This invention comprising in hydroxypropyl starch for preparing empty capsules in alimentary and medical use, and hydroxypropyl starch-based soft capsules. This invention takes water as solvent, mix with propylene epoxide and catalyst for reaction, after washing, drying, hydroxypropyl starch is completed. The MS level of substitution of starch is around 2˜5, gelatinization point between 25˜60° C. After the hydroxypropyl starch is gelatinized by heating in water, a hydroxypropyl starch matrix soft capsule can be prepared. The invention consists in introducing hydroxypropyl by modifying the molecular chain of starch to improve the flexibility and hydrophilicity of starch. Therefore, a hydroxypropyl starch matrix soft capsule capable of preparing a flexible and disintegrating property is provided.

Capsules, as one of the most widely used dosage forms at present, have the advantages of masking drug taste, high efficacy, controlled release, etc., and have been widely used in medicine, health products, and functional food industries. Traditional capsules generally use gelatin made from animal skin and bone hydrolysis as the capsule shell material. However, gelatin capsules are easy to breed microorganisms, absorb moisture, have poor flexibility, and also have high prices and are not suitable for people with special cultural beliefs. Compared with gelatin capsules, the use of plant materials to prepare capsules can significantly improve the above disadvantages.
As a renewable natural resource, starch has the advantages of rich sources, low prices, and easy biodegradability, and is the most potential substitute for capsule raw materials. However, the original starch does not dissolve in cold water, and the viscosity of the starch paste is unstable. The starch needs to be modified to improve its physical and chemical properties. However, plant capsules formed based on modified starch generally have disadvantages such as complicated operation and greater friability of the capsule, which restricts the large-scale application of starch-based capsule technology. Many researchers use various natural colloids as strengthening and toughening agents, hoping to solve the problem of greater friability of starch capsules. Therefore, it is necessary to provide a modified starch with excellent characteristics and a low cost based on this And small friability plant capsules and preparation method thereof.
Hydroxypropyl starch is a widely used modified starch. It is widely used in food, medicine, paper making, textile, daily chemical, fine chemical, oil field drilling and other industries. Its properties and uses are mainly determined by the degree of modification of starch. That is, the degree of molecular substitution MS. The existing production technologies of hydroxypropyl starch include dry method, water dispersion method and non-aqueous solvent method. Dry production method is the direct gas-solid reaction of starch and propylene oxide under certain conditions. The specific preparation methods mainly include agitation, boiling and extrusion. The dry production reaction has low reaction efficiency, the molecular substitution degree of the obtained product is low, and the product is difficult to separate and purify. Water dispersion method is currently the most widely used technology for the production of hydroxypropyl starch. Its advantages are simple process, easy operation, easy product purification, and high purity products. The disadvantage is that because hydroxypropyl starch is easily swelled and gelatinized in water, it cannot produce products with high degree of substitution. The molecular substitution degree MS of the hydroxypropyl starch obtained by the water dispersion method is not greater than 0.3. The non-aqueous solvent method is to disperse starch in an alcohol or ketone organic solvent and then react with propylene oxide. This method can prepare a higher degree of substitution of hydroxypropyl starch, but the highest degree of molecular substitution of the obtained product is below 2.0. In general, the existing methods for producing hydroxypropyl starch have low production reaction efficiency, the molecular substitution degree of the obtained hydroxypropyl starch is low, uneven, or the product is difficult to separate and purify.
The purpose of the present invention is to overcome and solve the shortcomings and problems of the existing method and technology for producing hydroxypropyl starch, such as low production reaction efficiency, low molecular substitution degree MS of the obtained hydroxypropyl starch, unevenness, and difficulty in product separation and purification. A highly substituted hydroxypropyl starch with high production reaction efficiency, capable of preparing highly substituted MS with excellent flocculation, adhesiveness and surface activity, and easy separation and purification of products Preparation process. At the same time, the present invention consists in introducing a hydroxypropyl group by modifying the molecular chain of the starch to improve the flexibility and hydrophilicity of the starch, thereby providing a hydroxypropyl group with good flexibility and good disintegration properties.

Hydroxypropyl starch for preparing empty capsules and hydroxypropyl starch-based soft capsules


A method for supplementing the amino acid levels in ruminants is provided where rumen-protected amino acids, particularly lysine and/or methionine, are used to supplement ruminant feed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for supplementing amino acids in ruminant animals. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method wherein a rumen-protected feed additive composition comprising lysine and/or methionine is added to feed which is then fed to the ruminant prior to or after calving and continuing into the ruminant's lactation period. This method increases the digestible amino acids available in the feed and positively increases the milk production of ruminants who are fed the additive. The method also improves ruminant health and appetite.
2. Description of the Background Art
A ruminant is an animal which possesses a complex stomach consisting of four morphologically distinct compartments. These compartments are rumen, reticulum, omasum and abomasum. The former two are derived from the terminal portion of the esophagus, and only the latter two are considered to be a genuine stomach. After passing the first two compartments, the food is returned to the mouth. The rumen and the reticulum are fermentation compartments wherein Ophryoscolex diplodinium and Plectridium cellulolyticum are commensal, and the digestion of the feed (vegetable tissues) is conducted by cellulase, amylase, or cellobiose secreted by these microorganisms (digestive symbiosis).
In ruminant animals like cattle or sheep, there is a problem that occurs when a biologically active substance is, for instance, orally administered: a substantial part of the substance (e.g., proteins, amino acids, etc.) are decomposed to ammonia or carbon dioxide gas by microorganisms in the rumen, making it difficult or impossible for the animal to effectively utilize all of the administered proteins and amino acids contained in feed, etc. Thus, a ruminant only receives the benefit of a portion of the nutrients fed to it and loses a portion to the support and formation of rumen microorganisms. While the nutrients (proteins, etc.) contained in feed clearly contribute to a ruminant's sustenance, another source of nutrition for ruminants is the protein derived from those microorganisms in the rumen which are passed to the lower stomachs. Accordingly, it is important to maintain the microorganism population in the rumen in order to provide a constant source of this protein.
When special nutrients or drugs which must be absorbed or metabolized are administered to ruminants it is important to protect these substances from the environmental conditions in the first stomach: i.e., from decomposition by microorganisms and from the influence of weakly acidic or weakly alkaline pH, so that the substance can be maintained intact until it reaches the intended digestive or absorptive site. Namely, it is desirable that certain nutrients and drugs pass through the rumen to the omasum without being affected by microorganisms, digestion being conducted in the abomasum with the digested feed being absorbed by the small intestine. Nutrients, etc., protected in such a manner are well known in the art and are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,976,976, 4,937,083, 3,619,200, 5,093,128, 4,837,004, 3,959,493, 4,842,863, 5,023,091, 4,957,748, 4,797,288, 5,064,665, and 5,244,669 and 5,227,166 all of which are incorporated herein by reference, and Japanese Laid-Open patents 59-66842, 58-175449, 56-154956, 63-317053, 60-168351, 59-198946, 02-027950, 02-128654, 02-128655, 03-05-8755, 03-155756, 03-155757, 04-079844 and 05023114 also incorporated herein by reference.
All proteins present in animals are constituted by combinations of more than 20 different amino acids. Among these, ten "essential" amino acids are not adequately synthesized in the animal body, and the animals must take them in. The amino acids constituting a certain protein are specific to the protein and cannot be changed. Accordingly, among the essential amino acids, the one(s) in least supply control the amount of protein(s) produced by the animal. When essential amino acids are lacking in the ruminant diet the ruminant's health, milk production, etc. are all negatively affected.
Since increasing the milk production of lactating dairy cattle is an ongoing challenge facing the dairy industry, many attempts have been made to provide a method for doing so. For example, Smith et al (U.S. Pat. No. 5,145,695) provide a method wherein a particular feed composition which delivers an improved balance of essential amino acids post-ruminally is fed to a cow. Nissen (U.S. Pat. No. 4,758,593) discloses a method wherein lactating domestic mammals are fed ketoisocaproate to improve the quantity and quality of milk produced. Kantor (U.S. Pat. No. 4,704,276) provides a method wherein lactating ruminant animals are fed certain antibiotics in order to increase lactation. Palmquist et al (U.S. Pat. No. 4,642,317) discloses a process of feeding ruminant animals increased amounts of fat while they are lactating in order to increase milk yield. Similarly, Mantha (U.S. Pat No. 4,175,121) discloses a process wherein essential nutrients, a methionine hydroxy analog, minerals, vitamins, proteins, Aspergillus oryzae and a buffer are fed to lactating cows to improve overall milk production. Rawlings et al (U.S. Pat. No. 4,225,620) describe a method wherein an alkali treated proteinaceous feed supplement is fed to ruminant animals so as to promote milk production. Finally, Cummins (U.S. Pat. No. 4,388,327) describes a process wherein the weight of milk produced by dairy cattle can be increased by supplementing the diets of cattle with .gamma.-methylmercapto-.alpha.-hydroxybutyric acid and its oligomers starting two weeks prior to the scheduled date of calving and for 112 days of production. All of the references described above are incorporated herein by reference.

