An active optical proximity fuse comprises a transmitter for transmitting a radiation lobe by means of which a target can be illuminated. A receiver receives radiation reflected from the target and images the target or an area of the latter as a spot on a surf ace belonging to a detector which emits at its outputs electrical signals which mutually vary depending on the position of the spot on the detector surface. The detector outputs are connected to first elements which emit a first signal depending on the position of the spot on the surface, the absolute value of which signal is greater with the position of the spot on first parts, preferably outer parts, of the surface than with the position of the spot on another part, preferably the center part, of the surface. Second elements (13) acting as arming elements compare the first signal with a predetermined reference and emit an arming signal (i.sub.A) when two or more first signals, for example in the form of pulses, occur which exceed the reference. A third element forms a first reference signal (V.sub.reft) which constitutes a part (fraction) of the first signal. A fourth element (14) acting as triggering circuit initiates a triggering signal when the arming signal (i.sub.A) is present and when the said first element, after initiation of the arming signal, emits a first signal which drops below the said first reference signal (V.sub.reft) and exceeds a second reference signal determined by the signal noise.

The present invention can be used in proximity fuses which utilize the base line principle. It is already known to use transmitters and receivers which operate with narrow radiation lobes. It is also known to make use of position-sensing detectors with which it is possible to define a position which corresponds to a certain predetermined target distance when the triggering signal is to be effected. Electrical signal processing devices which can be connected to the detectors for processing the electrical signals caused by the reflected radiation occur in different known embodiments.
In the type of equipment belonging to this category, it is essential that the proximity fuse can operate, with high accuracy and independently of the target characteristics (reflections, surface characteristics, and so forth).


An image sensor has an array of photo-sensitive pixels and supports a line-by-line read out of rows. In a normal resolution each row has the same nominal gain and exposure time. In a down-sampling mode the exposure times of the rows are varied according to an alternating sequence having at least two different exposure times. During down-sampling, raw pixel data from rows with different exposure times is combined to simultaneously achieve down-sampling and a high dynamic range.

CMOS image sensors typically include an array of pixels. Each pixel includes a photodetector that transforms incident light photons into current signals. Additionally, a pixel in a CMOS image sensor also includes other well-known elements to set the exposure time of the photodetector and perform a read out, such as a reset switch, signal amplifier, and output circuits. An individual pixel has an output that for a fixed exposure time eventually saturates with increasing light intensity.
FIG. 1 illustrates a CMOS image sensor 100. The pixel array 100 has pixels 102 arranged into a set of columns and rows having a column parallel read out architecture in which pixels in a row are read out simultaneously and processed in parallel. That is, Row 0 is read out, then Row 1, then Row 2, and so on until Row M is read out. Sample and hold (S&H) elements support the line-by-line row read out of rows. The rows in a frame have the same exposure time for full resolution modes and down-sampling modes.
CMOS image sensors are often used in applications in which both very bright and very dark conditions may be encountered. A variety of techniques have been proposed to improve the response of CMOS image sensors in a variety of light conditions. For example, U.S. Pat. Pub. US 2004/0141075, which is assigned to OmniVision Technologies, Inc. and hereby incorporated by reference, teaches that the gain and exposure time can be adjusted over a sequence of frames to compensate for varying light conditions. An adjustment in exposure time is determined by analyzing one frame and then used to make an adjustment for a subsequent frame. While the approach of U.S. Pat. Pub. US 2004/0141075 varies exposure times over a series of frames to adjust for bright and dark conditions. it does not result in an actual increase in the dynamic range of the image sensor for a particular frame. As is well known in the field of image sensors, the dynamic range is the ratio of the largest detectable signal to the smallest (which for a CMOS image sensor is often defined by the ratio of the largest non-saturating signal to the standard deviation of the noise under dark conditions).
Other techniques to improve the response of a CMOS image sensor in a variety of lighting conditions have other tradeoffs. In particular, conventional approaches to achieve a high dynamic range typically require significant increases in chip area and/or a more complex fabrication process, which increases the cost of the image sensor.
Therefore, in light of the above-described problems, what is desired is a new approach that would permit a HDR CMOS image sensor mode to be achieved in a cost-effective manner.

Image sensor with high dynamic range in down-sampling mode


An optical system for the production of images, comprising an all optical system is disclosed. Said all optical system manipulates images directly by digital electronics without loss in the number of resolvable spots at higher magnifications.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to image pointing and zoom and more particularly digital image processing.
2. Description of Related Art
For image pointing and zoom, the advantages of electronic digital image pointing and digital zoom are well established: compared to conventional gimbal mounts and zoom lenses, electronic image control is faster and, since there are no moving parts, more rugged and more reliable. Nevertheless, systems based on digital image processing do have speed limitations, and higher image magnification is achieved at the expense of loss of resolution.

Digital image pointing and digital zoom optical system

The Board of Supervisors of Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College


Adaptations to an intra-thoracic fluid-status-trend indication and/or alert algorithm are disclosed. Some embodiments monitor fluid levels in heart failure patients and others suffering from pulmonary edema and the like. Some embodiments reset a cumulative fluid index when a short-term intra-thoracic impedance value exceeds a baseline impedance value minus a predetermined positive hysteresis value. Many device, system, and method embodiments hereof serve to reduce the number of false positive alerts while retaining the desired sensitivity.

Some embodiments disclosed herein relate generally to enhancing therapy. Impedance monitoring is often used with implantable medical devices and in external monitoring devices to determine physiologic conditions that are of clinical significance or interest. For example, intra-thoracic impedance measurements can give a good indication of the fluid status of patients, with decreases in impedance being indicative of increases in fluid content. Knowledge of a patient's long-term impedance measurements and changes therein are a valuable clinical indicator of a patient's health. Herein "intra-thoracic" means within or across a portion of a heart, lungs and/or the pulmonary bed. For example, a subcutaneous or sub-muscular electrode, a transvenous electrode, a pericardial electrode or the like is used to measure impedance values of a patient.
The accumulation of fluid may be an indication of a failing heart circulation or other medical conditions. There are several physiologic malfunctions or diseases that can cause or affect the accumulation of fluid. In general, fluid accumulation is a failure or over-response of the homeostatic process within the body. The body normally prevents the build up of fluids by maintaining adequate pressures and concentrations of salt and proteins and by actively removing excess fluid. Fluid accumulation can occur, for example, when the body's mechanisms for preventing fluid accumulation are affected by disease, such as heart failure, left-sided myocardial infarction, high blood pressure, altitude sickness, emphysema (all of which affect pressures), cancers that affect the lymphatic system, and diseases that disrupt the protein concentrations. As a result, providing an adequate monitor of the patient's fluid status can provide physicians and patients with a better diagnostic tool to manage disease.
Upon detection of predetermined impedance values indicating abnormal fluid accumulation, the patient can be notified to seek professional care. In this way, a clinician is able to proactively address the patient's fluid accumulation, which may be the result of cardiac decompensation during heart failure. This allows patients to receive professional care (e.g., medications like diuretics and beta blockers in heart failure patients) much sooner, thereby decreasing the likelihood of the fluid accumulation developing into a more serious condition.
Determining the impedance values at which to notify a patient can prove difficult. Generally, patients should be notified every time they are approaching a dangerously high fluid accumulation. However, notifying patients when they face less than dangerous fluid accumulation levels can result in the unnecessary consumption of time and resources. This can pose economic and cost challenges when the need to alert patients is multiplied over a large patient population.

Adaptations to intra-thoracic fluid monitoring algorithm


A mixing assembly for a combustor includes: a pilot mixer including a pilot housing extending along a mixer centerline and a pilot fuel nozzle; a main mixer surrounding the pilot mixer; a fuel manifold between the pilot and main mixers; a mixer foot extending from a main housing of the main mixer; a main swirler body surrounding the main housing defining a mixing channel between the main housing and the main swirler body; and a main fuel ring in the mixing channel connected to the main housing by main fuel vanes, at least one of the main fuel ring and main fuel vanes including fuel injection ports for discharging fuel into the mixing channel, wherein the fuel injection ports are disposed non-uniformly relative to the mixer centerline, so as to produce a static pressure difference therebetween in response to mixer air flow passing around the main fuel ring.

