In a network of computers, typically based on TCP/IP protocol, a method and apparatus which dynamically creates a visual group--a channel--of links to Referring URLs within the Destination URL appearing in the operator's screen of the operator's display

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to computer systems, particularly to such systems designed and programmed to operate on a network.
2. Description
The internet and other networks based on TCP/IP protocols permit computer operators linked to a network where the computers use programs known as "browsers" to navigate among separate and distinct World Wide Web (WWW) pages hosted by other computers, each WWW page having a distinct Uniform Resource Locator (URL) and communicating via the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) and other protocols. These computer operators can instruct their browsers to move among these WWW pages ("navigate") by hand typing a URL into the browser's command line or by selecting an image or text which then directs the user's computer to the WWW page associated with that text or image.
Having navigated from one WWW page (the "Referring Page") to another WWW page (the "Destination Page"), the computer operator may then return to the Referring Page by using the favorites or history lists, or back button, provided by the browser program. These are commonly used methods for the operator to navigate among WWW pages on the internet or other network. Some WWW pages on the internet have joined in cooperative "rings" to assist the operator's navigation while encouraging the operator to visit only those WWW pages within the ring. Links between these WWW pages are hard-coded; these WWW pages do not dynamically pass information to other WWW pages in the ring based upon the operator's prior navigation. The operator is locked into the ring, prevented from flexible navigation based on the user's prior navigation preferences. Information specific to the Referring Page does not dynamically appear on the screen together with the Destination Page after the operator has navigated to the Destination Page.
Some WWW sites on the internet show ways in which a site may be customized for incoming visitors, but do not provide for dynamic links back to referring pages. For example, the http://www.broadvision.com and http://www.1to1marketing.com sites and others describe methods for presenting information based on an individual user's preferences. However, neither these sites nor any other site currently describe a method for drawing information from or about the Referring Page's URL into the Destination Page for display on the operator's screen as the operator's browser loads the Destination Page.
While U.S. Pat. No. 5,448,738 to Good, et al. (1995) discloses a method for transferring information between computers, it does not describe a method for identifying the Referring URL and then using this information to provide further information to the operator even after the operator has navigated to the Destination Page. U.S. Pat. No. 5,574,837 to Clark et al. (1996) describes passing code segments between computers, but does not describe pulling information from a Referring URL into the information of a Destination Page then sent to the operator's computer and computer monitor.
No method has been described, then, which provides a dynamic, visual representation of Referring URLs within the main screen of the operator's browser (i.e., not contained within the lists or back button described above) as the operator views the Destination Page on her screen.
The present invention provides an apparatus and method to provide this dynamic, visual representation of the Referring Page as the operator views the Destination URL on the computer screen. Two examples of the present invention are illustrative:
In the first example, as the operator navigates from the Referring Page to the the Destination Page the present invention directs the operator's browser to a program which, prior to showing the Destination Page on the operator's screen, incorporates information about the Referring Page within the screen that will display the Destination Page to the operator, thereby continuing to present information about the Referring Page within the operator's field of view.
In the second example, HTTP headers automatically passed by the Referring Page to the Destination Page are used by the present invention to dynamically display the Referring Page's information on the Destination Page. These headers contain information about the operator including, for example, the operator's browser type (through HTTP.sub.-- USER.sub.-- AGENT) and the operator's originating URL (through HTTP.sub.-- REFERER). While mainly designed to coordinate the flow of information between sites, these headers are also used to log information about incoming operators to the Destination Page; for example, to identify the incoming operators' browsers in order to prepare the Destination Page for viewing by that type of brower through USER.sub.-- AGENT or to receive query information being passed by a header through QUERY.sub.-- STRING. The query strings may specify operator information which can then be manipulated by the Destination Page. HTTP headers, then, have been used hitherto to collect information and to prepare the Destination Page for the operator. No method has been described, however, which uses these headers to identify the incoming operator for the purpose of then retrieving further information from the Referring URL in order to incorporate Referring Page information within the Destination Page's information passed back to the operator's browser. Hitherto, navigating between internet sites has not allowed for dynamic navigation between a Referring Page and a Destination Page.
While prior art does show cooperation among sites as well as computers manipulating HTTP headers, nevertheless prior art heretofore suffers from a number of disadvantages:
(a) The Referring Page is lost in the operator's field of view as the operator navigates to the Destination Page. PA1 (b) The operator does not see a dynamic list of visited sites on operator's screen. PA1 (c) In effect, then, the Referring Page is penalized for have links out to other sites, since the operator does not receive any encouragement to return other than through the operator's own memory of the Referring Page or through an active search of the history or favorites list. PA1 (d) The operator cannot customize a series of Referring Pages--a channel--which has been dynamically created based on the operator's actual navigation patterns. PA1 (e) Commercial sites are discouraged from allowing operators to browse, since the probability of the operator returning to the Referring Page are diminished if the Referring Page is out of the operator's field of view. PA1 (a) to provide a method and apparatus which allows visual or other detailed information from a Referring Page to appear on the operator's screen even after the operator has navigated to a Destination Page. PA1 (b) to provide a method and apparatus which allows a group of cooperating sites to pass dynamically generated information to the operator based on the Referring Page the operator has visited but left. PA1 (c) to provide a method and apparatus for a very large group of cooperating sites to advertise at each other's sites by dynamically permitting the Referring Page and Referring Pages prior to the present Referring Page to appear on the operator's screen. PA1 (d) to provide a method and apparatus for creating a virtual channel; that is, a dynamically created group of sites cooperating by virtue of the operator's preferences.

