A face recognition method for working with two or more collections of facial images is provided. A representation framework is determined for a first collection of facial images including at least principle component analysis (PCA) features. A representation of said first collection is stored using the representation framework. A modified representation framework is determined based on statistical properties of original facial image samples of a second collection of facial images and the stored representation of the first collection. The first and second collections are combined without using original facial image samples. A representation of the combined image collection (super-collection) is stored using the modified representation framework. A representation of a current facial image, determined in terms of the modified representation framework, is compared with one or more representations of facial images of the combined collection. Based on the comparing, it is determined which, if any, of the facial images within the combined collection matches the current facial image.

Face tracking technology has been recently introduced into consumer digital cameras enabling a new generation of user tools for the analysis and management of image collections (see, e.g., http://www.fotonation.com/index.php?module=company.news&id=39, wherein the entire site www.fotoination.com is incorporated by reference. In earlier research, it had been concluded that it should be practical to employ face similarity measures as a useful tool for sorting and managing personal image collections (see, e.g., P. Corcoran, G. Costache, Automated sorting of consumer image collections using face and peripheral region image classifiers, Consumer Electronics, IEEE Transactions on Volume 51, Issue 3, August 2005 Page(s): 747-754; G. Costache, R. Mulryan, E. Steinberg, P. Corcoran, In-camera person-indexing of digital images Consumer Electronics, 2006, ICCE '06. 2006 Digest of Technical Papers, International Conference on 7-11 Jan. 2006 Page(s): 2; and P. Corcoran, and G. Costache, Automatic System for In-Camera Person Indexing of Digital Image Collections, Conference Proceedings, GSPx 2006, Santa Clara, Calif., October 2006, which are all hereby incorporated by reference). The techniques described in this research rely on the use of a reference image collection as a training set for PCA based analysis of face regions.
For example, it has been observed that when images are added to such a collection there is no immediate requirement for retraining of the PCA basis vectors and that results remain self consistent as long as the number of new images added is not greater than, approximately 20% of the number in the original image collection. Conventional wisdom on PCA analysis would suggest that as the number of new images added to a collection increases to certain percentage that it becomes necessary to retrain and obtain a new set of basis vectors.
This retraining process is both time consuming and also invalidates any stored PCA-based data from images that were previously analyzed. It would be far more efficient if we could find a means to transform face region data between different basis sets.
In addition, it has been suggested that it is possible to combine training data from two or more image collections to determine a common set of basis vectors without a need to retrain from the original face data. This approach has been developed from use of the "mean face" of an image collection to determine the variation between two different image collections.
The mean face is computed as the average face across the members of an image collection. Other faces are measured relative to the mean face. Initially, the mean face was used to measure how much an image collection had changed when new images were added to that collection. If mean face variation does not exceed more than a small percentage, it can be assumed that there is no need to recompute the eigenvectors and to re-project the data into another eigenspace. If, however, the variation is significant between the two collections, then the basis vectors are instead re-trained, and a new set of fundamental eigenvectors should be obtained. For a large image collection, this is both time consuming and inefficient as stored eigenface data is lost. It is thus desired to have an alternative approach to a complete retraining which is both effective and efficient.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Face recognition with combined PCA-based datasets

DigitalOptics Corporation Europe Limited


A method produces a 3,4-dihydro-1,2,3-oxathiazin-4-one-2,2-dioxide compound of following formula (2):