The present invention relates generally to combustors, and more particularly to gas turbine engine combustor mixing assemblies.
A gas turbine engine typically includes, in serial flow communication, a low-pressure compressor or booster, a high-pressure compressor, a combustor, a high-pressure turbine, and a low-pressure turbine. The combustor generates combustion gases that are channeled in succession to the high-pressure turbine where they are expanded to drive the high-pressure turbine, and then to the low-pressure turbine where they are further expanded to drive the low-pressure turbine. The high-pressure turbine is drivingly connected to the high-pressure compressor via a first rotor shaft, and the low-pressure turbine is drivingly connected to the booster via a second rotor shaft.
One type of combustor known in the prior art includes an annular dome assembly or mixing assembly interconnecting the upstream ends of annular inner and outer liners. Typically, the dome assembly is provided with swirlers having arrays of vanes. The vanes are effective to produce counter-rotating air flows that generate shear forces which break up and atomize injected fuel prior to ignition. This type may be referred to as twin annular premixed swirler or "TAPS" type combustor.
This type of combustor may be staged, i.e. it may include one or more pilot fuel injectors and one or more main fuel injectors. Depending on the engine operating condition, the fuel flow rate through the fuel injectors may vary. In some engine operating conditions, the main fuel injectors may be entirely shut off (known as "pilot-only operation").
A particular concern is the formation of carbon (or "coke") deposits in fuel carrying components including fuel injectors when a hydrocarbon fuel (liquid or gas) is exposed to high temperatures in the presence of oxygen.
It will be understood that each fuel injector is generally a metallic mass including numerous small passages and orifices. The fuel nozzles are subject to the formation of carbon (or "coke") deposits when a hydrocarbon fuel is exposed to high temperatures in the presence of oxygen. This process is referred to as "coking" and is generally a risk when temperatures exceed about 177 degrees C. (350 degrees F.).
When fuel stops flowing through one or more stages of the combustor, a volume of fuel will continue to reside in the fuel injectors and can be heated to coking temperatures. Small amounts of coke interfering with fuel flow through these orifices can make a large difference in fuel nozzle performance. Eventually, build-up of carbon deposits can block fuel passages sufficiently to degrade fuel nozzle performance or prevent the intended operation of the fuel nozzle to the point where cleaning or replacement is necessary to prevent adverse impacts to other engine hot section components and/or restore engine cycle performance.

Purging configuration for combustor mixing assembly


A thermoforming apparatus for fabricating seamless vehicle seat covers includes a clamp assembly for clamping and holding a thermoplastic sheet, a heater for heating material held by the clamp assembly, and a female cavity mold having a base section and a backrest section. The mold has an internal vacuum passageway formed therein, and also includes an external vacuum port for connecting to a source of vacuum. The vacuum port is in fluid communication with the internal vacuum passageway. A vacuum conduit connects the vacuum port to a vacuum source, by way of an electrically operable valve in fluid communication with the vacuum port. A method of thermoforming a seamless vehicle seat cover, and a seamless vehicular seat cover, which is a product of a thermoforming process, are also included.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a seamless seat cover for a vehicle seat, and to a method and apparatus for making such a seat cover. More particularly, the present invention relates to a thermoforming apparatus, a method of using that apparatus to produce a seamless vehicular seat cover, and to a seamless vehicular seat cover which is a product of a thermoforming process.
2. Description of the Background Art
Many different types of automotive seat covers are commercially available on the marketplace today. A variety of patents have been issued for various types of vehicular seat covers. U.S. Pat. No. 3,695,692 discloses a temporary "plastic bag" type of protective seat cover, for installation on a vehicular seat during assembly line production. Other examples of some issued patents on seat covers are U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,892,440, 4,232,899, 4,669,779, 5,265,933, 5,403,066, 5,655,813, and 5,709,431.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,906,516 discloses a leather-like foam sheet for general use in a vacuum forming process. Some methods are known for using thermoforming processes to make composite vehicle seats and components thereof, such as are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,000,805 and 5,468,434.
New governmental regulations are expected to go into effect shortly, which will require seat covers for use in emergency vehicles, such as police, fire, and ambulance rescue vehicles, to be seamless. This is because of the possible risk of contamination if pathogenic material should become trapped in seams of a seat cover in an emergency vehicle. In particular, a risk exists that blood of an individual with the HIV virus, who has been in an accident or emergency situation, may become spilled on a seat cover in an emergency vehicle, and even after cleanup, some of this blood may remain in the seams of a seat cover and may pose a health risk.
As a result, a need exists in the art for a seamless protective vehicle seat cover, for placing over and protectively covering a vehicle seat assembly. In particular, a need exists for a seamless protective vehicular seat cover which is relatively inexpensive and simple to produce, yet which can be manufactured reliably in volume.

Seamless thermoformed vehicular seat cover, and method and apparatus for making same


An image processing method, comprises: an input step of inputting a color digital image; a white balance correction step of correcting white balance of the inputted digital image; an exposure correction step of correcting exposure of the digital image having the corrected white balance; a determination step of determining a pixel in which an output pixel value is saturated without being corrected to be underexposed by the exposure correction, among respective pixels in the digital image having the corrected white balance; and a pixel value correction step of setting only the determined pixel to be saturated as a correction target pixel and correcting the pixel value of the correction target pixel to be more than or equal to the pixel value. Thereby, the color attachment with respect to the blown-out highlight portion can be prevented at the time of the desensitization process.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing method, apparatus and program, as well as an imaging apparatus, and more particularly, to a technique of preventing color attachment in exposure correction with respect to a digital image.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a RAW file, digital image data (RAW data) in which a light amount captured by an imaging element at the time of shooting with a digital camera has been A/D converted is directly recorded.
In order to output (display or print) the RAW data as an appropriate image, it is necessary to apply various image processes such as white balance correction, exposure correction, gamma correction and a synchronization process. However, at the same time, there is an advantage of great flexibility for a user to correct the image to suit the user's preferences.
For example, when the RAW data is multiplied by R, G and B gains by the white balance correction, even a non-blown-out highlight portion in which highlight is not blown out (less than or equal to a maximum value of a digital value which can be outputted) in the RAW data may be blown out highlight. However, information on a blown-out highlight portion can be restored by setting exposure to be underexposed and performing development (which is a desensitization process).
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-317873 describes an image correction apparatus which uses a value of a highlight portion and a value of a shadow portion in image data obtained by analyzing an image, to perform the exposure correction.
When the white balance correction is performed, luminance varies accordingly. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-118857 describes a white balance adjustment apparatus which calculates a correction gain for correcting the luminance variation as at least two color gains among the R, G and B gains, and adjusts white balance with the at least two color correction gains which have been calculated.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-135708 describes a digital camera which controls a charge storage time of an imaging element independently for each color according to a white balance correction value to prevent a gain (noise) of a particular color signal from being too large.
Incidentally, as described above, even in the digital image including the blown-out highlight due to the white balance correction, the information on the blown-out highlight portion can be restored by performing the desensitization process. However, on the portion in which highlight is blown out due to the white balance correction (blown-out highlighting portion), blown-out amounts are not uniform for each of R, G and B. Therefore, when the desensitization process is performed with respect to this portion, there is a problem that undesirable color is attached to the blown-out highlight portion.
On the other hand, if the desensitization process is performed while preventing the undesirable color from attaching to the blown-out highlight portion, there is a problem that an exposure amount in which the desensitization process can be applied (a restorable width) is decreased.
With respect to this, the image correction apparatus according to Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-317873 is applied in a range of a pixel value which has not blown-out highlight at the time of normal exposure, and therefore, the color attachment with respect to the blown-out highlight portion cannot be prevented at the time of the exposure correction.
Similarly, the white balance adjustment apparatus according to Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-118857 equally applies corrected correction gains to all pixels, and therefore, the color attachment with respect to the blown-out highlight portion cannot be prevented at the time of the exposure correction. Moreover, in the digital camera according to Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-135708, when the white balance of the digital image shot with the above described camera is changed after the shooting, maximum gain values of respective colors which have been equal become uneven, and consequently, there is a problem in which the color attachment with respect to the blown-out highlight portion cannot be prevented at the time of the exposure correction.

Image processing method, apparatus and program as well as imaging apparatus


A communication method of a macro base station, a macro terminal, a micro base station, and a micro terminal determines an interference control scheme for each interference condition between a micro cell and a micro cell and between a macro cell and a micro cell in a hierarchical cellular network, and controls interference in the hierarchical cellular network where a detailed operation for each determined interference control scheme, a message associated with the detailed operation, and a resource management scheme are defined.

1. Field
The following description relates to a communication method of a macro base station, a macro terminal, a micro base station, and a micro terminal for an interference control in a hierarchical cellular network.
2. Description of Related Art
Since a pico cell corresponding to a micro cell is configured in a hierarchical cellular network that is overlapped with a macro cell and generally provided inside the macro cell, interference may occur between the macro cell and the pico cell. When a number of pico cells are configured in the hierarchical cellular network, interference may occur between the pico cells.

Communication method of macro base station, macro terminal, micro base station, and micro terminal for interference control in hierarchical cellular network


A processor-based device with a display unit, such as a smart phone, identifies pixels associated with a camera under the display screen. The device also identifies a condition in which the pixels associated with the camera under the display screen can be dimmed or turned off. The device then dims or turns off the pixels associated with the camera under display based on the condition.

Early and current processor-based display devices, such as the screen on a smart phone, are surrounded by a narrow outlining frame, and positioned in the frame is a camera that can be used for, among other things, the taking of selfie pictures. Newer model smart phones and other display devices are diminishing or removing the outlining frame, such that the display takes up almost the entire or the entire front face of the display device (and perhaps even going over onto the side edge of the smart phone). In these newer models, the camera for the taking of selfies must be placed behind the screen of the smart phone.
In order to place the camera behind the display screen, the pixels on the screen in front of the camera must be smaller than the pixels on the rest of the screen. These smaller pixels permit the transmission of light to the camera. Because these pixels are smaller, they are powered at a higher level than the other pixels so that they are brighter. This increased brightness compensates for the smaller pixel size, and therefore provides a more uniform display in that area of the camera so that the user experience is not negatively affected. However, providing more power to these pixels shortens the life of these pixels as compared to the remainder of the pixels in the display.

