A server system has a process manager, listeners and worker processes in which the listeners connect to worker processes. At server start-up, each listener connects with the process manager via a pipe published by the process manager. The process manager then provides information to each listener associating applications to application pools, and applications for which the listener is to “listen”. When the listener receives a request for which it is to listen, the listener starts a queue for the application or associated application pool. The process manager launches an appropriate worker process to handle requests in the listener's protocol. The worker process then makes a connection with the listener.

The popularity of the Internet, and in particular, the portion of the Internet known as the World Wide Web, continues to grow. The World Wide Web is basically a collection of computers that are operatively linked together through a plurality of communication networks. Typically, users access the World Wide Web through a personal computer or like device, which is connected to the Internet via a modem of some type. For example, many users of the World Wide Web connect to the Internet using a dial-up telephone networked modem configured to establish data communications through an Internet Services Provider (ISP). Other users connect to the Internet with a faster modem, e.g., a cable modem, digital subscriber line (DSL) modem, etc.
Regardless of how a user ultimately connects to the Internet/World Wide Web, once connected the user typically accesses information available therein by using a web browser or like application. A web browser is configured to access web pages that are provided through the Internet by other computers. For example, one or more web server computers may be connected to the Internet and configured with one or more web sites or other supporting web applications. A web site typically has one or more static web pages and/or is capable of supplying one or more dynamically generated web pages that the user may selectively download, view and possible interact with.
To identify a particular web site/page the user will typically select a hyper link to the desired web site/page or may choose to manually enter a unique name for the web site/page. The most common name used for identifying a web site/page is known as the uniform resource locator (URL). For example, by entering a URL, the user will be connected to an appropriate web server which hosts the applicable web application(s), and the requested web page will be downloaded using a hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) to the web browser. Within the Internet itself, the selected URL is associated with a specific Internet Protocol (IP) address. This IP address takes the form of a unique numerical identifier, which has been assigned to the targeted web server. Thus, a user may also directly enter an IP address in the web browser. However, the majority of users tend to favor the use of the more easily remembered and entered URL.
When a typical web server receives a request, e.g., an HTTP request, from a web browser, it needs to handle the request. Hence, a web server process may be configured to handle the request itself, or may need to pass the request on to another process, e.g., a worker process, that is configured to handle the request. Conventional web server processes typically listen to a particular port (e.g., "port 80") provided by a Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) kernel-mode provided service. When a request is received, the web server process either handles the request or calls for a worker process to handle the request. To determine which worker process should handle the request, most conventional web server processes either map the request to a physical file or to a dynamic application of some sort, such as a dynamic-linked library (DLL) or common gateway interface (CGI) process. Mapping is typically based on the extension provided at the end of the URL. For example, an ".html" extension signifies that the desired web page is in a HyperText Markup Language format. This extension could then be found, for example, in a look-up table, and associated with a specific worker process, if needed. Conversely, the .html extension may identify that the web server process can handle the request itself. There exists a plurality of extensions that may be used to identify the applicable worker process.
Once a specific worker process has been identified, the worker process is started (as needed) and the request is forwarded to the worker process. Such decisions and subsequent routing of the request are conducted by user-mode processes.
Conventional web servers typically incur a delay associated with such user-node "process hops". For such web servers, which often receive thousands of requests each minute, the delays associated with process hops can diminish the efficiency of the web server. In certain configurations, the web server process may be required to share a common communication port with one or more worker processes. This too may further reduce the efficiency of the web server. In addition, there can be a reduction in the robustness of the web server in certain situations, e.g., when a worker process fails to receive/complete the request, etc.

Method and system to support multiple-protocol processing within worker processes


A waveguide slot antenna element, waveguide slot antenna arrays comprising a plurality of the waveguide slot antenna elements and a method of operating the waveguide slot antenna arrays are described. The waveguide slot antenna element includes a non-radiating side including a feeding port, a radiating side disposed opposite to the non-radiating side and including at least one pair of radiating slots, and an energy splitter arrangement accommodated between the radiating and non-radiating sides along a path of an ingress electromagnetic field propagating from the feeding port towards said at least one pair of radiating slots. The method of operating the waveguide slot antenna arrays includes supplying electromagnetic energy of a predetermined frequency to the feeding ports of a first pair of slot antenna linear arrays and a second pair of slot antenna linear arrays independently of each other, thereby to generate an electromagnetic field of desired polarization.

Slotted waveguide antennas are well known and utilized in the art for emitting microwave electromagnetic field of desired polarization, e.g., vertical, horizontal or circular.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,740,751 to Nemit describes a slotted-waveguide array having a dual-slot configuration. The pattern of the array sub-group has a null in the direction at which a grating lobe would occur in an antenna having single slot-element per radiator.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,523,297 to Fee describes a dual frequency antenna array that is composed of slotted hollow fin trough waveguide with obstacles located on the sides of the hollow center fin. The trough guide with obstacles located on the sides of the hollow center fin is the low frequency section of the antenna. The slotted hollow center fin, on the other hand, constitutes the high frequency section of the antenna.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,541,612 to Josefsson describes a waveguide antenna that includes a pair of waveguides having two super-imposed single-mode hollow waveguides which are mutually separated by a partition wall. Electromagnetic waves having two mutually perpendicular polarizations are emitted through separate antenna ports, which are comprised of two separate arrays of slots in the upper wall of the upper waveguide. Selected polarization of one transmitted electromagnetic field can be obtained by varying the amplitude and phase of the signals to respective antenna ports.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,638,079 to Kastner et al describes a slotted waveguide array antenna comprising a plurality of waveguide elements extending in a parallel side-by-side relation. A radiating side is formed with a plurality of slots. The slots are slanted to the longitudinal axis of the antenna in alternating directions and are spaced apart such as to offset phase reversal between each pair of adjacent slots. The slotted waveguide array antenna also includes an asymmetric ridge formed on a non-radiating side opposite to the radiating side.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,831,583 to Lagerstedt et al describes a waveguide antenna that includes a number of longitudinal waveguides with lateral and longitudinal slots arranged to emit electromagnetic fields with separate directions of polarization. The waveguide antenna includes a first waveguide having a first rectangular cross-section with lateral slots at substantially right angles with respect to the longitudinal axis of the first waveguide. The lateral slots are arranged in a first short side of the first waveguide. The waveguide antenna also includes a second waveguide having a second rectangular cross-section with longitudinal slots arranged in a second short side at substantially right angles with respect to the lateral slots, and a separating wall. The first and second waveguides are joined at respective first and second broad sides with the first and second short sides facing the same direction.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,731,241 to Park et al describes a dual-polarization common aperture antenna that includes firs and second arrays of radiating slots disposed in a faceplate. The second array is orthogonal and therefore cross-polarized relative to the first array. The first array and the second array share a common aperture.

Waveguide slot antenna and arrays formed thereof


A flow sensor (1) is constituted by a substrate (4) having a front surface (4a) side facing a channel (3) for a measurement target fluid (2), and a channel forming member (5) and a plate (6) disposed oppositely across the substrate (4). The substrate (4) is formed of stainless steel having a thickness of about 50 μm to 150 μm into a plate. An electric insulating film is formed on that surface (4b) of the substrate (4) which is opposite to the channel (3) side, and a temperature detection sensor (7) for measuring the flow velocity (flow rate) of the fluid (2), an ambient temperature sensor (8), an electrode pad (9), and a thin metal film (10) for wiring are formed on it.

The present invention relates to a flow sensor for measuring the flow velocity or flow rate of a fluid flowing in a channel and, more particularly, to a thermal flow sensor.
Two types of flow sensors are known as thermal flow sensors for measuring the flow rate or flow velocity of a fluid. According to the first type, the spatial temperature distribution of a fluid is localized by the flow of heat emitted from a heat-generating body (heater), and the nonuniformity is detected by a temperature sensor (indirect heated type). According to the second type, a change in power or in resistance occurring when the heat of a heat-generating body is deprived of by a fluid is detected, thus detecting a flow velocity or flow rate (self-heating type).
Conventionally, a flow sensor of this type is mainly used for a noncorrosive gas, and recently, one that can be used for liquid or a corrosive gas as well has been developed. For example, a flow rate sensor disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 4-295724 (prior art 1) is known. Also, a thermistor flow velocity sensor and liquid flow rate sensor (prior art 2) disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 8-146026 are known.
In the flow rate sensor described in prior art 1, first, second, and third regions are formed on the first surface of a silicon substrate. A heat-generating body is formed on the first region, and a thermometer constituting portion is formed on the second region. The first and second regions are insulated and separated from each other by a porous silicon region obtained by oxidizing the third region. The second surface on a side opposite to the first surface serves as a surface that receives the flow of the fluid. A silicon cap is fixed to the first surface to increase the rigidity of the silicon substrate, and to protect the heat-generating body and thermometer constituting portion.
In the flow velocity/flow rate sensor described in prior art 2, a heat-generating body and its electrodes are formed on one surface of a plate-like substrate made of alumina, SiO2, or the like. The heat-generating body is covered with an insulator. A thermistor for measuring the temperature of the heat-generating body, and its electrodes are formed on the insulator. The other surface of the substrate is fixed to the inner surface of a cover (container) through an adhesive. Thus, the sensor is completely isolated from the fluid. The cover is made of a metal, e.g., stainless steel (SUS316L), which has good thermal conductivity and good corrosion resistance against a fluid to be measured. Hence, the reliability can be improved more than in the flow rate sensor of prior art 1 described above without causing any problems such as wear and corrosion.
In the flow rate sensor described in prior art 1, however, the silicon substrate is directly exposed to the fluid. Hence, this flow rate sensor cannot be used for a corrosive gas or liquid which is used in a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus and the like.
In the flow velocity/flow rate sensor described in prior art 2, the sensor is fixed to the inner surface of the cover through the adhesive. Accordingly, the heat conduction efficiency between the liquid and the sensor decreases, and the heat capacity of the sensor increases, so that the sensitivity and response speed decrease. Also, the characteristics vary depending on the use amount of the adhesive.
The present invention has been made to solve the conventional problems described above, and has as its object to provide a flow sensor which can cope with almost all corrosive fluids and in which the response characteristics and sensitivity can be improved.


Disclosed is a system of transmitting data from a sending computer (10) to a receiving computer (30) in an 8-bit parallel format. Each computer includes a parallel communications port (14 and 34) having a data output register (24 and 44), a status register (26 and 46) and a control register (28 and 48). The method includes the steps of connecting the computers, configuring the receiving computer and writing the data to be transmitted at the sending computer. The method further includes the step of determining whether the receiving computer has the ability to receive 8-bit parallel communication. A cable for providing a communication link between the two computers is also disclosed.