Method for supplementing amino acid levels in ruminant animals


A system, method, and computer program product are provided for operating a multi-stage artificial intelligence (AI) analysis in a communication network. In use, first log data of network activity of the communication network is acquired based on a first set of monitoring rules. A network situation is detected in log data by an artificial intelligence (AI) system using an AI-model. A confidence level is computed associated with the detection of the network situation. Additionally, it is determined whether the confidence level surpasses a predefined value, and when it is determined that the confidence level does not surpass the predefined value, second log data of the network activity of the communication network is acquired based on an additional set of monitoring rules. Further, the detection of the network situation, the computation of the confidence level, and the determination whether the confidence level surpasses the predefined level are each repeated.

A communication network may include network entities (such as hardware components) and software components (such as virtual network functions (VNFs)), which may be reconfigured as needed. To predict situations requiring network reconfiguration, however, a network management system may use log-data collected from as many network entities as possible.
An artificial intelligence (AI) part of a network management system may include two main parts: an AI learning system and a real-time, or run-time, (RT) analysis system. The AI learning system may create at least one AI-model that the RT-analysis system may use to detect respective network situations requiring a network reconfiguration. Such AI model may analyze log-data as it is being collected.
The ability to detect a network situation, or a classifier predicting a network situation, in time to implement the required network configuration, may depend on the amount of detail associated with the analyzed log-data. However, reporting detailed log-data by each network entity, collecting and managing the detailed log-data, and analyzing the detailed log data may involve heavy load processing, communication, and storage.
As such, there is thus a need for addressing these and/or other issues associated with the prior art.

System, method, and computer program for operating a multi-stage artificial intelligence (AI) analysis in a communication network


A computer-implemented method for processing a plurality of toponyms, the method involving: in a large corpus, identifying geo-textual correlations among readings of the toponyms within the plurality of toponyms; and for each toponym selected from the plurality of toponyms, using the identified geo-textual correlations to generate a value for a confidence that the selected toponym refers to a corresponding geographic location. Also a method of generating information useful for ranking a document that includes a plurality of toponyms for which there is a corresponding plurality of (toponym,place) pairs, there being associated with each (toponym,place) pair of said plurality of (toponym,place) pairs a corresponding value for a confidence that the toponym of that (toponym,place) pair refers to the place of that (toponym,place) pair. This further method includes, for a selected (toponym,place) pair of the plurality of (toponym,place) pairs, (1) determining if another toponym is present within the document that has an associated place that is geographically related to the place of the selected (toponym, place) pair; and (2) if a toponym is identified within the document that has an associated place that is geographically related to the place of the selected (toponym, place) pair, boosting the value of the confidence for the selected (toponym,place) pair.

There are many tools available for organizing and accessing documents matching specific criteria, such as containing certain keywords, key phrases, and their boolean combinations (Salton 1989). An important class of key phrases are named entities such as the names of people, organizations, places, dates. In addition to the presence of directly observable entities, there are indirect criteria that enhance document organization and access. For example, a document may describe an illegal act without using the words "illegal" or "unlawful" even once, it may allude to 'the largest Italian daily' without mentioning "Corriere della Sera", or it may describe an oil reservior at latitude 61.3 N longitude 1.16 W without containing these coordinates, just by saying "a hundred miles north of Lerwick". Adding explicit markers to the text to distinguish entity names and to make explicit information that can be inferred about these, usually by means of a formal markup language such as SGML or XML, is commonly called named entity tagging. For a modem introduction to Information Retrieval and Information Extraction see R. Mitkov (ed): Handbook of Computational Linguistics, Oxford University Press 2003, chapters 29 and 30.
In particular, the use of directly mentioned or inferred geographic coordinates as a document selection criterion is well established (Woodruff and Plaunt 1994). In many cases, documents enrolled in the system either contain explicit geographic coordinates or such coordinates can be assigned to them manually, a labor-intensive process called manual tagging, whereby human readers inspect the documents, look up the coordinates of key places mentioned in the document in an atlas or database, and add tags by hand. From the perspective of Information Retrieval and Information Extraction, document without tags (also called raw or untagged documents) are considerably less valuable than tagged documents, and machine algorithms capable of automating the manual work are of great practical interest.
Many tools commonly used for organizing and accessing documents, in particular web search engines such as Google or Yahoo, also incorporate a step of relevance ranking, whereby documents deemed to be more relevant to the users' query are presented to the user earlier than the less relevant documents. Importantly, such a step can not rely entirely on manual pre-classification or ranking, since the same document will be relevant to some user queries and irrelevant to many others. The standard method for ranking, called "TF-IDF", is described e.g in S E Robertson and K Sparck Jones: Simple, proven approaches to text retrieval. University of Cambridge Computer Laboratory Technical Report 356, May 1997.
For further background, the reader is referred to the description of the Geographic Text Search (GTS) Engine found in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/791,533, filed Feb. 22, 2001, and entitled "Spatially Coding and Displaying Information," incorporated herein by reference.

Corpus clustering, confidence refinement, and ranking for geographic text search and information retrieval


A new and distinct Dianthus cultivar named ‘DIANMAGENT’ is disclosed, characterized by low maintenance, robust outdoor growth as well as hardy to USDA zone 5. The new variety is very floriferous and perpetual flowering. The new variety is a Dianthus, normally produced as an outdoor garden or container plant.

The new Dianthus cultivar is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the inventor, Gavriel Danziger, in Moshav Mishmar Hashiva, Israel. The objective of the breeding program was to produce new Dianthus varieties for ornamental commercial applications. The cross resulting in this new variety was made during October of 2009.
The seed parent is the unpatented, proprietary seedling variety referred to as Dianthus plumarius 'Acc. 1' The pollen parent is the unpatented, proprietary seedling variety referred to as Dianthus plumarius 'Acc. 9'. The new variety was discovered in November of 2010 by the inventor in a group of seedlings resulting from the 2009 crossing, in a research greenhouse in Moshav Mishmar Hashiva, Israel.
Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar was performed by vegetative tip cuttings. This was first performed at a research greenhouse in Moshav Mishmar Hashiva, Israel in December of 2010 and has shown that the unique features of this cultivar are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.


A deposition process provides selective areal deposition on a substrate surface having separate areas of different materials comprises forming a plasma over the substrate, injecting coating species into the plasma by either of sputtering or gaseous injection, adding a reactive gas for altering surface binding energy at the coating surface, and biasing the substrate during deposition to bombard the substrate with ionic species from the plasma. Surface binding energy is altered, in the general case, differently for the separate areas, enhancing selectivity. Bias power is managed to exploit the alteration in surface binding energy. In the case of gaseous injection of the coating species, and in some cases of sputtering provision of the coating material, the temperature of the substrate surface is managed as well. In an alternative embodiment, selectivity is to phase of the coating material rather than to specific areas on the substrate, and a selected phase may be preferentially deposited on the substrate.

There are a number of manufacturing disciplines wherein selective film deposition may be beneficial. Perhaps the most prevalent of these is the manufacture of integrated circuits.
Manufacturing of integrated circuits is generally a procedure of forming thin films and layers of various materials on wafers of base semiconductor material, and selectively removing areas of such films to provide structures and circuitry. Doped silicon is a typical base wafer material. Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) and physical vapor deposition (PVD) are well known processes for depositing such thin films and layers in manufacture of integrated circuits and in other thin-film manufacturing. Sputtering is one example of a well-known and much-used PVD process.
As an example of CVD, polysilicon may be deposited from silane gas, SiH.sub.4. It is known, too, among many other processes, to deposit tungsten silicide from a mixture of gases including silane and a tungsten-bearing gas such as tungsten hexafluoride. Pure tungsten is also deposited on silicon wafers in the manufacture of integrated circuits, sometimes selectively and sometimes across the entire surface in a process known as blanket tungsten deposition.
One of the better known processes (and applications) of sputtering is deposition of aluminum electrical connections between solid state devices in manufacturing of integrated circuits. There are likewise many other applications for PVD generally and sputtering in particular.
In development of manufacturing techniques for integrated circuits and for many other products, a broad range of variations and combinations of both PVD and CVD techniques have been developed. For example, compounds, such as nitrides of metals, may be deposited by introducing a reactive gas, in this case nitrogen, into the typically inert gas (typically argon) used in the sputtering process to form a plasma.
A typical procedure for forming devices and interconnective circuitry on semiconductor wafers is one of coating the entire wafer with a film of a particular material, followed by patterning by techniques of photolithography, then etching to selectively remove unwanted regions of material, leaving selected patterns of the deposited material in place on the wafer surface. Patterning is also accomplished by means of application of photoresist material, curing of portions of the photoresist in a desired pattern, and removal of uncured photoresist material. The result of photoresist patterning is much the same as selective removal of other films; that is, a surface having patterned regions of more than one material.
Formation of conductive, connective circuitry between devices on a wafer is an example of a typical sequence of deposition, patterning, and selective removal of film regions. Coating device contacts in integrated circuits with materials providing high electrical conductivity and barrier characteristics to diffusion of materials is another example of a process typically accomplished by blanket coverage followed by patterning and selective removal, such as by etching.
There are manufacturing costs associated with every process step undertaken during wafer fabrication. It is also true that reliability and yield are adversely affected by additional processing. Any development that reduces the number and complexity of process steps is therefore generally beneficial.
One conceivable way to reduce the number of processing steps in semiconductor manufacturing is by developing processes for selective deposition. That is, if material can be deposited just on the regions of a wafer where the material is desired to remain, the additional steps of patterning and selective removal may be eliminated, along with the costs and reduced yields incurred by the additional steps.
Limited examples of selective deposition are known in the art. In the art of sputter deposition, for example, biased sputtering techniques have been demonstrated wherein the receiving substrate is biased, and so-called back sputtering of material from the receiving surface is accomplished during deposition. Under carefully controlled conditions, because sputtering rates may differ for a single species deposited on different material surfaces, active sputtering of the wafer surface may result in net material buildup on areas of one material, while areas of another material are held to no net gain in material thickness, or even a small net loss (sputter etched). A necessary condition to selectivity is that the region or regions desired to be coated are surfaces of a different material than the region or regions not to be coated.
Residual damage of silicon substrates and devices has been found to be a problem with biased sputtering, due to relatively high energy levels of bombarding species typically required to sputter etch materials.
Selective deposition has also been demonstrated in CVD processing, due primarily to preferential chemical activity at the surface of a particular material. For example, tungsten may be selectively deposited on silicon regions exposed through silicon dioxide, while there is no net deposition of tungsten on the regions of silicon dioxide. In this selective process, initial deposition of tungsten on silicon is through chemical reduction of WF.sub.6 by silicon. The oxide surface does not react chemically, so there is no net deposition on that surface. After initial deposition, and silicon is no longer available to the reactive gases as a reducing agent, an alternate agent must be added, typically hydrogen. In this case, as in the biased sputtering example described above, regions of different material are a necessary condition to selectivity.
A very important advantage expected for techniques of selective deposition is that, with a continuing trend to higher and higher device density, typical geometry has fallen below one micron. In the region of sub-micron geometry, patterning and selective removal become quite difficult. Selective deposition, however, is not limited by patterning considerations.
Presently known selective techniques are not without problems. These techniques, for example, are very limited in the range of materials that may be deposited, and often, as in the case of biased sputtering, unwanted damage to existing devices and structures occurs.
What is clearly needed is a means to selectively deposit a broad range of materials and/or phases of materials, including electrically insulating materials, with controllable selectivity, and with minimal damage to material and device structures.