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for producing 3,4-dihydro-1,2,3-oxathiazin-4-one-2,2-dioxide compounds or salts thereof which are useful typically as sweeteners or raw materials therefor in food industry or intermediate materials for fine chemicals.
2. Description of the Related Art
A method for producing a 3,4-dihydro-1,2,3-oxathiazin-4-one-2,2-dioxide compound or a salt thereof is disclosed, for example, in Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 12, 10 (1973), 869-876 (or German Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2453063). In this method, an acetoacetamide-N-sulfonyl halide (fluoride or chloride) is cyclized by the action of a base such as methanolic KOH to thereby yield a 3,4-dihydro-1,2,3-oxathiazine, such as 6-methyl-3,4-dihydro-1,2,3-oxathiazin-4-one-2,2-dioxide or a salt thereof. The acetoacetamide-N-sulfonyl halide is prepared by allowing a halosulfonyl isocyanate to react with a suitable acetoacetylating agent. Such a method, however, is not suitable as an industrial method, since the halosulfonyl isocyanate and amidosulfonyl halide used as starting materials are special compounds and are difficult to handle.
Separately, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 03-184948, Japanese Examined Patent Application Publications No. 03-54940, No. 05-70627 and No. 06-25189 each disclose a method for producing 6-methyl-3,4-dihydro-1,2,3-oxathiazin-4-one-2,2-dioxide or a salt thereof by allowing acetoacetamide-N-sulfonic acid or a salt thereof to react with SO3 in an inert organic solvent, subjecting the product to cyclization and then to ring-closing. Among them, Japanese Examined Patent Application Publication No. 03-54940 discloses a spray tower reactor and a thin-film reactor equipped with a mechanical stirrer as an apparatus for carrying out the cyclization at low temperatures within a short time and for achieving a high yield. These apparatuses employ not only external cooling but also heat removal by the action of latent heat of vaporization of a solvent, in order to remove a large quantity of heat generated in the cyclization and dehydration. When a spray tower or a thin-film evaporator equipped with a mechanical stirrer, such as a wiped film evaporator (WFE), is used as the reactor in the production of a 3,4-dihydro-1,2,3-oxathiazin-4-one-2,2-dioxide compound or a salt thereof, the apparatus (reactor) is expensive and exhibits insufficient stability in production. This is because the residence time and reaction control in the reactor significantly affects the reaction result but the apparatus is hard to control these parameters with respect to various possible variations in industrial production. In this connection, above-mentioned Japanese Examined Patent Application Publication No. 03-54940 describes a tubular reactor as an example of reactors to be used but fails to teach a concrete example and concrete advantages of the tubular reactor.

Method for producing 3, 4-dihydro-1,2,3-oxathiazin-4-one-2,2-dioxide compound or salt thereof

Abstract: wherein R1 and R2 are the same as or different from each other and are each hydrogen atom or an organic group inert to the reaction; and R3 is hydrogen atom or an organic group inert to the reaction, or a salt thereof, by subjecting a beta-ketoamide-N-sulfonic acid of following Formula (1):

Abstract: wherein R1, R2 and R3 are as defined above; and X is hydrogen atom, or a salt thereof, to cyclization in the presence of an acid anhydride with or without further subjecting the cyclized product to hydrolysis, in which the cyclization is continuously carried out using a continuous flow reactor.


Method for checking a predetermined monitoring area, wherein at least one distance sensor provided in particular in the edge region of the monitored area, which transmits a scanning beam which sweeps over the monitored area in a predetermined scanning movement and thereby changes its direction, which receives the scanning beam which is reflected at boundaries of the monitored area and/or at objects located in the monitored area, and which determines a distance signal representative of the distance of the point of reflection of the scanning beam from the distance sensor and also a direction signal representing the direction of the scanning beam. The distance signals and the direction signals found during the scanning movement define a distance contour function, and an evaluation unit connected to the distance sensor compares the distance contour function which has been found with at least one stored reference contour function representing an expected object contour. Moreover, the evaluation unit generates an output signal, providing the distance contour function which has been found and the reference contour function correspond, or do not correspond, within preset tolerance limits.

The invention relates to a method and to an apparatus for checking a predetermined monitored area.
It is for example frequently desirable in the building material industry to be able to check whether certain undesired persons or vehicles are present in a monitored area. In addition a requirement exists to be able to secure throughways or passages against the entry of persons or vehicles into dangerous regions, but with it being possible for certain persons or vehicles to pass through such throughways or passages.
It is basically known to use automatic sensor systems for such checking and security purposes. However, these mainly require a complicated installation and operate in accordance with complicated checking and evaluation processes.