In computer communications technology, the rate of data communication between a computer and other peripheral devices is very important. The ability to quickly and accurately transfer data between two personal computers is of special interest in light of the increased use of portable computers. Often times, data entered into a portable computer is ultimately transferred to a user's home or office personal computer. Computer specialists are continually searching for communication protocols that increase data transfer rates without compromising the reliability of the data transmissions.
A conventional method for conveying data between computers, especially personal computers, involves the interconnection of a data bus disposed in a sending computer with a data bus disposed in a receiving computer. This is done by physically connecting the computer's serial or parallel ports through a link or data path. Serial communication is the input and output of data on one line, one bit at a time. Serial communications work well for transferring data over long distances but are unnecessarily slow when communicating between two devices that are relatively close. In contrast, parallel communication is the simultaneous transfer of a number of bits of data in parallel, i.e., on a multi-bit data path. The present invention is directed towards parallel communications.
Data paths for parallel communications range in widths such as 1-bit to 8-bit, 16-bit, and even wider. Parallel communication between two IBM-compatible personal computers has generally been limited to a 4-bit format due to perceived limitations in communication hardware. Each bit transferred in a parallel format requires its own line. Consequently, the number of bits that can be transferred is dependent upon the number of lines in the data path, which in turn, is limited by the interfacing equipment at each end of the path. Further, at least one additional line must be present in the data path to provide handshaking. Handshaking is the process by which two computers indicate to one another when data has been sent (strobe signal) and/or received (acknowledge signal).
In a conventional 4-bit method of parallel data transfer between two personal computers, the data are transmitted over a data path between the parallel ports wherein the path includes two unidirectional handshaking lines, generally referred to as a strobe line and an acknowledge line. The following steps are used to transmit data from the sending computer to the receiving computer:
1. the sending computer loads a piece of data on the data path through its parallel port; PA1 2. the sending computer sets the strobe line to indicate that data are available; PA1 3. the receiving computer recognizes the setting of the strobe line and reads the data on the data path through its parallel port; PA1 4. the receiving computer sets the acknowledge line to indicate that data has been read; and PA1 5. the sending computer recognizes the setting of the acknowledge line.
This process can be repeated indefinitely.
As described, the standard 4-bit intercomputer communication is done by connecting the parallel ports of two computers. The parallel ports on the majority of personal computers were designed for unilateral data transfer to a printer. Printer data are generally sent 8-bits at a time. The standard parallel interface for these computers includes seventeen active lines which are manipulated through three input/output (I/O) registers in the computer. These include data output, status and control registers. Of the active lines in the interface, eight are for data output, five are for checking the status of the printer and four are used to control the printing.
With respect to the majority of personal computers, the data output register and associated data pins are unidirectional, i.e. the computer can send data but not receive it through that register. Thus, although 8-bit parallel data can be sent to a device such as a printer, 8-bit parallel transfer cannot occur between two personal computers simply by connecting the data lines from the parallel ports and instructing one computer to send the data. The two parallel ports from each computer would fight for simultaneous control over the data lines, making data on those lines unreliable. Further, such a connection would likely cause harm to the data output register of at least one of the computers.
The five pins associated with the status register are also unidirectional, but in the opposite direction, carrying signals from the receiving device to the sending computer. Thus, prior systems providing 4-bit parallel intercomputer communication have connected five of the data lines from each computer to the status lines of the other computer to provide ten lines through which the computers can communicate bidirectionally. With regard to each computer, four of these lines are used to communicate a nibble, or four bits, of data and the fifth line is used as a strobe/acknowledge line as described above.
The available 4-bit parallel intercomputer communication format has been proven reliable. However, with the increased reliance on personal computer communications, the demand for increased communication speed is increasing. The present invention provides a reliable 8-bit intercomputer communications method using standard parallel ports.

Cable for transmitting eight-bit parallel data


Systems, methods, and devices for determining various properties of cells are provided herein. In one aspect, the method includes measuring one or more variables based on physical and/or chemical characteristics of a cell or its environment. The method further includes calculating one or more quantifiable metrics based on a mathematical expression including one or more of the variables, where those metrics correlate with at least one of the growth characteristics of the cell, the motility characteristics of the cell, the oncogenic potential of the cell, or the metastatic potential of the cell. Various aspects of systems and devices for determining various properties of cells are also provided herein.

Prognosis and lifestyle of diagnosed cancer patients can be improved. Mortality rates for heart disease, influenza, and cancer have decreased in the past 25 years 30%, 50%, and 16% respectively. That is to say, much more progress has been made in treating other acute/chronic diseases than cancer. This fact may be a result of the complex nature of cancer, as well as the current treatment methods. In 2009 there were approximately 1.4 million cancer cases in the United States, with the probability of 1 in 2 men eventually developing cancer and 1 in 3 women developing cancer in their lifetime. The expected survival rate for those diagnosed with cancer is 60%.
Currently, once cancer is detected, the practicing physician starts the process of 'cancer staging.' Cancer staging describes the extent of the disease at the time of diagnosis and offers very little, if any, information about how the cancer is likely to progress or any specific indication about the optimal treatment strategies. Currently there are two main types of cancer staging. The first is known as the TNM staging system, in which the physician qualitatively judges the extent of primary tumor (T), assesses the absence or presence of regional lymph nodes (N), and finally explores via surgery or scanning methods the absence or presence of distant metastasis (M).
The second staging method is termed "in situ, local, regional and distant" and is also largely a descriptive, qualitative staging technique. This technique uses the following criteria: if cancer cells are present only in the layer of cells where they developed and have not spread then the cancer is termed "in situ;" if they have spread to other parts of the body the cancer is termed "invasive." The practicing physician utilizes a number of surgical and imaging, techniques to determine whether "in situ" or "invasive" should be applied to the patient's biopsy.
These existing methods for cancer staging are qualitative and therefore limited in applicability. For example, diagnoses made by different physicians or of different patients using the existing methods can be difficult to compare in a meaningful manner due to the subjective nature of these methods. The subjectivity of the existing methods of cancer staging often results in overly aggressive treatment strategies. For example, in the absence of better data, the most drastic, potentially invasive, strategy is often recommended, which can lead to overtreatment, poor patient quality of life, and increased medical costs.
Accordingly, there remains a need for systems, methods, and devices for determining the growth, and/or oncogenic, migration rate, and/or metastatic potential of cells obtained from a patient to better characterize the aggressiveness of a given cancer.

Systems, methods and devices for measuring growth/oncogenic and migration/metastatic potential


This invention relates to an improved high performance flexible laminate, comprising: a layer of electrodeposited copper foil overlying a layer of a flexible polymeric material, said copper foil being characterized by an ultimate tensile strength at 23.degree. C. of at least about 60,000 psi, a loss of ultimate tensile strength at 23.degree. C. of no more than about 15% after being annealed at 180.degree. C. for 30 minutes, an average grain size of up to about 1 micron, and a fatigue performance characterized by at least about 5000 cycles to failure when the strain amplitude is about 0.05% to about 0.2%. In one embodiment, the copper foil is electrodeposited using an electrolyte solution characterized by a free chloride ion concentration of up to about 4 ppm and an organic additive concentration of at least about 0.3 ppm.

Flexible laminates are used in the electronics industry as the base materials for fabricating a wide variety of flexible electronic products including flexible connectors, flexible circuit boards and flex-rigid circuit boards. Flexible connectors, flexible circuit boards and flex-rigid circuit boards are used in notebook computers, printers and hard disc drives, as well as numerous medical devices and consumer products. Flexible laminates are also used for certain advanced applications such as chip-on-flex and fine-line circuit boards. With the electronics industry moving toward thinner, lighter, flexible and more functional products, the demand for flexible laminates continues to increase.
Flexible laminates are used in applications in which the number of flex cycles required varies widely. In some applications, such as a printed circuit board for use in an automobile dashboard, the laminate is flexed one time during installation. In other applications, such as in a camera, the laminate may be flexed a few hundred times during its life. In the applications to which the present invention is directed, the laminate must be capable of withstanding many thousands or even millions of flex cycles without failure. Such applications include flexible connectors for printers, computer disk drives and other high flex uses.
Electrodeposited copper foil has been used for making flexible laminates. However, the electrodeposited copper foil that has been used typically has a fatigue ductility of about 20 to 50% which may be slightly improved if the foil is heat treated. This level of fatigue ductility provides for copper foils that are acceptable for single bends. However, these copper foils have not been found to be suitable for high flex applications, requiring thousands or even millions of flexes during the life of the device with which they are used.
It would be advantageous to provide a high performance flexible laminate that could be used in making electrical connectors and flexible circuit boards that are capable of flexing thousands or millions of times over the life of the devices with which they are used. The present invention provides for such an advantage.


A method in a second network node (13,23) (eNodeB,BTS) for transmitting signals to and receiving signals from a user equipment (10) in a cellular radio system. The second network node (2nd eNodeB, BTS) signals (sends, transmits) an indicator to a first network node, i.e. RNC or first EnodeB or BTS (12,22, 15) in the cellular radio system, which indicator indicates an impact of an intermodulation (passive intermodulation, PIM, product) caused by a transmission from a transmitter in the second network node (second eNodeB or BTS) (13,23) on a receiver in the second network node (second EnodeB or BTS) (13,23).

