form vanillin. The invention also relates to host organisms expressing such vanillin synthases useful in the methods.

Vanilla is the world's most popular flavor compound and used in numerous commercial products including many foods. Natural vanilla is obtained from the pods of the epiphytic climbing orchids Vanilla planifolia Andrews and Vanilla tahitensis belonging to the genus Vanilla included in the order Orchidales within the monocotyledonous plants. Vanillin (3-methoxy-4-hydroxybenzaldehyde) is the main flavor compound in the vanilla extract obtained from fermented vanilla pods. In high concentrations, vanillin is toxic to living cells. In the pod it accumulates as the non-toxic phytoanticipin vanillin glucoside, which upon tissue damage is converted into the active defense compound. During fermentation and curing of the vanilla pods for use as flavor ingredient, a major part of the vanillin glucoside is hydrolyzed to provide free vanillin. The estimated total world market for vanillin is 10500 tons per annum. Production of natural vanillin from the vanilla pods is a laborious, slow and costly process. Production of 1 kilogram of vanillin requires approximately 500 kilograms of vanilla pods, corresponding to the pollination of approximately 40,000 flowers. Nowadays, only 3% of the global vanillin production is derived from vanilla pods. The vast majority is produced synthetically from different fossil hydrocarbons like eugenol or by acid hydrolysis of lignin. Biotechnological production of vanillin in microorganisms using heterologous expression of the genes encoding the pathway in vanilla orchids has not been achieved because none of the genes have been identified. Instead, vanillin has been produced in yeast, fungi, bacteria and in in vitro cell cultures by expressing genes from other organisms which encode enzymes that in combination would form vanillin from exogenously added substrates structurally related to vanillin.
Phenylalanine-derived volatiles are categorized as C6-C1, C6-C2, C6-C3 compounds based on their carbon skeleton. Both vanillin glucoside and p-hydroxybenzaldehyde glucoside, the two most abundant compounds found in mature vanilla pods, are C6-C1 compounds.
The two major aroma compounds in natural vanilla are p-hydroxybenzaldehyde and vanillin. Because p-hydroxybenzaldehyde contains some of the same structural elements of vanillin, it has been thought of as a precursor for vanillin. The pathway from vanillin has been postulated to constitute a metabolic grid of metabolites all derived from phenylalanine. US2003/0070188 describes methods for possible p-hydroxybenzaldehyde production in embryogenic cell cultures from Vanilla planifolia. One method described in US2003/0070188 takes advantage of a 4-hydroxy-benzaldehyde synthase (4-HBS), which is described as being capable of catalyzing chain shortening of p-coumaric acid to yield p-hydroxybenzaldehyde. The document further describes expression of 4-HBS in creeping bentgrass, however no information regarding the outcome of such expression is provided. It is also described that no 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde could be detected in yeast expressing 4-HBS.
Podstolski et al., 2002 describes that 4-hydroxy-benzaldehyde synthase (4-HBS) converts 4-coumaric acid non-oxidatively to 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde in the presence of a thiol reagent but with no co-factor requirement.


A playing apparatus for a compact disc on which TOC information comprising at least first to third point data has repetitively been recorded in a lead-in area. A reading point by a pickup is moved in the lead-in area from the disc outer rim side in accordance with a TOC information reading command. When it is detected that the reading point was positioned to a recording track of third point data locating on the disc inner rim side in each of the TOC information, the reading point is jumped to the disc inner rim side by at least only two tracks. After that, the reading point is moved toward the disc outer rim side along the track, thereby reading the TOC information including the first, second, and third point data.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a CD (compact disc) playing apparatus and, more particularly, to an apparatus which can play a writable CD-R (CD recordable) finalized disc.
2. Description of the Related Background Art
Hitherto, a CD (compact disc) is known as a recording medium which records audio information or the like. As shown in FIG. 1(a), a lead-in area LIA in which index information of recording information has been recorded, a program area PA in which music information or the like has actually been recorded, and a lead-out area LOA indicative of the end of the program area PA are formed on the CD in order from the inner rim of the disc. The lead-in area LIA, program area PA, and lead-out area LOA are totally called an information area. A signal to be recorded is an EFM (Eight to Fourteen Modulation) modulated digital signal and includes not only main codes (main information) such as music information but also sub codes such as a time code (time information). Index information called a TOC (Table of Contents) is recorded in the lead-in area LIA. A total recording information segment number (for example, the total number of music programs) in the program area of the disc, a total recording time (for instance, the total playing time), and the like are recorded as sub codes in the lead-in area LIA. The main codes are recorded in the program area PA. A track number (TNO) indicative of the recording information segment number (for example, the music program number), a recording time (P-TIME: for instance, the playing time of the relevant music program) from the start of the relevant track, a total recording time (A-TIME: for instance, the total playing time) which is measured from the track number=1, and the like are recorded in the Q channel of the sub codes. A lead-out code indicative of the lead-out area is recorded in the lead-out area LOA.
Although the CD having such a recording format is a read only recording medium, a CD-R which can write information while using a format similar to that of the CD has been developed in recent years. The recording format standard of the CD-R is unified to the standard which is generally called "orange book" and is based on the CD format standard (generally called a red book). The CD-R disc is classified into the following three types as shown in FIG. 1(b)-1(d) in accordance with the recording state. Namely,
FIG. 1(b) illustrates a blank disc in an unrecording state in which no information is recorded yet. PA1 FIG. 1(c) illustrates a partially recorded disc (hereinafter, referred to as a PRD) on which information has partially been recorded. PA1 FIG. 1(d) illustrates a disc which has finally been formated in order to set substantially the same format as that of the CD after completion of the recording. PA1 a) When the first point data POINT="A0H" is found out, the TOC information is read out from the relevant position. Or, PA1 b) When the second point data POINT="A1H" the third point data POINT="A2H" is located, a pickup is jumped back by one track (reverse direction jump) and is returned to the inner rim side of the recording position of the first point data POINT="A0H". See FIG. 6. Subsequently, the track is searched in the forward direction and when the first point data POINT="A0H" is found out, the TOC information is read from the position at this time point.
As shown in FIG. 1(b), even in the CD-R disc, the lead-in area LIA, program are PA, and lead-out area LOA are finally formated in a manner similar to those of the CD.
Guide grooves are formed on the recording tracks of the CD-R. The guide groove is wobbled by a signal having a frequency which is obtained by frequency modulating a carrier by data (ATIP: Absolute Time In Pregroove) indicative of the absolute time information. In an information recording and reproducing apparatus for the CD-R, information is recorded and reproduced for the blank disc or partially recorded PRD by performing a tracking and spindle control by using the guide groove. As shown in FIG. 1(b), on the PRD, a PMA (Program Memory Area) as a temporary TOC area to store the recording career of the recording information is provided on the further inner rim area of an area I which is prepared for the lead-in are LIA. The following three kinds of information are recorded in the PMA. The first information relates to skip command information and skip cancel information and is information which can skip the recording information every recording information segment (track) or can skip a part (which can be designated by the time) in the recording information segment (track) when the disc is played. The first information will be described in detail hereinlater. The second information relates to a start address, an end address, and the like of the recording information recorded in the program area and they are recorded by a format similar to that of the TOC information which is recorded in the lead-in area of the CD. The third information relates to disc identification information (option) and numeral information of six digits to identify the disc can be recorded as necessary. The reason why such information is recorded as temporary TOC into the PMA is because in the PRD, there is a possibility such that information is written into the remaining program area PA, the TOC information cannot be recorded into the lead-in area LIA until the recording completion (finalization) is finally instructed.
The PRD is set into a state in which no information is written into an area I for the lead-in area LIA and an area O for the lead-out are LOA. Each area, therefore, is held in a mirror surface state. In the information recording apparatus of the CD-R, when the finalization is instructed, in order to finally obtain the same format as that of the CD, predetermined information and the TOC information recorded in the PMA are recorded as sub codes into the area I for the lead-in area LIA and a predetermined lead-out code indicative of the lead-out area LOA is recorded into the area O for the lead-out area LOA. In the conventional CD playing apparatus, consequently, the information can be reproduced from the finalized CD-R.
In case of reading the TOC information in the conventional CD playing apparatus, point data POINT="AXH" (X=0, 1, 2: H denotes the hexadecimal notation) in the sub code Q data recorded in the lead-in area LIA is searched in the direction (direction from the outer rim side of the CD to the inner rim side) opposite to the direction of the recording order of the data.
When the TOC information of the CD-R which has been finalized is read by a similar sequence by the conventional CD playing apparatus, in case of a disc which has been recorded in a mode 5 in which the skip information is recorded among the point data POINT="A1H", point data POINT="A2H", and point data POINT="A0H", even if the point data POINT="A1H" or point data POINT="A2H" is found out and the light spot is jumped back by one track, the light spot can be returned to only a position on the outer rim side of the recording position of the point data POINT="A0H". To find out the point data POINT="A0H", accordingly, it is necessary to skip one set of TOC information. There is, consequently, a problem such that it takes a long time to read the TOC information.