Method and apparatus for checking a predetermined monitoring area


An equipment is diagnosed by monitoring a career of operations of the equipment necessary for diagnosing the equipment and a condition of the equipment during the operation, monitoring information on equipment operations and information on variations in operation of the equipment having started operation for a data gathering purpose, selecting some of the gathered data, classifying the selected data based on rules, computing characteristics of variations in equipment state during the operation of the equipment and diagnosing the data on the basis of criterion references for the characteristics prescribed by the rules as an equipment diagnostic procedure.

The invention relates to a system for diagnosing equipment. In particular, the invention relates to a diagnostic support system and a diagnostic system capable of judging the conditions of semiconductor manufacturing equipment based on operating states of the equipment.
Using a technique for diagnosing manufacturing equipment, data considered to be relevant to abnormalities and failures of the equipment to be diagnosed is measured and then processed in order to obtain quantities which serve as indicators of abnormalities, failures and deteriorations. A technique for judging the state of an apparatus based on such indicators exists and is becoming popular as an equipment diagnosing technology. Such a technology is described, for example, by Toshio Sada, Shouzou Takada, et al. in an article with the title "The state of the Art and the Future of Equipment Diagnosing Technologies" written on pages 3 to 10 of a technical magazine "Measurement and Control", Vol. 25, No. 10 published in the year of 1988.
This diagnosing technique requires that equipment parameters clearly relevant to abnormalities and failures of the equipment be known in advance. Moreover, it is necessary to install sensors or the like which are not related directly to the operation of the equipment as means for reading the equipment parameters. When applying this diagnostic technique to the manufacturing of a semiconductor device, it is necessary to further specify parameters that are clearly related to abnormalities of the device.
By the way, in a process for creating a layer using a sputtering technique or a Chemical Vapor Deposition technique (referred to hereafter as a CVD technique) adopted in the manufacturing of semiconductor devices and in a dry etching technique and the like, a physical chemistry reaction works in an unequilibrium state utilizing a weak electrical current plasma. In order to sense the state of such a process, a probing technique is adopted. In the probing technique, a sensor that inadvertently causes disorder is typically installed. Such a sensor usually disturbs the reaction that should naturally work normally. In some cases, the sensor adversely gives rise to bad products. As such, this technique has shortcomings leading to impracticability.
Recently, manufacturing requirements are getting severe on the performance enhancement of semiconductor devices. Therefore, semiconductor processes tend to generate defective products due to device abnormalities. In order to cope with this problem, a countermeasure is taken by detecting abnormalities and failures of the equipment at an early stage. It is essential to reduce the number of bad products produced.
By the way, when diagnosing an equipment, it is necessary to specify parameters of the equipment as in the case with the conventional technique described above. However, there has been a problem caused by the fact that parameters relevant to abnormalities of the semiconductor manufacturing equipment are difficult to be specified clearly. This is because a diagnostic system for grasping phenomena indicating equipment abnormalities does not exist. Such phenomena can be used as a basis for detecting abnormalities of the equipment.

Diagnostic support system and diagnostic system of equipment


A steering column control module comprises a housing having at least two receptacles. A printed circuit board is mounted in the housing, the printed circuit board carrying first and second electrical connectors. A third electrical connector is mounted in the housing remote from the printed circuit board. A ribbon cable is connected between the second and third electrical connectors. The receptacles are adapted to receive respective switch modules. The first and third electrical connectors are positioned and configures so that, when plugged into respective receptacles, the switch modules connect to respective ones of the first and third electrical connectors.