Life extension for pixels associated with a camera under display


A process for cutting sausages from a sausage link by a cutting device to which the sausages in the sausage link are conveyed together and a cutting site between two successive sausages is recognized by a sensor device, the sausage link being retracted with the front most sausage behind the sensor device after a predetermined number of sausages has been cut. This permits a specific indexing of the sausages in the sausage link after the sensor device and prevents bottlenecks between the cutting machine and the packaging machine.

The invention relates to a process for cutting sausages from a string of sausages by means of a cutting device to which the sausages linked together on the string of sausages are conveyed, and a separating point between two consecutive sausages is recognized with the aid of a sensor device, and to a device for this.
Devices for cutting sausages are known in diverse forms and embodiments and are obtainable commercially. Sausages nowadays are produced in such a manner that a skin, whether a natural or artificial skin, is filled with the appropriate sausage meat in sausage portions. Between the individual portions, the skin is rotated and/or clips, by means of which the individual sausages are divided from one another, are inserted. This produces a string of sausages from which the sausages have to be cut later, for example for the automatic packaging of a certain number of sausages. This still takes place nowadays in a highly complicated manner by hand or by means of machines, as are described, for example, in DE 43 18 301 A1 or DE 43 07 637 A1. In this case, the sausages are severed from the string of sausages at a cutting point, with the cutting point being recognized beforehand by a sensor. This may be a sensor as described in DE 43 18 301 A1 mentioned above, but other sensor devices are also conceivable, as described, for example, in DD 106 131 or DE-A 31 21 432.
Difficulties arise if only a certain number of sausages are to be severed from the string of sausages and supplied, for example, to a packaging device. Firstly, the absolutely continuous supplying of the sausages to a packaging machine operating in a portionwise manner has an unfavorable effect, generally causing a bottleneck to arise between the cutting machine and the packaging machine. Secondly, the indexing of the sausages on the string of sausages after the sensor device and, in particular, after passing through the cutting point is no longer correct, and so distortion and therefore inaccuracy may occur during the cutting operation.
The object of the present invention is to provide a process and a device of the abovementioned type, wherein a substantial improvement in the portionwise dispensing of sausages is obtained.


A lithographic projection apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus includes a radiation system for providing a beam of radiation, and a support structure for supporting a patterning device. The patterning device serves to pattern the beam of radiation according to a desired pattern. The apparatus also includes a substrate support for supporting a substrate, a projection system for projecting the patterned beam of radiation onto a target portion of the substrate, and a purge gas supply system. The purge gas supply system includes a purge gas mixture generator that includes a moisturizer that is arranged for adding moisture to a purge gas to generate a purge gas mixture, and a purge gas mixture outlet connected to the purge gas mixture generator for supplying the purge gas mixture to at least part of the lithographic projection apparatus.

The term "patterning device" as here employed should be broadly interpreted as referring to a device that can be used to endow an incoming radiation beam with a patterned cross-section, corresponding to a pattern that is to be created in a target portion of the substrate; the term "light valve" can also be used in this context. Generally, the pattern will correspond to a particular functional layer in a device being created in the target portion, such as an integrated circuit or other device (see below). Examples of such a patterning device include a mask. The concept of a mask is well known in lithography, and it includes mask types such as binary, alternating phase-shift, and attenuated phase-shift, as well as various hybrid mask types. Placement of such a mask in the radiation beam causes selective transmission (in the case of a transmissive mask) or reflection (in the case of a reflective mask) of the radiation impinging on the mask, according to the pattern on the mask. In the case of a mask, the support will generally be a mask table, which ensures that the mask can be held at a desired position in the incoming radiation beam, and that it can be moved relative to the beam if so desired.
Another example of a patterning device is a programmable mirror array. One example of such a device is a matrix-addressable surface having a viscoelastic control layer and a reflective surface. The basic principle behind such an apparatus is that (for example) addressed areas of the reflective surface reflect incident light as diffracted light, whereas unaddressed areas reflect incident light as undiffracted light. Using an appropriate filter, the undiffracted light can be filtered out of the reflected beam, leaving only the diffracted light behind; in this manner, the beam becomes patterned according to the addressing pattern of the matrix-addressable surface. An alternative embodiment of a programmable mirror array employs a matrix arrangement of tiny mirrors, each of which can be individually tilted about an axis by applying a suitable localized electric field, or by employing a piezoelectric actuation device. Once again, the mirrors are matrix-addressable, such that addressed mirrors will reflect an incoming radiation beam in a different direction to unaddressed mirrors; in this manner, the reflected beam is patterned according to the addressing pattern of the matrix-addressable mirrors. The required matrix addressing can be performed using suitable electronic devices. In both of the situations described hereabove, the patterning device can include one or more programmable mirror arrays. More information on mirror arrays as here referred to can be gleaned, for example, from U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,296,891 and 5,523,193, and PCT Patent Publication Nos. WO 98/38597 and WO 98/33096, which are incorporated herein by reference. In the case of a programmable mirror array, the support may be embodied as a frame or table, for example, which may be fixed or movable as required.
Another example of a patterning device includes a programmable LCD array. An example of such a construction is given in U.S. Pat. No. 5,229,872, which is incorporated herein by reference. As above, the support structure in this case may be embodied as a frame or table, for example, which may be fixed or movable as required.
For purposes of simplicity, the rest of this text may, at certain locations, specifically direct itself to examples involving a mask and mask table. However, the general principles discussed in such instances should be seen in the broader context of the patterning device as hereabove set forth.
Lithographic projection apparatus can be used, for example, in the manufacture of integrated circuits (ICs). In such a case, the patterning device may generate a circuit pattern corresponding to an individual layer of the IC, and this pattern can be imaged onto a target portion (e.g. including one or more dies) on a substrate (silicon wafer) that has been coated with a layer of radiation-sensitive material (resist). In general, a single wafer will contain a whole network of adjacent target portions that are successively irradiated via the projection system, one at a time. In current apparatus, employing patterning by a mask on a mask table, a distinction can be made between two different types of machine. In one type of lithographic projection apparatus, each target portion is irradiated by exposing the entire mask pattern onto the target portion at once; such an apparatus is commonly referred to as a wafer stepper or step-and-repeat apparatus. In an alternative apparatus—commonly referred to as a step-and-scan apparatus—each target portion is irradiated by progressively scanning the mask pattern under the beam in a given reference direction (the "scanning" direction) while synchronously scanning the substrate table parallel or anti-parallel to this direction; since, in general, the projection system will have a magnification factor M (generally <1), the speed V at which the substrate table is scanned will be a factor M times that at which the mask table is scanned. More information with regard to lithographic devices as here described can be gleaned, for example, from U.S. Pat. No. 6,046,792, incorporated herein by reference.
In a manufacturing process using a lithographic projection apparatus, a pattern (e.g. in a mask) is imaged onto a substrate that is at least partially covered by a layer of radiation-sensitive material (resist). Prior to this imaging step, the substrate may undergo various procedures, such as priming, resist coating and a soft bake. After exposure, the substrate may be subjected to other procedures, such as a post-exposure bake (PEB), development, a hard bake and measurement/inspection of the imaged features. This array of procedures is used as a basis to pattern an individual layer of a device, e.g. an IC. Such a patterned layer may then undergo various processes such as etching, ion-implantation (doping), metallization, oxidation, chemo-mechanical polishing, etc., all intended to finish off an individual layer. If several layers are required, then the whole procedure, or a variant thereof, will have to be repeated for each new layer. Eventually, an array of devices will be present on the substrate (wafer). These devices are then separated from one another by a technique such as dicing or sawing, whence the individual devices can be mounted on a carrier, connected to pins, etc. Further information regarding such processes can be obtained, for example, from the book "Microchip Fabrication: A Practical Guide to Semiconductor Processing", Third Edition, by Peter van Zant, McGraw Hill Publishing Co., 1997, ISBN 0-07-067250-4, incorporated herein by reference.
For the sake of simplicity, the projection system may hereinafter be referred to as the "lens"; however, this term should be broadly interpreted as encompassing various types of projection system, including refractive optics, reflective optics, and catadioptric systems, as appropriate, for example, for the exposure radiation being used, or for other factors such as the use of an immersion fluid or the use of a vacuum. The radiation system may also include components operating according to any of these design types for directing, shaping or controlling the projection beam of radiation, and such components may also be referred to below, collectively or singularly, as a "lens".
Further, the lithographic apparatus may be of a type having two or more substrate tables (and/or two or more mask tables). In such "multiple stage" devices the additional tables may be used in parallel, or preparatory steps may be carried out on one or more tables while one or more other tables are being used for exposures. Dual stage lithographic apparatus are described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,969,441 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,262,796, both incorporated herein by reference.
The lithographic apparatus may also be of a type wherein the substrate is immersed in a liquid having a relatively high refractive index, e.g. water, so as to fill a space between the final element of the projection system and the substrate. Immersion techniques are well known in the art for increasing the numerical aperture of projection systems.
Although specific reference may be made in this text to the use of the apparatus according to the invention in the manufacture of ICs, it should be explicitly understood that such an apparatus has many other possible applications. For example, it may be employed in the manufacture of integrated optical systems, guidance and detection patterns for magnetic domain memories, liquid-crystal display panels, thin-film magnetic heads, etc. The skilled artisan will appreciate that, in the context of such alternative applications, any use of the terms "reticle", "wafer" or "die" in this text should be considered as being replaced by the more general terms "mask", "substrate" and "target portion", respectively.
In the present document, the terms "radiation" and "beam" are used to encompass all types of electromagnetic radiation, including ultraviolet (UV) radiation (e.g. with a wavelength of 365, 248, 193, 157 or 126 nm) and extreme ultra-violet (EUV) radiation (e.g. having a wavelength in the range 5–20 nm), as well as particle beams, such as ion beams or electron beams.
In general, surfaces of components present in a lithographic projection apparatus become contaminated during use, even if most of the apparatus is operated in vacuum. In particular the contamination of optical components in the lithographic projection apparatus, such as mirrors, has an adverse effect on the performance of the apparatus, because such contamination affects the optical properties of the optical components.
In the art, it is known to reduce contamination of optical components of a lithographic projection apparatus by purging a space of the lithographic projection apparatus in which such a component is located with an ultra high purity gas, which is from hereon referred to as a purge gas. The purge gas prevents contamination of the surface, for example molecular contamination with hydrocarbons.
A drawback of this known method is that the purge gas may have an adverse effect on the activity of chemicals used in the lithographic projection process. In particular, it is found by the applicant that some types of radiation-sensitive material (resist), in particular resists sensitive to ultra-violet radiation and acetal-base photo-resists, do not function properly in an environment provided with the purge gas. Experiments performed by the applicant have revealed that these resists require a moisture, e.g. water vapour, to develop.
Furthermore, the purge gas may have an effect on the performance of measurement devices present in the lithographic projection apparatus, such as interferometric instruments for example. It is found by the applicant that because of the lack of moisture, the purge gas affects the refractive index and thereby changes the outcome of interferometric measurements as well.
However, such a moisture is not present in the purge gas used in the known methods. Thus, contamination cannot be reduced using the known purge gas supply system for these types of resists.
Although also a clean gas, strictly speaking the gas used for gas bearings in e.g. an immersion lithography apparatus differs from a purge gas in that e.g. the purity requirements are less strict, and in that it is provided at a much higher pressure. This high pressure gas flow provides for a stable and small gap between a surface of the substrate and the "shower head" of the immersion lithography apparatus, thereby reducing the likelihood of collision between the shower head and the substrate. However, the same problem as regards affecting interferometric measurements because of lack of moisture also applies to air bearing gas.