In some embodiments, apparatuses and methods are provided herein useful to track objects on a moving conveyor system. In some embodiments, an RFID based tracking system comprises a conveyor system to move and transport objects along a conveyance path, wherein each object includes a near field only RFID tag associated therewith and identifying the object. Each near field only RFID tag is not coupled to a far field antenna such that it is not readable in a far field of RFID communication and communicates only in a near field of RFID communication. An RFID tag reader is positioned to attempt to read the near field only RFID tag of each object. And a control circuit processes reads of the near field only RFID tags by the first RFID reader to determine an order of the objects being conveyed.

In retail distribution centers, boxes of goods are transported on a moving conveyor for routing to various locations in the center. It is desired to sequence the order of the boxes traveling on the conveyor. Known approaches include positioning optically readable patterns on the boxes and optically reading the boxes as they pass an imager. Such imagers represent a significant expense to the distributor. Other approaches involve the use of radio frequency identification (RFID) tags on the boxes which are read by RFID tag readers. However, the principle challenge for using RFID technology on a conveyor is identifying the sequence order of the boxes on the conveyor. The boxes on a conveyor are filled with various types of content. One box may have tissue paper and another one shampoo. The tag attached to the tissue paper box will respond to an RFID reader at greater distances than the tag attached to the box of shampoo. The consequence of this is that the tag on the tissue box will likely read before the tag on the shampoo box. The reader will think that the tissue box is in front of the shampoo box even though it is actually behind. All efforts to solve this with phase shift, RSSI, and the like calculations have failed to provide an accurate and reliable sequencing capability. The principle problem with these solutions is that they struggle with the unpredictability of the path that RF energy follows when it is reflected off the surfaces of the structures in the facility.
Elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions and/or relative positioning of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of various embodiments of the present invention. Also, common but well-understood elements that are useful or necessary in a commercially feasible embodiment are often not depicted in order to facilitate a less obstructed view of these various embodiments of the present invention. Certain actions and/or steps may be described or depicted in a particular order of occurrence while those skilled in the art will understand that such specificity with respect to sequence is not actually required. The terms and expressions used herein have the ordinary technical meaning as is accorded to such terms and expressions by persons skilled in the technical field as set forth above except where different specific meanings have otherwise been set forth herein.

System, apparatus and method for sequencing objects having RFID tags on a moving conveyor


A clipless bicycle with a latch release mechanism that is concentric to the spindle axis that allows cleat engagement on four sides of the pedal. The pedal includes a spindle with a thread on one end for attachment to a bicycle crank arm, a housing that rotates about the spindle on bearings, two U-shaped members that are affixed to opposite sides of the housing, two sleeves that slip over opposite ends of the housing allowing the sleeves to rotate concentrically about the axis of the spindle, two U-shaped members that are affixed to opposite sides of the sleeves, a torsion spring that is concentrically positioned over the housing such that it holds the U-shaped members that are attached to the housing perpendicular to the U-shaped members that are affixed to the sleeves, and a cleat for mounting on the bottom of a bicycling shoe that can releasibly engage between any of the four adjacent pairs of U-shaped members. The spring has a coil axis that is coincident with the spindle axis. A threaded plug retains the housing assembly on the spindle. An O-ring seals the housing against the Spindle on one end and another O-ring seals the housing against the plug on the other end. A spacer holds the spring in position. The housing, sleeves, bent wire members, spindle, and cleat are made of stainless steel, titanium, or some other material that has the strength and corrosion resistance required. The cleat has two shoulders that can engage under the bent U-shaped members.

A number of clipless pedal designs have been made commercially available. The first clipless pedals were single side entry because they had latch and release mechanisms on only one side of the pedal. The next clipless pedals were double side entry because they had latch and release mechanisms on opposite sides of the pedal. The advantage of double side entry is that it is easier for the rider to clip into the pedal without looking. The disadvantage is that double side entry pedals are generally more complex and heavier than single side entry pedals.
A cleat is attached to the bottom of each cycling shoe and when the rider steps onto the clipless pedal and applies force, the latch mechanism opens to accept the cleat and then latches shut to lock the cleat to the pedal. The rider releases himself or herself from the pedal by twisting their shoe past a given angle. Pedal/cleat designs can allow float or not depending on the pedal and cleat design. Float is when the cleat is free to pivot through some angle such as 5 degrees each direction before making contact with the release mechanism. Some riders prefer to have float because of knee comfort and others prefer no float. Some pedals offer one cleat that allows float and a different cleat that allows no float.
Clipless pedals either have the latch mechanism in the pedal or in the cleat which is attached to the shoe. Designs with the latch mechanism in the cleat are generally lighter but perform poorly in muddy conditions because cleats are usually larger and have moving parts and are prone to getting clogged with mud and dirt from occasional walking on the ground. Also, because they are usually larger, they can interfere with walking. Designs with the latch mechanism in the pedal generally consist of a relatively large number of components making them complex to manufacture and maintain, and relatively bulky and heavy. Also, while designs with latch mechanisms in the pedal are less prone to clogging with mud than designs with the latch mechanism in the cleat, most are still susceptible to clogging under certain conditions which makes some pedals difficult to lock into and others difficult to clip out of.
In order to prevent release while pulling upwards while pedaling, either the spring(s) that holds the mechanism closed needs to be very strong or the geometry must be designed such that when the cleat is pulled straight up, there is not a component of force to cause the mechanism to release.
Spring loaded latch mechanisms on existing pedal designs have clasps that pivot about axes that are not coincident with the axis of pedal rotation. There is some distance between the pedal axis and the clasp axis or axes. Because of this, existing pedal designs have a framework to support the clasp axle and this causes the pedal to be relatively bulky in size.


A system and method for determining drilling parameters based on hydraulic pressure associated with a directional drilling system are disclosed. A drilling parameter associated with a directional drilling system may be determined by measuring hydraulic pressure associated with the directional drilling system during drilling of a wellbore, detecting a change in the hydraulic pressure, and determining a drilling parameter based on the detected change in hydraulic pressure.

Various types of drilling systems including rotary drill bits, reamers, stabilizers and other downhole drilling tools may be used to form a borehole in the earth. Such wellbores are often formed using a rotary drill bit attached to the end of a generally hollow, tubular drill string extending from a well head. Rotation of a rotary drill bit progressively cuts away adjacent portions of a downhole formation using cutting elements and cutting structures disposed on exterior portions of the rotary drill bit. Examples of such rotary drill bits include, but are not limited to, fixed cutter drill bits, drag bits, PDC drill bits, matrix drill bits, roller cone drill bits, rotary cone drill bits and rock bits used in drilling oil and gas wells. Cutting action associated with such drill bits generally uses weight on bit (WOB) and rotation of associated cutting elements into adjacent portions of a downhole formation to push the bit into the formation to cause cutting and drilling. Drilling fluid may also be provided to perform several functions including washing away formation materials and other downhole debris from the bottom of a wellbore, cleaning associated cutting elements and cutting structures and carrying formation cuttings and other downhole debris upward to an associated well surface.
As drilling tools cut into a geological formation, the drilling tools may experience wear and lose efficacy. The amount of wear experienced by a drilling tool may be related to, among other things, the type of formation into which the drilling tool is cutting. For example, the harder the formation, the faster the drilling tool may wear. The increased wear may also cause undue strain on the drill string.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

System and method for determining drilling parameters based on hydraulic pressure associated with a directional drilling system


Apparatus that may help identify unauthorized removal of goods while maintaining a pleasing physical appearance, avoiding theft misidentifications, and allowing a high degree of customer interaction. One example may provide a signal path for conveying a signal that is active when a good or device is removed from a retail or other environment in an authorized manner. The signal path may be wired or wireless. In another example, a signal path for a sensor may be inconspicuously combined with a power cable. In another example, theft misidentifications may be prevented by not relying on connections that a customer is likely to interact with to detect a theft. Another example may provide a security device that may allow a high degree of customer interaction by unobtrusively attaching a sensor to the back of a good to be protected.