Apparatus and method for creating a virtual channel on a network of computers


A method and apparatus is provided to prevent axial twisting, vibration, and bounce of individual components comprising a stack of operational surface components for a well which may occur during the transportation, hoisting, or use of the stack. A transport and support frame is provided which comprises a plurality of substantially vertical members, a plurality of substantially horizontal members interconnecting the vertical members, and a support structure to secure the stack within the frame.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a stack of operational surface components for use with an oil or gas well. More particularly, the present invention relates to a transport and support frame for a blow-out preventer stack.
2. Background of the Related Art
A manifold having a series of valves and piping is typically used to contain the pressure of a reservoir, shut in a well, or control a production flow rate of a well. Commonly known manifolds include sub-sea wellheads, Christmas trees, and blow-out preventer (BOP) stacks. A BOP stack, in particular, comprises one or more BOPs to maintain oil, gas, mud, or other fluids within a well. BOPs are used to prevent unwanted or accidental exposure of pressurized fluids or gases during the drilling or workover of a well. In a well workover, for example, BOPs allow the well operator to insert and remove tubing or drill pipe within a wellbore while maintaining pressure in and around the tubulars.
BOPs are pressure containment and safety devices specifically designed to arrest the flow of a fluid or gas through a tubular or to seal an annular space between two coaxially arranged tubulars. There are numerous types of BOPs commercially available such as annular and blind types, for example. Annular type BOPs close off and seal annular spaces between coaxially arranged tubulars. Blind or xe2x80x9cshearxe2x80x9d type BOPs completely close off a well bore by crushing and/or shearing tubulars.
BOPs are typically vertically xe2x80x9cstackedxe2x80x9d to provide an effective and safe shut-off or isolation of any number of tubulars or annular areas within a wellbore. At least two BOPs are required to selectively seal an area around a tubular while permitting the passage of tools or connection joints into the well. Often times, a BOP stack consists of at least one blind ram, and at least one safety ram. The number of blind and safety rams are dependent on the working pressure of the wellbore. During a live well workover of the wellbore, a BOP stack will usually consist of at least two stripping rams in addition to the blind and safety rams. As a result, a BOP stack is often tall in relation to the other well surface equipment which makes the assembly, transportation, and servicing of the stack difficult for the well service company or operator.
A BOP stack may be pre-assembled and then transported to a wellsite. However, the assembled stack is rigid and brittle due to its height, making the stack susceptible to becoming loose or breaking at one or more interfaces between the individual BOPs. Most often, the BOP stack is jolted and bounced during transportation to a job site so that the connected flanges loose a fluid tight seal. Consequently, the BOP stack must then be re-tightened, re-inspected, and re-tested once installed at the job site.
Alternatively, the individual components of a BOP stack may be transported to and assembled at the wellsite. However, the assembly and disassembly of the individual components at the wellsite requires extensive man power and costly time because the size and shape of the stack severely restricts personnel access. Scaffolding is therefore separately assembled and disassembled to facilitate the assembly and disassembly of the stack.
Moreover, access to the individual components comprising the stack creates a problem once the stack assembly is completed or the pre-assembled stack is installed. A BOP stack requires frequent manipulation of its components throughout its use for which, service personnel need some type of scaffolding or other access to the stack. Proper access is required for safety considerations and also to prevent any damage to the stack itself which may result from climbing on the stack.
Therefore, there is a need for a method and apparatus for safely and easily transporting a pre-assembled BOP stack to a job site. There is a further need for a protective assembly around a completed BOP stack to facilitate the transportation of the stack to a wellsite. There is still a further need for an apparatus to protect an assembled BOP stack during transportation to a wellsite and to facilitate the use and maintenance of the BOP stack at the wellsite.
A method and apparatus is provided to permit safe assembly, transportation, and use of a stack of operational surface components. In one aspect, a transport and support frame is provided which is constructed and arranged to be disposed about the stack to prevent axial twisting, vibration, and bouncing of the individual components comprising the stack which may occur during the transportation, hoisting, or use of the stack. The transport and support frame holds the stack firmly, thereby reducing damage and eliminating valuable time and manpower to re-tighten and re-align the individual components of the stack.
In another aspect, the transport and support frame comprises a plurality of vertical members each having an upper end and a lower end, a plurality of upper horizontal members interconnecting the upper ends of the vertical members, a plurality of horizontal members interconnecting the lower ends of the vertical members, and a support structure to secure the stack within the frame. At least one bar is disposed through a plurality of apertures formed within at least one interior attachment member of the stack. The support structure comprises a plurality of horizontal members each having a first end and a second end wherein the first end is secured to the vertical members of the frame and the second end is secured to the bars. The support structure also comprises a plurality of diagonal members each having a first end and a second end wherein the first end is secured to the vertical members and the second end is secured to the bars or horizontal members.
A method of attaching a stack of operational surface components to a transport and support frame is also provided. The method comprises disposing an attachment member having a plurality of apertures formed in an outer surface thereof within the stack, inserting at least one bar within each apertures, and securing the bar to a support structure comprising: a plurality of vertical members each having an upper end and a lower end; a plurality of upper horizontal members interconnecting the upper ends of the vertical members; a plurality of lower horizontal members interconnecting the lower ends of the vertical members; a plurality of diagonal support members extending from the vertical members toward an interior of the frame; and a plurality of horizontal support members extending from the vertical members toward the interior of the frame.
In another aspect, an attachment member is provided that may be disposed on a riser, thereby providing a means for tensioning the riser from an offshore platform above.

Transport and support frame for a bop assembly


An electronic anti-shoplifting system monitors articles of merchandise in a sales outlet to deter shoplifting. The system is provided with transponder tags connected to the articles of merchandise. A tag exciter is positioned at an exit leading from the sales outlet and generates an RF surveillance excitation signal. If a customer carries an article through the exit without removal authorization due to failure to pay for the article, the transponder tag is activated, being powered by the RF surveillance excitation signal as the customer passes the tag exciter. The activated transponder tag generates an RF surveillance response signal that triggers an alarm. If the customer has removal authorization as the result of paying for the article, the transponder tag is reprogrammed to modify the operational data stored therein. The operational data typically includes data to alter the frequency of an RF response signal generated by the transponder tag, the frequency of an RF excitation signal to which the transponder tag responds, and/or the type of modulation used by the transponder tag to generate an RF response signal. Sales data, such as the purchase price and date of purchase, is also stored in the transponder tag. When the customer exits the sales outlet after the transponder tag is reprogrammed, the transponder tag does not generate the RF surveillance response signal that triggers the alarm. However, the sales data stored in the transponder tag can be accessed by the clerk of the sales outlet at a later date.

Shoplifting in sales outlets, and particularly in retail sales outlets, is a significant problem adversely affecting both sellers and consumers. It is estimated that retail sellers lose between $10 and $12 billion worth of merchandise annually due to shoplifting and spend an additional $7 to $10 billion on anti-shoplifting measures, including security devices and personnel to prevent shoplifting. To offset the costs of shoplifting, retail sellers pass these costs on to consumers in the form of higher prices on merchandise. It is estimated that each household in the United States pays retail sellers approximately $200 per year in increased retail prices for merchandise due to the costs of shoplifting.
To deter shoplifting, some sales outlets employ electronic article surveillance (EAS) systems that include transponder tags attached to each article of merchandise in the sales outlet. EAS systems further include one or more electronic readers positioned at exits from the sales outlet to detect the transponder tags. When a customer purchases an article, the transponder tag is disabled or removed from the article and the customer passes by the reader and out the exit of the sales outlet without sounding an alarm. When a shoplifter attempts to remove an article from the sales outlet without paying, the reader detects the transponder tag that has not been disabled or removed from the article and sounds the alarm. Sales or security personnel in the sales outlet are alerted by the alarm, enabling them to apprehend the shoplifter and recover the merchandise.
Although EAS systems are effective in reducing losses incurred by sales outlets due to theft of merchandise without payment, retail sales outlets employing EAS systems remain susceptible to other forms of shoplifting. Many retail sellers allow customers to freely return merchandise purchased from the sales outlet, even in the absence of proof of purchase, if the article being returned is carried by the sales outlet. Some customers, however, purchase merchandise at reduced sale prices from a retail sales outlet and return the merchandise to the same sales outlet for exchange or refund, claiming to have paid full price for the merchandise. If the seller refunds the full price, the seller loses the amount in excess of the purchase price in addition to the cost of processing the returned merchandise. Other retail sellers provide price guarantees having time limits. If a customer purchases an article of merchandise from a seller and subsequently discovers that the article is sold elsewhere at a lower price or that the original seller has dropped the price of the article after the customer's purchase date, but before the expiration of the price guarantee time limit, the customer is entitled to a refund from the seller of an amount at least equal to the difference between the purchase price and the lower price. Some customers, however, attempt to recover a refund under the price guarantee after expiration of the time limit. Still other customers remove merchandise from one sales outlet without paying for the merchandise and attempt to return the merchandise to another sales outlet that sells the same merchandise for a cash refund.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to generally improve electronic anti-shoplifting systems. It is another object of the present invention to provide an electronic anti-shoplifting system that deters shoplifting and deters customers from returning sale-priced merchandise for full price. It is another object of the present invention to provide an electronic anti-shoplifting system that deters shoplifting and deters customers from returning merchandise after a time-limited price guarantee expires. It is another object of the present invention to provide an electronic anti-shoplifting system that deters customers from stealing merchandise from one sales outlet and returning the merchandise for a cash refund to another sales outlet that sells the same merchandise. It is still another object of the present invention to provide an electronic anti-shoplifting electronic system that is small in size and relatively inexpensive to manufacture. These objects and others are achieved by the present invention described hereafter.

Electronic anti-shoplifting system employing an RFID tag


Included within the scope of the present invention are potent taxanes and taxanes containing a linking group. Also included is a cytotoxic agent comprising one or more taxanes linked to a cell binding agent. A therapeutic composition for inducing cell death in selected cell populations comprising: (A) a cytotoxic amount of one or more taxanes covalently bonded to a cell binding agent through a link, and (B) a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, diluent or excipient is also included. A method for inducing cell death in selected cell populations comprising contacting target cells or tissue containing target cells with an effective amount of a cytotoxic agent comprising one or more taxanes linked to a cell binding agent is included as well.