In a typical cellular radio system, wireless terminals (also known as mobile stations and/or user equipment units (UEs)) communicate via a radio access network (RAN) to one or more core networks. The wireless terminals can be mobile stations or user equipment units (UE) such as mobile telephones, "cellular" telephones", and laptops with wireless capability, e.g., mobile termination, and thus can be, for example, portable, pocket, hand-held, computer-included, or car-mounted mobile devices which communicate voice and/or data via radio access network.
The radio access network (RAN) of the cellular radio system covers a geographical area which is divided into cell areas, with each cell area being served by a base station, e.g., a radio base station (RBS), which in some networks is also called "NodeB" or "B node". A cell is a geographical area where radio coverage is provided by the radio base station equipment at a base station site. Each cell is identified by an identity within the local radio area, which is broadcast in the cell. The base stations communicate over the air interface operating on radio frequencies with the user equipment units (UE) within range of the base stations.
In some versions, particularly earlier versions, of the radio access network, several base stations are typically connected, e.g., by landlines or microwave, to a radio network controller (RNC). The radio network controller, also sometimes termed a base station controller (BSC), supervises and coordinates various activities of the plural base stations connected thereto. The radio network controllers are typically connected to one or more core networks.
The Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) is a third generation mobile communication system, which evolved from the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), and is intended to provide improved mobile communication services based on Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA) access technology. Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network (UTRAN) is essentially a radio access network using wideband code division multiple access for user equipment units (UEs). The Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) has undertaken to evolve further the UTRAN and GSM based radio access network technologies.
Long Term Evolution (LTE) is a variant of a 3GPP radio access technology wherein the radio base station nodes are connected directly to a core network rather than to radio network controller (RNC) nodes. In general, in LTE the functions of a radio network controller (RNC) node are performed by the radio base station nodes. As such, the radio access network (RAN) of an LTE system has an essentially a "flat" architecture comprising radio base station nodes without reporting to radio network controller (RNC) nodes as opposed to a hierarchical architecture comprising the RNC.
Multi Standard Radio (MSR) Base Station (BS) Overview
A multi-standard radio base station comprises common radio frequency (RF) components, such as power amplifiers, RF filters, and similar, which may be used to operate: More than one radio access technology (RAT); or More than one carrier within the same radio access technology. More specifically the multi-standard radio (MSR) base station is also termed as multi-carrier multi-standard radio (MC-MSR) base station due to the fact that it may comprise a single radio access technology (RAT) with more than one carrier. Hence, single radio access technology (RAT) multi-standard radio (MSR) is a special case of the multi-standard radio (MSR). Furthermore a special case of multi-standard radio (MSR) may also comprise a base station which supports a single carrier within a radio access technology (RAT), i.e., a single carrier single RAT multi-standard radio (MSR) base station.
Multi-carrier multiple RAT (MC-MR) is another term used for the multi-standard radio (MSR). Nonetheless for simplicity and consistency reasons the term multi-standard radio (MSR) is used herein to refer to any base station which has common radio parts to operate one or more carriers, which in turn may belong to the same or different radio access technologies (RATs).
Multi-Standard Radio (MSR) Base Station Scenarios
A multi-standard radio (MSR) base station typically supports either full duplex division (FDD) RATs or time division duplex (TDD) RATs, e.g., all RATs in one multi-standard radio (MSR) are either FDD or TDD. Note that Half Duplex FDD (HD-FDD) is a special case of the FDD. This means HD-FDD, e.g. GSM/Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution (EDGE), belongs to FDD multi-standard radio (MSR) base station. The HD-FDD may also be supported for certain bands for Enhanced (E)-UTRA FDD or for any FDD based technologies.
The technology disclosed herein also applies to the multi-standard radio (MSR) supporting any combination of FDD, HD-FDD and TDD RATs.
Until now the following MSR base stations and their requirements are specified: FDD Scenarios
The FDD scenarios comprise of MSR supporting one or more of the following RATs: Global System for Mobile telecommunications, (GSM)/GSM EDGE Radio Access Network, GERAN, EDGE, UTRA FDD and E-UTRA FDD.
The operating frequency bands specified in 3GPP specification are common for the UTRA FDD and E-UTRA FDD technologies. For example both UTRA FDD and E-UTRA FDD can operate in band 1, e.g. 2.1 GHz. However all UTRA FDD and E-UTRA FDD bands are not specified for the GSM/EDGE operation. Nonetheless some of the GSM/EGDE/GERAN bands are also specified for the UTRA FDD and E-UTRA FDD; examples of such common bands are: UTRA FDD/E-UTRA FDD band 3, e.g. 1800 MHz, and band 8, e.g. 900 MHz.
For simplicity the term GSM is used, which covers also EDGE and other possible GSM evolutions.
Hence the FDD multi-standard radio (MSR) scenarios are classified into the following two frequency band categories:                MSR frequency band category #1 (BC1): Bands supporting FDD MSR for UTRA FDD and E-UTRA FDD operation e.g. bands 1, 10, 13 and similar.        MSR frequency band category #2 (BC2): Bands supporting FDD MSR for GSM, UTRA FDD and E-UTRA FDD operation e.g. bands 2, 3, 5, 8 and similar.
Even in case of MSR BC#2, in accordance with the operator deployment scenario the MSR BS comprising of the subset of the RATs can be developed. For example a specific MSR BS based on BC#2 may support GSM and UTRA FDD in band 2 in case operator uses only these two RATs.
In future the FDD multi-standard radio (MSR) base station comprising of other FDD technologies may also be introduced. Examples of these scenarios may comprise of any combination of the following FDD/HD-FDD RATs:                E-UTRA FDD and 3GPP2 Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) technologies, e.g. CDMA2000 1×Radio Transmission Technology (RTT) and High Rate Packet Data (HRPD),        E-UTRA FDD, UTRA FDD and 3GPP2 CDMA technologies, e.g. CDMA2000 1×RTT and HRPD,        E-UTRA FDD, UTRA FDD, GSM and 3GPP2 CDMA technologies, e.g. CDMA2000 and HRPD.
Similarly the technology disclosed herein also applies to multi-standard radio (MSR) comprising of other technologies, e.g., Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMax), Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) and their combination with 3GPP and/or 3GPP2 technologies.
TDD Scenarios
The TDD scenarios comprise of MSR supporting one or more of the following RATs: UTRA TDD and E-UTRA TDD.
The operating frequency bands specified in 3GPP specification are generally common for the UTRA TDD and E-UTRA TDD technologies. For example both UTRA TDD and E-UTRA TDD can operate in band 38, e.g. 2.6 GHz.
Hence the TDD MSR scenarios are classified into the following frequency band category:                MSR frequency band category #3 (BC3): Bands supporting TDD MSR for UTRA FTDD and E-UTRA TDD operation, e.g., bands 33, 38, 40, and similar.MSR BS Requirements
Thanks to the common radio parts, the multi-standard radio (MSR) base station is required to meet the generic radio requirements, which apply for all RATs and for base stations configured for both multi-RAT and single-RAT operation. Example of generic radio requirements are unwanted emissions, spurious emissions, out-of-band blocking, and similar.
In addition there are requirements that apply only to certain MSR base station categories/types. For example some of the requirements may be specific to the single RAT GERAN MSR base station. Similarly modulation quality requirements, e.g., error vector magnitude (EVM)) specific to each RAT needs to be fulfilled by the corresponding RAT.
MSR Base Station Classes
The MSR base station may have the same classes as defined for non-MSR base station, e.g., wide area MSR base station, medium range MSR base station, local area MSR base station, and home MSR base station, for example. Different maximum output power levels are used for different base station classes.
The wide area MSR base station, medium range MSR base station, local area MSR base station and home MSR base station are typically deployed to serve macro cells, micro cells, pico cells and home/office environments respectively. The MSR base station may also be general purpose base station, which is typically used to serve wide range of environment or hybrid environment.
MSR Base Station Classification
The MSR base station may also be classified whether the carriers in a MSR base station using the common radio parts are contiguous or non-contiguous within the MSR bandwidth. Both of them may support different combination of RATs as explained in previous sections.
Contiguous Multi-Standard Radio (MSR)
FIG. 1 shows an example of a distribution of the carriers and RATs in a contiguous MSR base station. The symbols shown in FIG. 1 are defined in section 3 in 3GPP TS 37.104 version 9.3.0 figure 3.2-1. FC, low is a Center frequency of the lowest transmitted/received carrier. FC, high is a center frequency of the highest transmitted/received carrier. Foffset, RAT, low is a frequency offset from FC, low to the lower RF bandwidth edge (FBW,RF,low) for a specific RAT. Foffset, RAT, high is a frequency offset from FC, high to the upper RF bandwidth edge (FBW,RF,high) for a specific RAT. A key characteristic of the contiguous MSR is that all the carriers/RATs are contiguous in frequency domain. It is illustrated in FIG. 1 a frequency block containing 3 contiguous set of carriers/RATs.
Non-Contiguous Multi-Standard Radio (MSR)
The non-contiguous MSR base station is being standardized in 3GPP. FIG. 2 shows an example of the distribution of the carriers and RATs in a non-contiguous MSR (NC-MSR) base station. FIG. 2 shows that the NC-MSR base station comprises of two or more sub-blocks of frequency-containing contiguous carriers/RATs separated by empty slots in frequency domain. Each sub-frequency block consists of contiguous set of carriers, which in turn may belong to the same RAT or different RAT, e.g. a combination of GSM and UTRA/E-UTRA.
In empty slots in the frequency domain another operator may operate. Therefore emissions in the empty slots need to be maintained below the limit as required by the regulatory radio requirements.
The key characteristic of the NC-MSR is that all the carriers/RATs within the overall block of frequency, i.e. the non-contiguous block, share the common radio parts. Hence the generic radio requirements are being defined for all carriers/RATs within the non-contiguous frequency block of NC-MSR.
It should be noted that single RAT BS, e.g., supporting only UTRA FDD or only E-UTRA FDD, may also comprise of non-contiguous carriers. In principle this is a special case of NC-MSR BS, which can also support single RAT scenario in addition to the multi-RAT scenario. For example a single RAT NC-MSR BS may comprise of all non-contiguous block of spectrum belonging to HSPA carriers. In another example a single RAT NC-MSR BS may comprise of all non-contiguous block of spectrum belonging to LTE carriers.
Characteristics of Frequency Bands
A large number of frequency bands have been specified for the MSR nodes, e.g., MSR base station, operation. There may also be large difference between the frequencies of different bands. For instance even in the same region E-UTRA band 1 and E-UTRA band 8 operate in 2 GHz and 900 MHz respectively. Similarly E-UTRA band 2 and band 13 operate in frequency range corresponding to 1900 MHz and 700 MHz respectively in the same region. Another example with significant frequency difference is that of 800 MHz and 3.5 GHz bands, which may also operate in the same region. Secondly the dependency of carrier frequency on the coverage or path loss is well known. The coverage of higher frequency band, e.g., 2 GHz, is worse than that of the lower frequency band e.g., 900 MHz. Furthermore the impact of the transmitter noise to the own receiver is highly dependent upon the duplex gap of the FDD frequency bands. For instance the receiver of the MSR BS operating with FDD frequency bands with smaller duplex gaps is prone to receiving more significant noise or any signals from its own transmitter. Since frequency bands are pre-defined in the standard, hence the corresponding duplex gap is also pre-determined by the MSR node.
Examples of MSR FDD frequency bands with smaller and larger duplex gaps are shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 respectively. In FIG. 3 the duplex gap is 15 MHz and in FIG. 4 the duplex gap is 130 MHz between the uplink and down link frequency bands.
Inter-Modulation (IM) Products in MSR
In general the Inter-Modulation (IM) products occur due to the non-linear characteristics of the devices. For example the IM products are generated when the signal passes through an RF circuitry such as power amplifiers, RF filters, antennas, etc. The Inter-modulation (IM) products are of different orders, e.g., IM2, IM3, IM5, etc. The Inter-modulation (IM) power beyond IM3 is generally very low. Thus for simplicity the IM beyond IM3 are generally ignored. This is further elaborated further below.
Passive Inter-Modulation (PIM) products are of a specific type of IM. The Passive Inter-Modulation (PIM) occurs due to the non-linear nature of the passive RF components in the devices. The Passive Inter-Modulation (PIM) products have traditionally been one of the main concerns in the cellular networks. The Passive Inter-Modulation (PIM) originating from the transmitter (TX) of the device can cause severe noise into the own receiver (RX). This degrades the receiver performance.
In e.g. the GSM networks the Passive Inter-Modulation (PIM) was handled initially with non-duplex equipment. This approach gives an isolation of at least 30 dB between the receiver (RX) and transmitter (TX). For the duplex equipment the Passive Inter-Modulation (PIM) was mitigated with frequency planning and by using frequency hopping which was introduced later.
For broadband systems like UTRA or E-UTRA due to the carriers with low power spectral density (PSD) and limited RF bandwidth (RFBW), the higher order Inter-modulation (IM) did not hit its own receiver band and thus the passive IM did not contribute to any degradation of the receiver sensitivity. The PIM products can be generated from the antenna port of the duplexer in the base station (BS) all the way up to the antennas including connectors, jumper cable, feeder cables, site equipment and antennas as shown in FIG. 5. Some of the mechanisms or sources behind passive IM generation are as following:                Corrosion, Oxides        Dissimilar metals in contact to each other        Magnetic materials in the signal path        Low contact pressure and lower contact area        Debris, pollution and dust at the contact areas        Vibration        Temperature variation
Intermodulation products occur at frequencies determined by an expression |±mf1±nf2| where f1 and f2 denote the carrier center frequency and the order of Inter-modulation (IM) products is (m+n). The third order IM products, aka IM3, have the highest power level while for higher orders IM, i.e. above IM3, the power level gradually decreases.
One additional aspect for NC-MSR due to multi-RAT operation is that for narrow bandwidth systems, like GSM (GSM carrier BW is 200 KHz), the IM products are also of narrow bandwidth while the IM products from wide bandwidth systems (e.g. HSPA, LTE etc) or combination of wide bandwidth/narrow bandwidth for multi-RAT operation would be of broad bandwidth. This is illustrated in FIG. 6. A rise in noise in frequency domain due to IM is illustrated over frequency band fIM. This is not noticed in the downlink since the DL is of narrow bandwidth.
The Inter-modulation (IM) products are thus dependent upon a number of factors including number of carriers, type of carrier (modulation, amplitude components of carrier, e.g., peak to average, bandwidth, and output power per carrier type etc) and the frequency relation between carriers.
Empirical studies have shown that the level of IM products is higher for non-contiguous cases compared to contiguous scenarios.
Multi-Standard Radio (MSR) Bandwidth (BW)
The MSR bandwidth or more specifically the MSR RF bandwidth (RF) can be determined by taking into account the following factors:                Characteristics of the frequency band        Impact of IM products, e.g., passive IM3, on the own receiver of the MSR node        Output power per carrier type of aggregated output power, e.g., total average power
The transmission and reception bandwidths are typically same. But they may also be different.
Considering the frequency domain relation for intermodulation generation, the existing paired frequency bands, e.g., band 1, band 7, or similar, may be divided into two categories. In one category the relation between the bandwidth and the duplex gap of the band at the transmitter would never generate IM3 products in its own receiver. In the second category of the frequency bands the own receiver of the base station would suffer sensitivity degradation due to the third order IM (IM3) products. Therefore receiver sensitivity degradation depends upon the size of the declared MSR bandwidth. The MSR RF bandwidth (RFBW) meets the RF bandwidth of the RF components of the MSR node. The examples of RF components are power amplifier, RF filters, receive and transmit antennas, etc.
Table 1 summarizes the IM3 analysis for the paired band, i.e. FDD bands, while table 2 gives the maximum BW which would not cause IM3 in the own receiver for the concerned bands. In other words, Table 2 provides IM3 analysis for existing MSR bands, Paired bands in MSR comprising of E-UTRA, UTRA and GSM/EDGE. There are also few new bands which are being currently standardized, e.g., band 25, which also would suffer from IM3 problem, e.g., receiver degradation.
Table 2 gives specific examples of the MSR BW for frequency bands with narrow duplex gap. Table 2 provides maximum RFBW to avoid IM3 for concerned bands.
TABLE 1IM3 analysis for existing MSR bands, Paired bands in MSR comprisingof E-UTRA, UTRA and GSM/EDGE. Digital Cellular Service is denotedDCS and Personal Communication service is denoted PCS.MSR andDuplexE-UTRAUTRAGSM/EDGEUplink (UL)Downlink (DL)gap size inBandBandBandBS receiveBS transmitrelation tonumbernumberdesignationUE transmitUE receiveband size 1I—1920 MHz-1980 MHz2110 MHz-2170 MHzLarge 2IIPCS 19001850 MHz-1910 MHz1930 MHz-1990 MHzSmall 3IIIDCS 18001710 MHz-1785 MHz1805 MHz-1880 MHzSmall 4IV—1710 MHz-1755 MHz2110 MHz-2155 MHzLarge 5VGSM 850824 MHz-849 MHz869 MHz-894 MHzSmall 6(1)VI—830 MHz-840 MHz875 MHz-885 MHzLarge 7VII—2500 MHz-2570 MHz2620 MHz-2690 MHzSmall 8VIIIE-GSM880 MHz-915 MHz925 MHz-960 MHzSmall 9IX—1749.9 MHz-1784.9 MHz1844.9 MHz-1879.9 MHzLarge10X—1710 MHz-1770 MHz2110 MHz-2170 MHzLarge11XI—1427.9 MHz-1447.9 MHz1475.9 MHz-1495.9 MHzLarge12XII—698 MHz-716 MHz728 MHz-746 MHzSmall13XIII—777 MHz-787 MHz746 MHz-756 MHzLarge14XIV—788 MHz-798 MHz758 MHz-768 MHzLarge15XV—ReservedReserved16XVI—ReservedReserved17——704 MHz-716 MHz734 MHz-746 MHzLarge18——815 MHz-830 MHz860 MHz-875 MHzLarge19XIX—830 MHz-845 MHz875 MHz-890 MHzLarge20XX—832 MHz-862 MHz791 MHz-821 MHzSmall21XXI—1447.9 MHz-1462.9 MHz1495.9 MHz-1510.9 MHzLargeNOTE 1:The band is for UTRA onlyNOTE 2:The band is for E-UTRA only.
TABLE 2Maximum RFBW to avoid IM3 for concerned bandsMaximumMSRUTRAGSM/EDGEUplink (UL)Downlink (DL)RFBWBandBandBandBS receiveBS transmitwithoutnumbernumberdesignationUE transmitUE receiveIM32IIPCS 19001850 MHz-1910 MHz1930 MHz-1990 MHz40MHz3IIIDCS 18001710 MHz-1785 MHz1805 MHz-1880 MHz47.5MHz5VGSM 850824 MHz-849 MHz869 MHz-894 MHz22.5MHz7VII—2500 MHz-2570 MHz2620 MHz-2690 MHz60MHz8VIIIE-GSM880 MHz-915 MHz925 MHz-960 MHz22.5MHz12XII—698 MHz-716 MHz728 MHz-746 MHz15MHz20XX—832 MHz-862 MHz791 MHz-821 MHz20.5MHz
In prior art the admission control or handover decision between network nodes is based on various factors or performance measured such as cell signal strength and/or quality, cell load, user quality of service (QoS) requirement, etc. The radio related challenges of selecting an appropriate carrier belonging to a network node e.g. an MSR base station, and in particular to the NC-MSR base station, have shown that a reduced performance of the communication may be experienced when making a decision based on these various factors.