Despite the growing popularity of web-based commerce, in-person retail experiences remain an important part of many people's decisions when purchasing electronic products. This is particularly true for products that provide a high-quality user experience. These products that have a sophisticated look and feel are best shown in person, where customers can interact with them, as opposed to simple on-line images.
Since quality products are best shown in person, it may be desirable that customers have full access to them in the retail environment. For example, it may be desirable to allow customers to play with keyboards, monitors, and power plugs on such devices as laptop and netbook computers.
Unfortunately, there is a downside in allowing customers such unfettered access to these high-quality products. On occasion, the products may be stolen. For this reason, it is desirable to be able to detect when a device is being removed from a retail environment in an unauthorized manner. Once an attempt at such an unauthorized removal is detected, steps can be initiated to stop the removal, to prevent other such removals, or to attempt to recover the removed devices at that or a later time.
But it is also desirable to avoid "false alarms." That is, it may be desirable to avoid misidentifying mere customer activity and exploration as attempted theft. For example, it may be undesirable for an alarm to sound when a customer merely types on a keyboard or plays with a power connector. Such misidentification can embarrass customers, cause confusion, and create an unprofessional appearing environment, which may lead to customer dissatisfaction, reduced reputation, and a corresponding drop in sales.
It may also be desirable to avoid product-loss counter measures that visually clutter or complicate a user's experience. For example, bolting a laptop, or tethering it using a thick cable, may prevent removal of the laptop, but may also inhibit a user from interacting with the device and provide an unpleasing appearance.
Thus, what is needed are apparatus that help identify unauthorized removal of goods while maintaining a pleasing physical appearance, avoiding misidentifications, and allowing a high degree of customer interaction.


A device comprising at least two body sections is disclosed. The first body section comprises a first camera element having an optical axis, and the second body section comprises a second camera element and a mechanical flap adapted to expose and conceal the second camera element. The first body section is in a movable connection with the second body section, and the device is operable in at least two modes. In the first mode, the first and the second body sections are brought together, and the mechanical flap is adapted to expose the second camera element. In the second mode, the first and the second body sections are positioned such that the first and the second camera elements are positioned away from each other, and the mechanical flap is adapted to conceal the second camera element.

Digital cameras may be incorporated in various types of mobile devices. Such digital cameras may be used to capture still images and/or videos comprising a plurality of sequential images. One type of mobile devices with digital cameras relates to devices manufactured in more than one part, such as sliding, folding or modular devices. Sliding and folding devices can have more than one camera operating separately or simultaneously. The cameras are normally protected by glass and shutter mechanisms.
The quality and properties of the captured images may be affected by use of various types of accessories for a camera.

Two part device with camera and mechanical flap


An assembly comprises a stiffener, a circuit substrate and an IC chip. The stiffener has a surface with a first region and a second region. The circuit substrate covers at least a portion of the first region of the stiffener, while the IC chip overlies at least a portion of each of the first and second regions of the stiffener. The assembly further comprises a signal solder bump and a thermally conductive feature. The signal solder bump contacts the IC chip and the circuit substrate. The thermally conductive feature is disposed between, and is metallurgically bonded to, the integrated circuit chip and the second region of the stiffener. The thermally conductive feature provides an efficient thermal conductivity pathway between the IC chip and the stiffener.

Direct chip attachment (DCA) refers to a semiconductor assembly technology wherein an integrated circuit (IC) chip is directly mounted on and electrically connected to its final circuit substrate instead of undergoing traditional assembly and packaging. The elimination of conventional device packaging in DCA both simplifies the manufacturing process and reduces the space that the IC chip occupies on the final circuit substrate. It also improves performance as a result of the shorter interconnection pathways between the IC chip and the circuit substrate.
Flip chips are frequently utilized in DCA applications. A flip chip comprises an IC chip with a multiplicity of solder bumps attached to the chip's bonding pads. During mounting, these solder bumps are directly attached to the circuit substrate. Once attached, the solder bumps serve several functions. Electrically, the solder bumps act to convey signals between the IC chip and circuit substrate. In addition, the solder bumps provide a thermal pathway to carry heat away from the IC chip. The solder bumps also serve to strengthen the mechanical attachment of the IC chip to the circuit substrate. Finally, the solder bumps act to form a space between the IC chip and the circuit substrate, preventing electrical contact between these elements. In the final stages of assembly, this space is usually filled with an electrically nonconductive "underfill." The underfill protects the IC chip from moisture or other environmental hazards, provides additional mechanical strength to the assembly, and acts to reduce the strains in the solder bumps that result from thermal expansion differences between the IC chip and the circuit substrate.
In flip-chip-on-flex (FCoF) applications, the circuit substrate is substantially flexible, while in flip-chip-on-board (FCoB) applications, the circuit substrate is substantially rigid. In either case, the surface of the circuit substrate nearest the flip chip typically comprises a plurality of conductive traces, many of which are attached to the solder bumps of the flip chip. These conductive traces are usually supported by an organic material and act to conduct electrical signals between the flip chip and other electronic devices. In those applications where the circuit substrate is flexible, the surface of the circuit substrate opposed to the flip chip is often attached to a metallic stiffener. The stiffener prevents the circuit substrate from flexing in the region where it is attached to the flip chip. Moreover, in some applications, the stiffener is attached to a support structure that provides additional heat sinking capability above and beyond that of the stiffener.
In applications where the stiffener is attached to a support structure, increasing the rate of heat flow to the stiffener acts to increase the overall rate of heat dissipation from the flip chip. In a typical assembly comprising a flip chip, circuit substrate and stiffener, it is the solder bumps, underfill and circuit substrate that serve to transport the heat generated by the IC chip to the stiffener. Due to the low thermal conductivity of the underfill material, the primary heat dissipation path from the IC chip to the stiffener is through the solder bumps and the circuit substrate. In many flip chip designs however, solder bumps are only placed along the periphery of the IC chip. As a result, this primary heat path is limited by the cumulative cross sectional area of the solder bumps and the low thermal conductivity of the non-electrically conductive materials comprising the circuit substrate. Consequently, these thermal pathways are often inadequate to obtain a desired heat flow. When heat flow from the IC chip to the stiffener is inadequate, the IC chip's functionality and/or speed must be limited so that the IC chip does not exceed a temperature at which its lifetime is adversely affected.
Attempts to increase heat flow from the flip chip to the support structure in FCoF and FCoB applications include increasing the density of the conductive traces on the circuit substrate, increasing the thickness of the conductive traces, using higher thermal conductivity materials for the solder bumps, increasing the number of solder bumps and using higher thermal conductivity underfills. Unfortunately, these attempts typically result in only small improvements to the heat flow from the flip chip. Alternatively, an additional metal heat sink may be attached directly to the non-electrically active surface of the flip chip (i.e., the backside of the IC chip). While effective at increasing the heat flow from the flip chip, this solution results in added cost and may not be possible due to space constraints.
As a result, there is a need for improved flip chip and circuit substrate designs for use in FCoF and FCoB applications that enhance heat dissipation from the flip chip when compared to conventional designs.

Integrated circuit chip assembly having array of thermally conductive features arranged in aperture of circuit substrate