The specificity of cytotoxic agents can be greatly improved by targeted delivery through linkage of the cytotoxic agents to cell-binding agents.
Many reports have appeared on the attempted specific targeting of tumor cells with monoclonal antibody-drug conjugates (Sela et al, in Immunoconjugates 189-216 (C. Vogel, ed. 1987); Ghose et al, in Targeted Drugs 1-22 (E. Goldberg, ed. 1983); Diener et al, in Antibody mediated delivery systems 1-23 (J. Rodwell, ed. 1988); Pietersz et al, in Antibody mediated delivery systems 25-53 (J. Rodwell, ed. 1988); Bumol et al, in Antibody mediated delivery systems 55-79 (J. Rodwell, ed. 1988)). All references and patents cited herein are incorporated by reference.
Cytotoxic drugs such as methotrexate, daunorubicin, doxorubicin, vincristine, vinblastine, melphalan, mitomycin C, and chlorambucil have been conjugated to a variety of murine monoclonal antibodies. In some cases, the drug molecules were linked to the antibody molecules through an intermediary carrier molecule such as serum albumin (Garnett et al, Cancer Res. 46: -2412 (1986); Ohkawa et al, Cancer Immunol. Immunother. 23: 86 (1986); Endo et al, Cancer Res. 47: 1076-1080 (1980)), dextran (Hurwitz et al, Appl. Biochem. 2: 25-35 (1980); Manabi et al, Biochem. Pharmacol. 34: 289-291 (1985); Dillman et al, Cancer Res. 46: 4886-4891 (1986); Shoval et al, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 85: 8276-8280 (1988)), or polyglutamic acid (Tsukada et al, J. Natl. Canc. Inst. 73: 721-729 (1984); Kato et al, J. Med. Chem. 27: 1602-1607 (1984); Tsukada et al, Br. J. Cancer 52: 111-116 (1985)).
A wide array of linker technologies has been employed for the preparation of such immunoconjugates and both cleavable and non-cleavable linkers have been investigated. In most cases, the full cytotoxic potential of the drugs could only be observed, however, if the drug molecules could be released from the conjugates in unmodified form at the target site.
One of the cleavable linkers that has been employed for the preparation of antibody-drug conjugates is an acid-labile linker based on cis-aconitic acid that takes advantage of the acidic environment of different intracellular compartments such as the endosomes encountered during receptor mediated endocytosis and the lysosomes. Shen and Ryser introduced this method for the preparation of conjugates of daunorubicin with macromolecular carriers (Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 102: 1048-1054 (1981)). Yang and Reisfeld used the same technique to conjugate daunorubicin to an anti-melanoma antibody (J. Natl. Canc. Inst. 80: 1154-1159 (1988)). Dillman et al. also used an acid-labile linker in a similar fashion to prepare conjugates of daunorubicin with an anti-T cell antibody (Cancer Res. 48: 6097-6102 (1988)).
An alternative approach, explored by Trouet et al, involved linking daunorubicin to an antibody via a peptide spacer arm (Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 79: 626-629 (1982)). This was done under the premise that free drug could be released from such a conjugate by the action of lysosomal peptidases. In vitro cytotoxicity tests, however, have revealed that antibody-drug conjugates rarely achieved the same cytotoxic potency as the free unconjugated drugs. This suggested that mechanisms by which drug molecules are released from the antibodies are very inefficient.
In the area of immunotoxins, conjugates formed via disulfide bridges between monoclonal antibodies and catalytically active protein toxins were shown to be more cytotoxic than conjugates containing other linkers. See, Lambert et al, J. Biol. Chem. 260: 12035-12041 (1985); Lambert et al, in Immunotoxins 175-209 (A. Frankel, ed. 1988); Ghetie et al, Cancer Res. 48: 2610-2617 (1988). This was attributed to the high intracellular concentration of glutathione contributing to the efficient cleavage of the disulfide bond between an antibody molecule and a toxin. Despite this, there are only a few reported examples of the use of disulfide bridges for the preparation of conjugates between drugs and macromolecules. (Shen et al, J. Biol. Chem. 260: 10905-10908 (1985)) described the conversion of methotrexate into a mercaptoethylamide derivative followed by conjugation with poly-D-lysine via a disulfide bond. Another report described the preparation of a conjugate of the trisulfide containing toxic drug calicheamycin with an antibody (Hinman et al, Cancer Res. 53: 3336-3342 (1993)).
One reason for the lack of disulfide linked antibody-drug conjugates is the unavailability of cytotoxic drugs possessing a sulfur atom containing moiety that can be used readily to link the drug to an antibody via a disulfide bridge. Furthermore, chemical modification of existing drugs is difficult without diminishing their cytotoxic potential.
Another major drawback with existing antibody-drug conjugates is their inability to deliver a sufficient concentration of drug to the target site because of the limited number of targeted antigens and the relatively moderate cytotoxicity of cancerostatic drugs like methotrexate, daunorubicin, and vincristine. In order to achieve significant cytotoxicity, linkage of a large number of drug molecules, either directly to the antibody or through a polymeric carrier molecule, becomes necessary. However, such heavily modified antibodies often display impaired binding to the target antigen and fast in vivo clearance from the blood stream.
In spite of the above-described difficulties, useful cytotoxic agents comprising cell-binding moieties and the group of cytotoxic drugs known as maytansinoids have been reported (U.S. Pat. No. 5,208,020, U.S. Pat. No. 5,416,064, and R. V. J. Chari, Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews 31: 89-104 (1998)). Similarly, useful cytotoxic agents comprising cell-binding moieties and analogues and derivatives of the potent antitumor antibiotic CC-1065 have also been reported (U.S. Pat. No. 5,475,092 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,585,499).
It has also been shown that the linkage of highly cytotoxic drugs to antibodies using a cleavable link, such as a disulfide bond, ensures the release of fully active drug inside cells, and such conjugates are cytotoxic in an antigen specific manner (R. V. J. Chari et al, Cancer Res. 52: 127-131 (1992); U.S. Pat. No. 5,475,092; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,416,064).
Taxanes are a family of compounds that includes paclitaxel (Taxol), a cytotoxic natural product, and docetaxel (Taxotere), a semi-synthetic derivative (see FIGS. 1 and 4), two compounds that are widely used in the treatment of cancer, E. Baloglu and D. G. I. Kingston, J. Nat. Prod. 62: 1448-1472 (1999). Taxanes are mitotic spindle poisons that inhibit the depolymerization of tubulin, resulting in cell death. While docetaxel and paclitaxel are useful agents in the treatment of cancer, their antitumor activity is limited because of their non-specific toxicity towards normal cells. Further, compounds like paclitaxel and docetaxel themselves are not sufficiently potent to be used in conjugates of cell-binding agents.
Recently, a few new docetaxel analogs with greater potency than either docetaxel or paclitaxel have been described (I. Ojima et al, J. Med. Chem., 39: 3889-3896 (1996)). However, these compounds lack a suitable functionality that allows linkage via a cleavable bond to cell-binding agents (FIG. 1).
The synthesis of novel taxanes that retain high cytotoxicity and that can be effectively linked to cell-binding agents has been described recently (U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,340,701, 6,372,738 and 6,436,931, and FIGS. 2 and 4). In these disclosures, taxanes were modified with chemical moieties, ones containing thiol or disulfide groups in particular, to which appropriate cell-binding agents could be linked. As a result, these novel taxanes preserved, and in some cases even enhanced, the cytotoxic potency of known taxanes.
In the taxanes described in the aforementioned patents, the linking group was introduced at the C-10, C-7 or the C-2′ position of the taxane.
In the cases where the linking group was at C-7, the C-10 position did not have a free hydroxyl substituent but was rather an ester, ether or carbamate substituent. It has been previously shown (I. Ojima et al, J. Med Chem., 39: 3889-3896 (1996)) that the presence of an ester or carbamate substituent at C-10 produced taxoids of high potency. However, there have been no studies on the potency of taxanes bearing a free hydroxyl group at C-10 and a linking group at C-7.
As described herein, the potency of taxanes bearing a free hydroxyl group at C-10 and a linking group at C-7 was found to meet or exceed the potency of taxanes bearing an ester, ether or carbamate substituent at C-10 and a linking group at C-7. Thus, in a first aspect, the present invention provides these novel taxanes bearing a free hydroxyl group at C-10 and a linking group at C-7 and having potent cytotoxic activity.
Further, in the taxanes described in the aforementioned patents, the linking group was introduced at the C-10, C-7 or the C-2′ position of the taxane. In all taxanes, the substituents at C-3′N and C-3′, were named —NHCOR4 and R3, respectively. Furthermore, the substituent at C-3′N, —NHCOR4, was either a benzamido group (R4=phenyl), like in paclitaxel, or a tert-butyloxycarbonylamino moiety (—NH-t-BOC, R4=t-butoxy), like in docetaxel. Based on published data, it was assumed that altering these substituents would cause a loss in potency. The substituent at C-3′ (R3) was either aryl or a linear, branched or cyclic alkyl group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms. Since, based on published data, it was thought that the substituents at C-3′N and C-3′ could not be altered without a loss in drug activity, the linking group was always introduced at a different position of the taxane, namely at C-7, C-10 or C-2′. Also, the inability to change the substituents at C-3′ or C-3′N greatly limited the variety of disulfide-containing taxanes that could be synthesized.
In a second aspect, the present invention is also based on the unexpected finding that the substituents at both C-3′ and C-3′N do not have to be limited to that present in the known taxanes. As described herein, the potency of taxanes bearing a variety of different substituents at C-3′N meets or exceeds the potency of taxanes bearing a benzamido or —NH-t-BOC substituent at this position. The new substituent at C-3′ or C-3′N can also contain a linking group that allows for linkage to cell-binding agents. The present invention discloses these novel highly potent taxanes bearing a variety of different substituents at C-3′ and C-3′N. The linking group can now be incorporated at any one of the five positions: C-3′, C-3′N, C-10, C-7 or C-2′.