New polymorphs of Eltrombopag and Eltrombopag ethanolamine salt have been obtained and characterized. These polymorphs and pharmaceutical compositions comprising them are useful, for example, in treating conditions leading to thrombocytopenia.

Eltrombopag, (Z)-3′-(2-(1-(3,4-dimethylphenyl)-3-methyl-5-oxo-1H-pyrazol-4(5H)-ylidene)hydrazinyl)-2′-hydroxybiphenyl-3-carboxylic acid is a compound having the following chemical structure:

It is a small-molecule, non-peptide thrombopoitin (TPO) receptor agonist that stimulates the proliferation and differentiation of megakaryocytes. Eltrombopag is marketed under the trade name Promacta® by GlaxoSmithKline and Ligand Pharmaceuticals as a bisethanolamine salt of the following chemical structure:
for the treatment of conditions leading to thrombocytopenia.
Eltrombopag is disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,332,481 and 7,160,870; WO patent application 01/89457; and in EP patent No. 1294378.
Eltrombopag bisethanolamine salt is disclosed in US 2006/0178518 (corresponding to WO 03/098992).
Polymorphism, the occurrence of different crystal forms, is a property of some molecules and molecular complexes. A single molecule may give rise to a variety of polymorphs having distinct crystal structures and physical properties like melting point, thermal behaviours (e.g. measured by thermogravimetric analysis—"TGA", or differential scanning calorimetry—"DSC"), x-ray diffraction pattern, infrared absorption fingerprint, and solid state NMR spectrum. One or more of these techniques may be used to distinguish different polymorphic forms of a compound.
Discovering new polymorphic forms and solvates of a pharmaceutical product can provide materials having desirable processing properties, such as ease of handling, ease of processing, storage stability, and ease of purification or as desirable intermediate crystal forms that facilitate conversion to other polymorphic forms. New polymorphic forms and solvates of a pharmaceutically useful compound or salts thereof can also provide an opportunity to improve the performance characteristics of a pharmaceutical product. It enlarges the repertoire of materials that a formulation scientist has available for formulation optimization, for example by providing a product with different properties, e.g., better processing or handling characteristics, improved dissolution profile, or improved shelf-life. For at least these reasons, there is a need for additional polymorphs of Eltrombopag and Eltrombopag ethanolamine salt.

Polymorphs of eltrombopag and eltrombopag salts and processes for preparation thereof


The magnetic flux of a magnetic body is controlled with voltage pulses from an active voltage source. The voltage pulses are applied to a winding circuit which is magnetically coupled to the magnetic body. An electronic switch means is used to generate the voltage pulses from a d-c power supply. A control circuit receives information about the winding current, and utilizes known loop impedances to optimize the voltage pulses for optimal magnetic control. Utilizing voltage pulses rather than a continuously variable voltage source has the advantage of lower cost and improved energy efficiency for many applications. The invention may be utilized for measurement of a-c current and d-c current utilizing ordinary current transformers. The switched-voltage control that is disclosed also may be used to facilitate accurate measurement of a-c current in a self-powered manner, with the power supply for the electronics deriving its power from the current transformer secondary circuit.