Disclosed is a method and apparatus for searching a human three-dimensional (3D) posture which can rapidly and accurately search a human 3D posture by effectively representing the human 3D posture with a small amount of data. According to the method, a posture database is established by extracting posture descriptors using relation among respective joints of a body, and a feature of a query 3D posture is simultaneously extracted in the same manner. Then, the similarity is calculated by comparing the posture descriptor of the query 3D posture with the posture descriptors of postures in the posture database, and then outputted to search the human 3D posture.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for searching human three-dimensional (3D) posture, and more particularly, the present invention relates to a method and apparatus for searching a human 3D posture which can extract posture descriptors from respective postures of human 3D models using relation among respective joints, and rapidly and accurately search a human 3D posture database using the posture descriptors.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, data searches have been performed mainly by a language-based search. However, with the recent development of the multimedia technique and the explosive growth of the Internet, a massive amount of multimedia data exists on Internet or in multimedia databases, and the development of methods of effectively searching multimedia data among multimedia data composed of a movie, synthetic image, still image, moving image, audio, music, etc., in addition to language is in progress.
Among the recent data searching methods, a method of searching a still image or moving image has been actively researched in accordance with the appearance of a virtual reality represented by the computer graphic technique and the development of the digital image compression technique based on the object-oriented coding technique. Especially, with the development of the computer and image processing technique, human 3D models in a virtual space have been diversely used for a realistic movie, game, advertisement, virtual circumstance on a network, etc., and thus the search of the human 3D posture is an important factor for the image search.
Since the human 3D posture data has a large amount of data and exists in diverse forms, it is impossible to search a desired 3D posture using the human 3D posture itself.
Accordingly, in order to search the human 3D posture, the search should be performed in a manner that a posture database is established by extracting features representing respective postures by pre-processing, and then the similarity is compared between the posture and a query 3D posture whose feature is extracted in the same manner. The comparison of the similarity can be performed by calculating the difference between the postures. The model representing the feature of the human 3D posture is called a posture descriptor.
As the posture descriptor representing the feature of the 3D image data generally used, there exist volume information for representing how wide 3D points are distributed in space, and histogram information for representing position information of the points as several divided groups. Such information, however, is not suitable for representing the human 3D posture by the feature for representing a general 3D model.
The most accurate method of representing the human 3D model represents the posture with point information constituting respective parts of a body, surface information for the respective points connected one another, and color information of the surface. According to this method, the amount of data for representing the human 3D posture becomes excessively large. If the amount of data becomes large, lots of storage space are required when the human 3D model data is processed on the computer, and it takes a long time for search, so that a rapid and effective search cannot be effected. Thus, in order to make an effective multimedia search possible, the development of an effective human 3D posture searching method is strongly required.
Accordingly, the present invention has been made in an effort to solve the problems occurring in the related art, and an object of the present invention is to provide a method and apparatus for searching a human 3D posture which enables a rapid and accurate database search by effectively representing the human 3D posture with a small amount of data.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for searching a human 3D posture which can obtain a faithful search result in spite of the difference among human body shapes by using position information of the respective parts of the body applied to a standard body model.
In order to achieve the above objects, according to the present invention, there is provided a method of searching a human three-dimensional (3D) posture, comprising a posture descriptor extracting step of extracting a posture descriptor from a human query 3D posture using relation among respective joints of a human body, an other posture descriptor extracting step of extracting posture descriptors of human 3D models in a posture database in the same manner as the posture descriptor extracting step, a database establishing step of establishing the posture database with the posture descriptors of the human 3D models extracted at the previous step, a 3D model database establishing step of establishing a 3D model database using the human 3D models, a similarity comparing step of comparing an output query posture descriptor with the posture descriptors in the posture database, and a comparison result outputting step of outputting the 3D model database corresponding to the posture having the highest similarity in the posture database by indexing the similarity in accordance with a result of the similarity comparison at the previous step.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method and apparatus for searching a human 3D posture using body animation parameters (BAP) that use rotating angles among neighboring joints connected one another in a 3D body as posture descriptors, or using BAP posture descriptors of a standard body model obtained by applying the BAP posture descriptors to the standard body model.

Method and apparatus for searching human three-dimensional posture


An unsaturated quaternary ammonium salt is produced by a process that includes reacting methyl chloride in a first vessel with a stoichiometric excess of an unsaturated tertiary amine in the presence of water to form a reaction mixture that includes the unsaturated quaternary ammonium salt and residual unsaturated tertiary amine. The reaction mixture is transferred to a second vessel and phase separated to yield a first fraction in which the unsaturated quaternary ammonium salt is concentrated, and a second fraction in which the residual unsaturated tertiary amine is concentrated. At least a portion of the second fraction is recycled from the second vessel to the first vessel for use in the reaction with methyl chloride. The process, which is preferably operated continuously, allows the use of reduced reaction pressures compared to processes utilizing a stoichiometric excess of methyl chloride, and it also reduces or eliminates the problems associated with recycling methyl chloride and removing methyl chloride from the unsaturated quaternary ammonium salt product.

Unsaturated quaternary ammonium salts, such as acryloyloxyethyl trimethylammonium chloride (Cl−(CH3)3N+CH2CH2OC(O)CH═CH2; CAS Reg. No. 44992-01-0), are widely used as co-monomers in the synthesis of flocculant polymers for water treatment. The unsaturated quaternary ammonium salts are typically prepared by alkylation of the corresponding tertiary amine with an alkyl halide, such as methyl chloride. The literature includes many specific procedures for carrying out these reactions. In these procedures, methyl chloride is typically used in molar excess relative to the tertiary amine. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,520,210 to Schneider et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,745,214 to Hess et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,260,480 to Lacroix et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,912,383 to Riondel, U.S. Pat. No. 6,521,782 to Riondel et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,683,203 B2 to Druzkowski et al., U.S. Pat. No. 7,151,190 of Riondel, and U.S. Pat. No. 7,183,434 B2 to Baan et al.; Japanese Patent Application Publication Nos. JP 01-249749 A of Inagaki et al., JP 02-212457 A of Iwasaki et al., JP 06-032768 of Masuda et al.; European Patent Application Publication No. EP428970 A1 of Ascherl et al.; and International Patent Application Publication No. WO 00/43348 of Riondel et al. Reactions run in the presence of a stoichiometric excess of methyl chloride generally produce a high conversion of the tertiary amine and therefore largely avoid problems associated with separating the product unsaturated quaternary ammonium salt from residual tertiary amine reactant. However, such reactions have disadvantages that include requiring relatively high reaction pressures (to produce a high solution concentration of methyl chloride, which is a gas at ambient conditions), requiring special procedures and equipment for recycling excess methyl chloride, and requiring special procedures and equipment to maintain a substantial oxygen concentration while removing excess methyl chloride from the product solution (oxygen inhibits the undesired polymerization of the unsaturated quaternary ammonium salt). It would therefore be desirable to have a method of producing unsaturated quaternary ammonium salts that avoids difficult separations of the unsaturated quaternary ammonium salt from the unsaturated tertiary amine while reducing or eliminating the problems associated with handling excess methyl chloride.

Process for unsaturated quaternary ammonium salt


A chair comprises a base, a column on the base, a housing on the column and supporting a chair seat and back, a height adjustment means mounted to and between the base and the housing for longitudinal adjustment to alter relative height of the seat. The chair also includes a tilt adjustment means comprising a chair back support means pivotally mounted to the housing for movement between upright and reclining positions, means for biasing the chair back support means in the upright position, tension control means movably engageable with the biasing means for adjusting tension thereof and tilt actuating means movably mounted to the housing for actuating movement of the tension control means. The tilt actuating means comprises an elongated rod rotatably mounted to the housing. The height actuating means comprises an elongated tube rotatably mounted to the housing in telescopic relationship to the actuating rod.

Chairs having mechanisms permitting tilting of the chair backs, normally being biased in upright positions, are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. to Faiks et al. 4,390,206, issued Jun. 28, 1983; Knoblauch et al. 4,373,692, issued Feb. 15, 1983, and 4,438,898 issued Mar. 27, 1984; Faiks 4,314,728, issued Feb. 9, 1982; Fox 2,686,558, issued Apr. 27, 1950; Fries et al. 4,479,679, issued Oct. 30, 1984; Neuhoff 4,537,445, issued Aug. 27, 1985; Eldon III 4,328,943, issued May 11, 1982; McLellan et al. 2,272,980, issued Feb. 10, 1942; Scherer 2,956,619, issued Oct. 18, 1960; Cramer 2,471,024, issued May 24, 1949; and Franck et al. 4,451,085, issued May 29, 1984. Some of these patents disclose chairs having control means for adjusting tension of biasing means normally urging the chair backs in the upright positions. See, for example, Faiks et al., Knoblauch et al., Faiks, Scherer, Cramer, Fries et al., and Eldon III.


Apparatus and methods for managing communication system resources are disclosed. Based on status information received from a resource itself or from other sources, an operational status of a maintenance resource to perform a predetermined maintenance operation on a target communication system resource, for example, may be determined. Access to use resources in performing operations may also be controlled. Resource access is granted or denied based on an availability status of a resource. Other parameters such as relative priorities of a new request to use a resource and a current operation for which access to use the resource was previously granted may also be used in determining whether to grant access to use a resource. A resource may be reclaimed for a higher priority operation for instance. Redundant or alternate resources may also be identified where a resource is not operational or otherwise not available.

Maintenance of communication lines, such as Metallic Test Access (MTA) testing for instance, commonly involves using external test heads located near communication equipment to be tested. Once a user either manually verifies, or simply assumes, that required testing resources are present and operational, test functions can be attempted using an external test head.
With distributed equipment architectures such as remote Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) Access Multiplexers (DSLAMs) that are deployed to extend the reach of DSL service from a Central Office (CO), it tends to be more difficult to verify whether resources such as external cables connecting distributed equipment shelves and internal relays that switch internal test buses are operational and available when needed. Where switched test paths are provided between distributed equipment, a testing system becomes even more complex, presenting another challenge for testing management.
Further complicating the goal of testing management is the fact that resources required to perform a test may involve multiple electronic circuit cards that can be put into and taken out of service as a result of being assigned to other tests, communication equipment servicing, or failures.
Similar challenges may also affect other types of operations than testing, and other types of resources than those used for testing communication systems.
Thus, there remains a need for improved techniques for managing communication system resources.