First network node and a second network node and methods therein


A toboggan style hat includes a removable visor, as well as novel means for removable attachment thereto. In a preferred embodiment, the visor member includes a pair of arms that extend rearwardly from the bill, and the hat includes a pair of holes on an underside thereof. Each hole serves as an opening for an inner sleeve, so that when a user wishes to attach the visor to the hat, the arms of the visor slide into the holes and along the inside of the sleeves in order to properly position the visor with respect to the hat and face. In one embodiment, a series of snaps are positioned on an outer portion of the visor, and correspond with a series of snaps that are positioned on an inner portion of the hat.

The present invention relates generally to cold weather hats and headwear. More specifically, the present invention includes a toboggan style hat with a removable baseball cap style visor.
There are currently many types of cold weather hats and headwear on the market. Toboggan style hats are traditionally made from thick material, such as a knit wool or fleece, and are manufactured to fit over the head and ears of a wearer. Other types of cold weather hats include military style hats with ear covers, bomber hats with ear flaps, and ski caps that cover the entire head and neck with an opening for a wearer's face or eyes. There are cold weather hats that include a bill or visor, but generally these visors do not extend far enough outwardly to effectively shade the sun or block the wind. Moreover, sometimes it is convenient and useful to have a visor on a cold weather style hat, and sometimes it is not. For example, on sunny days when wind is not a factor, having a visor on a cold weather hat to shade the wearer's eyes from the sun may be a beneficial feature. Correspondingly, when wind is a factor, a bill may be a beneficial feature to protect the eyes from the wind. Conversely, when the wearer is engaged in a high velocity sport such as snow skiing, snowboarding, boating, sledding, or riding a snowmobile, having a visor on the hat can be inconvenient and distracting. Under these conditions, it is not uncommon for the force of the wind to force the visor of the hat upwardly, so that the hat either blows off the wearer's head, or simply dislodges the hat from the preferred and comfortable position on the wearer's head. Additionally, on cloudy days, having a visor on the hat may be unnecessary, until rain, sleet or snow begins to fall, at which time the visor portion of the hat is most useful.
Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a cold weather hat, which could cover a user's head and ears, and which includes a removable visor that may be attached to the hat when desired, and removed when not needed. Further, it would be desirable to provide a means for removably attaching the visor to the hat so that the visor maintains a proper angle and position with respect to the hat and the wearer's face. Moreover, it would be desirable to provide a hat and removable visor assembly which is easy to operate, and in which several hats and several visors may be used interchangeably.


A new and useful wireline extensometer is provided that uses a tensioned cable extending between a supply spool and an anchor (e.g. of a type connected to a slope mass), measures movement of the cable to reflect movement of the anchor (e.g. due to movement of the slope mass), and includes a magnetic brake configured to provide a predetermined constant non-frictional braking force on the supply spool. The preferred wireline extensometer is designed to (i) minimize the risk of the extensometer reporting data that suggest slope movement where the slope mass has not moved to an undesirable extent, (ii) measure slope movement at relatively slow rates as well as rapid rates, and to (iii) measure slope mass movements continuously, and in a manner that can be efficiently and effectively communicated to responsible personnel.

The present invention relates to a new and useful monitoring device, and particularly to a wireline extensometer that is particularly useful in monitoring ground movement, e.g. slopes in an open pit mine environment.
In an open pit mine environment, it is useful to accurately measure movement of a slope mass, in order to identify slope instability, and develop engineering plans to accommodate slope movement or provide for a remediation. In the applicants' experience there is a need for an extensometer that is sensitive to slope mass movement, while minimizing the chance of reporting data that suggest slope movement where the slope mass has not moved to an undesirable extent. In the applicants' experience, it is desirable to measure slope movement at relatively slow rates as well as rapid rates. In addition, in the applicants' experience, it is important to have an extensometer that, as part of a stand alone monitoring system, can measure slope mass movements continuously, and in a manner that can be efficiently and effectively communicated to the responsible personnel.