This invention relates to the art of controlling magnetic flux within magnetic bodies. A switched voltage applied to a conductive winding causes the voltage induced in the winding to have such waveform and magnitude that the integral over time of the induced voltage correlates to desired changes of the magnetic induction level.
The present invention is a development of the invention disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,522,517 to Edel, issued Feb. 18, 2003. This patent (U.S. Pat. No. 6,522,517) is hereby incorporated by reference, in its entirety, into this disclosure. It will be referred to herein as "the 517 patent."
The 517 patent discloses how a varying voltage, produced by a "controllable voltage device," may be applied to a conductive winding that magnetically interacts with a magnetic body. The varying voltage controls the voltage induced in the winding in such a way that the integral over time of the induced voltage correlates to desired changes of the induction of the magnetic body. (As used in this disclosure, the term "induction level" is synonymous with the terms "magnetization" and "magnetic flux density"). The induction level may be controlled in several ways:    (a) The induction level of a magnetic body may be caused to transition from a known induction level to a preferred induction level. (A preferred induction level of zero may be chosen to demagnetize a magnetic body).    (b) When the induction level is not known, a preferred induction level may be established by changing the induction level of the magnetic body from an unknown induction level to a known induction level and then to the preferred induction level.    (c) A preferred induction level may be maintained by causing the induced voltage across the winding to have an average value near zero (or by causing the integral of induced voltage to not exceed a predetermined value).    (d) A preferred induction level may be more strictly maintained by causing the induced voltage across the winding to continuously be near zero volts, thereby reducing the amount that the induction level fluctuates.    (e) The induction level may be made to vary with time in a preferred manner, including matching a control signal that is proportional to a reference induction level.
The varying voltage may be generated directly by an active voltage source, or the varying voltage may be generated indirectly, such as by current transformer secondary current flowing through an adjustable impedance. The key elements are a magnetic body, a conductive winding that magnetically interacts with the magnetic body, and a means of causing the induced voltage to have the appropriate waveform and magnitude.
A conductive winding that is utilized for controlling induction level may be a permanent winding that is also used for other purposes, or it may be a dedicated winding (permanent or temporary) provided solely for the purpose of controlling induction level.
These principles are most readily applied to magnetic bodies that are configured to have a relatively uniform magnetic path, such as the magnetic cores of current transformers. The accuracy of a current transformer may be improved in three ways:    (a) By demagnetizing a current transformer, inaccuracies associated with core magnetization are removed. A demagnetized current transformer can accurately measure d-c current and a-c current that has a d-c component.    (b) By keeping the integral over time of induced voltage near zero, a current transformer is better able to measure unsymmetrical currents without quickly transitioning to saturation.    (c) By reducing the amount that the induction level in the core fluctuates, inaccuracies associated with magnetizing current may be greatly reduced and the accuracy of a current transformer may be greatly improved.
The present invention utilizes voltage pulses to control the magnetization of a magnetic body, rather than a continuously variable voltage (as discussed in the 517 patent). Some background information about how pulsed voltages have been used previously in current-sensing applications will now be presented.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,768,011 to Swain, entitled "Means for Measuring Magnitude and Direction of a Direct Current or Permanent Magnet, Including Clip-On Direct Current Sensing Inductor," enables non-contact DC current measurement utilizing an ordinary clip-on current transformer arrangement. The measurement of DC current is accomplished by continually driving a current transformer magnetic core back and forth between opposite polarities of saturation. The polarity of the voltage pulse is toggled based on the secondary current reaching a magnitude that is sufficient to ensure saturation. The secondary current signal is filtered to remove the saturating peaks, and the filtered signal is representative of the magnitude of the primary current. In this patent, the voltage pulses are simply used to drive a magnetic core to saturation, not to control the magnetization of the core at a level other than saturation. Measurement is limited to DC current.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,274,051 to Condon, entitled "Electromagnetic Arrangement for Measuring Electrical Current," is directed toward the measurement of DC current in telephone systems. Two magnetic cores are utilized, along with multiple windings on each core and a pulsed control signal. Saturating pulses are applied to both cores, and differences in sensed voltages across other windings are used to enable measurement of DC current. In this patent, the voltage pulses are simply used to drive the magnetic cores to saturation, not to control the magnetization of the cores at a level other than saturation.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,278,939 to Henry, entitled "Electromagnetic Arrangement for Measuring Electrical Current," claims to be an improvement of the U.S. Pat. No. 4,274,051 patent listed above. Saturating pulses are applied to both cores, and differences in sensed voltages across other windings are used to determine a DC component. In this patent, the voltage pulses are simply used to drive the magnetic cores to saturation, not to control the magnetization of the cores at a level other than saturation.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,456,875 to Chenier, entitled "Demagnetization Circuit for Current Transformers" applies switched voltages to current transformers to demagnetize them more rapidly and with less power than by utilizing more conventional methods. However, this invention demagnetizes current transformers only while they are out of service. This invention can not be used to control the magnetization of a current transformer core while it is being acted on by other magnetomotive forces (such as a primary current).
U.S. Pat. No. 4,914,383 to Wilkerson, entitled "Non-Contact Ammeter," is another invention that uses voltage pulses to enable non-contact DC current measurement with a magnetic core. This patent discloses alternate control means for controlling the polarity of the voltage pulses. Rather than sensing peak secondary current as an indicator of saturation (to alternate the voltage pulse polarity), this patent uses either a hall-effect sensor embedded in a notch in the core, or a sense winding to sense saturation. With a sense winding, saturation is indicated when the induced voltage drops to zero, at which point the polarity of the voltage pulse is switched. With the hall-effect sensor in a notch, saturation is indicated by a sudden increase of magnetic flux in the notch, which occurs when the unnotched part of the core becomes saturated. Apart from the means of sensing saturation, this invention is similar to others that continually drive a magnetic core back and forth between opposite polarities of saturation. Voltage pulses are simply used to drive the magnetic core to saturation, not to control the magnetization of the core at a level other than saturation.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,008,612 to Otto, entitled "Current Sensor," measures DC and wide-band AC currents by utilizing two distinct transformers in combination. The measurement of a DC current component is accomplished by continually driving a first current transformer magnetic core back and forth between opposite polarities of saturation (similar to many other prior-art DC current sensors). A second transformer is added to measure AC current components. This second current transformer is maintained in a non-saturated state by balancing the DC component of the primary current with an equivalent and opposite DC component in the secondary circuit (as determined using the first transformer). Thus, the second current transformer operates in the usual mode for AC current transformers, and its frequency response is limited only by the usual magnetic core considerations. The result is an AC/DC current sensor having a relatively large frequency response. However, there is a fair amount of noise coupled to the primary circuit due to the cyclic saturation of the first transformer, and the combination of two transformers and associated circuitry tends to be complex and expensive. The patent explains how the noise coupled to the primary may be mitigated by using a third transformer, but this adds still more to the expense and complexity of the current sensor. As in other prior-art DC current sensors, voltage pulses are simply used to drive the transformer core to saturation, not to otherwise control the magnetization of the transformer core.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,053,695 to Canter, entitled "DC Current Monitor," is another invention that purposely saturates a magnetic core to enable non-contact DC current measurement. "A reset current is caused to periodically flow through the secondary coil which produces a magnetic flux oppositely polarized to the flux created by the current in the primary, thus allowing ongoing measurements to be made." The reset current is of such magnitude to ensure saturation. The secondary current is sampled after the reset pulse and after the primary current causes the magnetization of the magnetic core to transition away from saturation. Though this patent speaks of a "reset current" rather than a voltage, the effect of transitioning the core to saturation is similar to other patents. As with previous patents, the magnetic core is purposely driven to saturation, but the magnetization of the core is not effectively controlled otherwise.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,293,121 to Estes, Jr., entitled "Isolated Current Monitoring Circuit for Measuring Direct and High Duty Factor Currents," is another invention that uses voltage pulses to enable non-contact DC current measurement. In this patent, a current transformer is periodically driven to saturation during a first time interval and brought out of saturation during a second time interval. The secondary current is measured during the second time interval. This reduces the amount of noise induced on the primary circuit, relative to devices that drive the transformer core to alternating states of saturation. This invention appears to be applicable only to measuring unipolar DC currents. While, this invention effectively moves the operating point of a magnetic core to a non-saturated state, it does not effectively control the magnetization of the core while it is not saturated.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,811,965 to Gu, entitled "DC and AC Current Sensor Having a Minor-Loop Operated Current Transformer," continuously applies voltage pulses of alternating polarity to a current transformer while it is in service. Like the U.S. Pat. No. 5,811,965, a current transformer core is periodically driven alternately between a saturated state and an unsaturated state. One improvement over the U.S. Pat. No. 5,811,965 patent appears to be that bipolar current measurement is possible, rather than just unipolar measurement. Secondary current is measured at the end of each voltage pulse, and "the sample having the lower absolute value is selected as a sample proportional to line current." In this patent, voltage pulses are used to drive the CT away from saturation, but the magnetization of the CT core is not otherwise controlled so as to remain at a preferred induction level. The pulses merely drive the CT into and out of saturation every two-pulse cycle.

Switched-voltage control of the magnetization of current transforms and other magnetic bodies


According to a method of manufacturing a semiconductor package of the present invention, a plurality of leads and a large number of minute convex portions are respectively formed by plating on a surface of a metal base and in an outer peripheral area of the leads thereon. An insulative film for holding each of the leads is formed. A solder resist film is formed selectively on a portion including the outer peripheral area having the minute convex portions thereon. A projecting electrode is formed on an outer lead portion of each of the leads through an opening of the solder resist film on an outer lead portion of each of the leads. The metal base is selectively removed except a joint portion thereof on an outer periphery to separate the respective leads. Inner lead portions of the leads and a semiconductor chip are jointed together. The joint portion of the metal base is cut off.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device having a structure with pins of the very large number obtained by jointing a new lead frame to a semiconductor chip, and a method of manufacturing the semiconductor device.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a semiconductor device, i.e., a semiconductor package in which a semiconductor chip can be connected to a circuit board or the like through an organic substrate having a projecting electrode such as a solder ball.
In FIG. 1, an organic multilayer circuit board a having about two to six layers formed of an organic material is mounted on its surface with a semiconductor chip b. An electrode of the semiconductor chip b and a wiring film c formed on the surface of the organic multilayer circuit board a are connected to each other by wire bonding employing metal wires d or the like.
A solder ball e is provided on a rear surface of the organic multilayer circuit board a and serves as a projecting electrode electrically connected through a through hole i to the wiring film c on the surface of the organic multilayer circuit board a. The solder ball e is faced to the outside through an opening of a solder resist film f. The semiconductor chip b together with the metal wire d are sealed by a sealing resin g.
A semiconductor package j is formed such that the solder balls e formed on the rear surface of the organic multilayer circuit board a is connected to a circuit board h. Being provided with a large number of solder balls e arranged in a grid fashion, the organic multilayer circuit board a is often called a ball grid array (BGA). The semiconductor package j employing the organic multilayer circuit board a is called a BGA package.
The BGA package j employs wire bonding to connect the electrode of the semiconductor chip b with the wiring film c of the organic multilayer circuit board a. Therefore, this arrangement limits reduction of a pitch between electrode pads of the semiconductor chip b.
Moreover, since a processing for forming the projecting electrodes e of the organic multilayer circuit board a employs a method of physically locating the so-called solder balls, the processing encounters the following problems.
1) when the solder balls e are set at predetermined positions, they are easily displaced therefrom. PA1 2) Since the sizes of the solder balls e are selected by using a sieve or a mesh, the sizes thereof tends to be uneven. PA1 3) There is a limit in the ability to achieve of a more minute arrangement pitch between the solder balls e. PA1 4) Since a base of the organic multilayer circuit board a is formed of an insulative substrate, the solder balls e cannot be formed by electroplating which allows the sizes of the solder balls e to be uniform in size and allows pitches therebetween to be more minute. PA1 5) Composition of the soft solder ball is restricted.
The assignee of the present invention proposed a semiconductor package having a structure with pins of a very large number obtained by jointing a new lead frame to a semiconductor chip. A method of manufacturing the above semiconductor package is disclosed in an application filed by the same assignee (U.S. Ser. No. 08/561,245 filed on Nov. 21, 1995).
The semiconductor package is arranged as follows. Specifically, a large number of leads are formed on a surface of a metal base. An insulative film for holding each of the leads is formed at portions other than an inner lead portion. A solder resist film is further formed. A projecting electrode is formed at an end portion of an outer lead portion of each of the leads. Then, the metal base is selectively removed except its outer peripheral joint portion, thereby a lead frame having each of the lead portions separately formed being formed. A semiconductor chip is jointed to an inner lead frame portion of the lead frame. Then, a reinforcement board is bonded to a rear surface of the outer lead portion of the lead frame. The semiconductor chip is sealed with resin. Then, the lead frame is cut at its joint portions to obtain the lead frame. A large number of projecting electrodes are formed in a grid fashion at a peripheral portion around the semiconductor chip
According to this semiconductor package, since the metal base is employed, the leads and the projecting electrodes can be formed by electroplating. As a result, the leads can be formed in a finer pattern and the projecting electrodes can be prevented from being displaced. Moreover, the size of each of the projecting electrodes can be made uniform and the finer pitches therebetween can be achieved, which enables a large-scale integrated circuit (LSI) to be more downsized and to have pins of the very large number.
A process of manufacturing this semiconductor package encounters the following problem.
Since a chemical processing of a ground is difficult when the solder resist film is formed, the solder resist film and the ground are not bonded to each other satisfactorily, which may lead to the peeling off of the solder resist film during fabrication of the semiconductor package.
When the projecting electrodes are formed by plating, the projecting electrodes on the outer periphery side of the semiconductor package become larger than that formed on the inner periphery side thereof, which may prevent the sizes of the projecting electrodes from being uniform.