Cytotoxic agents containing novel potent taxanes and their therapeutic use


A cable modem termination system (CMTS) provides for ordered switchover of the cable modems it serves when a primary module of the CMTS fails. When the primary module in the CMTS fails, a backup module takes over service of the cable modems. The backup module restores the service flows of the cable modems based on a restoration order determined by session recovery priorities that are related to quality of service levels required by the service flows. In particular, service flows that are engaged in VoIP “911” calls are restored first. Service flows engaged in other VoIP calls are next restored. Lastly, service flows engaged in regular data sessions are restored.

A. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to network data transmission, and more particularly, to data transmission through cable modem systems.
B. Description of Related Art
Cable modems allow end-users to connect to networks, such as the Internet, through cable TV lines. In a manner similar to traditional telephone modems, cable modems modulate between digital signals from an attached computing device to analog signals that are transmitted over the cable lines. Unlike traditional telephone dial-up modems, however, cable modems may provide significantly greater throughput.
Cable modems are generally installed locally to the end-user, and communicate with a cable modem termination system (CMTS) at a local cable TV company office. Multiple cable modems may share a single communication channel with the CMTS. The cable modems can receive signals from and send signals to the CMTS, but not to other cable modems on the channel.
In addition to providing traditional network data to users, cable modems may provide telephony services to users. VoIP (voice over IP—that is, voice delivered using the Internet Protocol) is a term used in IP telephony for a set of facilities for managing the delivery of voice information using the Internet Protocol. In general, VoIP refers to the sending of voice information in digital form in discrete packets rather than using the traditional circuit-committed protocols of the public switched telephone network (PSTN). Through a cable modem, a cable company may provide VoIP services, in addition to traditional network data, to its end-users.
One issue that arises in VoIP is quality of service (QoS). When a user places a telephone call, the user expects that the connection will remain active and contain sufficient bandwidth throughout the telephone call. In other words, it is generally unacceptable for a telephone call to fade in and out during the course of the call. In contrast, users receiving traditional network data through a cable modem may not notice short data interruptions.
Occasionally, a module in the CMTS that communicates with a number of cable modems may fail. The CMTS may handle the failure by bringing a backup module on-line. The backup module takes over the data flows that the original module was handling. Ideally, the rollover to the backup module should occur without affecting communication sessions with the cable modems. In reality, however, some disruption in service will occur.
There is a need in the art to minimize communication session disruptions to cable modem end-users when bringing backup modules in the CMTS on-line. This is particularly true when VoIP services are involved.


The present invention relates to terpene derivative compounds and rosins and sizing compositions comprising such compounds. Compounds of Formula (I) are disclosed in addition to rosins and sizing compositions comprising compounds of Formula (I). Fiber glass strands comprising a plurality of glass fibers at least partially coated with sizing compositions comprising compounds of Formula (I) are also disclosed.

Diterpenoids are a class of compounds found in wood extractives of many tree species and can be generally grouped into two subclasses comprising abietanes and pimeranes. Abietane-type acids have an isopropyl chain at the C-13 position while primerane-type acids have methyl and vinyl substituents at this position. Wood extractives comprising abietane and primerane acids can comprise natural rosins.
Several different types of natural rosins exist, including wood rosins, gum rosins, and tall oil rosins. Wood, gum, and tall oil rosins, however, are produced by various processes. Wood rosins, for example, are produced via a multistage purification and refining process involving solvent extraction of pine wood chips followed by solvent-solvent refining of the crude rosin extract. Gum rosins, nevertheless, are generally produced by a single stage flash distillation process wherein the terpene (turpentine) fraction is volatilized leaving the rosin as a bottoms product. Tall oil rosins are the by-products of the fractionation of tall oil.
Although produced by varying processes, these natural rosins have similar components. Wood rosins and gum rosins, for example, comprise similar abietane and pimarane contents. Gas chromatographic analysis reveals that wood and gum rosins comprise various percentages of diterpenoid acids, such as pimaric acid, isopimaric acid, palustric acid, abietic acid, dehydroabietic acid, and neoabietic acid, in addition to other contents.
Natural rosins comprising wood rosins, gum rosins, and tall oil rosins are useful in a variety of applications. Natural rosins, for example, are used in binders for inks, tackifying resins, and pressure sensitive adhesives.
In some circumstances, natural rosins can be modified to demonstrate various physical and chemical properties. Modification of natural rosins can be accomplished through chemical modification of rosin components. Diterpenoid acid components of wood and gum rosins as delineated above, for example, can be chemically modified to produce chemically modified rosins. As used herein, a chemically modified rosin is defined as a rosin in which one or more components of the rosin has been chemically reacted. Chemically modified rosins are useful in a number of applications including paper production processes and sizings for natural and synthetic fibers. One area in which chemically modified rosins and natural rosins find application is in the treatment of glass fibers.
Various chemical treatments exist for glass-type surfaces such as glass fibers to facilitate their processability as well as their interaction with other substances or media. In glass fiber applications, a coating composition or sizing composition is applied to at least a portion of individual glass filaments to protect the filaments from abrasion and to assist in processing of the filaments. As used herein, the terms "sizing composition," "sizing," "binder composition," "binder," or "size" refer to a coating composition applied to glass filaments or glass fibers. Sizing compositions may provide protection through subsequent processing steps, such as those where the fibers pass by contact points in the winding of the fibers and strands onto a forming package, drying the aqueous-based or solvent based sizing composition to remove the water or solvent, twisting from one package to a bobbin, chopping in a wet or dry condition, roving into larger bundles or groups of strands, unwinding for use as a reinforcement, and other downstream processes.
In addition, sizing compositions can play a dual role when placed on fibers that reinforce polymeric matrices in the production of fiber-reinforced plastics. In such applications, the sizing composition provides protection and also can provide compatibility between the fiber and the matrix polymer or resin. Glass fibers, for example, in the forms of woven and nonwoven fabrics and mats and rovings have been used with various matrices, such as thermosetting and thermoplastic resins, as reinforcing components. In such applications, it can be desirable to produce favorable interfacial interactions between the glass fiber and the polymer matrix while also facilitating processing and manufacturing considerations.
Sizing compositions can contain a variety of chemical species wherein each of the individual chemical species performs one or more functions. A sizing composition, for example, may comprise film forming agents that facilitate spreading of the sizing composition across the glass surface to ensure homogenous coating. Sizing compositions can also comprise coupling agents which promote favorable interaction of a glass surface with various matrices. In addition to film forming and coupling agents, sizing compositions can comprise various ionic or non-ionic lubricants, biocides, antistatic agents, antifoaming agents, and/or wetting agents.
Diterpenoid compounds and natural and chemically modified rosins comprising such compounds can provide a number of desirable characteristics when coated on a glass fiber. Disadvantages under some circumstances currently exist, however, with some diterpenoid compounds and related rosins comprising these compounds. Diterpenoid derivatives and related rosins, for example, can be expensive and difficult to manufacture.
It would be desirable to provide other terpenoid compounds and derivatives and rosins comprising such compounds and derivatives. It would additionally be desirable to provide sizing compositions comprising such terpenoid compounds and derivatives.