A number of electromechanical systems are mounted on the steering wheel and steering column of typical, present day motor vehicle. A steering column control module ("SCCM"), positioned on the steering column just below the steering wheel, functions as a central nexus for the systems. Stalk lever switches are attached to the left and right sides of the SCCM. These, as well as steering-wheel mounted controls and systems (e.g. radio controls, cruise controls, horn switches, and air bags), are interconnected with other vehicular systems through the SCCM. The SCCM includes arrangements of circuit boards, wire cables, and multi-pin connectors for providing the necessary junctions between systems. U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,393,011, 7,595,457 and 7,819,427 show examples of such switches and control modules.
The SCCM surrounds the steering column, and it can be challenging to design the SCCM to provide efficient and effective routing of electrical connections between the many components and subsystems in the steering column assembly.


An air conditioning system condensate collection pan or water leak containment pan electrical control switch includes a housing or frame for supporting a switch unit which includes an elongated actuator arm. The housing includes a slot disposed adjacent a distal end of the actuator arm for receiving a water soluble tablet engageable with the actuator arm to bias the arm into a predetermined position of the switch. Abnormal accumulation of condensate or leaking water dissolves the tablet and allows the actuator arm to move to a position to effect actuation of the switch. The switch may be connected to a control unit, a thermostat and/or to an alarm generator including a self-contained unit having battery powered audio and/or visual alarm devices, an on-off switch and a circuit test switch.

Several developments have taken place with regard to providing a control switch and/or an alarm circuit for detecting abnormal levels of water in air conditioning unit condensate collection pans and water leak containment pans for hot water heaters and the like.
However, there has been a continuing need for improvements in such devices including the provision of a device which may utilize a tablet which is readily dissolvable in water, and a control switch device which may be easily mounted in a condensate pan for an air conditioning cooling coil or a water containment pan for a hot water heater or the like. In particular, there has been a need for a control switch which can utilize a biocide composition tablet, such as of a type used in air conditioning condensate pans to minimize the accumulation of algae in the pan or an associated drain conduit, for example.
There has also been a need for a control switch device which will provide a signal to a thermostat or the like, and/or automatically disable a cooling mode of operation of an air conditioning system. Still further, there has been a need for a control switch which will provide an audible as well as a visual signal in the event of accumulation of abnormal amounts of water in a condensate collection pan or a water leak containment pan and which device may be periodically tested for operability and may be easily retrofitted to existing installations of air conditioning equipment, hot water heaters and similar equipment.
It is to the above-mentioned ends, as well as to provide other advantages in condensate pan and water leak containment pan control devices, that the present invention has been developed.