Dispersion additive system can be applied to fibers or particles, exhibiting improved dispersion, by including in the additive system a sulfonic-acid derived compound such as 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropanesulfonic acid or a salt thereof.

The present invention relates to aqueous mixtures of additives that provide improved adhesion of adhesives to glass and improved dispersion of fibers and particles.
Various fibrous or particulate materials, including glass, glass microspheres, glass filament, glass powders and especially chopped fiberglass, are used in various products as a filler to reduce weight or add strength to products. Examples of these applications are the production of nonwoven mats, filter media, gaskets, roofing mats, roofing shingles, cementicious building materials, molded fiberglass parts, and automotive and marine body fillers.
Often fiberglass is used in an aqueous system, and during use these fibers can settle out of or float on top of liquid solutions, which leads to problems in production. Many fibers, including glass and especially fiberglass, are not normally wetted by water very well and have the tendency to clump together, or not disperse well, when added to an aqueous system. Surfactants are used to enable liquids to wet the fibers by lowering the surface tension, but the surfactants may not suspend or separate the individual fibers. Thickeners, for example, guar gum, are used to increase the viscosity of a water/fiberglass system to help suspend the fiberglass. Frequently, constant agitation and/or high shear is applied to keep the fiberglass homogenously suspended.
The production of a homogenous suspension of fiber in water will improve the handling and performance of fiber, allowing more uniform coverage and accurate placement of fiber in applications where fiber is used to give strength and fill to products. Reducing the need for continuous mixing or high shear is also beneficial from an energy and convenience standpoint.
The invention disclosed herein includes a dispersion additive system that promotes the wetting of glass, whether in fiber form, particulate form, or other form, e.g., plate glass, by liquids. When applied to fiber glass, it helps separate the fiber bundles into individual fibers without the need for high shear and suspends the separated individual fibers. The unbundling and dispersion of the fiber filaments by these additives leads to good infiltration of resins into the fiber as well as improved adhesion of the resin to the fiber. Good contact, infiltration, and adhesion of resins to glass promoted by these additives leads to a stronger bond between the resin and glass and increases the strength of the glass/resin system. When applied to glass in other forms, such as plate glass, the materials of the present invention promote adhesion of resinous coating materials to the glass.
The present invention, therefore, in one aspect, solves the problem of providing improved dispersion of fibers or particles, e.g., chopped fiber glass, which may otherwise need high shear or continuous stirring to disperse, separate and suspend them. It accomplishes this by chemically dispersing the glass fibers. The invention also modifies the surface of the glass, in whatever form, to improve wetting and adhesion.


Apparatus for separating particulate solids from a process gas stream which includes one or more primary separation chambers, preferably ballistic separation chambers, for removing a major portion of the solids entrained in the gas stream. One or more secondary separator chambers containing multi-cyclones are employed for removing substantially all of the remaining solids from the gas discharged from the primary separator chamber. The ballistic separation chamber has an inlet portion and a larger diameter outlet portion, and it may have an arcuate shape to aid in the separation. In one preferred embodiment a plurality of horizontally extending ballistic separation chambers are connected to a top portion of a transport riser, a plurality of the secondary separation chambers having off-gas outlets connected to a cup-shaped off-gas collector housing are positioned above the gas outlets of the ballistic separation chambers and a conical catalyst outlet vessel connected to the solids outlets of the secondary chamber extends downwardly into the transport riser for returning separated solids to a source vessel.

The fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) unit has been a main processing unit in oil refineries since the 1940's, when the first FCC process was commercialized. Since that time there have been many mechanical and technical improvements in the basic processing system and many processing variations based on fluidization of solid particles have been introduced and commercialized. An inherent problem in all fluidized systems is the control of the particulate effluent, which involves separating the fluidizing media (process gas) and the entrained solid particles.
The original FCC units used small cyclones in the reactor system to separate reaction gases from solids (catalyst) entrained with the gas product from the reactor and returned the catalyst back to the process reactor bed. Because of design considerations, the FCC regenerator recycled solids (catalyst) back to the regenerator from an electrostatic precipitator, which was a principal separation means employed for separating entrained particulates from the regenerator flue gas before venting the flue gas to the atmosphere. As metallurgy and technology improved, the FCC type systems standardized on cyclones as the primary means of separating the circulating solids entrained with the gases from both the reactor and regenerator. Since the late 1940's, the industry standard for the regenerator has been to have two stages of cyclones separating and returning the catalyst to the circulating inventory. The early reactors were designed with only single stage cyclones in the reactor system. Newer FCC reactors have been designed with both single and two stage cyclone systems.
The main problem in design of the cyclone systems for a FCC type system containing a reactor and regenerator is balancing the cyclone efficiencies. That is, the reactor cyclone(s) efficiency, as measured by the size of the particles removed, must be the same or slightly better in the reactor than in the regenerator, as the catalyst losses from the reactor are more difficult to handle than those from the regenerator. In the late 1960's and early 1970's, as more emphasis was placed on environmental considerations and the reduction of particulate emissions from FCC regenerators, the efficiency of regenerator cyclones was improved by the reduction of the gas outlet tube size. However, this improvement in regenerator cyclone efficiency had an adverse effect on the losses from the reactor side and increased the amount of catalyst in the FCC slurry oil. This then resulted in another type of environmental problem; the disposal of increased oily catalyst waste from slurry product tanks. In this same time period there was increased emphasis on increasing FCC plant capacities, so the trend was to go to larger and larger cyclones, which directionally decreases cyclone efficiency and results in higher losses per cubic foot of gas treated.
During the late 1960's and early 1970's, zeolytic catalysts were introduced. This increased the pressure to lower the reactor catalyst losses. With the introduction of zeolytic catalyst, the use of recycle to obtain conversion was not necessary. The use of slurry recycle, which was the method used to recycle reactor catalyst losses back to the reactor system from the slurry settler, was actually discouraged as it resulted in decreased catalytic selectivity and a poorer FCC reactor yield structure.
The pressure, which started in the early 1960's, to increase the capacity of the existing FCC units to their maximum capacity resulted in reaching the mechanical limits on the reactor size. That is, the existing reactor size was not big enough to accommodate any more cyclones or two stages of cyclones. Also, because of the erosive nature of service and, in the case of reactor cyclones, the potential for coking, the industry was not prepared at this time to accept or design cyclones as pressure vessels and to locate the cyclones outside of the reactor or regenerator. Because of these limits, the first riser cracking system was put on stream as a method of reducing the particulate loading of the reactor cyclone system. Since that first riser reactor installation in the early 1970's, there has been a proliferation of ideas for better catalyst and gas separation from the top of the riser. An example of this is the vented riser described in Meyers, et al., U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,066,533 and 4,070,159.
Another critical consideration in the design of both the reactor and regenerator is to design the cyclone systems to maintain a certain particle size in order to maintain circulation and fluidization. As an example, FCC systems employing "U-bends" must operate with a lower Average Particle Size (APS), more in the less than 40 micron APS, than FCC systems that employ shorter and straighter standpipes. For this reason, in particulate fluidization systems the cyclones must have a minimum efficiency. Also, the fresh catalyst supplied must be in a certain particulate size range, as well as meet certain diffusion (activity) and attrition criteria to function in the unit. Thus, the solution to reducing particulate emissions is not as easy as merely using a larger particle.
Recently there have been several notable developments in FCC cyclone technology. One FCC technology is employing external cyclones, but still uses bed rather than transport type two stage regeneration and riser type cracking in the reactor. This type of design has about the same capital requirements as locating the cyclones internally in the reactor and regenerator vessels. When using external cyclones, the FCC units are much more difficult to design because each individual cyclone that was once located inside the reactor and regenerator now becomes a pressure vessel, and while the cyclone inlets and gas outlets can be manifolded, each of the cyclone diplegs must be returned to the vessel. This results in a multitude of cyclone diplegs than need to return the catalyst from each of the first and second stage cyclones back to the vessel at the same elevation in the vessel. These returns and their resulting reinforcing pads usually sets the size (diameter) of the vessel to accommodate the openings, and therefore, there is little or no savings in this type of design.
Another cyclone system of note is the Euripos third stage cyclone described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,348,215. The reasons this system is used as a third stage system and not as a primary or secondary system to separate the catalyst from the effluent gas and return the catalyst to the circulating inventory are two-fold. First there is a definite limit on the particulate concentration (loading) the system can handle without flooding, and bed type regenerators, which is today's prevalent technology, are prone to high particulate concentrations. Secondly the efficiency of the system as described is too high. If one could overcome the particulate loading problem, the second problem of maintaining the desired balance in the reactor and regenerator cyclone efficiencies is a major concern. The concern over potential coking problems in the reactor has eliminated this type of system from consideration for the reactor.
The use of this high efficiency Euripos type system on the regenerator and not the reactor, which would be the same as recycling the tertiary or precipitator fines back to the process unit in today's state of the art units, would result in increased catalyst losses from the reactor because of the imbalance of the cyclone efficiencies. Also, it is often believed that the increased barrel velocities, which are the source of the increased efficiencies of the smaller cyclones, will result in increased attrition and higher catalyst losses if used On the circulating inventory.
Besides decreasing the gas outlet tubes for increased efficiency, the industry has been using the same cyclone technology in both the reactor and regenerator since the 1950's, and coping in different ways with the reactor catalyst carryover into the slurry product.
Thus, a general objective to the present invention is to overcome the aforementioned and other related problems in prior art systems for separating particulates from process gas streams.
A primary object of the present invention is a method and apparatus for controlling particulate emissions in a system employing a gaseous fluidizing media to transport particulate solids.
Another object of the invention is an improved solids-gas separation system which achieves an increased efficiency of particulate removal from a fluidized solids process stream.
Still, another object of the invention is a solids-gas separation system which enables decreased capital requirements when employed in a process unit using a gaseous fluidizing medium to transport particulate solids.
Yet, another object of the invention is an FCC or 3D type (as hereinafter described) processing system which utilizes only one stage cyclones, as compared to current state of the art processing systems utilizing two stages of cyclones, to achieve a very low level of particulate solids in regenerator flue gases exhausted to the atmosphere and/or in reactor effluent vapors.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description thereof and from the practice of the invention.