Modified glucagon peptides are disclosed having improved solubility and/or stability while retaining glucagon agonist activity. The glucagon peptides have been modified by the substitution of pyridyl-alanine for a native amino acid at one or more of positions 6, 10 or 13 and/or substitution with an amino acid in the D-conformation at position 20 or 21 compared to native glucagon.

Pre-proglucagon is a 158 amino acid precursor polypeptide that is processed in different tissues to form a number of different proglucagon-derived peptides, including glucagon, glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), glucagon-like peptide-2 (GLP-2) and oxyntomodulin (OXM), that are involved in a wide variety of physiological functions, including glucose homeostasis, insulin secretion, gastric emptying, and intestinal growth, as well as the regulation of food intake. Glucagon is a 29-amino acid peptide that corresponds to amino acids 33 through 61 of pre-proglucagon, while GLP-1 is produced as a 37-amino acid peptide that corresponds to amino acids 72 through 108 of pre-proglucagon.
Hypoglycemia occurs when blood glucose levels drops too low to provide enough energy for the body's activities. In adults or children older than 10 years, hypoglycemia is uncommon except as a side effect of diabetes treatment, but it can result from other medications or diseases, hormone or enzyme deficiencies, or tumors. When blood glucose begins to fall, glucagon, a hormone produced by the pancreas, signals the liver to break down glycogen and release glucose, causing blood glucose levels to rise toward a normal level. Thus, glucagon's most recognized role in glucose regulation is to counteract the action of insulin and maintain blood glucose levels. However for diabetics, this glucagon response to hypoglycemia may be impaired, making it harder for glucose levels to return to the normal range.
Hypoglycemia is a life threatening event that requires immediate medical attention. The administration of glucagon is an established medication for treating acute hypoglycemia and it can restore normal levels of glucose within minutes of administration. When glucagon is used in the acute medical treatment of hypoglycemia, a crystalline form of glucagon is solubilized with a dilute acid buffer and the solution is injected intramuscularly. While this treatment is effective, the methodology is cumbersome and dangerous for someone that is semi-conscious. Accordingly, there is a need for a glucagon analog that maintains the biological performance of the parent molecule but is sufficiently soluble and stable, under relevant physiological conditions, that it can be pre-formulated as a solution, ready for injection.
A number of approaches have been advanced to develop a soluble formulation of native glucagon including the use of aqueous and nonaqueous formulations. In addition modifications to the primary sequence have been reported to reduce aggregation and chemical degradation. These modifications include a reduction in the number of native amide side chains, including the substitution of the acid-sensitive Gln3 with a chemically stable mimetic. Additionally, the substitution of Ser16 with aminoisobutyric acid (Aib) not only improved biophysical properties as reflected by a minimized propensity to physical aggregate but also prevented chemical degradation via isoaspartimide formation between Asp15 and Ser16. Separately from the chemical and physical stabilization of the peptide, two approaches have been taken to enhance its aqueous solubility. These include the C-terminal extension with the exendin-derived nine amino acid sequence and the introduction of anionic charge to the C-terminus to decrease the isoelectric point as a means to increase neutral pH solubility. However, additional improvements in glucagon solubility and stability are desirable.
Diabetics are encouraged to maintain near normal blood glucose levels to delay or prevent microvascular complications. Achievement of this goal usually requires intensive insulin therapy. In striving to achieve this goal, physicians have encountered a substantial increase in the frequency and severity of hypoglycemia in their diabetic patients. Accordingly, improved pharmaceuticals and methodologies are needed for treating diabetes that are less likely to induce hypoglycemia than current insulin therapies.
As described herein, high potency glucagon peptides are provided that exhibit enhanced aqueous solubility.

Aqueously soluble and chemically stable glucagon peptides

Indiana University Research and Technology Corporation


A silver halide photographic light-sensitive material in which silver halide grains contain rhodium salt and not more than 4 mol % of silver iodide, and at least one of spectral sensitizing dyes represented by formula 1 is added before the commencement of chemical ripening, is disclosed. ##STR1## Z.sub.1 and Z.sub.2 represent ring forming groups with non-metallic atoms i.e. a pyrroline, thiazoline, thiazole, benzothiazole, naphthothiazole, selenazole, benzoselenazole, naphthoselenazole, oxazole, benzooxazole, naphthooxazole, imidazole, benzimidazole or a pyridine group. Each group is unsubstituted or substituted with a halogen atom, a lower alkyl group, a lower alkoxy group or a phenyl group; R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 each represent a lower alkyl group, a hydroxyalkyl group, a carboxylalkyl group or a sulfoalkyl group; R.sub.3, when n.sub.3 is 1, represents a lower alkyl group or a hydrogen atom, while, when n.sub.3 is zero, represents a hydrogen atom; n.sub.1 and n.sub.2 each is 0 or 1; n.sub.3 is 0 or 1; X.sup.- is an anion; and m is 1 or 2.

It is conventionally well-known that a water-soluble rhodium salt is used to obtain a contrast-increased photographic emulsion.
However, the water-soluble rhodium salt-used silver halide photographic light-sensitive material, although capable of forming a high-contrast image, has the disadvantage that it is liable to get increasingly fogged and to get its contrast reduced during its raw-stock storage.
As techniques to improve the raw-stock storage stability of a photographic light-sensitive material there are many techniques such as the use of cadmium compounds disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 488,709, the use of nucleic acid-decomposed products disclosed in JP O.P.I. Nos. 23618/1950, the use of quinones or 3-pyrazolidones disclosed in JP O.P.I. Nos. 23383/1969, 11029/1977 and 154247/1985.
However, these conventional techniques are effective for low-speed silver chloride or silver chlorobromide emulsions, but, when applied to a high-speed silver iodobromide emulsion containing an appropriate amount of silver iodide, can not be deemed effective enough to prevent the emulsion from fogging and from contrast reduction during its storage, and in addition, have the problem that they are inferior in the safety to safelight that is essential for the safe handling of photographic films particularly in the darkroom, and thus a further improvement of them has been called for.

Silver halide photographic light-sensitive material


An optical power splitter for the distribution of high-power light energy has a plurality of prisms arranged about a central axis to form a central channel. The input faces of the prisms are in a common plane which is substantially perpendicular to the central axis. A beam of light which is substantially coaxial to the central axis is incident on the prisms and at least partially strikes a surface area of each prism input face. The incident beam also partially passes through the central channel.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of optics and, in particular, to a device for splitting high-power light energy into a plurality of light beams. The United States Government has rights in this invention pursuant to Contract No. W-7405-ENG-48 between the United States Department of Energy and the University of California.
2. Description of the Related Art
Fiber optic power splitters are optical devices which distribute light energy from one optical fiber into several output fibers. An ideal power splitter would distribute the light energy to a given number of output fibers with no scattering loss and would remain insensitive to the amount of light energy transmitted to each output fiber. Based on these desired characteristics, two broad approaches to power splitters have been developed. See Arun K. Agarwal, Review of Optical Fiber Couplers, Fiber and Integrated Optics, Vol. 6, No. 1, 1987.
In the first broad approach, known as surface interaction type power splitters, each output fiber has a source end which is open to a common area where all or a portion of the light from a single input fiber enters the common area to be reflected or guided to each output fiber. Examples of this surface interaction approach are fused biconical tapered structures and mixer element star couplers.
Most applications of surface interaction type power splitters, however, are in low power information-distribution applications. This environment limits the kinds of information-distribution components that can be used and requires careful management of the optical power (light) to avoid damage to the components.
In the second broad approach, core interaction type power splitters, the power transfer takes place from the core of the single input fiber to the cores of the output fibers. Such a straightforward approach employs amplitude beamsplitters and focusing optics to split power from the core of the input fiber to the cores of the output fibers.
This core interaction approach works well for two output fibers. However, complex optical subsystems are required between the beamsplitters and the output fibers to insure satisfactory coupling. This renders the core interaction approach cumbersome and unwieldy when more than two output fibers are present.
One way of removing the complex optical subsystems required by the core interaction approach is to employ two fused silica microprisms and to fuse the fibers directly onto the prism surfaces (See Agarwal, pages 37-38, FIG. 10). Although this approach provides satisfactory coupling, it remains cumbersome when increasing numbers of output fibers are required. Thus, there is a need for a high-power, power splitting device which can easily distribute light energy to large numbers of output fibers.