A stratified vapor generator (110) comprises a first heating section (H1) and a second heating section (H2). The first and second heating sections (H1, H2) are arranged so that the inlet of the second heating section (H2) is operatively associated with the outlet of the first heating section (H1). A moisture separator (126) having a vapor outlet (164) and a liquid outlet (144) is operatively associated with the outlet (124) of the second heating section (H2). A cooling section (C1) is operatively associated with the liquid outlet (144) of the moisture separator (126) and includes an outlet that is operatively associated with the inlet of the second heating section (H2).

Heat exchangers are well-known in the art and have been used in various forms for centuries to facilitate the transfer of heat from one medium to another. One class of heat exchangers, commonly referred to as boilers or vapor generators, is used to vaporize a working fluid. A portion of the heat used to vaporize the working fluid thereafter may be recovered from the vaporized working fluid to perform useful work. For example, boilers or vapor generators are commonly used in electrical power generation systems in which the working fluid, typically water, is heated in the boiler or vapor generator to produce steam, i.e., vaporized water. The steam is then expanded through a turbine or other such device in order to rotate an electrical generator. In the case of electrical power generation systems, the heat energy required to heat the working fluid may come from a wide variety of sources, including coal, natural gas, geothermal sources, and nuclear sources, although other heat sources may also be used.
While electrical generation systems of the type described above traditionally have used water as the working fluid (e.g., in the well-known Rankine cycle), newly developed thermodynamic cycles (e.g., any one of the so-called Kalina cycles) have been proposed that utilize "mixed" working fluids comprising two or more vaporizable components. The mixed component working fluid vaporizes and condenses progressively over a temperature range rather than at the relatively constant temperature of a so-called "pure" working fluid (e.g., water). Accordingly, thermodynamic cycles utilizing mixed working fluids can, if properly designed, realize increased efficiencies over similar thermodynamic cycles that utilize pure working fluids, such as water.
One design consideration for a thermodynamic cycle that utilizes a mixed working fluid relates to the heat exchanger utilized to transfer heat from the heating medium to the mixed working fluid. That is, since mixed working fluids vaporize over an increasing temperature range, it is generally preferred to design the heat exchanger so that heating function of the mixed working fluid closely follows the cooling function of the heating medium. For example, a primary consideration of geothermal power generation systems relates to the maximum brine flow-rate that can be extracted from the geothermal resource on a continuous or sustainable basis. Of course, regardless of the brine flow rate that can be extracted from a particular geothermal resource, a well-designed geothermal power generation system seeks to maximize the amount of useful work that can be generated from the particular brine flow rate.


Surgical tissue retraction systems and methods are described herein. Such systems and methods can be employed in some embodiments to provide medial-lateral tissue retraction to increase access to a surgical site. In one embodiment, a surgical instrument can include a body configured to couple to an implantable anchor, a first tissue manipulating implement coupled to the body and capable of polyaxial movement relative thereto, and a second tissue manipulating implement coupled to the body and capable of polyaxial movement relative thereto. Further, the first and second tissue manipulating implements can be opposed to one another such that they can move any of toward and away from one another.

Surgical procedures are used to treat and cure a wide range of diseases, conditions, and injuries. Surgery often requires access to internal tissue through open or minimally invasive surgical procedures. The term "minimally invasive" refers to all types of minimally invasive surgical procedures, including endoscopic, laparoscopic, arthroscopic, natural orifice intraluminal, and natural orifice transluminal procedures. Minimally invasive surgery can have numerous advantages compared to traditional open surgical procedures, including reduced trauma, faster recovery, reduced risk of infection, and reduced scarring.
Whether minimally invasive or not, there are a number of surgical procedures in which it can be desirable to form a working channel in a patient to provide access to a surgical site within the patient. One such example is orthopedic or neurologic surgical procedures, including, e.g., spinal fusion procedures where it can be desirable to form a working channel through a patient's tissue to access their vertebrae and/or the intervertebral discs disposed between adjacent vertebrae.
A variety of methods for providing such a working channel are known, including various devices that are anchored to a surgical table upon which a patient is disposed, devices that penetrate tissue without being anchored to any other structure, or devices that anchor to a plurality of anchors implanted in a patient's bone. In such arrangements, the devices may be inadequately supported, may undesirably move relative to a patient if the patient moves relative to the operating table or some other external structure, or may impede a surgeon or other user in performing some aspect of a procedure.
By way of example, in spinal procedures involving operation on a patient's intervertebral disc disposed between adjacent vertebrae, access to the disc space can be difficult. Prior approaches can involve performing work on intervertebral discs before implanting pedicle screws in the adjacent vertebrae. Surgery on the intervertebral disc, however, can involve removal of portions of bone from the adjacent vertebrae, which can make subsequent implanting of pedicle screws more difficult. Implanting screws before removing vertebral bone can therefore be desirable, but surgeons cannot implant the pedicle screws with receiver heads before performing intervertebral disc work because the receiver heads (and extension posts typically coupled thereto) can block access to the intervertebral disc space. As a result, surgeons often resort to inserting guidewires for the pedicle screws, bending the guidewires away from the intervertebral space to perform disc operations around the guidewires, then implanting the pedicle screws.
The advent of modular pedicle screws can allow pedicle anchors to be implanted before performing intervertebral disc operations. This is because modular pedicle screws can include a lower-profile implantable anchor that can be implanted without impeding access to, e.g., an intervertebral disc. A spinal fixation element receiver can be coupled to the anchor after implantation and completion of any intervertebral disc operation. Such anchors can also provide a rigid access point indexed to the patient's anatomy.
Accordingly, there is a need for improved access devices, systems, and methods that can streamline the instrumentation and methodology of various surgical procedures. For example, there is a need for improved access devices, systems, and methods that can utilize anchors implanted in a patient's anatomy to support surgical instruments.


Compounds which are useful as inhibitors of cholesterol biosynthesis and thus as hypocholesterolemic agents are provided which have the structure ##STR1## wherein R is OH, or salts thereof or lower alkoxy;. R.sup.x is H or alkyl; PA0 X is --CH.sub.2 --, --CH.sub.2 --CH.sub.2 --, --CH.dbd.CH--, --C.tbd.C--, --CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 -- or --CH.sub.2 O-- (where O is linked to Z); PA0 Z is a hydrophobic anchor, such as ##STR2## wherein the dotted lines represent optional double bonds.