Lithographic projection apparatus, gas purging method, device manufacturing method, and purge gas supply system


The object of the present invention is to provide a heterojunction bipolar transistor with high breakdown tolerance which can be manufactured at a high reproducibility and a high yield, the heterojunction bipolar transistor includes: a sub-collector layer; a collector layer formed on the sub-collector layer; a base layer formed on the collector layer; and an emitter layer, which is formed on the base layer and is made of a semiconductor that has a larger bandgap than a semiconductor of the base layer, in which the collector layer includes: a first collector layer formed on the sub-collector layer; a second collector layer formed on the first collector layer; and a third collector layer formed between the second collector layer and the base layer, a semiconductor of the first collector layer differs from semiconductors of the third collector layer and the second collector layer, and an impurity concentration of the second collector layer is lower than an impurity concentration of the sub-collector layer and higher than an impurity concentration of the third collector layer.

(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a heterojunction bipolar transistor, and particularly to an InGaP/GaAs heterojunction bipolar transistor.
(2) Description of the Related Art
Heterojunction bipolar transistors (HBT) using semiconductor with large bandgap for emitter have been in practical use as high-frequency analogue elements for mobile phones and the like. In particular, an InGaP/GaAs HBT using InGaP as an emitter has small temperature dependency of current gain (HFE) since discontinuity of valence band (ΔEv) is large, and is expected to be widely used as a highly reliable device.
A device structure of a general InGaP/GaAs HBT is described hereafter with reference to a diagram (for example, see Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2000-260783).
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a structure of an npn-type InGaP/GaAs HBT.
As shown in FIG. 1, in the InGaP/GaAs HBT, an n+-type GaAs sub-collector layer 202 which is formed by doping an n-type impurity at a high concentration is stacked on a semi-insulating GaAs substrate 201. On the sub-collector layer 202, a GaAs collector layer 203 that is either non-doped or of n-type with low impurity concentration, p-type GaAs base layer 207 with a high-impurity concentration, and an n-type InGaP emitter layer 208 are sequentially stacked. These layers form a convex portion formed only on a range of the sub-collector layer 202. Furthermore, on the emitter layer 208, an n-type GaAs emitter cap layer 209 and a low-resistance n-type InGaAs emitter contact layer 210 are sequentially stacked. The emitter cap layer 209 and the emitter contact layer 210 form the second convex portion formed only on the emitter layer 208.
Here, on the emitter contact layer 210, an emitter electrode 251 made of, for example, Ti/Pt/Au and the like, is formed. On the emitter layer 208, a base electrode 252 made of multi-layer metal and the like including Pt is formed by heat diffusion on the emitter layer 208 that is exposed in the periphery of the emitter cap layer 209 so as to contact the base layer 207. On the sub-collector layer 202, a collector electrode 253 made of AuGe/Ni/Au and the like is formed. Furthermore, in order to electrically separate the HBT from other HBT, an element isolation region 254 ranging from the sub-collector layer 202 to the substrate 201 is formed by ion implantation and inactivated heat treatment in an element peripheral region of the substrate 201 and the sub-collector layer 202.

Heterojunction bipolar transistor and manufacturing method thereof


An impeller has a plurality of blades at an outer periphery thereof. Each of the adjacent blades define a groove space, and a partition wall is provided in the groove space. The partition wall is disposed at a center area of the groove space in an axial direction of the impeller for partitioning the groove space from a root of the blade. The blade inclines backwardly in the rotating direction at the root side thereof, and inclines frontwardly in the rotating direction at a radial outer end side thereof. A front face is inwardly concaved from both axial ends, and warps from the root to the radial outer end of the blade to form the concave such that the concave gradually becomes small from the root to the radial outer end.

This application is based on and incorporates herein by reference Japanese Patent Application No. 2000-113696 filed on Apr. 14, 2000.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fuel pump sucking a fuel from a fuel tank and discharging suitable used for internal combustion engine.
2. Description of Related Art
JP-A-6-159282 discloses a fuel pump in which both axial ends of impeller blades incline, with respect to a partition wall, frontwardly in a rotating direction for smoothly introducing fuel into groove spaces formed between each of adjacent impeller blades.
JP-A-6-229388 discloses a fuel pump in which root side of impeller blades incline rearwardly in a rotating direction, and radial outer end of the blades incline frontwardly in the rotating direction. The object of JP-A-6-229388 is to give the fuel flowing out of groove spaces a kinetic energy for flowing frontwardly in the rotating direction, i.e., toward a fuel outlet, without wasting energy of the fuel flowing into the root of groove spaces.
However, in JP-A-6-159282, both axial ends of the blades incline with respect to the partition wall by the same angle from the root to the outer ends. Thus, the energy that the outer end of the blade gives to the fuel flowing out of the groove spaces is small, so that the flow speed of the fuel is insufficiently increased. In JP-A-6-229388, the front face of the impeller blade is formed in a flat in the rotating direction, the fuel hardly flows into the groove space. Thus, fuel amount flowing into the groove space is decreased, thereby reducing total energy given to the fuel. As described above, when fuel flow speed from the groove space is insufficient, or fuel amount flowing into the groove space is small, swirl speed of the fuel is reduced, thereby reducing pump efficiency.
An object of the present invention is to improve pump efficiency.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, the front face of a blade is formed in a concave shape with respect to a rotating frontward direction. The front face is inwardly concave from both axial ends of the blades, and warps from a root to a radial outer end of the blade to form the concave such that the concave gradually becomes small from the root to the radial outer end. Thus, fuel tends to flow into the root side of the front face, thereby increasing an amount of the fuel flowing into a groove space formed between adjacent blades. The concave of the front face becomes smaller as the radial outer end of the blade, so that the radial outer end of the blade gives the fuel large kinetic energy in the rotating direction from an impeller. Thus, flow speed of the fuel flowing out of the groove space is increased.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, a circumferential width of the groove space gradually decreases from the root to the radial outer end of the blade. Thus, flow speed of the fuel flowing out of the groove space is increased.

Fuel pump for internal combustion engine


A guide rail, for use with a guide carriage having at least one row of rolling elements, extends along a longitudinal axis and has at least one running surface for the rolling elements, a separate heat sink, and a plurality of first through holes. The running surface is arranged parallel to the longitudinal axis. The heat sink extends along the longitudinal axis and lies against the guide rail. At least sections of the heat sink delimit a first and a second cooling channel that each extend along the longitudinal axis. The first through holes are distributed along the longitudinal axis and are configured to receive screw-bolts. The heat sink has a plurality of second through holes, each aligning with and continuing an associated first through hole. The first and second cooling channels are located on opposite sides of the plurality of second through holes.

DE 10 2014 220 587 A1 describes a guide rail for a linear roller bearing which is provided with a separate heat sink. The heat sink together with the guide rail forms cooling channels through which a cooling fluid is conducted in order to set the temperature of the guide rail to a predefined nominal value. Such guide rails are used for example in machine tools to achieve a high machining accuracy.