Optical power splitter for splitting high power light

The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy


The chip module comprises a semiconductor chip, which is fixed on a main side of a substrate of planar extent. A component, which is provided for taking up, emitting, reflecting or partially shielding electromagnetic radiation, e.g., a radiation sensor or an optical display device (display), is provided on the same main side of the substrate and is connected to the semiconductor chip. The substrate is transmissive to the relevant radiation to a sufficient extent and at least in a region occupied by the component.

In the future, smart cards are intended to be equipped with enhanced functions. These include not only the transmission of data by means of electrical data lines but also communication of information by electromagnetic beams which, in the simplest case, are used for optical reproduction of information. Therefore, in addition to the chip, a further component is intended to be integrated in a smart card, said further component being provided for taking up, emitting, reflecting or partially shielding electromagnetic radiation. What may be involved in this case is a display part (display) which itself emits electromagnetic waves in the optical range or, as in the case of an LCD, reflects and/or partially shields light, in order thus to effect an optical display. Moreover, said component may be a sensor or detector for radiation, which may be provided for taking up radiated information which is transmitted, e.g., by means of a suitably modulated electromagnetic wave. The component may equally emit modulated electromagnetic waves. Communication of electromagnetic radiation to the smart card or from the smart card into the observer's eye or into a detector of a terminal therefore affords a multiplicity of possibilities for enhancing the functions of a smart card. However, the problem arises, even more than in conventional chip modules, that, in addition to the semiconductor chip, a further component has to be inserted into a smart card body and be fixed there in a sufficiently fracture-resistant fashion. This process of inserting and making electrical contact with the further component must not significantly increase the manufacturing costs and the production complexity.


A modified effector cell includes a non-reversibly produced vector-encoded anti-GD2-BB-ζ chimeric receptor for use in disialoganglioside GD2-expressing neoplasia, which is inserted in the cell, to obtain an effector cell that stably produces the anti-GD2-BB-ζ chimeric receptor, the chimeric receptor having two distinct mutually fused portions, i.e. an intra-cytoplasmic portion and an extra-cytoplasmic portion.

Knowledge of cell immune function and tumor biology has shown that a competent immune system has a key role in cancer prevention and treatment.
Genetic and epigenetic events cause abnormal generation of a large number of new antigens (Ag), that are constantly produced by tumors as the latter develop and progress.
Immune system components may theoretically detect these Ags and trigger direct cell and tumor responses against the transformed cells, thereby inhibiting development thereof.
The anticancer immune response develops through various steps (see Fig. 1A), which require the presence of specific cytokines and/or chemokines, support cells such as antigen-presenting cells and cell effectors capable of tumor target-specific attack, by recognition of the Ag that activates the effector functions. Nevertheless, in spite of the immune response, immune cells cannot eliminate all the tumor cells, as the latter use a number of "escape" mechanisms (see FIG. 1B).
This generates somewhat an immune tolerance against tumor growth. Such events have been addressed by considering a number of therapeutic approaches, in which cell effectors are enhanced for more effective and persistent activity.
The most common therapeutic approaches include anticancer vaccination, adoptive cell immunotherapy and gene therapy.
In the first approach, cell effectors are caused to contact tumor-specific antigens and trigger response therefrom.
In adoptive immunotherapy, cell effectors are infused, after ex-vivo multiplication and purification thereof according to a selective anti-tumor activity.
Finally, gene therapy allows modification of cell effectors for more specific antigen recognition, followed by an enhanced and possibly more persistent anti-tumor response.
Such gene therapy has been tested for effectiveness against diseases such as melanoma, intestinal carcinoma, lymphoma, prostate cancer, kidney tumor, and even in acute and chronic lymphatic leukemia (FIG. 1C). These encouraging results suggested us to study a gene therapy approach using immune cells, that focused on tumor lines expressing a particular antigen, known as GD2, on their cell membrane.
Gene Therapy with Anti-GD2 Chemical Receptor-Expressing Immune Cells.
Disialoganglioside GD2 is a ubiquitous molecule of the plasma membrane of neuroectodermal cells, which has a role in cell growth and differentiation, as well as the maintenance of cell-matrix adhesion.
II GD2 has been extensively investigated for the last 30 years, as it was found to be an interesting surface epitope characterizing various types of tumors of ectodermal and mesodermal origin.
Particularly, it is over-expressed by most of neuroblastoma (NB) and melanoma cells, and is absent or expressed at low levels in normal tissues.
In pediatrics, neuroblastoma, hereinafter shortly referred to as NB, is one of the most intensively studied tumors, as it has a yearly incidence of 7-10 cases/million, and ranks third in incidence among pediatric malignancies after leukemia and central nervous system tumors.
While the survival rate for low- and medium-risk NB cases has been ascertained, prognosis for high-risk NB cases is still low (<15%). Although the various therapies against NB have increased initial response rates, it is still difficult to achieve long-lasting remission in patients with disseminated disease.
Recent immunotherapy trials against NB showed susceptibility thereof to the action of effector cells, and suggest these procedures as a new interesting therapeutic approach to support existing therapies, with the purpose of preventing recurrence and ensuring long-term disease control.
Based on these trials, a number of therapeutic strategies for enhancing cell effectors have been implemented for NB treatment.
The first immunotherapy approaches consisted in infusing patients with tumor-specific anti-GD2 monoclonal antibodies (MoAb in short), immune-modulating cytokines such as IL-2 and ex-vivo activated immune cells, as described for adoptive immunotherapy.
Concerning MoAbs, once the specific tumor antigen has been recognized, they can act at multiple levels, namely on the one hand by triggering a block by direct action, if the antigen is a functional receptor and on the other with an indirect action, through an Ab-dependent cytotoxicity process (ADCC), involving activation of cell effectors.
Furthermore, MoAbs have been conjugated with radioactive molecules, chemotherapeutic drugs or toxins, thereby acting as carriers for highly specific delivery of the active compound to the tumor site.
Also concerning NB, various clinical trials have been undertaken with anti-GD2 MoAbs (see Fig. 1D) to trigger an immune response, although the first results that have obtained have shown poor success in NB recurrence treatment as well as high toxicity.
In order to obviate these limits, adoptive cell immunotherapy has been undertaken, using disialoganglioside GD2 as a target antigen.
Immune cells have been modified for recognition and elimination of GD2-positive tumors, thereby providing new therapeutic hopes not only to children affected by this tumor, but also to patients with tumors associated with high GD2-antigen expression, such as: small cell lung carcinoma, melanoma and other tumors.
In 1 998, a New York-based team led by Sadelain M, noted that most tumor cells use an "escape" mechanism that consists in reduced presentation of molecules involved in co-stimulation to activation of the immune system, such as B7-1 and B7-2.
These molecules are required by the effector cells both for completing tumor cell recognition and for maintaining the established proliferative stimulus. Based on this assumption, a decision was made of modifying the T cells by providing them with a CR that is capable of recognizing GD2-positive cells, and consists of the scFv of a GD2-specific MoAb (3G6) associated with the co-stimulatory molecule CD28, which is required for effective activation of the anti-tumor action of lymphocytes.
The same chimeric receptor was produced in truncated form, i.e. lacking the intra-cytoplasmic portion, and was used as a control to validate the role of the CD28 molecule in the persistence of lymphocyte activation stimulus.
The first in vitro results showed that the CR 3G6-CD28 was not only able to allow specific recognition of GD2-positive cells by T lymphocytes, but could also protect them from death induced by tumor microenvironment stimuli, thereby allowing selective expansion of modified lymphocytes, unlike the ECs expressing the truncated-form CR.
Although this study provided one of the first evidences of the important role of co-stimulatory molecules in ensuring proliferation and long-term survival of immune cells, it did not deal with the ability of modified lymphocytes to act against tumor cells, and did not assess their effectiveness in terms of anti-tumor immune action.
The team of Brenner M. K. and Rossig C, from the Baylor College of Medicine, Huston, conducted a study in 2001, in which T lymphocytes were genetically modified and used in NB treatment.
Here, CRs were generated whose intracytoplasmic domain had only the lymphocyte signaling molecule CD3ζ (with no co-stimulatory signal), fused with an extracytoplasmic domain composed of the scFv of the anti-GD2 monoclonal antibody (sc14.G2a).
The T lynmphocytes obtained after transduction were able to stably express the CR with less than 30% efficiency, but this assessment, although not extended to all lymphocytes, ensured selective recognition and activation of such modified lymphocytes against GD2-positive NB cells.
In spite of this, their function was found to decrease with time, when no appropriate co-stimulatory signal was provided, because antigen stimulation by the CR was not found to be able, alone, to adequately support cell proliferation.
These results support the feasibility of human T-lymphocytes redirection for treatment of an associated GD2 tumor, but indicate that the success of CR-mediated adoptive immunotherapy requires additional strategies to support maintenance of EC activation.
More recent studies have shown that co-stimulatory molecules are required by immune cells not only to complete activation of the cytolytic action once the target (primary and secondary signals) is recognized, but to ensure such action with time.
These observations suggest that any gene modification of ECs presenting a CR in combination with a co-stimulatory signal may be a key to obtain specific and long-lasting immune responses.
These assumptions were used by Brenner M and his colleagues in 2008 to prove that cytotoxic T lymphocytes CD8+ (CTL) directed against tumor-associated non-viral antigens do not survive for a long time in the tumor microenvironment and show a limited in-vivo antitumor activity, whereupon the researchers decided to utilize their antiviral reactivity to make up for this limit.
Therefore, Epstein-Barr (EBV)-specific CTLs were genetically modified for expression of a CR directed against GD2 and hence these genetically modified lymphocytes receive the co-stimulatory signal from their native receptors activated by the EBV virus, while the specific antitumor activity is mediated by the CR.
This study conducted on NB patients showed that EBV-specific CTLs expressing the anti-GD2 CR survive for a longer time as compared both with the same CR-modified lymphocytes with no EBV specificity, and with CTLs having an anti-GD2 CR, that has the CD3ζ chain as the only intra-cytoplasmic stimulatory signal.
The infusion of EBV-specific CTLs modified with the anti-GD2 CR was found to be safe and was associated with tumor regression in one half of the tested individuals, which suggests it as an interesting adoptive cell immunotherapy approach, although in this case co-stimulation is not supported by an inherent property of the CR but by prior sensitization of ECs by the EB virus, which limits the field of action to individuals that had specific contact with such virus. Furthermore, individuals formerly exposed to the virus might have the virus in their T cells, as a condition that predisposes per se to development of lymphoid neoplasia.
Therefore, various co-stimulatory molecules have been studied and investigated through the years, for association to the CR and enhancement of its effectiveness. A remarkable molecule of this type is the 4-1 BB molecule, also known as CD137, and member of the TNF receptor family, which is essential for the antitumor activity of T cells.
In 2009, Campana D. et al. issued a study in which T lymphocytes were modified with an anti-CD19 CR (an important marker for acute lymphatic leukemia), which presented the 4-1 BB co-stimulatory molecule signaling domain at intra-cytoplasmic level.
The T lymphocytes genetically modified to express this CR have shown a potent and specific cytolytic activity against CD19-positive leukemia cells and such effectiveness was found to be better than that of lymphocytes modified with the same CR, lacking the 4-1 BB portion. Based on this and other previous studies, Campana D. et al. disclosed in patent application publication US2005/0113564 concerning "Chimeric receptors with 4-1 BB stimulatory signaling domain", the possibility of genetically modifying ECs by providing them with specific anti-CD-19 CRs having a highly efficient co-stimulatory molecule, thereby optimizing the activation and maintenance of the antitumor cytolytic stimulus with time.
All these studies provide the knowledge that treatments with large numbers of genetically modified effector cells may be used in clinical practice, due to their low hazard level, although successful use of this therapy may be hindered by low long-term persistence of these cells, as well as by an advanced state of the tumor disease.
Such data suggest the need of improving the immunologic action after transplantation by modifying the receptor structure to optimize its ability of both first activating the antitumor cytolytic process; and allowing a more effective long-time persistence of the effector cells at the tumor site, for real, long-term remission of the disease.