F. M. Singer et al., Proc. Soc. Exper. Biol. Med., 102, 370 (1959) and F. H. Hulcher, Arch. Biochem. Biophys., 146, 422 (1971) disclose that certain mevalonate derivatives inhibit the biosynthesis of cholesterol.
Endo et al in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,049,495, 4,137,322 and 3,983,140 disclose a fermentation product which is active in the inhibition of cholesterol biosynthesis. This product is called compactin and was reported by Brown et al., (J. Chem. Soc. Perkin I. 1165 (1976)) to have a complex mevalonolactone structure.
GB 1,586,152 discloses a group of synthetic compounds of the formula ##STR3## in which E represents a direct bond, a C.sub.1-3 alkylene bridge or a vinylene bridge and the various R's represent a variety of substituents.
The activity reported in the U.K. patent is less than 1% that of compactin.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,375,475 to Willard et al discloses hypocholesterolemic and hypolipemic compounds having the structure ##STR4## wherein A is H or methyl; E is a direct bond, --CH.sub.2 --, --CH.sub.2 --CH.sub.2 --, --CH.sub.2 --CH.sub.2 --CH.sub.2 -- or --CH.dbd.CH--; R.sub.1, R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 are each selected from H, halogen, C.sub.1-4 alkyl, C.sub.1-4 haloalkyl, phenyl, phenyl substituted by halogen, C.sub.1-4 alkoxy, C.sub.2-8 alkanoyloxy, C.sub.1-4 alkyl, or C.sub.1-4 haloalkyl, and OR.sub.4 in which R.sub.4 is H, C.sub.2-8 alkanoyl, benzoyl, phenyl, halophenyl, phenyl C.sub.1-3 alkyl, C.sub.1-9 alkyl, cinnamyl, C.sub.1-4 haloalkyl, allyl, cycloalkyl-C.sub.1-3 -alkyl, adamantyl-C.sub.1-3 -alkyl, or substituted phenyl C.sub.1-3 -alkyl in each of which the substituents are selected from halogen, C.sub.1-4 alkoxy, C.sub.1-4 alkyl, or C.sub.1-4 haloalkyl; and the corresponding dihydroxy acids resulting from the hydrolytic opening of the lactone ring, and the pharmaceutically acceptable salts of said acids, and the C.sub.1-3 alkyl and phenyl, dimethylamino or acetylamino substituted C.sub.1-3 -alkyl esters of the dihydroxy acids; all of the compounds being the enantiomers having a 4 R configuration in the tetrahydropyran moiety of the trans racemate shown in the above formula.
WO 84/02131 (PCT/EP83/00308) (based on U.S. application Ser. No. 443,668, filed Nov. 22, 1982, and U.S. application Ser. No. 548,850, filed Nov. 4, 1983), filed in the name of Sandoz A. G. discloses heterocyclic analogs of mevalono lactone and derivatives thereof having the structure ##STR5## wherein one of R and R.sub.o is ##STR6## and the other is primary or secondary C.sub.1-6 alkyl, C.sub.3-6 cycloalkyl or phenyl--(CH.sub.2).sub.m --,
wherein R.sub.4 is hydrogen, C.sub.1-4 alkyl, C.sub.1-4 alkoxy, (except t-butoxy), trifluoromethyl, fluoro, chloro, phenoxy or benzyloxy, PA1 R.sub.5 is hydrogen, C.sub.1-3 alkyl, C.sub.1-3 alkoxy, trifluoromethyl, fluoro, chloro, phenoxy or benzyloxy, PA1 R.sub.5a is hydrogen, C.sub.1-2 alkyl, C.sub.1-2 alkoxy, fluoro or chloro, and PA1 m is 1, 2 or 3, PA1 with the provisos that both R.sub.5 and R.sub.5a must be hydrogen when R.sub.4 is hydrogen, R.sub.5a must be hydrogen when R.sub.5 is hydrogen, not more than one of R.sub.4 and R.sub.5 is trifluoromethyl, not more than one of R.sub.4 and R.sub.5 is phenoxy and not more than one of R.sub.4 and R.sub.5 is benzyloxy, PA1 R.sub.2 is hydrogen, C.sub.1-4 alkyl, C.sub.3-6 cycloalkyl, C.sub.1-4 alkoxy (except t-butoxy), trifluoromethyl, fluoro, chloro, phenoxy or benzyloxy, PA1 R.sub.3 is hydrogen, C.sub.1-3 alkyl, C.sub.1-3 alkoxy, trifluoromethyl, fluoro, chloro, phenoxy or benzyloxy, with the provisos that R.sub.3 must be hydrogen when R.sub.2 is hydrogen, not more than one of R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 is trifluoromethyl, not more than one of R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 is phenoxy, and not more than one of R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 is benzyloxy. PA1 Pr=a carbinol-protecting group; PA1 R.sup.1 =H or CH.sub.3 ; PA1 R.sup.3, R.sup.4 =H, 1-3C alkyl or phenyl-(1-3C alkyl), the phenyl being optionally substituted by 1-3C alkyl, 1-3C alkoxy or halo; PA1 R.sup.2 =a group of formula (A) or (B): ##STR11## Q= ##STR12## R.sup.6 =H or OH; R=H or CH.sub.3 ; PA1 a, b, c and d=optional double bonds; PA1 R.sup.7 =phenyl or benzyloxy, the ring in each case being optionally substituted by 1-3C alkyl or halo; PA1 R.sup.8, R.sup.9 =1-3C alkyl or halo; PA1 R.sup.5 =1-3C alkyl, phenyl or mono- or di-(1-3C alkyl)phenyl. PA1 R.sub.3 is hydrogen, C.sub.1-3 alkyl, C.sub.1-3 alkoxy, trifluoromethyl, fluoro, chloro, phenoxy or benzyloxy, with the provisos that not more than one of R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 is trifluoromethyl, not more than one of R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 is phenoxy, and not more than one of R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 is benzyloxy, PA1 R.sub.1 is hydrogen, C.sub.1-6 alkyl, fluoro, chloro or benzyloxy, PA1 R.sub.4 is hydrogen, C.sub.1-4 alkyl, C.sub.1-4 alkoxy, (except t-butoxy), trifluoromethyl, fluoro, chloro, phenoxy or benzyloxy, PA1 R.sub.5 is hydrogen, C.sub.1-3 alkyl, C.sub.1-3 alkoxy, trifluoromethyl, fluoro, chloro, phenoxy or benzyloxy, PA1 R.sub.5a is hydrogen, C.sub.1-2 alkyl, C.sub.1-2 alkoxy, fluoro or chloro, and with the provisos that not more than one of R.sub.4 and R.sub.5 is trifluoromethyl, not more than one of R.sub.4 and R.sub.5 is phenoxy and not more than one of R.sub.4 and R.sub.5 is benzyloxy, PA1 X is ##STR16## wherein n is 0, 1, 2 or 3 and both q's are 0 or one is 0 and the other is 1, PA1 Z is ##STR17## wherein R.sub.6 is hydrogen or C.sub.1-3 alkyl, with the general proviso that --X--Z and the R.sub.4 bearing phenyl group are ortho to each other; PA1 in free acid form or in the form of a physiologically-hydrolysable and acceptable ester or a .delta. lactone thereof or in salt form. PA1 each of R.sub.2 and R.sub.5 is independently hydrogen, C.sub.1-3 alkyl, n-butyl, i-butyl, t-butyl, C.sub.1-3 alkoxy, n-butoxy, i-butoxy, trifluoromethyl, fluoro, chloro, phenyl, phenoxy or benzyloxy, PA1 each of R.sub.3 and R.sub.6 is independently hydrogen, C.sub.1-3 alkyl, C.sub.1-3 alkoxy, trifluoromethyl, fluoro, chloro, phenoxy or benzyloxy, PA1 each of R.sub.4 and R.sub.7 is independently hydrogen, C.sub.1-2 alkyl, C.sub.1-2 alkoxy, fluoro or chloro, with the provisos that not more than one of R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 is trifluoromethyl, not more than one of R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 is phenoxy, not more than one of R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 is benzyloxy, not more than one of R.sub.5 and R.sub.6 is trifluoromethyl, not more than one of R.sub.5 and R.sub.6 is phenoxy, and not more than one of R.sub.5 and R.sub.6 is benzyloxy, PA1 X is --(CH.sub.2).sub.m --, --CH.dbd.CH--, --CH.dbd.CH--CH.sub.2 -- or --CH.sub.2 --CH.dbd.CH--, wherein m is 0, 1, 2 or 3, and PA1 Z is ##STR19## wherein R.sub.10 is hydrogen or C.sub.1-3 alkyl, and R.sub.11 is hydrogen, R.sub.12 or M, wherein PA1 R.sub.12 is a physiologically acceptable and hydrolyzable ester group, and PA1 M is a cation, PA1 with the provisos that (i) the --X--Z group is in the 4- or 5-position of the pyrazole ring, and (ii) the R.sub.1 group and the --X--Z group are ortho to each other. PA1 R.sub.2 =alkyl, cycloalkyl, adamantyl-1 or R.sub.7, R.sub.8, R.sub.9 -substituted phenyl (gp. B); PA1 R.sub.3 =H, alkyl, cycloalkyl, adamantyl-1, styryl or R.sub.10, R.sub.11, R.sub.12 -substituted phenyl (gp, C); PA1 X=--(CH.sub.2).sub.m --, --CH.dbd.CH--, --CH.dbd.CH--CH.sub.2 -- or --CH.sub.2 --CH.dbd.CH--; PA1 m=0-3; PA1 Z=--CH(OH)--CH.sub.2 --C(R.sub.13)(OH)--CH.sub.2 --COOR.sub.14 (gp. a), --Q--CH.sub.2 C(R.sub.13)(OH)--CH.sub.2 --COOR.sub.14 (gp. c) or a gp. of formula (b): ##STR21## Q=CO or --C(OR.sub.15).sub.2 --; R.sub.15 =primary or sec. alkyl; each R.sub.15 being the same; PA1 or R.sub.15 +R.sub.15 =(CH.sub.2).sub.2 or (CH.sub.2).sub.3 ; PA1 R.sub.13 =H or 1-3C alkyl; PA1 R.sub.14 =H, R.sub.16 or M; PA1 R.sub.16 =ester gp; PA1 M=cation; PA1 provided that Z may be gp. (c) only when X is CH.dbd.CH or CH.sub.2 --CH.dbd.CH and/or when R.sub.13 =1-3C alkyl; PA1 R.sub.4, R.sub.7 and R.sub.10 =1-3C alkyl, n-, i- or t-butyl, 1-3C alkoxy, n- or i-butoxy, CF.sub.3, F, Cl, Br, phenyl, phenoxy or benzyloxy; PA1 R.sub.5, R.sub.8 and R.sub.11 =H, 1-3C alkyl, 1-3C alkoxy, CF.sub.3, F, Cl, Br, COOR.sub.17, N(R.sub.19).sub.2, phenoxy or benzyloxy; PA1 R.sub.17 =H, R.sub.18 or M; PA1 R.sub.18 =1-3C alkyl, n, i- or t-butyl or benzyl; PA1 R.sub.19 =alkyl; PA1 R.sub.6, R.sub.9 and R.sub.12 =H, 1-2C alkyl, 1-2C alkoxy, F or Cl; provided that PA1 or R+R.sub.1 =(CH.sub.2).sub.m or (Z)--CH.sub.2 --CH.dbd.CH--CH.sub.2 ; PA1 m=2-6; PA1 R.sub.o =1-6C alkyl, 3-7C cycloalkyl or R.sub.4, R.sub.5, R.sub.6 -substituted phenyl; PA1 R.sub.2, R.sub.4 =H, 1-4C alkyl, 1-4C alkoxy (except t-butoxy), CF.sub.3, F, Cl, phenoxy or benzyloxy; PA1 R.sub.3 and R.sub.5 =H, 1-3C alkyl, 1-3C alkoxy, CF.sub.3, F, Cl, phenoxy or benzyloxy; PA1 R.sub.6 =H, 1-2C alkyl, 1-2C alkoxy, F or Cl; PA1 provided that there may only be