A novel intravaginal device usable as a mechanism for introducing medicaments into the vagina of a human female. The device can be used for maintaining in the vagina medicaments and the like that otherwise might leak out and increasing the area of contact between the medicaments and the vaginal mucosa. At the same time it provides a device for the absorption of excess fluids.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an intravaginal device (IVD) and more particularly to such device as means for introducing medicaments into the vagina of a human female.
2. Description of the Prior Art
To facilitate normal function or to assist in the recovery and restoration of tissues and organs that have deteriorated from traumatic or systemic changes, injury or infection, it is sometimes desirable to enhance the tone, health or function of the vagina, cervix and related organs and tissues through biological, chemical and/or physical action. In this connection, it is sometimes desirable to apply lubricants, medicines, topical anesthetics or other desensitizers, antiseptics, conditioners or other medicaments to the vagina.
Accordingly, various techniques have been developed to achieve such ends. For example, skin patches, injections and oral administration have been employed to medicate the targeted tissues. Such methods suffer from a variety of drawbacks including the involvement of entire body systems, the necessity for the frequent engagement of medically trained personnel, inconvenience and the absence of direct physical action on the affected tissues. Many women have found other conventional methods involving topical applications by means of reusable syringes inconvenient and uncomfortable. Such methods also typically require the user to lie down for application and tend to be unsanitary and messy in that the reusable syringe must be cleaned and the medicament and/or its carrier tends to leak from the vagina.
Prior art methods suffer from other disadvantages as well. In particular, it is noted that the walls of the vagina in its normal relaxed state comprise a number of folds of skin. Thus, medicaments applied according to conventional techniques tend to miss areas of the walls. Further, such techniques do not generally provide the maximum benefits that can be obtained by physical action directly on the tissues.
The prior art devices can be considered in three connections. The first of them is the type of device that is essentially contraceptive as represented by U.S. Pat. No. 4,553,965. Such devices consist of a tampon that can be inserted into the vagina and near the cervix and also a separate removable receptacle for liquids of a contraceptive nature that is injected into the tampon prior to its insertion into the vagina. Contraceptive devices obviously differ in several respects from the present case, and they must not be of such a nature to interfere with normal sexual intercourse.
A second type of device is the menstrual tampon that is primarily designed for preventing menstrual flow from escaping from the vagina during menses. These devices typically are not designed to supply medicaments to the vagina. These devices may be squeezed to a small size and expand when inserted thereby to seal off the
Sometimes such devices have some form of medicament present but they are basically inapplicable to the invention of the present application. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,618,605 is a device made of elongated material that is folded up. The device contains no shield and no means of introducing medicaments at the time it is inserted. See also U.S. Pat. No. 3,731,687. U.S. Pat. No. 3,762,413 is basically the same type of device as the previously mentioned ones, save only that it provides means for mechanically expanding it. U.S. Pat. No. 3,791,385 includes a tube for admitting air to the interior of the device when it is desired to remove it.
The third class consists of devices that are actually designed to supply medicaments to the vagina. Such devices are represented by the U.S. Pat. No. 1,401,358 to Peterkin. This device is not supplied with a shield of the type employed in the present invention, and must be inserted by forceps.
The device of Rolfson-Schmidt U.S. Pat. No. 880,469 is similar to that of the foregoing patent but relies upon threadlike material to distribute the medicine. U.S. Pat. No. 1,575,123, to Martocci-Pisculli, requires an outer shell of a soluble material that dissolves after insertion, thereby exposing expansible material. No outer shield remains about this material. Medication may be applied at the top of the shell for application to the cervix, and medication may be applied to the absorbent explansible material within the shell. However, it is not seen how this device could retain a liquid medicament layer against the vaginal walls. Moreover, in that the expansible material is moisture absorbent, it appears that the material would work to absorb or withdraw the medicament from the vaginal walls.
Rannells U.S. Pat. No. 1,355,846 describes a device having a tube running into it through which medicines may be introduced. For obvious reasons, this device requires the service of a physician.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,077,409 to Murray is essentially a catamenial-type device for controlling menstrual flow. It is cited in this group only because it notes that disinfectants and medicaments can be added to the material filling the capsule. The device is obviously different from the present invention as will appear.


An arrangement provides a reduced harmonic content output signal that represents a value of a digital input signal. The arrangement includes plural storage devices 301 . . . configured to sample and store the digital input signal at different respective phases of a clock signal. The arrangement also has plural current steering digital-to-analog converters (DACs) 311 . . . configured to receive respective stored digital signals from respective ones of the plural storage devices, and to provide respective currents that represent the received stored digital signals. The arrangement also includes a combining arrangement configured to combine the currents from respective ones of the plural current steering DACs, so as to provide the reduced harmonic content output signal that represents the value of the digital input signal.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention generally relates to arrangements for suppressing or rejecting "images" (energy at harmonic frequencies) in communications systems. More particularly, the invention relates to arrangements that use a current switching technique to combine a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) function with a filtering function to significantly reduce harmonic images.
2. Related Art
FIG. 1 shows a conventional transmission arrangement, in which digital data are input to a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) 100. DAC 100 outputs an analog signal that changes value at discrete times determined by a clock signal CK as it clocks D-type flip-flops (not specifically shown) at the DAC's input. Being the result of discrete time clocking, the DAC's analog output signal has sharp vertical edges in the time domain.
Undesirably, the presence of sharp edges in the DAC's analog output signal implies there is significant energy at harmonic frequencies (see FIG. 5A; which assumes a CK frequency of 1 GHz). To mask interfering emissions such as those at harmonic frequencies (as effectively mandated, for example, by the U.S. Federal Communications Commission, FCC), a low pass reconstruction filter 102 has conventionally been employed. Such a filter lowers the higher-frequency content of signals before sending them to a modulator 104 for generating a radio frequency (RF) modulated signal.
The reconstruction filter is usually an analog filter that consumes a substantial amount of power, has large process/temperature/voltage variations (approximate ±30% for integrated passive R/C components), and is very difficult to design when the DAC input/output signal frequency is high. Furthermore, the closeness of the harmonic frequencies to the desire pass band, and the prevalence of higher energy content at lower harmonics (see FIG. 5A) have required filter 102 be complex.
Conventionally, higher order analog filters (such as Butterworth filters) have been used to implement filter 102. Undesirably, such complex filters are extremely difficult to design when the corner filter frequency is high. Also, operational amplifiers required in analog filters consume large amounts of power. Moreover, the unity gain bandwidth is often impossible to achieve with a high filter corner frequency. The accuracy of the corner frequency adjustment may sometimes be achieved by trimming or by calibration, but either of these approaches significantly increases design complexity.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for an arrangement that simply and efficiently converts digital signals into analog signals that are lower in harmonic content, thereby avoiding or minimizing the need for the costly filters found in conventional systems.