Modified effector cell (or chimeric receptor) for treating disialoganglioside G

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Inc.


Various techniques are provided to compensate for and/or update ineffective (e.g., stale) calibration terms due to calibration drifts in infrared imaging devices. For example, a virtual-shutter non-uniformity correction (NUC) procedure may be initiated to generate NUC terms to correct non-uniformities when appropriate triggering events and/or conditions are detected that may indicate presence of an object or scene to act as a shutter (e.g., a virtual shutter). Scene-based non-uniformity correction (SBNUC) may be performed during image capturing operations of the infrared imaging device, for example, when a virtual-shutter scene is not available. Further, snapshots of calibration data (e.g., NUC terms) produced during the virtual-shutter NUC procedure, the SBNUC process, and/or other NUC process may be taken. Such snapshots may be utilized to provide useful NUC data when the infrared imaging device starts up or is otherwise reactivated, so that the SBNUC or other NUC methods may produce effective results soon after the start-up. Such snapshots may also be utilized to update ineffective calibration terms.

For many infrared imaging devices, various calibration procedures may be performed during manufacturing, testing, and/or operation to correct non-uniformities or otherwise reduce noise associated with the infrared imaging devices. Calibration data (also referred to as calibration terms) produced during such calibration procedures are typically stored in a non-volatile memory and applied to the infrared imaging devices and/or captured images to correct non-uniformities or otherwise reduce noise that may appear in the captured images. However, as various characteristics of various components of the infrared imaging devices change with passage of time and/or with use, the calibration terms gradually become stale (e.g., less effective), resulting in a calibration drift.
To correct calibration drifts, infrared imaging devices typically need to be recalibrated at a calibration station and/or using an internal calibration shutter mechanism embedded into the infrared imaging devices. However, a calibration station may be unavailable, or using one may be cumbersome. Internal calibration shutter mechanisms may also be unavailable for many infrared imaging devices, especially for small form factor and/or low cost devices.
Some infrared imaging devices may be capable of performing shutterless non-uniformity correction (NUC) methods using images captured during operation of the device, so as to further correct non-uniformities or otherwise reduce noise in addition to applying the calibration terms. However, such methods may not be sufficient to quickly compensate for calibration drifts, because as the calibration drifts worsen it may take an unacceptably long time for the shutterless NUC methods to produce reasonable results after the infrared imaging devices start capturing images.

Techniques to compensate for calibration drifts in infrared imaging devices


A method of manufacturing a mop wherein a cylindrical member is fixed in a groove of a sponge. The cylindrical member has a smaller length than the sponge and a flat surface located midway between a first end and second ends thereof. The flat surface is located in a same horizontal plane as first and seconds lands defined by the groove in the sponge. A single screw is turned into the cylindrical member at the center of the flat surface and a handle is turned onto the screw until an end of the handle engages the flat surface. A roller with a smaller diameter than the diameter of the cylindrical member has a first axial projection, which is located in a first opening in a strap, and a second axial projection which is in a second opening in the strap. The strap is flexed and the first and second axial projections on the cylindrical member are located in third and fourth openings in the strap such that the roller and cylindrical member are parallel to each other. The roller is retained in first and second rest positions by being positioned on one of the first and second lands of the sponge. The strap is adapted to rotate in an arc about the first and second projections on the cylindrical member from a first rest position to a second rest position. On rotation, the sponge is radially compressed between the roller and cylindrical member and axially compressed between the strap, roller and cylindrical member to remove liquid from the sponge. The diameter of the roller and a space relationship between the first and third and second and fourth openings in the strap assure that the roller is positioned on the first land in the first rest position and on the second land in the second rest position as the strap is rotated about the cylindrical member.

This invention relates to a method of manufacturing a mop and in particular a head for a mop wherein first and second lands on a top surface of a sponge hold a wringer against a handle.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,512,121 discloses a method of manufacturing a mop having a head made from a rectangular open cell sponge attached to a cylindrical core. This method of manufacturing a mop will produce an acceptable product however it is important that the space relationship between the cylindrical member, which carries the sponge and roller, be maintained within a critical tolerance. If this tolerance is not maintained moisture will not be removed from the sponge in a desired manner and when the roller is moved between the first and second rest positions the roller will not be positioned on the appropriate land formed on the top of the sponge. Thus, the internal resiliency of the sponge will not hold the roller against the handle.
A primary object of the present invention is to provide a method of manufacturing a mop wherein a roller is retained on a land in a rest position and resiliently urged into engagement with a handle.
According to the method disclosed herein a sponge having a desired shape with a top surface separated from a bottom surface by a predetermined uniform thickness is located in a fixture. The sponge has a longitudinal groove that extends from the top surface to a predetermined depth to define first and second lands on the top surface. A cylindrical member with an adhesive applied thereto is located in the groove such that a flat surface located adjacent a midpoint between first and second ends is located in a same plane as the top surface of the sponge. The sponge has a length, which is longer than the axial length of the first cylindrical member. A fastener member screwed into the cylindrical member at the midpoint of the first and second ends is located in a plane perpendicular to the cylindrical member. A handle is screwed onto the fastener until a first end of the handle engages the flat surface. A roller obtained from a source of supply has a second diameter of approximately three/fourths the first diameter of the first cylindrical member is connected to a strap by locating first and second projections of the roller in corresponding first and second openings in the strap. The strap is joined to the cylindrical member by locating first and second projections on the cylindrical member in corresponding third and fourth openings in the strap such that the roller is parallel to the cylindrical member. The strap rotates in an arc about the axis of the cylindrical member from a first rest position to a second rest position. On rotation, a radial force is produced between the roller and cylindrical member while an axial force is produced between the strap, roller and cylindrical member to compresses the sponge and remove liquid therefrom. The roller is retained in the first and second rest positions by being located on one of the first and second lands. The second diameter of the roller and a space relationship between the first and third and second and fourth openings on the strap assuring that the roller is positioned on the first land in the first rest position and on the second land in the second rest position as the strap is rotated about the axis of the cylindrical member.
An advantage of the method of manufacture of a mop by this invention occurs in the alignment of a flat on a first cylindrical body with a top surface of a sponge to assure that substantially all moisture is removed from the sponge as a second cylindrical body is rotated in an arc around the axis of the first cylindrical body between first and second rest positions.
A further advantage of this mop is provided by the roller and strap which combine to respectively radially and axially compress a sponge to remove liquid on rotation of the strap from a first rest position to a second rest position.