Compounds, rosins, and sizing compositions


A memory device includes a delay circuit and a delay selection unit. The delay circuit delays a pulse signal to generate a delayed pulse signal. The pulse signal is used to generate a write enable signal and a read enable signal. The delay selection unit selects one of the delayed pulse signal output from the delay circuit in a test mode and the pulse signal in a normal mode.

The present invention relates to a semiconductor memory device; and, more particularly, to a device for improving a speed margin at an operating voltage of the memory device.
In general, a memory device carries out a burn-in test by applying a power supply voltage higher than an operating power supply voltage in order to perform a stress test. At this time, the operations such as read, write and so on are done by applying a power supply voltage higher than an operating power supply voltage, and will be described below.
FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram for explaining read/write operations in a conventional memory device.
As shown in the drawing, a write enable signal bwen is generated by combining a pulse signal byprep and a discrimination signal wt_rdb by a NAND gate NA11 and an inverter I11. And, a read enable signal isotb is produced by combining the pulse signal byprep and an inverted signal of the discrimination signal wt_rdb done by an inverter I12 by a NAND gate NA12 and an inverter I13. That is, the write enable signal bwen is generated in the section where both the pulse signal byprep and the discrimination signal wt_rdb are a logic high level and the read enable signal isotb is created in the section where the signal byprep is a logic high level and the discrimination signal wt_rdb is a logic low level.
Here, the pulse signal byprep is the one that is generated when an external command for read/write operations is inputted, and is used to issue Yi (column selection signal) in the operation of the memory device, to create the read enable signal isotb in the read operation, and to create the write enable signal bwen in the write operation.
In addition, the discrimination signal wt_rdb is to discriminate between the read operation and the write operation. As mentioned above, the write enable signal bwen is generated when the discrimination signal wt_rdb is a logic high level and the read enable signal isotb is created when it is a logic low level.
The write enable signal bwen generated by combining the pulse signal byprep and the discrimination signal wt_rdb is delayed by a delay circuit 110 and applied to a write driver 130 which performs a write operation of the memory device in response to the write enable signal bwen. That is, data on a global input/output line GIO are carried on a local input/output line LIO.
Further, the read enable signal isotb created by combining the pulse signal byprep and the discrimination signal wt_rdb is delayed by a delay circuit 120 and applied to an input/output sense amplifier (IOSA) 140 which performs a read operation of the memory device in response to the read enable signal isotb. That is, the data on the local input/output line LIO is brought on the global input/output line GIO.
The write enable signal bwen and the read enable signal isotb generated by the pulse signal byprep and the discrimination signal wt_rdb are provided through the delay circuits 110 and 120, and are delayed without using a capacitor or resistor because these signals are all pulse signals. Therefore, the delay circuits 110 and 120 through which those signals are passed employ an inverter chain with inverters coupled in series.
The global input/output line GIO generally has a large metal line loading which enables a delay.
The delay circuits 110 and 120 with the inverter chain, through which the pulse signals are passed, have delay values that change depending on a variation of a power supply voltage. However, the global input/output line GIO with metal line loading has a delay value which does not almost vary even if the power supply voltage is varied.
When the write/read operations of the memory device are tested with a voltage much higher than the operating voltage as in the burn-in test, the delay values of the delay circuits 110 and 120 are highly decreased and the delay value of the global input/output line GIO does not almost vary. Thus, in case the delay values of the pulse signals are set in conformity with the operating voltage, the delay values of the signals are not correct in the burn-in test mode, thereby causing a failure in the write/read operations.
In order to solve the above problems, the conventional memory device sets delay values in conformity with the voltage in the burn-in test, which is higher than the operating voltage. In other words, more delay values than necessary are set because of the operation at the high voltage as in the burn-in test, thereby leading to a loss of speed margin in the general operation.

Semiconductor memory device with various delay values


Methods for making a negative electrode material for use in an electrochemical cell, like a lithium ion battery, are provided. The electroactive material comprises silicon. The electroactive material comprises a functionalized surface having a grafted reactive group (e.g., an epoxide group, an amino group, a carboxyl group, and the like). The functionalized surface is admixed and reacted with a polymeric binder (e.g., polyalkylene oxide (PAO), polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF), polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA), polyimide (PI), and the like that also has at least one reactive functional group) and optionally electrically conductive particles. A porous solid electrode material is thus formed. Negative electrodes are also provided, which provide significant performance benefits and reduce the issues associated with capacity fade, diminished electrochemical cell performance, cracking, and short lifespan associated with conventional silicon anode materials.

This section provides background information related to the present disclosure which is not necessarily prior art.
High-energy density, electrochemical cells, such as lithium ion batteries can be used in a variety of consumer products and vehicles, such as Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEVs) and Electric Vehicles (EVs). Typical lithium ion batteries comprise a first electrode (e.g., a cathode), a second electrode of opposite polarity (e.g., an anode), an electrolyte material, and a separator. Conventional lithium ion batteries operate by reversibly passing lithium ions between the negative electrode and the positive electrode. A separator and an electrolyte are disposed between the negative and positive electrodes. The electrolyte is suitable for conducting lithium ions and may be in solid or liquid form. Lithium ions move from a cathode (positive electrode) to an anode (negative electrode) during charging of the battery, and in the opposite direction when discharging the battery. For convenience, a negative electrode will be used synonymously with an anode, although as recognized by those of skill in the art, during certain phases of lithium ion cycling the anode function may be associated with the positive electrode rather than negative electrode (e.g., the negative electrode may be an anode on discharge and a cathode on charge).
In various aspects, an electrode includes an electroactive material. Negative electrodes typically comprise such an electroactive material that is capable of functioning as a lithium host material serving as a negative terminal of a lithium ion battery. Conventional negative electrodes include the electroactive lithium host material and optionally another electrically conductive material, such as carbon black particles, as well as one or more polymeric binder materials to hold the lithium host material and electrically conductive particles together.
Typical electroactive materials for forming a negative electrode (e.g., an anode) in a lithium-ion electrochemical cell include lithium-graphite intercalation compounds, lithium-silicon intercalation compounds, lithium-tin intercalation compounds, and lithium alloys. While graphite compounds are most common, recently, anode materials with high specific capacity (in comparison with conventional graphite) are of growing interest. For example, silicon has the highest known theoretical charge capacity for lithium, making it one of the most attractive alternatives to graphite as a negative electrode material for rechargeable lithium ion batteries. However, current silicon anode materials suffer from significant drawbacks. Silicon-containing materials experience large volume changes (e.g., volume expansion/contraction) during lithium insertion/extraction (e.g., intercalation and deintercalation). Thus, cracking of the negative electrode (e.g., anode), a decline of electrochemical cyclic performance and large Coulombic charge capacity loss (capacity fade), and extremely limited cycle life are often observed during cycling of conventional silicon-containing electrodes. This diminished performance is believed in large part to be due to the breakdown of physical contact between silicon particles and conductive fillers caused by the large volume changes in the electrode during cycling of lithium ion.
It would be desirable to develop high performance negative electrode materials comprising silicon for use in high power lithium ion batteries, which overcome the current shortcomings that prevent their widespread commercial use, especially in vehicle applications. For long term and effective use, anode materials containing silicon should be capable of minimal capacity fade and maximized charge capacity for long-term use in lithium ion batteries.

High performance silicon electrodes having improved interfacial adhesion between binder and silicon


A process for manufacturing bags on an automatic forming, filling and sealing (FFS) machine (100) wherein a tube (20) capable of forming walls (38, 40) of a bag is sequentially cut into portions by a cut which is approximately transverse with respect to the direction of movement of the tube (20). A fastener assembly (50) is attached to the cut end of that part of the tube (20) that is below the filling chute (110) of the FFS machine.

The present invention relates to the field of bags or bags comprising complementary interlocking profiles designed to allow successive opening and closing operations by the user. More specifically, the present invention relates to the field of machines designed for automatically forming, filling and sealing packaging formed of plastic films, especially thermoplastic films, provided with such complementary interlocking profiles. Such machines are commonly called FFS (Form, Fill and Seal) machines.