Current switching arrangement for D.A.C. reconstruction filtering


A method and structure for a device with a signal line over a semiconductor structure where the signal line is formed over the ground plane, passivation layer, and polyimide layer. We provide a semiconductor structure comprising a substrate having devices formed thereover and a plurality of insulating and conductive layers thereover. Next, we form ground plane over the semiconductor structure. The ground plane is the top metal layer over an inter metal dielectric layer. We then form a passivation layer over the ground plane. We form a first dielectric (e.g., polyimide) layer over the passivation layer. Subsequently, we form a signal line over the first dielectric layer. The signal line is formed by a plating or printing. We form a second dielectric layer (e.g., polyimide) over the signal line and the first dielectric layer.

1) Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to fabrication of semiconductor devices and more particularly to the fabrication of a microwave microstrip line and/or signal line in a conventional CMOS process.
2) Description of the Prior Art
Conventional devices have the signal lines (e.g., microwave microstrip lines) near the silicon substrate. The signal lines generate e-fields near the substrate that are a problem. Due to the Si-substrate""s characteristic to dissipate energy (from the e-fields), it is difficult to fabricate a microwave microstrip line (or signal line) in the conventional CMOS process.
The importance of overcoming the various deficiencies noted above is evidenced by the extensive technological development directed to the subject, as documented by the relevant patent and technical literature. The closest and apparently more relevant technical developments in the patent literature can be gleaned by considering U.S. Pat. No. 5,504,466 (Chan-Son-Lint et al.) teaches a method that forms a microwave shifter xe2x80x9cstripxe2x80x9d.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,057,798 (Moye et al.) shows a mircostrip/ground plane on the bottom of a substrate.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,585,288 (Davis) shows a ground plane conductor.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method for fabricating a signal line as the top metal layer.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method for fabricating a signal line (and/or a microstrip) as the top metal layer on top of a lossless polyimide.
To accomplish the above objectives, the present invention provides a method for fabricating a signal line (and/or microstrip) as the top metal layer on top of a lossless polyimide layer which is characterized as follows.
We provide a semiconductor structure comprising a substrate having devices formed thereover and a plurality of insulating and conductive layers thereover. Next, we form ground plane over the semiconductor structure. We then form a passivation layer over the ground plane. We form a first dielectric (e.g., polyimide) layer over the passivation layer. Subsequently, we form a signal line over the first dielectric layer. The signal line is formed by a plating or printing a material selected from the group consisting of Au, Cu and Pt. We form a second dielectric layer (e.g., polyimide) over the signal line and the first dielectric layer.
In operation, the signal line generates electrical magnetic fields. These electrical magnetic fields are stopped by the first dielectric layer (e.g., polyimide) and the top metal layer (e.g., ground plane).
The invention has the following benefits: 1) can put active devices underneath the signal line which reduces chip size and 2) no backside polishing of the wafer is needed to thin the wafer.
The present invention achieves these benefits in the context of known process technology. However, a further understanding of the nature and advantages of the present invention may be realized by reference to the latter portions of the specification and attached drawings.