Guide rail with fastening holes and heat sink


Compounds wherein a biologically active molecule is coupled to a glutathione analog through a conjugated system which permits activation of the biologically active molecule while retaining the biologically active molecule tethered to the glutathione analog are useful as tethered prodrugs that slow the rate of clearance of an active biomolecule through the multidrug resistance pump.

PCT application WO 95/09866 published 13 Apr. 1995 and incorporated herein by reference, discloses a group of GST-activated compounds which rely on interaction of a prodrug form of a drug or toxin with glutathione S-transferase and the resulting abstraction of a proton by the enzyme, releasing an electron pair which mediates, in turn, the release of the drug or toxin. These compounds are generally of the following formula, where the pathway of released electrons from hydrogen ion abstraction is indicated. ##STR1## In these compounds, L is an electron withdrawing leaving group;
S.sup.x is an oxidized form of S, Se or C, e.g., S.dbd.O, O.dbd.S.dbd.O, S.dbd.NH, HN.dbd.S.dbd.O, Se.dbd.O, O.dbd.Se.dbd.O, Se.dbd.NH, HN.dbd.Se.dbd.O, S.sup.+ R' wherein R' is alkyl (1-6C) or O--C.dbd.O or HN--C.dbd.O; PA1 each R is independently H or a noninterfering substituent; PA1 n is 0, 1 or 2, PA1 YCO is selected from the group consisting of .gamma.-Glu, .beta.-Asp, Glu, Asp, .gamma.-GluGly, .beta.-AspGly, GluGly and AspGly; and PA1 AA.sub.C is an amino acid linked through a peptide bond to the remainder of the compound. PA1 selecting from said panel an analog which interacts with said MRP system; PA1 synthesizing a prodrug which is a conjugate of the appropriate form of the selected analog with a substance of the desired biological activity; and PA1 administering the resulting prodrug to a subject in need of treatment with the biologically active compound. PA1 YCO is selected from the group consisting of .gamma.-Glu, .beta.-Asp, Glu, Asp, .gamma.-GluGly, .beta.-AspGly, GluGly and AspGly; and PA1 AA.sub.C is an amino acid linked through a peptide bond to the remainder of said compound of formula (1); PA1 (conj) is a conjugated system permitting transfer of electron pairs, such as --CR.dbd.CR--; --(CR.dbd.CR).sub.2 -- or --phenylene--; PA1 m is 0 or 1; each R is independently H or noninterfering substituent; PA1 the dotted lines represent alternative covalent bonds tethering the biomolecule to the indicated C; and PA1 "biomolecule" represents a moiety which is biologically active when covalent bond (a) is severed. PA1 each X is independently O, NH or S; PA1 Z is a moiety which, when associated with P(O)X.sup.1 X.sup.2 is biologically active; and PA1 the dotted lines represent alternative covalent bonds linking CR.sub.2 and thus X.sup.2 to the remainder of the molecule--i.e., to C*, C.sup.+, or a carbon in the conjugated system if present.
As explained in the above-cited PCT application, specificity with respect to particular tissues or targets can be manipulated, mainly through appropriate choices for AA.sub.C, and to a lesser extent, YCO. The reason for this is that the nature of the glutathione analog portion of the prodrug determines which of the many isozymes of GST are effective in releasing the biologically active moiety. The nature of the leaving group will determine the biological effect of administering the prodrug. Included among the leaving groups described are nitrogen mustards and other cytotoxic substances, as well as various antibiotics, indicator molecules, and other groups.
Although the prodrugs described in the PCT application are effective, they may also be cleared more quickly than desired from the target cells or tissue by virtue of elevated levels of multidrug resistance associated protein (MRP) which transports GSH-conjugated substances out of the cell as described by Jedlitschky, G. et al., Cancer Research (1994) 54:4833. For example, in the case of the phosphoramide mustards, displacement of a chloride ion from one of the 2-chloroethyl groups by the sulfhydryl group of glutathione results in a GSH-conjugate which can then be cleared by the MRP system.
It would be desirable to provide prodrugs which not only release active forms of the drugs per se, but also result in a lowered rate of clearance of the activated drug. The present invention provides two approaches to this problem. One approach resides in selecting, as the glutathione analog in the prodrug, a glutathione analog that itself interacts with the MRP, e.g., in competition with GSH. Thus, after the prodrug is cleaved by GST, the glutathione analog can inhibit the transport of other moieties, such as the activated drug or toxin. This approach is workable, however, only where the specificity desired for the prodrug release permits this choice to be made.
In a more universal approach, the prodrug is designed to activate, but not to release completely the biologically active moiety associated with it; the biologically active moiety remains tethered to the glutathione analog, reducing its susceptibility to GST-mediated conjugation to free GSH. Thus, it has reduced ability to form a compound which is effectively cleared by the MRP system.


A housing assembly for covering an electrical cord extending from a source of electrical supply to a fixture or appliance in which the assembly includes at least one mounting bracket and a cover and wherein portions of the bracket bite into the opposite sidewalls of the cover to thereby retain the cover in fixed position over the electrical cord.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention is generally directed to electrical conduits and/or housings and, more specifically, to an elongated housing assembly for covering electrical cords of the type which extend from an electrical socket or other source of power supply to a fixture, such as a lamp, mounted to a wall or an appliance such as a television.
2. History of the Related Art
Generally, electrical power supply to electrical fixtures including freestanding floor and table lamps or wall mounted lamps, and to electrical appliances such as radios, stereos, televisions and the like, is provided by plugging the electrical cord of the fixture or appliance into a wall mounted electrical socket which is hardwired to a main circuit breaker box. To prevent injury from individuals contacting live electrical lines and to prevent the threat of fire, electrical sockets are enclosed within junction boxes or housings embedded within the walls of a structure. Such sockets are normally installed in predetermined locations during initial building construction based upon local building codes and also upon a builder's, architect's, owner's, or commercial or interior designer's plan for where various appliances and fixtures will be located or placed into use. It is preferred that electrical cords associated with such fixtures and appliances not be prominently exposed, not only because such cords are unaesthetic in appearance, but because exposed cords can create safety hazards. For instance, cords extending along a floor can accidently be engaged by a person walking through a room thereby the person may possibly trip over the cord causing personal injury or causing the fixture or appliance to which the cord is attached to be pulled from its support by the force exerted on the cord. In addition, electrical cords which are left dangling along walls are attractive nuisances for small children and pets and are often the cause of appliances being pulled from tables or shelves.
In many environments it is possible to utilize home or office furnishings to provide a protective barrier to exposed electrical cords. By properly utilizing the placement of tables, chairs, sofas, beds and the like, it is possible that many electrical cords are obscured from view. However, in many instances, it is not possible nor practical to utilize furnishings as barriers for electrical cords or electrical extensions. It is also not practical when considering remodeling, upgrading or redecorating of home or commercial space to re-hardwire the electrical wiring in order to facilitate the aesthetic and safe placement of electrical wiring for providing power to appliances and fixtures, especially due to the cost involved with having to run wiring within walls and to repair any damage done during the rewiring.
In view of the foregoing, it has been proposed in instances where the repositioning or installation of electrical appliances and/or fixtures is desired to redecorate or renovate a given structure, that power to such appliances or fixtures may be conveyed through extension cords which are protectively encased within housings which may be mounted to the exterior surface of a wall. By way of example, in many hotels and motels as well as other commercial establishments, electrical lamps are mounted to the walls of a room at locations such as above a bed or adjacent a reading chair or desk. Often, such lamps are installed during renovation or after initial construction and are therefore not directly hardwired into the electrical system. In order to supply power to such lamps or lights, their electrical cords are housed or enclosed within an elongated box-like channel or conduit which may extend horizontally and vertical with respect to a wall and which may be decorative in appearance so as to appear to be part of the overall room design. Such housings normally extend to an area adjacent the nearest wall socket. In this manner, not only is it possible to confine the electrical cord in an aesthetic manner, but it is also possible to prevent accidental tampering or engagement of the electrical cord except at an area adjacent to where the cord is connected to the electrical socket.
Previously, such elongated protective covers or housings have been constructed utilizing a pair of opposing generally U-shaped channels. The first channel forms an elongated bracket which is mounted with its base against the surface of a wall and may include horizontal or vertical sections. Once the base has been installed, the electrical cord is extended through the channel defined by the base and thereafter a cover is placed over the base member and is secured thereto by mechanical fasteners such as by conventional screws. In cross section, such housings are generally rectilinear in configuration and define an open channel through which the electrical cord is extended. Unfortunately, such conventional housings are easily tampered with in that the conventional mechanical fasteners may be easily removed thereby allowing covers to be separated and allowing exposure of the electrical cords. In addition, although such protective housings for exterior wiring reduces the installation costs, there remains a significant cost for providing two pairs of elongated channels to form a single decorative and protective housing for electrical wiring.


A circuit device for selecting operating modes using a single reference pin that uses current rather than voltage in an electronic subsystem. An operating mode is selected by modulating the input bias current over a range of values. A specific range is associated with a given function so that a value of current can assume a parametric input into the subsystem. The circuit has widespread application since current can be modulated faster than voltage and it eliminates the need for multiple voltage reference points.