Process and machine for forming bags having a fastener assembly with transverse profiles


A method of mitigating galvanic corrosion on a vehicle is provided for use of metals with carbon containing composites. An electrically conductive material comprising a plurality of electrically conductive metallic particles and a polymer is applied to a corrosion susceptible region of an assembly having a carbon-reinforced composite and a metal. The electrically conductive material has an electrical conductivity of greater than or equal to about 1×10−4 S/m and serves as a sacrificial anode to mitigate or prevent corrosion of the metal in the assembly. Also provided are assemblies for a vehicle having reduced galvanic corrosion that include a metal component in contact with a carbon-reinforced composite, which defines a corrosion susceptible region having an electrically conductive material disposed therein.

This section provides background information related to the present disclosure which is not necessarily prior art.
Galvanic protection in vehicle components formed of dissimilar materials (e.g., different metal materials or metal/composite materials) can pose various challenges. In applications where the dissimilar materials are typically submerged or immersed in an electrolyte, galvanic protection need only be generally placed in electrical contact with the susceptible metal(s) and electrolyte. Thus, typical sacrificial anodes on an immersed vessel are not geometrically specific. For example, nautical ships, boats, and other vessels may have a single sacrificial anode attached to a submerged portion of the hull in contact with saltwater or fresh water, which serves to galvanically protect the entire ship. Thus, where the electrolyte is typically in continuous contact with the dissimilar materials, non-localized galvanic protection is possible.
However, galvanic protection in vehicles that are not submerged in an electrolyte, but rather may have dissimilar materials intermittently exposed to potential electrolytes pose particular challenges. Such vehicles may include automobiles, snowmobiles, motorcycles, and the like. Current approaches typically include corrosion protection by coating or otherwise insulating components from contact with one another. The general concept of such galvanic corrosion is to avoid creating an electrically conductive path between dissimilar materials when an electrolyte is present. For example, corrosion protection coatings may include electrically inert or insulating coatings, such as passivation layers and the like, or may involve physically separating the dissimilar materials. This is particularly true for applications that employ carbon-fiber composite materials near metal materials in metal vehicle components, such as metal structural members or frames.
Carbon containing materials, such as composite materials like carbon fiber reinforced plastics (CFRP) are generally considered to be galvanically incompatible with metal materials. Carbon serves as an efficient cathode and thus in the past, galvanic protection has focused on completely isolating the carbon containing material from nearby metals. However, use of coatings and other isolation techniques in dissimilar materials that employ carbon fiber composites can potentially still be vulnerable to galvanic corrosion over time, especially in non-marine environments where galvanic corrosion is intermittent and localized. For example, corrosion protection coatings applied to one or both of the dissimilar materials may have weakly adhered regions or minor manufacturing defects, such as fish eyes, pinholes, fissures, or cracks, which over long durations expose the underlying material and can concentrate corrosion therein. Furthermore, even if a corrosion protection coating has no weak or vulnerable regions whatsoever, fastening the dissimilar materials together (e.g., via mechanical fasteners, welding, or adhesives) disturbs the corrosion protection coatings and provides potential corrosion pathways.
Thus, additional techniques for galvanic protection of assemblies of components employing dissimilar materials, such as carbon containing composites and metals, would be highly desirable to improve reliability and reduce susceptibility to failure for such parts.

Galvanic corrosion mitigation with metallic polymer matrix paste


Powdered nutritional products containing branched-chain amino acids and a sugar alcohol are provided. The branched-chain amino acids in the powdered nutritional product exhibit improved solubility and thus improved dissolution upon reconstitution of the powdered nutritional product.

A common problem for many powdered nutritional products is the difficulty of reconstituting the powder in a liquid medium. Powdered forms of nutritional ingredients are often not able to be quickly and easily dissolved in a liquid, such as water. Powdered formulations of basic nutrient units can be especially resistant to dissolution in liquids. This is particularly true when the liquid is at or below room temperature (e.g., 20° C. to 25° C.). For example, many small peptides, such as dipeptides, tripeptides, tetrapeptides, and pentapeptides, as well as free amino acids are known to display poor dissolution properties in a liquid medium. This is particularly true for hydrophobic amino acids, such as the branched-chain amino acids leucine, isoleucine, and valine.
The problem of poor dissolution has been addressed in the past by allowing for greater mixing time. However, the mixing time required to allow some ingredients of a powdered nutritional product to dissolve may be greater than 10 minutes, which greatly affects the convenience and desirability of the powdered product. The problem has also been addressed by attempting to reconstitute the powdered nutritional product with a hot liquid medium. This approach has several disadvantages including, for example, the possible reduction of nutritional value of the product due to heat degradation; the frequent desire of consumers for a chilled beverage, especially during and after exercise; and the requirement that a heating source be readily available. In addition, using a hot liquid medium to reconstitute a powdered nutritional product may also represent a safety concern (e.g., a heightened burn risk).
In view of the above, there remains a need for powdered nutritional products that exhibit improved dissolution in a liquid medium (even at or below room temperature) to permit fast, convenient, and safe consumption of the reconstituted powdered nutritional product.

Powdered nutritional product containing branched-chain amino acids and a sugar alcohol


DRAM devices include a plurality of word lines extending in a first direction and a plurality of bit lines extending in a second direction and intersecting the word lines. A plurality of active regions is provided that are electrically coupled to the word lines and the bit lines. Each of the active regions defines a single unit memory cell having an area of 6F2 in terms of a minimum line width F. Each of the active regions may be overlapped by only one word line and the active regions may be defined by an isolation region.

The present invention relates to semiconductor memory devices, and more particularly, to dynamic random access memory (DRAM) devices.
The demand for DRAM devices continues to rise, particularly for large capacity DRAM devices. However, chip size limitations generally limit the capacity of the DRAM devices. As the chip size increases, to provide for a greater capacity, the number of chips per wafer in the manufacturing process decreases. Furthermore, the manufacturing yield for the DRAM devices may decrease. Therefore, various approaches have been proposed for increasing the number of memory cells per wafer by modifying cell layout to decrease the cell area per memory cell. In some of these proposed approaches, a conventional 8F2 layout is changed to a 6F2 layout.
FIG. 1 is a layout view showing a conventional DRAM device having 8F2 layout and diagonal active regions. Active regions 102 defined by an isolation region 101 are repeatedly disposed with a predetermined spacing. The active regions 102 have a shape that will be referred to herein as a two-curved-end bar. The active regions 102 may have other shapes. The active regions 102 are illustrated as slanted with reference to a horizontal direction X. The slanted active regions 102 are sometimes referred to as diagonal active regions. Word lines 103, comprising gate conductive layers, extend linearly in a vertical direction Y in a striped pattern. Bit lines 104, comprising bitline conductive layers, extend linearly in the horizontal direction X in a striped pattern. Two word lines 103 and one bit line 104 intersect each other in a single active region 102. In a DRAM having such a structure, a unit cell UC1 has horizontal and vertical lengths of 4F and 2F, respectively, in terms of a minimum line width F. Therefore, an area of the unit cell UC1 is 8F2. There are two unit cells UC1 in a single active region 102.
FIG. 2 is a layout view showing a conventional DRAM device having an 8F2 layout and split active regions. Active regions 202 have a shape of a two-curved-end bar. The active regions 202 lie in the horizontal direction X. Upper and lower adjacent active region 202 are disposed in a zigzag pattern. Each of word lines 203 extend in the vertical direction Y in a striped pattern and overlap with at least one of the adjacent active regions 202 disposed in a zigzag pattern. Bit lines 204 extend in the horizontal direction X in a striped pattern between the adjacent active regions 202 disposed in a zigzag pattern. In a DRAM having the illustrated structure of FIG. 2, a unit cell UC2 has horizontal and vertical lengths of 4F and 2F, respectively, in terms of a minimum line width F. Therefore, an area of the unit cell UC2 is also 8F2. Unlike the DRAM device having diagonal active regions as illustrated in FIG. 1, there is only a single unit cell UC2 in a single active region 202.
DRAM devices having a 6F2 layout have been proposed to replace the conventional DRAM having an 8F2 layout. In a DRAM device having a 6F2 layout, a unit cell generally has horizontal and vertical lengths of 3F and 2F, respectively, in terms of a minimum line width F. Therefore, an area of the unit cell is 6F2, so that the degree of integration of the DRAM device can be increased. DRAM devices having a 6F2 layout typically have diagonal active regions. In general, there are two unit cells in a single active region. The degree of integration of a DRAM device having a 6F2 layout can typically be increased in comparison to a DRAM having an 8F2 layout. However, it may be difficult to form the diagonal active regions with a high degree of integration in a DRAM device having a 6F2 layout. For example, a mask for the diagonal active regions is typically implemented by forming a large number of small segments. This is generally a very time-consuming and high-cost process. Moreover, for an asymmetrical layout, the associated patterning process using photolithography may be very difficult.