Field effect transistors, methods of fabricating a carbon insulating layer using molecular beam epitaxy and methods of fabricating a field effect transistor using the same are provided, the methods of fabricating the carbon insulating layer include maintaining a substrate disposed in a molecular beam epitaxy chamber at a temperature in a range of about 300° C. to about 500° C. and maintaining the chamber in vacuum of 10−11 Torr or less prior to performing an epitaxy process, and supplying a carbon source to the chamber to form a carbon insulating layer on the substrate. The carbon insulating layer is formed of diamond-like carbon and tetrahedral amorphous carbon.

1. Field
Example embodiments relate to field effect transistors, methods of fabricating a carbon insulating layer using molecular beam epitaxy and methods of fabricating a field effect transistor using the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Graphene is electrically, mechanically and chemically stable, and highly conductive. As such, graphene is used as a basic material in an electronic circuit. In general, graphene is prepared by chemical vapor deposition wherein a carbon source is provided on a metal catalyst layer, or by thermally decomposing a silicon carbide (SiC) substrate.
A passive insulating layer is easily formed on a silicon substrate by natural oxidation, or heat treatment. However, it is difficult to form an insulating layer on other substrates (e.g., a germanium (Ge) substrate, or a gallium arsenide (GaAs) substrate) by heat treatment or oxidation.
Molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) is used to form a solid thin film layer using vacuum deposition. MBE is carried out under ultra-high vacuum, and evaporated materials adhere onto a substrate without collision with one another.

Field effect transistors, methods of fabricating a carbon-insulating layer using molecular beam epitaxy and methods of fabricating a field effect transistor

The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University


A system for protecting an electronic device from mechanical intrusion attempt. An intrusion barrier able to detect mechanical intrusion by means of circuit traces which detect any change in the resistance characteristics of the electric circuit. These circuit traces function as a resistors and they are connected together to form a Wheatstone bridge. According to the present invention the logical lay-out of these connections is selected so that the voltage difference between two adjacent traces is minimized. In this way the current leakage effect is limited to the minimum.

It is a usual requirement for many computer applications to protect data from unwanted access by an unauthorised user. Many software protection systems are known in the art to allow only selected users to access said protected data, with the use of a password or other identification methods. Communication of data on a network is protected from undesired detection by means of encryption methods. Passwords, encryption keys and other sensitive data are usually stored in memory components in the computer systems and need to be protected even more carefully from unwanted inspection. Software control and protection methods may be not enough to stop an experienced person from bypassing these protections and tampering with the computer hardware, e.g. by direct interrogation of memory components such as integrated circuit memory.
A possible protection from the above physical attacks is to provide some kind of detecting means which detects an attempted intrusion within a protected sensitive area and reacts by giving an alarm or even by destroying any sensitive information to avoid the loss of secrecy.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,027,397 describes an intrusion barrier for protecting against mechanical and chemical intrusion into an electronic assembly. The barrier includes a screen material surrounding the electronic assembly. The screen material has formed thereon fine conductive lines in close proximity to each other in a pattern that limits the mechanical access which could be achieved without disturbing the resistive characteristic of at least one line or line segment. The lines are formed of conductive particles of material dispersed in a solidified matrix of material which loses its mechanical integrity when removed from the screen substrate. Electrical supply and signal detection means are provided which are adapted to supply a signal to the conductive lines and generate an output signal responsive to a given change in the resistance of the conductive lines whereby, when the resistance of the conductive lines changes, either as result of chemical or mechanical attack, a signal is generated which causes an alarm and the erasure of sensitive information in the protected memory component.
In order to better protect the content of the security enclosure from the most sophisticated intrusion techniques, the wires should also be invisible and not detectable. For this reason it is known to make these wires with non-metallic, x-ray transparent, (low) conductive materials, merged into a resin having color, physical and mechanical characteristics very similar to the conductive tracks. This requirement constitutes a significant constraint in the choice of the material for the resin which often provides poor electrical insulation. In some circumstances the insulation deteriorates with the increase of the temperature and this makes the detecting circuit unstable and prone to false tamper detection. This problem is due to the current leakage through the resin.
It is an object of the present invention to alleviate the above drawbacks of the prior art.

Tamper resistant card enclosure with improved intrusion detection circuit

International Business Machines Corporation


A chrome-free corrosion inhibitor composition includes: titanium chloride; a stabilizer including a mixture of hydrogen peroxide and at least a compound selected from nitric acid, persulfate, nitrate, and chlorate; and a film-forming enhancer selected from monosaccharide, oligosaccharide, polysaccharide, derivatives of saccharide, and combinations thereof.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a chrome-free corrosion inhibitor composition, more particularly to a chrome-free corrosion inhibitor composition including a film-forming enhancer.
2. Description of the Related Art
A metal substrate usually has a protective coating thereon for providing corrosion resistance and for providing a shiny appearance to enhance for commercial appeal.
Conventional protective coatings have a composition including hexavalent chrome ion and have advantages of excellent corrosion resistance, self-repairability, shiny appearance, and low cost. However, hexavalent chrome is toxic and hazardous. Therefore, its use is restricted based on the Restriction of Hazardous Substance (RoHS) Directive, which is adopted by the European union and which restricts the use of specific hazardous materials in electronic and electrical products.
Moreover, since trivalent chrome can be converted into hexavalent chrome, potential hazards resulting from the use of trivalent chrome cannot be neglected. Therefore, there is a need to find a chrome-free corrosion inhibitor composition to replace the chrome-containing corrosion inhibitor composition.
Although conventional chrome-free corrosion inhibitor compositions, such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,380,374, 6,038,309, 6,059,867, 5,951,747, 5,728,233, 5,584,946, and 6,206,982, can provide corrosion resistance to metal substrates, they fail to maintain the shiny appearance provided by a decorative plating layer, such as Zn or Zn alloy, on the metal substrate.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,217,674, 5,449,414, and 5,432,456 disclose chrome-free corrosion inhibitor compositions that can provide corrosion resistance to a metal substrate. However, use of these compositions results in a protective film having a non-uniform appearance on the metal substrate.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,938,861 and 5,743,971 disclose chrome-free corrosion inhibitor compositions containing silicon compounds. These compositions are relatively unstable and can generate undesired silicate and silica precipitates when stored for a period of time.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,524,401 B1 discloses a chrome-free composition including titanium trichloride, an oxidant, such as organic acids, a complexing agent, and a metal compound. In use, the chrome-free composition is formed into a solution for application to a metal substrate. The solution is subsequently dried to form a protective coating on the metal substrate. During drying, titanium chloride is formed into titanate deposit deposited on the metal substrate to form the protective coating. The conventional chrome-free composition is disadvantageous in that the corrosion resistance, the compactness, the shiny appearance, and the uniformity of the protective coating formed therefrom still need to be improved. In addition, titanium trichloride is relatively expensive and unstable, i.e., it tends to form precipitates during storage. Moreover, the applicants conducted experiments and found that addition of the organic acids in the corrosion inhibitor composition improved insignificantly the corrosion resistance, the compactness, and the ability to maintain a shiny appearance for the protective coating formed therefrom.
Therefore, there is a need to provide a corrosion inhibitor composition that is low cost and environmental friendly, and that can provide excellent corrosion resistance, the ability to maintain a shiny appearance, and uniform appearance for the protective coating formed therefrom.

Chrome-free corrosion inhibitor composition