Conventional methods of controlling operating modes in a circuit include the use of dedicated pins carrying different levels of voltage. For example, a typical printed circuit board may contain 12V, 5V, and 3V DC reference points to permit operation of mixed device logics. Typically, a charge pump, regulated power supply or other similar source of power is used to provide the required array of voltages. Such methods have been incorporated by manufacturers into a wide array of applications.
Multiple voltage reference points are also standard in many microelectronic systems where feature selection is accomplished by placing a HIGH or LOW level signal on a reference pin to indicate a desired operand, function or other selection. For example, the read/write select line on an integrated circuit chip may be toggled by using either a 5V or 0V DC level, one of which is associated with either a read or write function. An operational amplifier switch may be employed to sink and lift the line to either the HIGH or LOW signal, as needed.
An important design aspect is the control time associated with selecting or enabling a mode of operation. For many applications, a voltage level is measured as the differential between any two points on the system plane. Where the differential occurs over a ramping signal source, such as a shunt or stabilizing capacitor, the signal amplitude versus time may have a ramping characteristic. The control time of such a system, thus, becomes a function of the time it takes to ramp to a given triggering voltage within allowed tolerances.
In addition, in many applications a premium is placed on the amount of real estate consumed by the electronics. Today's systems are fitted on smaller and smaller footprints with the underlying devices consuming less space while providing more advanced functions as a result of higher package densities. The use of multiple voltage reference points adds to the space requirements of the overall design.
As such, an object of the present invention is to provide a current biased mode control circuit for selecting operating modes, features and functions in an electronic subsystem that has a relatively fast control time as compared with prior art methods and designs.
It is another object of the present invention to provide such a circuit with a variable current source having a range of values wherein each range is associated with a predefined mode of operation.
It is another object of the present invention to provide such a circuit with at least two mode switching devices for selecting associated modes of operation.
Other objects, features and advantages of the invention shall be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reference to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.


A switching device 30 and a related operating method are disclosed for generate a train of drive pulses under a basic pattern for a repetition cycle time T. The train of drive pulses has leading edges shifted from basic time periods T1 by shift amounts Φ0 to Φ02, respectively, which are different from each other, whereby switching frequencies, occurring based on the leading edges of the drive pulses, are spread. A spread frequency, which is a inverse number of the cycle time T of the basic pattern, is set to be higher than an audible frequency.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to switching devices and related operating methods for turning switching power elements on and off and, more particularly, to a switching device and related operating method for performing switching control so as to suppress switching noises occurring during operations of a switching power element.
2. Description of the Related Art
Switching device of this type includes a switching device that is used in an onboard power electronics device installed on, for instance, a vehicle. With the vehicle installed with such an onboard power electronics device, noises occur during operations of the switching device and overlap a frequency of a broadcast station received by an on-vehicle radio receiver. With the frequency of the selected broadcast station overlapped with noises, a speaker of a car audio unit outputs an audible frequency (sound) to which noises are mixed making the user feel uncomfortable.
Technologies have been well known in the art wherein in order to suppress such noises, a spectrum spread scheme is employed to diffuse energies of harmonic components of a switching frequency with a view to eliminating an energy level of average noise. However, although such a technology makes it possible to reduce energies of noises caused by the respective switching frequency and associated harmonic components, difficulties are encountered in the related art in which when the switching frequency and associated harmonic components are overlapped with the frequency of the broadcast station, the speaker outputs noise in an uncomfortable fashion.
Further, although a noise filter is conceivably provided on the switching device at an output side thereof to achieve reduction in noise output from the speaker, the noise filter becomes complex in structure and large in size in order to adequately suppress noise from the speaker.
To address such an issue, attempts have heretofore been made to provide a switching device arranged to set a switching frequency of a switching power element such that harmonics of the switching frequency have a given relationship with a frequency band of a selected broadcast station as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publications No. 2002-335672 and No. 2003-88101. That is, with such a switching device, a train of drive pulses is generated such that the switching frequency is set to a specified frequency different from the selected broadcast station to avoid a speaker from outputting noise.
However, due to piece-piece variations of component parts forming the switching device, the switching frequency is liable to vary with the resultant difficulty in setting the switching frequency with a given relationship maintained with respect to the frequency band of the selected broadcast station. Also, in general practice, an AM broadcast station has one station with a frequency band (bandwidth) in a range of "9 kHz" in Japan and "10 kHz" in USA. Thus, it seems distant for the switching frequency to be set in the given relationship within such narrow frequency bands.

Switching device and related operating method


A modular self-service merchandise display rack is provided having a pair of oppositely spaced apart side support members in cooperating relationship with each other. Each of the side support members having a plurality of vertically spaced shelf-like tiers formed integrally therewith and downwardly inclined from the back of said support member so as to urge articles of each level therein to slide forward as each article in the front of the tier is removed from the shelf formed by the side supports. Alternatively, the display rack may include at least one interior support member having shelf-like tiers on each side of a central wall and located in cooperating relationship between the side support members to form a plurality of tiers.

(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to modular self-service merchandise display racks for displaying and providing easy access to articles and packages of articles. More specifically, the invention relates to a modular self-service merchandise display rack having a plurality of shelves or tiers on which articles are readily accessible, and whose width is adjustable to meet many dimensions.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
As more merchants utilize self-service presentation of merchandise, display of products and efficient use of shelf space become increasingly important. Frequently a plurality of articles are packaged in plastic bags where the bag is closed with a header tag and displayed on a hanger protruding from peg board or the like. While presentation of merchandise in this manner has a certain appeal, it does not generally make the most efficient use of display space.
As stores have moved to the presentation of merchandise in a self-service manner, a variety of merchandise display systems have been proposed. Frequently display systems take up a great deal of space such as the hanger system described above, or the displays are of the rigid shelf variety which are cumbersome or do not lend themselves to storage and presentation of the maximum amount of merchandise.
An additional deficiency in the display racks of the prior art include those display fixtures which are difficult or are perceived to be difficult by store personnel who restock and repeatedly frustrate customers by being difficult to view and access the merchandise.
Another type of often-used display racks includes devices having downwardly inclined trays providing gravity feed. Included among these types of devices are those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,923,070 to Jackle, et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 4,531,646 to Howard, each of which uses trays for storing articles to be dispensed which are slidably secured on an elongated support by a guide retainer.
An improved self-service merchandising device is provided in the form of a modular display rack which enables the store owner to display a wide variety of products as well as providing a bulk supply of each SKU. The display rack enables the store proprietor to minimize cost by not having to restock the display case frequently and presents an attractive display of the merchandise.

Modular self-service merchandise display rack

Chesapeake Display and Packaging Company


In accordance with the present invention, disclosed is a method of conferring, upon a host cell, resistance to retroviral infection by interfering with one or more of the infection processes including retroviral replication and assembly into infective viral particles. The method involves introducing a vector into a host cell, wherein the vector comprises a polynucleotide which directs transcription, within the host cell, of RNA which is a) complementary or homologous, depending on the target region, to a nucleic acid sequence within one or more regions of the genome of the retrovirus; and b) is effective in inhibiting retroviral replication and/or interfering with assembly into viral particles when the host cell is infected. Also disclosed is a method of treatment using cells upon which resistance to infection has been conferred.