Solids-gas separation apparatus and method


Biomimetic artificial prostheses which are made from polyester, such as polyethylene terephthalate, and a method for the biomimetic functionalization of such prostheses. The method includes a step involving the grafting of biologically-active polymers or copolymers to the polyester surface of the prostheses, the grafting step consisting of the peroxidation of the surface by ozonation followed by a step including the radical polymerization of a solution of at least one monomer. The method also includes an optional step consisting in impregnating the prostheses with type I and/or II collagen and/or fibronectins. The prostheses thus obtained enable a normal and uniform regrowth of the fibroblasts, thereby significantly improving the biological integration of such polyester prostheses.

Artificial ligaments for replacing biological articular ligaments, and notably those of the knee, are in certain specific cases preferred to direct suture for reconstruction by autogenously grafting. Indeed, the quality of these ligaments both on the mechanical level and on that of biocompatibility has considerably improved over the last twenty years.
Thus, for example, a prosthetic ligament in polyethylene terephtalate (PET) said to be with <<orientated fibres>> is known from French Patent FR-96 14263. This ligament consists of a cloth rolled or folded over itself, which cloth includes two extreme intra-bone portions and an intermediate intra-joint portion formed by a hank of longitudinal adjacent active weft yarns not bound to each other transversally. Upon mounting the ligament, a longitudinal twist is given to each active yarn, resulting in a dextrogyral or levogyral ligament reproducing the natural kinking of the ligaments in flexion. This type of ligament in PET, a material whose biocompatibility is well known, has an extremely high resistance to tensile, flexural and torsional stresses, leaving the presumption of a larger life expectancy than that of the known ligaments.
However, in spite of these considerable advances on the biomechanical level, failures of these artificial ligaments are still reported in patients. Investigations carried out on the causes of these failures, have demonstrated poor regrowth of fibroblasts after implantation. Indeed, the distribution of these cells is inhomogeneous at the surface of the ligament, fibroblasts not growing in the intra-bone prosthetic areas and clustering on the fibres of the intra-joint area. Further, these fibroblasts have an abnormal rounded morphology, with very little anchoring points at the surface of the ligament. Secretion of collagen by these cells is in fact erratic and causes individualization of the fibres of the intra-joint area with accumulation of fibrous tissues between the envelope and the central portion of the prostheses, thereby contributing to their failure.
Confronted with this problem of providing good fibroblastic rehabitation of prostheses, French Patent FR 2 651 994 proposes impregnation of the prosthetic ligament with collagen, collagen fibres being orientated along the longitudinal axis of the ligament in order to obtain a proper direction for its rehabitation by a living conjunctive tissue. In addition to limited and not very satisfactory efficiency, this solution has the major drawback of depending on the quality of the collagen used which is difficult to reproduce.

Biomimetic prosthetic ligament and production method thereof

LARS- Laboratoire d'Application et de Recherche Scientifique


Systems and methods are disclosed for generating a 3D computer model of an eyewear product, using a computer system, the method including obtaining an inventory comprising a plurality of product frames; scanning a user's anatomy; extracting measurements of the user's anatomy; obtaining a first model of a contour and/or surface of the user's anatomy, based on the extracted measurements of the user's anatomy; identifying, based on the contour and/or the surface of the user's anatomy, a first product frame among the plurality of product frames; determining adjustments to the first product frame based on the contour and/or the surface of the user's anatomy; generating a second model rendering comprising the adjusted first product frame matching the contours and/or the surface of the user's anatomy.

Eyewear is most commonly mass-produced, with a particular style available in one or two generic colors and sizes. It is very difficult for customers to find the one perfect pair of glasses for their unique taste, facial anatomy, and needs. Currently, customers may visit an eyewear store or optician, an optician may take measurements of the customers' face, and the optician may help to narrow the customer's selection of eyewear by suggesting frames based on their measurements and prescription. In addition, customers may select a frame, opticians/lab technicians may insert lenses into the selected frame, and customers may then try on the assembled eyeglasses. Often, the eyeglasses need to be adjusted to fit the customer's face. Many customers opt for help on-site at physical eyewear stores, where opticians may take measurements of the customer's face or eyes to aid in eyewear selection and the fitting eyewear to a customer's face. For this process, the customer must be present for the optician fitting. The need for physical presence is inconvenient. In addition, such processes are prone to variance or error, based on optician human error in taking the measurements, optician training, measuring tools used, a customer moving while measurement(s) are being taken, etc.
Thus, there is a desire to permit eyewear fittings, without the need for a customer to be physically present. There is also a desire to better ensure accuracy of the measurements, among other consumer experience and economic goals and benefits of an improved system.
The foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the disclosure.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Systems and methods for generating instructions for adjusting stock eyewear frames using a 3D scan of facial features


The present disclosure provides a system and a method for generating an imaging report. The method may include obtaining first imaging information and second imaging information. The first and second imaging information may be acquired from an examination region of a subject using a first imaging device or a second imaging device, respectively. The method may include identifying at least one first target ROI based on the first imaging information, and determining first reporting information corresponding to the at least one first target ROI. The method may include identifying at least one second target ROI with respect to the second imaging information based on the at least one first target ROI, and determining second reporting information corresponding to the at least one second target ROI. The method may further include generating a report based on at least a part of the first reporting information or the second reporting information.

At present, multiple medical imaging devices may be used to identify and analyze lesions. For example, a positron emission computed tomography (PET) scanner may be used to acquire molecular functional information of the lesion, and a computed tomography (CT) scanner may be used to acquire anatomical information of the lesion. In this case, a multi-modality medical imaging device that integrates two or more imaging devices may be used to identify and/or analyze the lesion. For example, a PET-CT system that combines a PET scanner with a CT scanner may acquire physiological metabolism of tissue of a human body through radioactive nuclides, and anatomical information of the tissue using the CT technology. As another example, a PET-MR system that combines a PET scanner with an MR scanner may acquire anatomical information as well as physiological metabolism information.
Existing multi-modality devices may need a doctor to analyze one or more images of a region of interest (ROI) manually, identify a lesion based on the ROI, and/or provide a description regarding characteristics of the lesions, etc., in order to generate a diagnostic imaging report. However, since a large amount of data is provided by such multi-modality devices, it may be difficult for doctors to integrate the large amount of data in a short period of time. In addition, the doctors may also need to have knowledge and/or experience with various medical image interpretation skills associated with such multi-modality devices, thus increasing labor costs. Furthermore, conventional report generation techniques may have a low efficiency and high operating costs, and need a lot of interventions from operators. Thus, it is desirable to provide efficient and comprehensive systems and methods for generating medical imaging reports for a multi-modality imaging device.

System and method for generating imaging report

SHANGHAI UNITED IMAGING HEALTHCARE CO., LTD.