DRAM devices having an increased density layout


A secure electronic data module containing a monolithic semiconductor chip of the type having a memory that is protected by a combination of hardware and software mechanisms such that unauthorized access to the data stored in the memory is prevented. The monolithic semiconductor chip comprises a plurality of solder bumps for attaching the chip to a substrate that may be a printed circuit board or another chip; a multi-level interlaced power and ground lines using minimum geometries; and a detection circuit block for detecting an external trip signal that may be produced by a pre-specified change in an operating condition brought on by unauthorized accessing, or an internal trip signal that may be produced by shorting of power and ground lines or by a change in an oscillator's frequency, also associated with or appurtenant to unauthorized accessing of the secure memory.

1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to secure integrated circuits and, in particular, to microcircuits with memory that is protected by both hardware and software.
2. Description of Related Art
In today's emerging area of electronic commerce, security of data that is stored in a semiconductor memory is a burgeoning issue with which authorized owners of such data must contend. In general, authorized access to electronic data is governed by hardware and software verification schemes involving passwords, personal identification numbers and the like. To further reduce the probability of successful unauthorized access to data, component manufacturers have also resorted to such techniques as data encryption. However, there are many applications wherein security concerns remain high enough that additional security mechanisms may be warranted.
A reliable, efficacious and economical solution to enhanced data security is to provide a combination of physical barriers wherein an intruder must grapple with successively overcoming such barriers. Although each physical barrier may itself be rather simple, it can be appreciated that a combination thereof may be a powerful solution wherein an attempt to overcome an outer barrier is designed to thwart successful access to electronic data either by triggering an inner barrier or by destroying the data altogether.
One such physical barrier can be a sealable container within which a semiconductor chip containing memory is disposed. By providing conductive surfaces as part of the container, it is possible in such an arrangement to efficiently integrate both data security and data transmission interfacing. Further, by attaching the semiconductor chip to a substrate disposed within the container using solder bumps, and by encapsulating the chip with a conventional epoxy resin, it can be appreciated that the efficacy of many reverse engineering techniques for determining logic states in the memory cells, for example, backside emission microscopy, is severely curtailed.
Another simple, yet highly effective, physical barrier can be a multi-layered and interlaced conductive grid provided as part of the metallization of the semiconductor chip itself. It can be appreciated that providing an interlaced conductive grid, formed with minimum geometries, can deter effective electron microscopy as well as detect microprobing. Based upon detecting such microprobing of the conductive layers, it would be advantageous to provide a trip circuit that would destroy the data stored in the memory either passively by cutting off the internal power supply, or actively by transmitting an erase signal to the memory array.
Furthermore, it would be advantageous to provide a detection/trip circuit as part of the monolithic semiconductor chip, that is capable of detecting a change in any environmental condition associated with an unlawful attempt to gain access. For example, the detection circuit can detect and be tripped by a predetermined magnitude of change, or by reaching a predetermined set-point in electromagnetic radiation, chemical composition, ambient pressure, temperature and the like. In addition, by monitoring a real-time oscillator associated with the semiconductor chip, a data erase signal can also be generated should the unlawful entry result in either a change in the frequency of the real-time oscillator or a temporary stoppage of the real-time oscillator.
Although some of the above-mentioned security enhancements have heretofore been extant for sometime, no prior art system is known to have all of the advantages and novel features of the cost-effective combination solution described, and claimed, hereinbelow.

Microcircuit with memory that is protected by both hardware and software


A process for determining the density distribution of positrons in human tissue in which the amount of position data stored in the computer memory from two parallel photomultiplier local position .gamma.-detectors is limited by a random-event generator connected to the computer.

Positrons decaying in human tissue give rise to two oppositely travelling .gamma.-quanta which can be detected by two .gamma.-detectors disposed opposite one another across the human tissue and flanking the body portion examined.
The .gamma.-detectors are generally connected to a computer which, upon coincidence of the detection of two .gamma.-quanta from signals of the opposing .gamma.-detectors, can register a given positron decay. The computer can calculate the flight paths of the two .gamma.-quanta arising from the same positron decay and thus generate position information as to the decaying positron.
The position information can be stored in the computer and the positions of the .gamma.-detectors varied so that, from the sum total of the position information obtained, a distribution function of the positron decays can be generated and the computer can, from the distribution function, generate a density distribution of the positron decay which represents information relating to the tissue.
This process is referred to as positron emission tomography (PET) and is increasingly being employed for medical evaluations and in scientific research as to human tissues, pathological conditions and the like.
A patient is injected with or inhales a radio-pharmaceutical with a positron emitting isotope and the localization of the positrons in the human organism can be detected by the PET. In human tissue, the emitted positrons have a range of millimeters to several centimeters depending upon their energies which are typically between 1 and 5 MeV, and decay when they come to rest in the aforementioned manner.
In the present day PET scanners, individual detectors are assembled in opposing detector banks and are capable of detecting only a small part of the emitted radiation. It is thus required to rotate the detector assemblies around the object to be measured and to shift the detector assembly vertically to be able to cover a relatively large space angle in a sequence of measurements. This requires a relatively long measuring period for the process which an result in an undesirably long exposure of the human organism to radiation and thus an undesirably large radiation load on the patient.
Apart from such individual detectors, .gamma.-quanta can be measured by local resolution photomultipliers having scintillators ahead of photomultiplier tubes and at the exposure window. These devices can provide a detector surface with diameters of 10 cm and can achieve a local resolution of 1 mm.
Typically 10.sup.8 decay events can be detected in the course of a single measurement process to determine density distribution of the positron decay events. By the use of such photomultipliers instead of individual detectors, the detection of 10.sup.8 decays can be substantially accelerated and thus the period of measurement can be reduced by an order of magnitude. However, this usually requires 16 angular positions of the photomultipliers around the subject and four vertical positions so that the memory for the resulting data must be at least 425 MB (megabytes) to afford the data search required to provide the desired information as to the density distribution.
The computers usually used for positron emission tomography, however, generally are incapable of processing this substantial data flow from the photomultipliers in an on-line mode, nor do they have such high data storage capacities.

Method of determining a density distribution of positrons in human tissue


The present invention aims at providing an optical fiber amplifier in which a pumping light is rendered to make two or more reciprocations within an active optical fiber so as to enhance a conversion efficiency of power of pumping light thereby realizing further high-powerization. To this end, the present optical fiber amplifier is constituted of: a pumping light generating part for generating, based on a signal from an oscillator, the pumping light of which central wavelength is periodically varied; a multiplexer for multiplexing the pumping light and the signal light; an optical filter of central transmission wavelength variable type, which is coupled to one end of the active optical fiber, and has a transmission wavelength band narrower than a wavelength variation range of the pumping light, in which the central transmission wavelength of the transmission wavelength band is varied consistently with the central wavelength of the pumping light, based on a signal from a modulation circuit; and an optical reflector, which is coupled to the other end of the active optical fiber, and which reflects the pumping light and transmits the signal light.