Retroviruses are the causative agents for an increasing number of diseases of higher organisms including: AIDS, HIV, various leukemias, feline leukemia, murine leukemia, several avian leukemias, various sarcomas of mice, rats, monkeys, birds, and cats, and other lymphotrophic diseases of man, including Adult T-Cell leukemia. Acquire Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), the recently most noteworthy of these diseases, is caused by a retrovirus which has been called HTLV-III, LAV, RAV or most recently HIV. Coffin et al, Science, 232:697 (1986). HIV is one of a group of retroviral diiseases which attacks the T4 lymphocytes thereby destroying the body's immune system. Anderson, Science, 226:401-409 (1984); Weiss, In RNA Tumor Viruses-II, vol. 2, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, pp. 405-485 (1985). The disease is uniformly fatal and no cure has been developed which either kills the virus in situ or replaces the lost elements of the body's immune system. Some experimental drugs such as HPA-23, azidothymidine and suramin show limited effects in stopping the virus, and immunimodulators such as thymostimulin and isoprinosine hopefully will bolster the patient's malfunctioning immune system, but to date there is no proven therapy or cure for the AIDS patient. It is also unlikely that a traditional vaccine for the virus will be developed for quite some time due to the wide variation in antigenicity of various strains of the virus.
Retroviral diseases differ from many other viral diseases in that the infective agent, a retrovirus, eventually becomes integrated in the host cell's genome. The retrovirus inserts its genome into a host chromosome, such that its genetic material becomes part of the genetic makeup of the infected cell, and is then replicated with the cell as the cell divides and multiplies. It is this characteristic which makes retroviruses especially persistent and immune to traditional anti-viral treatment. There is as yet no way to kill the retrovirus without killing the host cell. Thus, there is no proven cure, nor is there any proven effective vaccine or pharmacological agent against any retroviral disease.
Details of the life cycle and replication of retroviruses are discussed at length in Weiss et al, RNA Tumor Viruses, vols. 1 and 2 (Cold Springs Harbor Laboratory 1984), which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. FIG. 1(B) summarizes a model of a retrovirus life cycle. The life cycle of retroviruses is unique among viruses. The cycle begins when an infectious particle enters a host cell and releases two identical RNA molecules. These molecules are "reverse transcribed" by special viral enzymes to produce double-stranded DNA which circularizes and inserts into the host chromosome. FIG. 1(A) summarizes a model of the synthesis of double-strand DNA from viral RNA. The inserted DNA virus or "pro-virus" is structurally very similar to a normal host gene. It is transcribed to produce RNA, like any host gene. This RNA can then be processed in three ways: a) it can be directly translated into certain viral proteins, b) it can be processed and spliced, and then translated to produce other viral proteins, or c) it can be packaged, along with various viral proteins to make a newly infectious particle. In the case of HIV, the infectious particles continuously "bud off" the infected cells and bind to uninfected cells, beginning the cycle over again.
The retroviral particle which is the infectious agent contains in its interior two single-stranded positive-sense viral RNA molecules each between 7,000 to 11,000 nucleotide bases in length. These viral RNA's combine with certain viral proteins to form a viral core; the core being surrounded by a membrane. Imbedded in the membrane are viral glycoproteins which can specifically bind the viral particles to the appropriate host cell system. The viral core is assembled within the host cell and exits from the host cell, taking some of the host's membrane with it. Hence the membrane of the viral particle is derived directly from the host cell. The particle travels to an uninfected host cell, and due to the glycoprotein on its exterior binds to the new host cell and the life cycle repeats. Once the virus enters the cell, it is disassembled, releasing the two identical viral RNA molecules. These molecules are each composed of a sequence having specific functional regions making up the viruses "genomic structure".
The genome of any retrovirus is divided into three regions: the 5' terminus, the 3' terminus and a central region containing genes coding for proteins. The 5' terminus is further divided into four functional regions: the terminal redundancy (R), a unique sequence (U5), the primer binding site (PB- or PBS) and an untranslated sequence (L). The L region may contain a splice donor site for subgenomic mRNA. The 3' terminus is further divided into three functional regions: the primer-binding site for positive strand DNA synthesis (PB+ or PBS), a unique sequence (U3) and another copy of the terminal redundancy (R). The U5, U3 and R regions are sometimes collectively referred to as the Long Terminal Repeat (LTR) region. Components of the LTR region are involved in integration of the retroviral genome into the genome of its host. All retroviruses contain these highly conserved regions. These regions are further described by Weiss et al, supra, pp. 262-296.
The production of DNA from the infectious RNA occurs by a complex process called reverse transcription. The viral reverse transcriptase enzyme first complexes with a specific tRNA molecule supplied by the host cell. For example, in the case of the AIDS-related virus, it is lysine tRNA which complexes with the reverse transcriptase. The 3' end of the tRNA molecule remains free to hybridize with the primer binding site (PBS) of the retroviral genome. This is a sequence within the virus, which is complementary to the 5' end of the tRNA. Once the virus/enzyme/tRNA complex has been formed, the enzyme can make a new DNA molecule, using the RNA virus as a template, and using the tRNA as a "primer". As the process proceeds, the RNA of the resulting RNA/DNA complex is degraded, leaving single-stranded DNA. This process begins internally at the PBS site and proceeds to the 5' end of the RNA virus, where the process is stalled and regresses slightly, leaving a single-strand DNA "sticky end". At this point the enzyme/DNA complex has to "jump" to a new template at the 3 ' end of the virus. This jump, termed the first jump, is possible because the newly synthesized DNA is complementary to the other R region at the 3' end of the virus. After this jump, reverse transcription continues around to the point of the primer binding site.
After the "first jump" and while reverse transcription continues, second-strand DNA synthesis begins from the poly-purine site upstream of the U3 region. This DNA second-strand synthesis continues in the opposite direction from the first-strand DNA synthesis and proceeds through the primer binding site. The RNA primer molecule is consequently degraded, leaving a short residual region of second-strand DNA extending from the region of double-strand DNA. At this point the enzyme/DNA complex needs to make a "second jump" to a new template, this time jumping to the "sticky end" of the second strand DNA. This is possible because of complementation between the first and second strand DNA molecules in the region of the primer binding site. After hybridization of the complementary ends, reverse transcription can continue using the second-strand DNA as a template. This subsequently results in displacement of the first strand DNA, past the site of the first jump, up to the point where the second strand synthesis begins. Second-strand synthesis which was stalled at the PBS site prior to the second jump, can also continue after this jump, and proceeds to the 5' end of the first-strand DNA. The result of this process is a double-stranded DNA molecule with additional redundancies at both ends. Note that the DNA genomic structure differs from the RNA genomic structure in having a redundant U3 region added to the 5' end, and a redundant U5 region added to the 3' end. This occurs because the reverse translation process copies more than one full length of the RNA genome. Note also that this genomic structure now resembles a normal gene, with U3 being the promoter, with structural genes in the center, and a U5 tail.
The exact process of how the DNA virus inserts into host chromosomes is not known. It is known that the DNA virus first becomes a circle, and that this involves the short inverted repeat sequences at the ends of the virus. These inverted repeats may be involved in some form of DNA hybridization which brings the ends of the virus together, allowing circularization. Subsequently, insertion into the chromosome is generally assumed to be mediated by an enzyme which recognizes the splice site in the circle and directs insertion of a single copy of the virus into a random site within the host chromosome.
The transcription of viral DNA from the DNA pro-virus within a chromosome occurs in a manner similar to the transcription of any host gene. The U3 region functions as a polymerase II promoter and transcription begins at the beginning of the R region. The U3 promoter like eukaryotic promoters generally requires a transcriptional activator protein, which turns the promoter "on". Transcription proceeds through most of the pro-virus and is terminated at the end of the 3' R region. As a result, the transcript is a recreation of the smaller and infectious single-strand RNA genome. A poly-A tail is attached to the 3' end of this RNA and the 5' end is capped, making this molecule similar to normal host messenger RNA.
The RNA which is transcribed from DNA can be directly translated into protein, like any mRNA within the host. The GAG and Pol proteins are produced in this way and are subsequently cleaved into several smaller proteins involved in viral assembly and reproduction. In such a case, the 5' end of the RNA binds to a ribosome and protein translation beings at the first AUG codon initiation triplet of the coding sequence closest to the 5' end of the RNA molecule. Translation is terminated by one of the standard "stop" codons. Genes which are distant from the 5' end of the viral RNA cannot be directly translated because of the intervening genes, such as GAG. Such intervening genes can be removed by a splicing process which involves breaks at specific sites in the RNA molecule, and re-ligation of the appropriate pieces. In this case, the 5' end of the RNA molecule is unchanged, and binds to the ribosome as before, but now the first AUG codon where translation begins is not at the beginning of the GAG sequence, but at the beginning of some other coding sequence further downstream.
Some viral RNA is not translated into protein but rather is packaged into infectious viral particles. Such packaging involves the binding of certain viral proteins to specific sequences of the viral genome. For example, in the RSV viral system, it is part of the GAG sequence which is one of the parts of the genome which binds to and is recognized by such proteins and have been shown to be necessary for packaging of the RNA. The RNA which is packaged into viral particles does not appear to be reverse-transcription-competent until "maturation" of the particle, i.e., after it has existed away from the host cell.
All retroviruses, including HIV, once inserted into the host chromosome, must have their genes translated into viral proteins. If viral proteins are not abundant, the retrovirus cannot efficiently propagate to other cells and is not cytopathic to the infected host cell. Dayton et al, Cell, 44:941-947 (1986); Fisher al, Nature, 320: 367-371 (1986). Such proteins are not produced without the proper functioning of certain viral regulatory proteins. One of the key DNA/RNA-binding regulatory proteins for the retrovirus HIV is the TAT protein. Keegan et al, Science 231: 699-704 (1986). The TAT protein is essential to protein translation of HIV, and possibly also involved in RNA transcription. It is apparent that the TAT protein recognizes and binds to the nucleic acid sequence corresponding to the 5' end of the R region. A second activator gene ART has also been shown to be important in HIV translation. Sodroski et al, Nature, 321: 412-417 (1986). DNA/RNA binding of the previously described activator proteins is essential to HIV replication. Therefore, introducing genes into host cells, i.e., gene therapy for humans or germline transformation for animals, which will code for modified proteins of the retrovirus which compete or interfere with TAT or ART, will effectively block retrovirus replication.
Past research efforts have been predominantly confined to two traditional anti-retroviral approaches: immunological prevention and pharmacological therapy. Unfortunately, neither of these approaches appears to be very promising for control of retrovirus diseases. At best, an effective vaccination might reduce risk of infection in healthy individuals, but it would not be expected to cure an infected individual. Also, chemical repression of virus diseases has not generally been effective in eradicating any persistent virus, and certainly would not be expected to eradicate a retrovirus. Anti-viral chemicals tend to slow the progress of a virus and to bolster native defense mechanisms, but chemical treatments must be continuously applied and typically have undesirable side effects.
For these reasons, it is doubtful that any retroviral disease can be cured by the traditional anti-viral approaches. An alternative approach to inhibiting retrovirus replication is genetic inhibition by introducing nucleic acid constructs into host cells, i.e., gene therapy or germline transformation, which will confer cellular resistance by hybridization interference.
The inhibition or modulation of the various steps in the retroviral replication process by DNA or RNA which will hybridize and block viral sequences has been termed "hybridization interference". Green et al, ANN. REV. Biochem., 55:569-97 (1987), which is incorporated herein by reference. There are essential steps in retrovirus replication which require nucleic acid hybridization, Gilboa et al, Cell, 6: 93-100 (1979). If any of these replication steps are blocked by pre-binding of the essential sites in the retrovirus genome; or binding of proteins or other cellular constituents in the retrovirus genome, to molecules coded for by genetically engineered nucleic acid sequences in the host cell the retrovirus replication process can not proceed. Note, that "Hybridization Interference" has also been referred to as an "Anti-sense approach". Green et al, ANN. REV. Biochem., 55:569-97 (1987). However, an ambiguity exists in that "sense" and "anti-sense" only apply to sequences coding for proteins, and nucleic acid constructs are disclosed herein which target retrovirus sequences not coding for proteins. Consequently, as used throughout the specification and appended claims, "Hybridization Interference" or "Anti-sense RNA" should refer to the use of RNA or DNA to bind with nucleic acid, protein or other cellular constituents to inhibit retrovirus replication.
The effectiveness of the anti-sense RNA approach has been demonstrated in several model viral systems. It was demonstrated in the SP bacteriophage system that certain messenger-RNA-interfering complementary RNA (micRNA) can have very significant anti-viral effects, as seen by reduced plaque number and plaque size, Coleman et al, Nature, 315: 601-603 (1985).
In addition, it has been suggested that the replication and cell transformation of the Rous Sarcoma Virus (RSV) was inhibited by a specific synthetic tridecamer oligodeoxynucleotide, Zamecnik and Stephenson, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., 75: pp. 280-2BB (1978). The synthetic complementary tridecamer was introduced extracellularly into the cytoplasm of chick embryo fibroblast cells infected with RSV virus, thereby blocking RSV replication by hybridization competition. However the tridecamer was not incorporated into the host genome or any other genetic vehicle, such that neither the sequence, nor an equivalent coding sequence, would replicate in the cell. This is a chemotherapeutic approach to inhibiting virus replication, and not gene therapy.
Another publication has shown that synthetic exogenous oligodeoxynucleotides complementary to regions of the HIV genome inhibit virus replication and gene expression in cultured cells. Sequences of exogenous synthetic oligodeoxynucleotides 12, 20, and 26 nucleotides in length were tested on infected cells, Zamecnik et al, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., 83:4143-4146 (1986). Again, the oligodeoxynucleotides are exogenous and were not incorporated into the host genome or another vehicle which would provide for the replication or maintenance of the tridecamer.
Finally, the anti-sense RNA-mediated inhibition on the replication of avian retrovirus in cultured cells was suggested using natural gene sequences derived from the neomycin resistant gene of the bacterial transposable element Tn5, To et al, Molecular and Cellular Biology, vol. 6, No. 12, pp. 4758-4762 (1986).
In the field of human medicine, altering the genotype of the host has not been a desirable method of fighting infectious disease. However, it is now believed that gene therapy will be possible in the relative future, Anderson, Science, 226:401-409 (1984). As a result, application of the anti-sense RNA approach within the field of medicine may be possible. Presently available gene therapy techniques are only effective for the genetic modification of bone marrow and blood cells. Because of this limitation, the projected use of gene therapy has generally been assumed limited to the correction of rare hereditary gene defects where such defects center in bone marrow or blood cells. Despite these limitations there are certain pathogens of the blood for which conventional defenses appear inadequate, and where the use of anti-sense RNA inhibition might be feasible. Many of the cells that are infected by retroviruses are derived from hematopoetic stem cells. If these stem cells can be altered by the incorporation of genes or other nucleic acid sequences which will synthesize RNA molecules that are antagonistic to virus propagation, an efficient method to both effectively prevent and to treat these retroviral diseases will be apparent. Further, if the expression of the RNA inhibiting genes can be regulated in the desired cells, it has application to other genetic diseases.
It would therefore be desirable to provide methods and compositions for producing RNA which is complementary or corresponding to an essential retroviral hybridization site within the retrovirus genome selected from the group consisting of the LTR region, the U5 region, the U3 region, the R region, the PBS region, the AUG start codon regions, the polyP region, RNA splice sites, the leader region, the TAT splice site, the ART splice site and the cap site which would be effective to inhibit retroviral replication.
Another objective is to provide methods and compositions for expression in a host cell system of a synthetic double-strand DNA fragment coding for an RNA fragment complementary or corresponding to an essential retroviral hybridization site within the retrovirus genome selected from the group consisting of the LTR region, the U5 region the U3 region, the R region, the PBS region, the AUG start codon regions, the polyP region, RNA splice sites, the leader region, the TAT splice site, the ART splice site and the cap site, without adverse side effects to the host cell resulting from such gene expression.