An information processing device includes a collecting unit that collects biological information of a first user and a second user. The information processing device includes a specifying unit that specifies an emotion of the first user toward the second user and an emotion of the second user toward the first user using the biological information acquired by the collecting unit. The information processing device includes a determining unit that determines whether or not to provide information on the second user to the first user based on respective emotions specified by the specifying unit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information processing device, a determination method, and a recording medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the related art, a technique of evaluating user affinity in a social networking service (SNS) or the like and associating users based on the evaluation result is known. As an example of the technique, a technique of detecting in a social network environment, a mutual relationship such as common information from a profile of a first user and a profile of a second user and providing information related to the second user to the first user based on the detected mutual relationship is known.
Patent Document 1: Japanese National Publication of International Patent Application No. 2010-500651
However, in the related art, since the information related to the second user is provided to the first user regardless of the emotion of the first user toward the second user, the first user may feel unpleased with the provided information. Moreover, in the related art, the second user may feel unpleased with the fact that the information is provided to the first user.

Information processing device, determination method, and non-transitory computer readable storage medium


A compact superposed modulated signal generator for use in a digital transmission system for transmitting digital information, including a first filter for converting an input NRZ digital data signal into a double interval raised cosine pulse, a second filter for converting the input NRZ digital data into a single interval raised cosine pulse, an attenuator for attenuating the signal output from the second filter, an adder/subtracter for superposing a signal generated by the first filter with a signal controlled by the attenuator, and a third filter for controlling the bandwidth of a signal superposed by the adder/subtracter. The compact superposed modulated signal generator can be used in a satellite communication system, a mobile radio system, and terrestrial microwave communication links.

The present invention relates to a compact superposed modulated signal generator for supplying a compact superposed modulated signal for use in a digital transmission system to transmit digital information, and more particularly to a compact superposed modulated signal generator by which the signal to be transmitted has a narrow occupied bandwidth and low distortion of the modulated waveform even if transmitted by a non-linear amplifier. Such a compact superposed modulated signal generator is useful in satellite communication systems, mobile radio systems, and terrestrial microwave communication links, which require more information to be transmitted within a limited transmission bandwidth and at higher power efficiency.
Conventional digital transmission systems normally deal with binary data signals in the non-return-to-zero (NRZ) form and modulate a single carrier or quadrature carrier, and then transmit the modulated carrier to receivers via transmission channels such as a satellite or microwave communication link. In order to obtain sufficient transmission power at the output stage, the signal is amplified by a high power amplifier (HPA). The HPA is required to operate in its saturation region so that the system may more efficiently utilize its power. Operation in the saturation region is particularly necessary for mobile transmission systems which need much longer transmission time using limited power. Further, in order for more than one user to transmit signals at the same time within a limited bandwidth, a bandwidth efficient signal is required for the modulated signal.
The quadrature phase shift keying (QPSK) method which limits the bandwidth using a raised cosine filter is widely used in most of the digital transmission systems owing to its very narrow occupied bandwidth in a linear channel and simple hardware implementation. However, when a QPSK modulated signal is band-limited by a filter and transmitted by an HPA operating in the saturation region, transmission spectral side lobes at the output of HPA regrow due to the non-linear amplification of the HPA. The regrown side lobes cause serious degradations into adjacent channels, and the probability of error increases. Therefore, for power and bandwidth efficient applications, QPSK method is not a desirable modulation technique.
To achieve power and bandwidth efficient digital transmission systems, the power spectrum of a non-linearly amplified modulated signal should have a narrow main lobe and low regrowth in its side lobes. To decrease probability of error, timing jitter and inter-symbol interference of the received signal should be minimized.
Among the recent studies on power and bandwidth efficient modulation techniques, the inventions of U.S. Pat. No. 4,339,724 titled "Filter" (IJF-OQPSK) by Dr. Kamilo Feher and U.S. Pat. No. 4,644,565 titled "Superposed Quadrature Modulated Baseband Signal Processor" (SQAM) by Dr. J. S. Seo and Dr. K. Feher relate to a modulated signal generator for detecting two consecutive bits of an input NRZ signal and generating a double interval raised cosine pulse waveform according to the input data format. The latter invention is a technology capable of controlling main and side lobes by superposing by raised cosine pulse signal of the former invention with a single interval raised cosine pulse of a different amplitude.
The aforementioned two modulation techniques have lower spectral regrowth due to a non-linearity of HPA than do QPSK, offset-QPSK, and better probability of error performance. However, since their respective main lobe occupied bandwidths are wider than that of a QPSK modulating system band-limited by a conventional raised cosine filter, the probability of error may increase if the distance between the desired and adjacent channels is very narrow.

Compact superposed modulated signal generator


A parallel-connected dialing signal detection and transmission-inhibiting device is disclosed which detects dual-tone multi-frequency dialing signals across tip and ring conductors of a telephone link and switches in an a.c. load that attenuates the dialing signals by at least 30 dB. This prevents action in response to the DTMF signals by a central office servicing the telephone link, thereby allowing commands-data to be transmitted within the home telephone wiring. Such commands can be used to invoke a speed/auto dialing function, to provide an intercom, to control appliances, etc. To allow fast response, the controller charges a capacitor of the a.c. load by connecting it across the tip and ring conductors in response to an off-hook condition. Then it is disconnected to allow a dial tone to reach a user at the telephone. Further transparency is provided by the fact that a single interfacing capacitor connects both the dialing signal detector and a tone generator to the tip line. This reduces the loading on the tip line by the device during periods when users are conversing on the telephone link.

Call function devices that work for all the telephones on the telephone line, such as some speed dialers and call restrictors, are typically connected serially between the user's telephone and the telephone link to the central telephone office. In the operation of the speed dialer, dual-tone multi-frequency (DTMF) tones generated by the telephone are received by the device. If it is determined that these tones are representative of a speed dialing code, the speed dialer accesses a lookup table using the code as the address. A telephone number stored at the address is then sent over the telephone link, and the telephone is subsequently connected to the link.
The keystrokes necessary to dial a full 11-digit telephone number, for example, are cut to the number of keystrokes necessary to type the code, usually three or four keystrokes. Alternatively, if the DTMF tones generated by the telephone are simply a telephone number that a user wishes to call, the speed dialer forwards the tones onto the telephone link and connects the telephone to the link.
In this way, these devices add a new capability while still allowing the user to dial normally.
The principle downside of serial-connected speed dialers is the difficulty of installation. Serial connection can be made easily for one telephone, but it presents difficulties for many telephones, since there is often no modular jack available that allows a device to be plugged between the central telephone office and all of the phones on a phone line. This installation often requires an experienced technician, which increases costs.
Parallel-connected call restrictors have been proposed. These devices are usually connected in parallel to telephones across the tip and ring lines of the telephone link to block certain dialing codes. The parallel connection requires no special wiring because the parallel-connected device can plug into a modular jack connected to the phone line and work for all phones on the line. If the desired jack is being used by a telephone, a T-adapter can be used or the device can provide this function. Parallel-connected speed dialers have also been proposed. Such a dialer would be plugged into a modular jack to receive a speed dialing code from other telephones on the link. The parallel-connected dialer then generates a particular phone number that this code indicates.

Parallel-connected dialing signal transmission-inhibiting device for data transfer over a telephone link


A method of auto updating a password comprises opening a password file and a new password file and reading information from the password file including user ID type. The method applies the user ID type to a predetermined application type and executes password-updating logic to generate a new password for the application type. The method further updates the new password file with the new password for the predetermined application type. A system comprises at least one of a hardware component and a software component configured to read information from a password file including user ID type. The hardware component and/or software component is further configured to determine that the user ID type matches to an application type and to apply the user ID type to the matched application type. The hardware component and/or software component is further configured to generate a new password for the application type and to update the password file with the new password for the application type.

The management and maintenance of passwords for hundreds or even thousands of user ids in various development, function test Acceptance Test User (UAT) and production environments for both IBM® AIX® and MVS™ operating systems is burdensome to say the least. (IBM® AIX® and MVS™ are trademarks of International Business Machines Corp. in the United States, other countries, or both.) Regardless of the fact that this is currently a manual operation process that is executed by support personnel, it is an essential and critical function since software security, amongst other things, is of paramount importance. Without proper password maintenance and management, for example, an application would not be able to execute, thus fundamentally and financially affecting an application customer.
By way of example, in current technologies, in addition to other tasks, support personnel maintain passwords for various different applications by manually allocating a number of user ids and passwords. Depending on the specific requirements, passwords may have to be changed as frequently as on a monthly basis. In addition, this same process may have to be repeated for each instance of the application. This is very time consuming and prone to errors and application downtime.
Along with changing passwords often other actions are required to allow the new password to take effect, all of which require a tremendous amount of overhead and resources. For example, when changing the password for a Strategic Client Planning System (SCPS) factory ("factory") userid, an .Iwprofile must be updated with the new password. To do this, the factory must be shut down, and the factory software must be recycled and restarted. This is a tedious task and due to the fact that the factory has to be shutdown tends to be very costly to the customer. That is, all operations associated with the factory have to be stopped, taken off-line and thus idled until a new password is generated, encoded within the application, and saved in a password file.
Accordingly, there exists a need in the art to overcome the deficiencies and limitations described hereinabove.

Automated password tool and method of use

International Business Machines Corporation


The subject matter disclosed herein relates to a system and method for acquiring signal received from satellite vehicles (SVs) in a satellite navigation system. In one example, although claimed subject matter is not so limited, information processed in acquiring a signal from a first SV may be used in acquiring a signal from a second SV.