one each of CF.sub.3, phenoxy or benzyloxy on each of the phenyl and indene rings; PA1 X=(CH.sub.2).sub.n or --(CH.sub.2).sub.q --CH.dbd.CH(CH.sub.2).sub.q --; PA1 n=1-3; PA1 both q's=0, or one is 0 and the other is 1; PA1 Z=--Q--CH.sub.2 --C(R.sub.10)(OH)--CH.sub.2 COOH, in free acid form or in the form of an ester or delta-lactone or salt; PA1 Q=CO, --C(OR.sub.7).sub.2 -- or CHOH; PA1 R'.sub.7s =the same primary or secondary 1-6C alkyl, or together are (CH.sub.2).sub.2 or (CH.sub.2).sub.3 ; PA1 R.sub.10 =H or 1-3C alkyl; PA1 provided that Q may be other than CHOH only when X is CH.dbd.CH or CH.sub.2 --CH.dbd.CH and/or R.sub.10 is 1-3C alkyl. PA1 R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 =H, Cl, Br, CN, CF.sub.3, phenyl, 1-4C alkyl, 2-8C carboalkoxy, --CH.sub.2 OR.sub.6 or --CH.sub.2 OCONHR.sub.7 ; PA1 R.sub.6 =H or 1-6C alkanoyl; PA1 R.sub.7 =alkyl or phenyl optionally substituted by Cl, Br or 1-4C alkyl; PA1 or R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 together=--(CH.sub.2).sub.n --, --CH.sub.2 OCH.sub.2 --, --CON(R.sub.8)CO-- or --CON(R.sub.9)N(R.sub.10)CO--; PA1 n=3 or 4; PA1 R.sub.8 =H, 1-6C alkyl, phenyl or benzyl; PA1 R.sub.9 and R.sub.10 =H, 1-4C alkyl or benzyl; PA1 R.sub.4 =1-4C alkyl, cyclopropyl, cyclobutyl or CF.sub.3. PA1 R.sub.1, R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 are, e.g., hydrogen, chloro, bromo, fluoro, C.sub.1 -alkyl, phenyl, substituted phenyl or OR.sub.7 in which R.sub.7 is, e.g., hydrogen, PA1 C.sub.2-8 alkanoyl, benzoyl, phenyl, substituted phenyl, C.sub.1-9 alkyl, cinnamyl, C.sub.1-4 haloalkyl, allyl, cycloalkyl-C.sub.1-3 alkyl, adamantyl-C.sub.1-3 -alkyl, or phenyl C.sub.1-3 alkyl; PA1 R.sup.4, R.sup.5 and R.sup.6 are hydrogen, chloro, bromo, fluoro or C.sub.1-3 alkyl; and PA1 X is, e.g., hydrogen, C.sub.1-3 alkyl, a cation derived from an alkali metal or is ammonium. PA1 R.sub.3 and R.sub.4 =H, lower alkyl or optionally substituted aryl or aralkyl. PA1 E is --CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2, --CH.dbd.CH--, or --(CH.sub.2).sub.r --; and PA1 Z is
X is --(CH.sub.2).sub.n -- or --CH.dbd.CH-- (n=0, 1, 2 or 3), Z is ##STR7## wherein R.sub.6 is hydrogen or C.sub.1-3 alkyl in free acid form or in the form of a physiologically-hydrolysable and -acceptable ester or a .delta. lactone thereof or in salt form.
GB 2162-179-A discloses naphthyl analogues of mevalolactone useful as cholesterol biosynthesis inhibitors having the structure ##STR8## wherein R.sub.1 =1-3C alkyl; Z is a gp. of formula Z.sub.1 or Z.sub.2 : ##STR9## R.sub.7 =H, a hydrolysable ester gp. or a cation.
European Patent No. 164-698-A discloses preparation of lactones useful as anti-hypercholesterolemic agents by treating an amide with an organic sulphonyl halide R.sup.5 SO.sub.2 X, then removing the protecting group Pr. ##STR10## wherein X=halo;
Anderson, Paul Leroy, Ger. Offen. DE 3,525,256 discloses naphthyl analogs of mevalonolactones of the structure ##STR13## wherein R.sup.1 is alkyl, Z=Q, Q.sup.1 ; R.sup.7 =H, or a hydrolyzable ester group useful as inhibitors of cholesterol biosynthesis and in treatment of atherosclerosis.
WO 8402-903 (based on U.S. application Ser. No. 460,600, filed Jan. 24, 1983) filed in the name of Sandoz A. G. discloses mevalono-lactone analogues useful as hypolipoproteinaemic agents having the structure ##STR14## wherein the two groups Ro together form a radical of formula ##STR15## wherein R.sub.2 is hydrogen, C.sub.1-4 alkyl, C.sub.1-4 alkoxy, (except t-butoxy), trifluoromethyl, fluoro, chloro, phenoxy or benzyloxy,
U.S. Pat. No. 4,613,610 to Wareing (assigned to Sandoz) discloses a series of 7-pyrazolo-3,5-dihydrohept-6-enoic acid HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors of the structure ##STR18## wherein R.sub.1 is C.sub.1-6 alkyl not containing an asymmetric carbon atom,
WO 8607-054A (Sandoz-Erfindungen) discloses imidazole analogues of mevalonolactone, useful for treating hyperlipoproteinaemia and atherosclerosis, which have the formula ##STR20## R.sub.1 =alkyl, cycloalkyl, adamantyl-1 or R.sub.4, R.sub.5, R.sub.6 -substituted phenyl (gp. A);
(1) not more than one substituent of each of gps. A, B and C is CF.sub.3, not more than one substituent of each of gps. A, B and C is phenoxy, and not more than one substituent of each of gps, A, B and C is benzyloxy; PA2 (2) when Z is gp. (c; Q=C(OR.sub.15).sub.2), the compound is in free base form and either (i) R.sub.14 is R.sub.16 and each R.sub.17 is independently R.sub.18 or (ii) R.sub.14 is M and each R.sub.17 is independently R.sub.18 or M; and PA2 (3) when R.sub.14 and/or at least one R.sub.17 is M, the compound is in free base form. PA2 1) ##STR36## wherein X is --O-- or --NR.sup.9 wherein R.sup.9 is hydrogen or C.sub.1-3 alkyl; PA2 2) ##STR37## wherein R.sup.10, R.sup.11 and R.sup.12 are independently, e.g., hydrogen, halogen or C.sub.1-4 alkyl; PA2 3) ##STR38## wherein n is 0-2 and R.sup.14 is halo or C.sub.1-4 alkyl; or 4) ##STR39##
Unless otherwise stated, all "alkyl" gps. are 1-6C and do not contain an asymmetric C; and "cycloalkyl" has 3-7C.
WO 8603-488-A (Sandoz AG) discloses indene analogues of mevalolactone, useful as hypolipoproteinaemia and anti-atherosclerotic agents, in free acid form or in the form of an ester or delta-lactone or in salt form which have the formula ##STR22## R=H or primary or secondary 1-6C alkyl; R.sub.1 =primary or secondary 1-6C alkyl;
U.S. Pat. No. 4,647,576 to Hoefle et al (Warner Lambert) discloses new C- and N-substituted pyrrole(s), useful as hypolipidaemic and hypocholesterolaemic agents, which have the formula ##STR23## X=--CH.sub.2 --, --CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 -- or --CH(CH.sub.3)CH.sub.2 --; R.sub.1 =1- or 2-naphthyl; cyclohexyl; norbornenyl; phenyl optionally substituted by F, Cl, OH, CF.sub.3, 1-4C alkyl, 1-4C alkoxy or 2-8C alkanoyloxy; 2-, 3- or 4-pyridinyl or their N-oxides; or ##STR24## R.sub.5 =1-4C alkyl; hal=chloride, bromide or iodide;
European patent application 0 221 025 A1 (Sandoz AG) discloses heterocyclic analogs of mevalonolactone and derivatives thereof having the formula ##STR25## wherein Ra is a group --X--Z, Rb is R.sub.2, Rc is R.sub.3, Rd is R.sub.4 and Y is a group ##STR26## or Ra is R.sub.1, Rb is a group --X--Z, Rc is R.sub.2, Rd is R.sub.3 and Y is O, S or a group ##STR27## R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.3 and R.sub.4 independently are C.sub.1-4 alkyl not containing an asymmetric carbon atom, C.sub.3-7 cycloalkyl or a ring ##STR28## or in the case of R.sub.3 and R.sub.4 additionally hydrogen or for R.sub.3 when Y is O or S ##STR29## whereby R.sub.17 is hydrogen or C.sub.1-3 alkyl and R.sub.18 and R.sub.19 are independently hydrogen, C.sub.1-3 alkyl or phenyl; each R.sub.5 is independently hydrogen, C.sub.1-3 alkyl, n-butyl, i-butyl, t-butyl, C.sub.1-3 alkoxy, n-butoxy, i-butoxy, trifluoromethyl, fluoro, chloro, bromo, phenyl, phenoxy or benzyloxy; each R.sub.4 is independently hydrogen, C.sub.1-3 alkyl, C.sub.1-3 alkoxy, trifluoromethyl, fluoro, chloro, bromo, phenoxy or benzyloxy and each R.sub.7 is independently hydrogen, C.sub.1-2 alkyl, C.sub.1-2 alkoxy, fluoro or chloro with the proviso that there may only be one each of trifluoromethyl, phenoxy or benzyloxy in each ring A present. X is (CH.sub.2).sub.m or (CH.sub.2).sub.q CH.dbd.CH(CH.sub.2).sub.q, m is 0, 1, 2 or 3 and both q's are 0 or one is 0 and the other is 1.
Z is ##STR30## wherein R.sub.9 is hydrogen or C.sub.1-3 alkyl, in free acid form or in the form of an ester of .beta.-lactone thereof or in salt form as appropriate which compounds are indicated for use as hypolipoproteinemic and anti-atherosclerotic agents.
Tetrahedron Letters, 29, 929, 1988, discloses the synthesis of a 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase inhibitor of the structure ##STR31## where R is Na or C.sub.2 H.sub.5.
European patent application 127,848-A (Merck & Co, Inc.) discloses derivatives of 3-hydroxy-5-thia-.omega.-aryl-alkanoic acids having the structural formula: ##STR32## wherein Z is: ##STR33## n is 0, 1 or 2; E is --CH.sub.2 --, --CH.sub.2 --CH.sub.2 --, --CH.sub.2 --CH.sub.2 --CH.sub.2 --, --CH.dbd.CH--CH.sub.2 --; or --CH.sub.2 --CH.dbd.CH--;
Those compounds have antihypercholesterolemic activity by virtue of their ability to inhibit 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase and antifungal activity.
French patent application 2,596,393 A filed on Apr. 1, 1986 (Sanofi SA) discloses 3-carboxy-2-hydroxy-propane-phosphonic acid derivatives including salts thereof which are useful as hypolipaemic agents and have the formula: ##STR34## wherein R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 =H, lower alkyl or optionally substituted aralkyl;
These comounds are disclosed as giving greater reductions in cholesterol, triglyceride and phospholipid levels than meglutol.
European patent application 142, 146-A (Merck & Co., Inc) discloses mevinolin-like compounds of the structural formula: ##STR35## wherein: R.sup.1 is, e.g., hydrogen or C.sub.1-4 alkyl;
R.sup.7 is C.sub.2-8 alkyl; and PA3 R.sup.8 is hydrogen or CH.sub.3 ;
These compounds are HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors.