Method of conferring resistance to retroviral infection


An interconnection includes a bundle of conductive members, each of the conductive members being made of carbon nanotube having an end connected to a first conductive film, and another end connected to a second conductive film separated from the first conductive film; and carbon particles each having a diamond crystal structure, dispersed between the conductive members.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an interconnection, an electric device and a method for manufacturing an electric device using a carbon nanotube.
2. Description of the Related Art
In semiconductor devices, such as large-scale integrated circuits (LSIs) and the like, higher integration and miniaturization have advanced year to year, as shown by Moor's law or a semiconductor road map. Along with the advancement of semiconductor devices, interconnections having fine dimension are also required for the semiconductor devices. The interconnection material, which started with aluminum (Al), has been replaced with copper (Cu) due to the demands for increased current density along with the miniaturization. Currently, the miniaturization is advancing due to various technical innovations based on the use of Cu for the interconnection.
However, in the 32 nm half-pitch (HP) technology node, a high current density that exceeds the limit of Cu material is required. For this reason, new materials and techniques for interconnections are required to replace the interconnections that use Cu. In response to the demand for replacing Cu in the interconnects, a candidate for an interconnection technique is to replace the Cu interconnection with an interconnection structure in which a bundle of carbon nanotubes are used.
A carbon nanotube has lower resistance and higher thermal conduction, as compared with the usual metal interconnection materials. Therefore, it has been reported that the carbon nanotubes have very high resistance characteristics to current density, on the order of about 1000 times higher than a low electrical resistance metals such as Cu and the like, per the same sectional area. It is also expected that performance deterioration caused by atomic-level migration may be substantially prevented due to the structural strength of the carbon nanotube. Hence, a high current density may be achieved by forming a bundle of carbon nanotubes and by using the bundle of carbon nanotubes as the interconnection.
On the other hand, it is difficult to grow the bundle of carbon nanotubes having the high density and fine dimension that is demanded for the 32 nm HP technology node. For this reason, with a balance between dispersion and size control of a catalyst metal used for growth of the carbon nanotube, the bundle of carbon nanotubes is grown with a lower density than that of the closest packed structure. The structure of the bundle of low-density carbon nanotubes may possibly decrease the mechanical strength when used as a plug between wiring layers. Also, the interconnection resistance may be increased.
An interconnection structure has been proposed in which a mixture of metal and carbon nanotube is used as the interconnection material (refer to WO2004/051726 pamphlet). The proposed interconnection structure decreases interconnection resistance and to suppress migration of the metal. However, it is difficult to perfectly suppress the migration of the metal included in the interconnection structure. That is, as miniaturization increases the current density, it is impossible to ignore the deterioration in performance of the interconnection structure caused by the migration of the metal.
Moreover, an interconnection structure in which the structure body which has entirely metallic characteristics, such as fullerene enclosed metal, is arranged between the carbon nanotubes (refer to JP-A 2002-329723 (KOKAI)). The fullerene has a three-dimensional structure with lower thermal conduction than the carbon nanotube. For this reason, partial disconnection of the interconnection structure may easily occur due to local temperature increase so as to increase of interconnection resistance.

Interconnection, electronic device and method for manufacturing an electronic device


A method comprises loading a tooling module onto a module carrier unit, inserting the module carrier unit into a molding press so that the carrier unit rests on a supporting member of an injection molding press, and closing the molding press until the tooling module is mated to an ejection side of a mold base.

In most prior art injection molding systems, the entire base mold (also referred to as a "base mold") must be removed from the mold press to replace cavities and other components housed therein. Removing base molds is labor intensive and can shut down a mold press for extended amounts of time. Another problem with these systems is that modules and cavities are bolted together. Replacing or servicing modules and cavities is, therefore, both time consuming and tedious.
There are several types of quick change tooling on the market that attempt to address the aforementioned problems. They generally employ a housing/insert philosophy which minimizes the tooling footprint. While this methodology functions for molding components with "open and shut" geometry it does not allow for more sophisticated geometries such as threads. These approaches also do not facilitate rapid and accurate change over as the inserts do not have a carrier which is used to position the insert for installation and removal. Removal of modules is, therefore, difficult and time consuming.

Method for employing quick change injection molding tooling


A thermal isolation device for a gas turbine combustor assembly includes a plurality of substantially flat plates secured in spaced relationship by a plurality of columns, at least one column incorporating a bolt hole for use in securing the device between a pair of combustor components.

This invention relates to land based gas turbines used for power generation and, specifically, to a device that protects liquid fuel from convective, conductive and radiation heat transfer loads.
It has been found that heat loading into the fuel components of the gas turbine engine are sufficient to form coke within the components, resulting in loss of turbine performance. The inventors are aware of no prior attempts to solve this problem.

Thermal isolation device for liquid fuel components