(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an active optical fiber doped with a rare earth element and an optical fiber amplifier, and more particularly to an active optical fiber and an optical fiber amplifier, in which the conversion efficiency of pumping light input into the active optical fiber is increased to improve optical amplification characteristics.
(2) Related Art
In conventional long-distance optical transmission systems, the transmission has been conducted by converting an optical signal into an electric signal, and by adopting an optical regenerating repeater which has functions of retiming, reshaping and regenerating. However, in recent years, optical fiber amplifiers have been put to practical use, so that an optical amplifying and repeating transmission method is now put under consideration in which an optical fiber amplifier is used as a linear repeater. By replacing an optical regenerating repeater with an optical amplifying repeater, the number of parts in the repeater can be reduced to a considerable extent, so that reliability is increased and substantial cost reduction can be expected.
Further, as one choice for realizing an optical transmission system of large-capacity, attention has been directed to a wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM) optical transmission system in which two or more signal lights having different wavelengths are multiplexed and transmitted within a single transmission path.
In a WDM optical amplifying and repeating transmission method which is provided by combining the WDM optical transmission system with the optical amplifying and repeating transmission method, usage of an optical fiber amplifier makes it possible to collectively amplify the two or more signal lights having different wavelengths, thereby enabling economical and large capacity and long-distanced optical transmission, by a simple construction.
FIG. 31 shows an example of basic construction of a conventional optical fiber amplifier (forward pumping).
In FIG. 31, a pumping light Lp output from a pumping light source 1 is multiplexed, at a multiplexer 2, with a signal light Ls from an input terminal T1, and then input into one end of an active optical fiber 3 depicted by a thick line. This active optical fiber 3 is the one doped with a rare earth element such as Erbium. When an optical fiber amplifier adopting this active optical fiber 3 is unsaturatedly operated, there can be obtained a flat gain wavelength characteristic, thereby realizing transmission of large capacity.
However, when the conventional optical fiber amplifier is unsaturatedly operated, only a part of the power of pumping light input into the active optical fiber 3 is used for pumping the rare earth element, and the remaining large part of power of pumping light is leaked to the backward side of the active optical fiber. Concretely, approximately 70% of the power of pumping light input into the active optical fiber 3 may pass therethrough, and only about 30% of the power is used to excite the rare earth element. Thus, the conventional optical fiber amplifier has been defective, as having a lower pumping efficiency.
There are also known other conventional optical fiber amplifiers which are contemplated to improve the pumping efficiency, such as disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 5,138,483. Shown in FIG. 32 is a constitution of this conventional optical fiber amplifier.
In FIG. 32, the optical fiber amplifier, in which the pumping efficiency has been improved, is constituted by adding to that shown in FIG. 31 an optical reflector 4 which is disposed at a backward side of the active optical fiber 3 (i.e., at an outer side of the end opposite to the input end of pumping light). This reflector 4 reflects the pumping light Lp, and transmits the signal light Ls. The pumping light Lp is reflected by the reflector 4, to make one reciprocation within the active optical fiber 3, so as to improve the pumping efficiency. Concretely, approximately 50% of the power of input pumping light is used to excite the rare earth element.
However, even in the aforementioned conventional optical fiber amplifier which is contemplated to improve the pumping efficiency, the remaining approximately 50% of the power of pumping light is not effectively utilized yet. Further, the pumping efficiency may be deteriorated in that the power of signal light Ls to be output from the optical fiber amplifier is reduced such as due to insertion loss caused by the added optical reflector 4 and due to coupling loss at the coupling part where the optical reflector 4 is coupled to the active optical fiber 3.

Active optical fiber and optical fiber amplifier


In a printing device for printing bar-codes, a string of characters and symbols representing the contents of the bar-codes are printed under the bar-codes by replacing the lower part of the dot pattern with the dot pattern for the string. The present invention is characterized in that the printing device has a decision means for deciding whether or not to print characters and for printing bar-codes with a sufficient height for reading operation by bar-code readers. The printing device automatically omits the string of characters when a character size set by an operator is not large enough to print a string and a bar-code in juxtaposition.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a bar-code printing device, and more particularly to a bar-code printing device with a function to omit a string of characters and symbols representing the contents of the bar-code when the set character size is found to be smaller than a prescribed value.
2. Description of Related Art
Bar-codes according to such specifications as JAN (Japan Article Number), EAN (European Article Number), and Code 39 have been popularly used as identifiers for distinguishing articles. Parcels and labels often carry such bar-codes printed thereon.
Normally, the bar-code has a string of characters and symbols representing the contents of the bar-code printed in juxtaposition on the lower end so that one can easily understand the contents of the bar-code. However, there is a technical requirement on the height of the bar-code, that is, the height of the bar of the bar-code is 6.35 mm (a quarter of an inch) or greater for ensuring stable read-out of the bar-code readers. When the height of the bar of the bar-code becomes far less than the recommended value of 6.35 mm, an unstable performance of the bar-code reader results.


An organizing case for articles to be carried in a purse, comprises a primary panel of pliable material, the panel being of a generally rectangular configuration having an inner face and outer face and foldable along a selected line transverse of the primary panel forming a front panel and a back panel defining a primary receptacle, the back panel having an inner face, a plurality of straps and loops on the inner face for mounting a plurality of articles, a pocket assembly inside the primary receptacle, the pocket comprising a back pocket panel and a front pocket panel secured together along a bottom inside edges forming a receptacle, and an inner mounting panel pivotally mounted to the primary panel and having a opposite faces, a mirror mounted on one of the faces, and a plurality of attachment devices for detachably mounting a plurality of selected items such as cosmetics upon each of the faces.

The present invention relates to article carrying cases and pertains particularly to an improved organizing case having an improved arrangement of multiple pockets and mounting panels for holding multiple personal articles in an organized fashion for carrying in a purse.
Many ladies have many items of makeup which they commonly carry in their purse. These items are often placed loosely in the purse among other articles. This often leaves the items disorganized, sometimes tangled and often difficult to easily locate and retrieve.
There is a need for a purse organizing case that is adaptable to mount or hold many different related or unrelated personal items in an organized fashion. It would be desirable to have a case with multiple holding or mounting panels and pockets for holding many different related articles and unrelated articles for ease of location and retrieval.


The invention relates to an electronic imaging system wherein an image pickup device is horizontally located while ensuring the space for a reflective member thereby achieving height, length and cost reductions. The imaging system comprises a taking lens and an image pickup device. The taking lens comprises a front lens group G1 consisting of a negative lens component and a positive lens component and having positive refracting power and a rear lens group G2 consisting of a negative lens element and a positive lens element and having positive refracting power, with an aperture stop S interposed between the front lens group G1 and the rear lens group G2. The taking lens satisfies conditions (1) and (2).2.8<fB/IH<4.5   (1)2<SF<3   (2)Here fB is back focus of the taking lens, IH is a length that is half the diagonal length of the effective plane of the electronic image pickup device, and SF is a shape factor for the negative lens component in the front lens group.

The present invention relates generally to an electronic imaging system represented by a video camera or still video camera, and more particularly to a wide-angle image pickup lens designed to reduce the size of such an electronic imaging system by use of a reflective member.
With the recent advent of miniature electronic image pickup devices such as CCDs, imaging units become smaller and smaller. Typically, JP-A 10-39207 shows an imaging unit in which a taking lens is made up of as few as four lens elements with a reduced length, and so only a lens portion is made compact.
JP-A 11-95096 discloses a taking lens made up of as few as four lens elements; however, this taking lens uses an aspheric lens and so costs much. The size of the taking lens itself is reduced by virtue of an image plane size reduction; as shown in FIG. 17, however, the presence of wires and terminals on the outer region of the light-receptive plane of an image pickup device 15 and the package size of the image pickup device 15 make it impossible to reduce size relative to the height direction. It is noted that FIG. 17 is illustrative in section of an imaging unit inclusive of its optical axis. Reference numeral 10 indicates a frame (lens barrel), 11 an image pickup lens, 12 an aperture stop, 13 an optical filter, 14 a cover glass and 15 an image pickup device. Regarding an objective lens for endoscopes, another approach to size reductions in the height direction has been proposed, wherein an optical path is bent to position an image pickup device laterally.
JP-A 9-122070 shows that an optical filter and a triangular prism are located at a back focus portion of a taking lens. However, this is not favorable for the total length of an imaging unit because of the need of a long bending space. Although constraints on the length of an endoscopic objective lens are loose, application of a long lens unit to a camera is not preferable because it means that camera thickness increases.
JP-A 11-109223 shows that a long back focus is ensured; however, the location of an aperture stop between a negative front lens group and a positive rear lens group causes rim rays at the rear lens group to become high, resulting in an increased lens diameter. Accordingly, when a reflective member is located at a back focus portion of this type, rays at the entrance surface of the reflective member become high, leading to the need of increasing the volume of the location where the reflective member is located.