Phosphorus-containing HMG-COA reductase inhibitors, new intermediates and method


Relating to input devices and electronic devices generating a signal corresponding to a position depressed on their input domain, an input device and an electronic device are capable of performing an easy correction. The input device generates the signal corresponding to the position depressed on its input domain, and contains a correction domain and a correction unit. The correction domains are set in several positions in a periphery of and different from the input domain. Based on the signal corresponding to the position depressed on the correction domain, the correction unit corrects the signal corresponding to the position depressed on the input domain.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to input devices and electronic devices, more particularly, to an input device and an electronic device that generate a signal corresponding to a position depressed on their input domains.
Recently, the expanding market for information communication apparatuses and terminal units in business use has rapidly increased the demand for touch panels. A touch panel is incorporated suitably in a small apparatus such as a PDA (personal digital assistant), because it is arranged in a stack together with a display device and can be satisfactorily operated on the display device. Among types of touch panels, there has been a stronger demand for a resistance film type touch panel, which is capable of controlling and operating easily not only PDAs but also office computers and personal computers. Normally, a touch panel is arranged on the surface of a display device, and is incorporated so that it can operate together with what is projected on the display device. Here, it is required that relative positions of the touch panel and the display device be accurately aligned. Thus, correcting an input coordinate of the touch panel on the basis of the relative position of the touch panel to the display device, that is, calibration, is usually carried out.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 1 illustrates a structure of a system incorporating an input device with a resistance film type touch panel.
An input device 1 is placed on a screen 3 of a display device 2. Icons, buttons and so on are projected on the screen 3 of the display device 2. Depressing positions corresponding to the icons and the buttons projected on the screen 3 of the input device 1 starts applications corresponding to the icons and the buttons.
The input device 1 comprises a touch panel 11 and an interface circuit substrate 12.
FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the touch panel 11.
The resistance film type touch panel 11 is constructed in a stack together with a lower substrate 21 and an upper substrate 22 by putting dot spacers, which are not illustrated, between the lower substrate 21 and the upper substrate 22. A flexible wiring board 4 to be connected with the interface circuit substrate 12 is glued to an edge between the lower substrate 21 and the upper substrate 22.
The lower substrate 21 comprises a glass substrate 31, a conductive film 32, electrodes 33 and 34, and wiring patterns 35 through 38. The conductive film 32 is formed of a transparent conductive material such as ITO (indium tin oxide), and is set on the glass board 31.
The electrode 33 is formed of a conductive material such as aluminum, and is shaped in the form of a straight line on an edge of the conductive film 32 in the arrow X1 direction. The electrode 34 is formed of a conductive material such as aluminum, and is shaped in the form of a straight line on an edge of the conductive film 32 in the arrow X2 direction. The electrodes 33 and 34 are formed in parallel.
The wiring pattern 35 is connected with the electrode 33 at its one end, and with a wiring pattern 51 on a flexible wiring board 23 at the other end. The wiring pattern 36 is connected with the electrode 34 at its one end, and with a wiring pattern 52 on the flexible wiring board 23 at the other end. As mentioned above, both the electrodes 33 and 34 are connected with the interface circuit substrate 12. Also, the wiring pattern 37 is connected with a wiring pattern 53 on the flexible wiring board 23, and the wiring pattern 38 is connected with a wiring pattern 54 on the flexible wiring board 23.
The upper substrate 22 comprises a film 41, a conductive film 42, electrodes 43 and 44, and wiring patterns 45 and 46. The film 41 is formed of synthetic resin such as PET (poly-ethylene-telephtalete) shaped in the form of a film, and has flexibility. The conductive film 42 is formed of a transparent conductive material such as TTO (indium tin oxide), and is set on the under surface of the film 41 toward the lower substrate 21.
The electrode 43 is formed of a conductive material such as aluminum, and is shaped in the form of a straight line on an edge of the conductive film 42 in the arrow Y1 direction. The electrode 44 is formed of a conductive material such as aluminum, and is shaped in the form of a straight line on an edge of the conductive film 42 in the arrow Y2 direction. The electrodes 43 and 44 are formed in parallel.
The wiring pattern 45 is connected with the electrode 43 at its one ends and with the wiring pattern 53 on the flexible wiring board 23 at the other end through the wiring pattern 37 on the lower substrate 21. The wiring pattern 46 is connected with the electrode 44 at its one end, and with the wiring pattern 54 on the flexible wiring board 23 at the other end through the wiring pattern 38 on the lower substrate 21. The electrodes 43 and 44 are connected with the interface circuit substrate 12 through the flexible wiring board 23.
Dot spacers are formed of an insulator such as resin, and are placed between the lower substrate 21 and the upper substrate 22. While there is no depressing action, the dot spacers prevent contact between the conductive film 32 on the lower substrate 21 and the conductive film 42 on the upper substrate 22.
When the upper substrate 22 is depressed, the upper substrate 22 bends and the conductive film 42 on the upper substrate 22 touches the conductive film 32 on the lower substrate 21. The contact of the conductive film 42 on the upper substrate 22 and the conductive film 32 on the lower substrate 21 provides coordinates of the contact point that can be detected.
An explanation of a series of actions for detecting the coordinate will now be given.
The interface circuit substrate 12 repeatedly alternates between the following two actions. One action is to apply a predetermined voltage of Vcc between the electrodes 33 and 34 formed on the lower substrate 21 and to detect an electric potential of the electrode 43 of the upper substrate 22. The other action is to apply a predetermined voltage of Vcc between the electrodes 43 and 44 formed on the upper substrate 22 and to detect an electric potential of the electrode 33 on the lower substrate 21.
If the predetermined voltage of Vcc between the electrodes 33 and 34 formed on the lower substrate 21 is applied, a potential gradient between the electrodes 33 and 34 is caused. Then, detecting an electric potential of the contact point through the electrode 43 of the upper substrate 22 makes it possible to detect a position of the contact point in the X-axis directions.
On the other hand, if the predetermined voltage of Vcc between the electrodes 43 and 44 formed on the upper substrate 22 is applied, a potential gradient between the electrodes 43 and 44 is caused. Then, detecting an electric potential of the contact point through the electrode 33 or the electrode 34 of the lower substrate 21 makes it possible to detect a position of the contact point in the Y-axis directions.
At this time, the potential gradient between the electrodes 43 and 44 of the upper substrate 22 is different from the potential gradient between the electrodes 33 and 34 on the lower substrate 21. Accordingly, it is possible to perform detection without the resistance of the conductive films 32 or 42 influencing where the electric potential of the contact point is detected. The interface circuit substrate 12 detects a coordinate in the X-axis directions from the electric potential in the X-axis directions, a coordinate in the Y-axis directions from the electric potential in the Y-axis directions, and sends these coordinates to an information process unit 5.
As illustrated in FIG. 1, the touch panel 11 is glued and mounted on the display device 2. According to what is shown on the screen 3 of the display device 2, an operator gives inputs. Thus, it is important to accurately position the touch panel 11 relative to the screen 3 of the display device 2.
The touch panel 11 and the display device 2 have been conventionally positioned by fitting outer shapes of the touch panel 11 and the display device 2. As a result, the relative position of the touch panel 11 to the display device 2 is inaccurate, whereby resulting in poor operation. Thus, it is required that the relative position of the touch panel 11 to the display device 2 be corrected.
Conventionally, the relative position of the touch panel 11 to the display device 2 has been commonly corrected by operator's manipulations. The operator manipulates the input device 1 and others to set the information processing unit 5 in a position correction mode. Once the information processing unit 5 is in the position correction mode, the information processing unit 5 starts to display a position to be depressed on the screen 3 of the display device 2. The operator depresses the position displayed on the display device 2.
Next, the information processing unit 5 detects a position on the touch panel 11 depressed by the operator on the basis of coordinate information from the interface circuit 12.
Then, the information processing unit 5 compares the position to be depressed on the screen 3 of the display device 2 with the position on the touch panel 11 depressed by the operator, and computes a correction value so that the coordinate information from the interface circuit 12 can be consistent with the coordinate information on the position to be depressed on the screen 3 of the display device 2. The information processing unit 5 or the interface circuit 12 saves the correction value. Thereafter, the information processing unit 5 or the interface circuit 12 corrects the coordinate information on the basis of the saved correction value. The information processing unit 5 determines a coordinate on the basis of the coordinate information that has just been corrected according to the correction value.
Under the heretofore-described conventional correction of the relative position of the touch panel 11 to the display device 2, however, operations for correcting the relative position are complicated because of the necessity of operator's manipulations.
On the other hand, the connections between wiring patterns on the touch panel 11 or the touch panel itself and the flexible wiring board 23 deteriorate over time, whereby enlarging the wiring resistance. Under conventional touch panels, however, wiring conditions of the touch panel 11, the flexible wiring board 23 and others have not been taken into consideration. Thus, we have the problem that the precision of the coordinate detection deteriorates over time.


A non-destructive inspection apparatus is provided. The non-destructive inspection apparatus includes at least one memory configured to store commands for performing predetermined operations, and at least one processor operatively coupled to the at least one memory and configured to execute the commands. The at least one processor is configured to obtain information on a transmission amount of an X-ray by emitting the X-ray to a part of a bicycle, generate a gray scale image based on the information on the transmission, measure an amount of change in a gray value from one end to the other end of the part of the bicycle represented in the gray scale image along an extending direction of the part, and detect an area in which the amount of change in the gray value is equal to or greater than a threshold, as an abnormal area.

A bicycle is a means of transportation that a person steps on a pedal to move, and as the bicycle is made of a light and strong material, the efficiency and stability of movement increase. Accordingly, recently, a bicycle made of a carbon composite material, which is light in weight and relatively strong, has been developed and manufactured.
Meanwhile, among parts of a bicycle, there are parts made so thin that a thickness of the carbon composite material is less than 1 mm, and thus, pores may occur inside the carbon composite material during the manufacturing process. Accordingly, the weight or impact of a user may cause damage to the part during use, and cracks easily occur in the part.
Abnormal portions such as the pores or cracks have a great influence on stability of the bicycle. For example, a defect in the abnormal portion may lead to a serious accident due to damage while the bicycle is running, and the bicycle having the abnormal portion may be traded as a normal bicycle in the second-hand market. Accordingly, a buyer who buys the bicycle without being aware of these problems may have accidents or damage.
However, the abnormal portion of the carbon composite material is very fine, so it is difficult to identify the abnormal without an expert. Further, it is not possible to check the inside thereof without disassembling and inspecting the joint portion of the bicycle, so that the inspection process also has a problem in that required time and cost are considerable.

Apparatus, method, computer-readable storage medium for non-destructive inspection of bicycle based on analyzing amount of scale value change


A multilayer device includes an electronic device layer, a first electrode associated with the electronic device layer, an optical layer, a second electrode associated with the optical layer, and an insulator layer provided between the first and second electrodes. The first and second electrodes are capacitively coupled to each other to facilitate electrical communication between the electronic device layer and the optical layer through transmission of an electrical signal between the first and second electrodes. The electrical signal may be transmitted through the insulator layer. In addition, the electronic device layer and the optical layer may be in electrical communication with each other through capacitive coupling of the first electrode and the second electrode.

Electronic devices, such as computer chips, are becoming increasingly complex. As more active elements and electronic circuitry are added to computer chips, methods of electrical communication between the active elements and circuitry must also be added to the computer chips. Circuitry on the same layer of an electronic device may be electrically connected by forming one or more layers of metal interconnects above the electronic devices. Metal interconnects are conductive materials that act as interconnections between electronic devices to facilitate the transmission of electrical signals between the electronic devices of a single layer of electronic devices.
However, computer chips are now being developed which have a multilayer structure including multiple parallel layers stacked on top of each other. Multilayer structures allow greater freedom of design and considerably reduce signal path lengths. Multilayer structures may include electronic device layers, each containing electronic devices useful for computing circuitry, and may also include optical device layers and insulator layers. Currently, electrical communication between the multiple layers is facilitated through a process of conductive coupling. In conductive coupling, electrical signals are transferred through layers by forming vias through the entire thickness of an insulating layer. The vias are filled with a conductive material, which physically connects the various layers.
Forming the connecting vias vertically through the layers of the multilayer device adds considerable complexity to the fabrication process. The tolerances required for the etching of the vias limits the density of devices and other circuit components on the layers. Moreover, series resistance in the vias causes resistive-capacitive (RC) time delays and increased power dissipation. Resistance often occurs as a result of unintentional insulator material forming between the conductive components. For example, an oxide layer may accidentally form between conductive components due to the processing of the electrical components. Thus, the conventional method of conductively connecting multiple layers of a multilayer device with physical connectors is wrought with problems.

Capacitively coupling layers of a multilayer device

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


A wireless communication apparatus includes: a communication control unit performing a connection rights reservation request for wirelessly connecting to a predetermined network in a specific region in a specific time band; and a control unit performing control for setting the connection rights based on the setting information according to the reservation request.

The present disclosure relates to a wireless communication apparatus, specifically, to a wireless communication apparatus performing wireless communication, and a communication system provided therewith and information processing method.
Hitherto, wireless communication apparatuses connected to a network such as a public wireless network are widely used. Further, in order that the wireless communication apparatus may be used at the destination of the user who owns the wireless communication apparatus, base stations for the wireless communication apparatus to connect to are installed at various regions. Further, when the wireless communication apparatus is moving, it is possible for the moving wireless communication apparatus to continue communication by performing a handover.
For example, a communication system has been proposed which determines the base station candidate in the movement direction to which the next handover is to be performed and performs a handover based on the prediction result (movement direction of the wireless communication apparatus) based on position data obtained by the wireless communication apparatus (for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2002-232928).

Wireless communication apparatus, communication system, and information processing method