Field
The subject matter disclosed herein relates to obtaining information that may be used for determining a location of a receiver.
Information
Techniques such as trilateration are typically used to estimate a location of a device in a wireless cellular network (e.g., a cellular telephone network). Such trilateration is typically based, at least in part, upon the use of timing information transmitted between a mobile device and any one of several base stations. One approach, called Advanced Forward Link Trilateration (AFLT) in CDMA or Enhanced Observed Time Difference (EOTD) in GSM or Observed Time Difference of Arrival (OTDOA) in WCDMA, measures at the mobile device the relative times of arrival of signals transmitted from several base stations. These times are typically transmitted to a location server (e.g., a Position Determination Entity (PDE) in CDMA, a Serving Mobile Location Centre (SMLC) in GSM, etc.) over a wireless communication link. Here, such a location server typically computes estimates of a location of the mobile device using these times of reception. The transmit times at such base stations are typically synchronized to particular instances of times-of-day. Alternatively, the time relationship between free-running time references at these base stations can be known and used as a synchronization method. This way a base station clock need not be synchronized to common time reference. Known positions of the base stations and the times of reception are then typically used to estimate a location of the mobile device.
FIG. 1 shows an example of an AFLT system where times of reception (TR1, TR2, and TR3) of signals from cellular base stations 101, 103, and 105 are measured at mobile cellular telephone 111. This timing data may then be used to estimate a location of mobile cellular telephone 111. Such computation may be performed at mobile cellular telephone 111 itself, or at a location server if the timing information obtained by the mobile device is transmitted to the location server via a communication link. Typically, times of receptions are communicated to a location server 115 through one of the cellular base stations (e.g., base station 101, or 103, or 105) over a wireless communication link. Location server 115 is coupled to receive data from cellular base stations through the mobile switching center 113. Location server 115 may include a base station almanac (BSA) server, which provides the location of the base stations and/or the coverage area of base stations. Alternatively, the location server and the BSA server may be separate from one another while location server communicates with the base station to obtain the base station almanac for position determination. Mobile switching center 113 transmits information (e.g., voice communications) between base stations and a land-line Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) so that information may be transmitted between mobile cellular telephone 111 and other telephones (e.g., land-line phones on the PSTN or other mobile telephones). In some cases location server 115 may also communicate with mobile switching center 113 via a cellular link.
In another approach known as Uplink Time of Arrival (UTOA), times of reception of a signal from a mobile device are measured at several base stations (e.g., measurements taken at base stations 101, 103 and 105). This may be illustrated in FIG. 1 by reversing arrows associated with TR1, TR2, and TR3. This timing data may then be communicated to a location server to estimate a location of the mobile device.
Another technique in estimating a location of a mobile device involves measuring at the mobile device the times of arrival (aka "pseudoranges") of signals transmitted from several space vehicles (SVs) in a satellite positioning system (SPS) such as, for example, the United States Global Positioning Satellite (GPS), the Russian GLONASS system and/or the proposed European Galileo System. Alternatively, such pseudoranges may be detected from signals received from pseudolites. Here, a pseudolite typically includes a ground-based transmitter, which broadcasts a signal encoded with a PN code (similar to the encoding of a signal received from an SV of an SPS) modulated on an L-band carrier signal, generally synchronized with navigation signals from at least one SPS. A transmitter may be assigned a unique PN code so as to permit identification by a mobile device. Pseudolites are typically useful in situations where SPS signals from an orbiting satellite might be unavailable, such as tunnels, mines, buildings or other enclosed areas, for example. Methods which use an SPS receiver to estimate a location of a mobile station may be completely autonomous (in which the SPS receiver, without any assistance, determines the position of the mobile station) or may utilize the wireless network to provide assistance data or to share in the position calculation.
Regardless of a particular technique for estimating a location of a mobile device at a location server, such a mobile device typically transmits to the location server raw measurements obtained from signals received at the mobile device. Accordingly, transmission of such raw measurement data to such a location server typically uses significant link capacity between the mobile devices and the location server. The other artifact of sending the measurements to the location server is the need to establish a wireless connection between the mobile device and the base station and the time that it takes to establish such connection.

System and/or method for providing information updates to a location server


The invention provides a communication semiconductor integrated circuit device (RF IC) capable of pulling in the frequency of a PLL circuit to a desired set frequency at high speed even in the case where a frequency settable range of the PLL circuit is wide without providing a current source other than a current source for charging and discharging in an normal operation. An oscillator as a component of a PLL circuit is constructed so as to be operative in a plurality of bands. In a state where a control voltage of the oscillator is fixed to a predetermined value, an oscillation frequency of the oscillator is measured in each of bands and stored in a storing circuit. A set value for designating a band supplied at the time of PLL operation is compared with the stored measured frequency value. From a result of comparison, a band to be actually used in the oscillator is determined, and a frequency difference between the maximum frequency of the selected band and the set frequency is obtained. Further, a control voltage closest to the set frequency is determined on the basis of the frequency difference and the frequency variable range of the selected band and the control voltage is applied to the oscillator to start oscillating operation. After that, a PLL loop is closed and locked.

The present invention relates to a technique effective to be applied to a PLL (Phase Locked Loop) circuit having a VCO (Voltage Controlled Oscillator) and capable of switching an oscillation frequency and further to a high-speed pull-in technique of a PLL circuit. More particularly, the invention relates to a technique effective to be applied to a PLL circuit for generating an oscillation signal of a predetermined frequency mixed with a reception signal or transmission signal in a radio communication device such as a portable telephone capable of transmitting/receiving signals in a plurality of bands, a semiconductor integrated circuit device for high frequencies having the same, and a radio communication system.
In a radio communication system such as a portable telephone, a PLL circuit is used as a local oscillator for generating an oscillation signal of a predetermined frequency mixed with a reception signal or transmission signal. Hitherto, there is a dual-band portable telephone capable of handling signals in two frequency bands of, for example, GSM (Global System for Mobile Communication) of a band from 880 to 915 MHz and a DCS (Digital Cellular System) of a band from 1710 to 1785 MHz. Some dual-band portable telephones can deal with two bands by a single PLL by switching the frequency of the PLL circuit.
In recent years, there is a demand for a triple-band portable telephone capable of handling signals of, in addition to the GSM and DCS, a PCS (Personal Communication System) of a band from 1850 to 1915 MHz. It is expected that a portable telephone capable of handling the larger number of bands will be requested in future.
For such a semiconductor integrated circuit device for high frequencies (hereinbelow, called RF IC) for modulating a transmission signal and demodulating a reception signal, which is used for a portable telephone adapted to a plurality of bands, a direct conversion method is effective from the viewpoint of reduction in the number of components. Although the direct conversion method is relatively easily adapted to a plurality of bands, the frequency range in which a VCO can oscillates is wide. If one VCO is used to cover the whole frequencies, the sensitivity of the control voltage of the VCO becomes high and it causes a problem such that the VCO becomes vulnerable to external noise and fluctuations in a power source voltage.
On the other hand, to reduce the number of components, it is effective to form a VCO, which is conventionally generally provided as a module separate from an RF IC, on the same semiconductor chip on which the RF IC is also mounted. However, in the case of forming a on-chip VCO, variations in the absolute value of an oscillation frequency increase for the reason of manufacture, so that the function of adjusting the oscillation frequency after manufacture becomes indispensable. In the case of adjusting the variations by trimming of general mask option or bonding wire option used for a conventional semiconductor integrated circuit, increase in cost cannot be avoided.

Communication semiconductor integrated circuit device and wireless communication system


A method for manufacturing a silica membrane filter includes performing, at least once, a fired membrane forming operation having a membrane forming step of applying, to a porous substrate, a precursor sol which is a sol of a silicon alcoxide including a p-tolyl group to form a precursor sol membrane, a drying step of drying the precursor sol membrane formed in the porous substrate to form a dried membrane, and a firing step of firing the dried membrane formed in the porous substrate to form a fired membrane, thereby preparing the silica membrane filter including the porous substrate and a silica membrane which is the fired membrane formed in the porous substrate, and a ratio of a total mass of the silica membrane to a total mass of the dried membrane is 38 mass % or more and 85 mass % or less.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a silica membrane filter in which it is possible to manufacture the silica membrane filter having a function of selectively separating an alcohol from a mixture of a hydrocarbon and the alcohol, and the silica membrane filter.
2. Description of Related Art
When a specific type of substance is only separated or concentrated from a fluid in which a plurality of types of substances are mixed, a separation membrane such as a silica membrane is used sometimes.
The silica membrane for use as separation membrane (hereinafter referred to simply as "silica membrane" sometimes) has a plurality of pores opened in both surfaces. In general, the silica membrane has a characteristic that it is easy to allow permeation of a substance having a small molecular size (e.g., water, carbon dioxide or the like). By utilizing the characteristics, the silica membrane has been used in a case where water is separated from a mixed liquid of the water and ethanol, a case where carbon dioxide is separated from a combustion exhaust gas, or the like (e.g., see Patent Documents 1 to 5). On the other hand, the conventional silica membrane also has a characteristic that it is difficult to pass an alcohol.

Method for manufacturing silica membrane filter, and silica membrane filter