Lossless microstrip line in CMOS process

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company


The invention is directed to a high-aperture optical imaging system, particularly for microscopes, which comprises an objective and a tube lens unit and in which the objective has a magnification of less than or equal to 40× and a numerical aperture of greater than or equal to 1.0 and is chromatically corrected up to the infrared.

a) Field of the Invention
The invention is directed to a high-aperture optical imaging system, particularly for microscopes, and relates primarily to a high-aperture immersion objective with apochromatic correction within a broad wavelength range. The imaging system has a large image field.
b) Description of the Related Art
Objectives with a lower magnification have a larger visual field and a numerical aperture that is generally lower. One of the main reasons for this is the dominance of visual observation in the microscope. However, since the resolving capacity of the human eye is limited, it does not make sense to furnish lower- and medium-magnification objectives with a high aperture. The gain in resolution achieved through a high aperture cannot be perceived by the human eye. Further, it is simpler in technical respects for a high-magnification objective to be outfitted with a high aperture than for a low-magnification objective because objectives of high magnification image only relatively small object fields.
Accordingly, objectives with a high numerical aperture traditionally also have high magnifications. An immersion objective with a magnification of 100× and a numerical aperture up to 1.65 is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,659,425. Immersion objectives with a high numerical aperture and low magnification are not realized.
In recent times, visual observation has diminished in importance in many fields and applications and other channels of image recording have become increasingly important. These channels often possess the possibility of post-magnification which allows full exploitation of the resolving capacity of the objective. Therefore, in applications of this kind it is reasonable to work with objectives having both a lower magnification and a high aperture because a low magnification is equivalent to a large object field and, consequently, the frequently cumbersome changing of objectives can be dispensed with.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,982,559 describes an immersion objective for microscopes which comprises eight lens groups, has a numerical aperture of 1.3, a magnification of 40× and a flat image field and in which optical errors are extensively corrected. However, this objective has no apochromatic correction, particularly up to the infrared spectral region. Yet this characteristic is increasingly desirable in connection with two-photon applications.

High-aperture optical imaging system, particularly for microscopes


A unified mud-pulse (MP)-electromagnetic (EM) telemetry assembly and a downhole telemetry tool are provided including a downhole EM telemetry transmitter apparatus. The EM telemetry transmitter apparatus comprises a modulator configured to transmit at least one EM signal through transmission medium. The modulator comprises a first reactive circuit and a second reactive circuit, and a plurality of switches controlled by a controller to alternatingly switch the modulator between a first configuration and a second configuration. The EM signals are transmitted by passing one of the reactive circuits and bypassing the other reactive circuit.

The recovery of hydrocarbons involves drilling wellbores that can reach depths of thousands of kilometers. Wellbore drilling operations require drilling rig equipment located at the surface, a drill string comprising of drill pipes attached lengthwise, and a hydraulic motor that powers a drill bit. The hydraulic motor and drill bit are part of the Bottom-Hole-Assembly (BHA) which is attached to the downhole side of the drill string. Drilling fluid (often termed "mud") is pumped from the surface through the drill string, powering the hydraulic motor (hence, mud motor). The mud then exits through drill bit nozzles and carries the cuttings through the annulus (space between the exterior of the drill string and the wellbore) up to the surface. The mud cools and lubricates the drill bit and controls the wellbore's pressure in order to prevent formations from collapsing into the well.
Directional and horizontal drilling operations involve steering the drill string from the vertical to penetrate the target reservoir at an angle. Real time downhole data is required to accurately follow the wellbore's planned path. Downhole data includes directional data, formation properties data, and downhole conditions data. The downhole data is obtained using Measurement-While-Drilling (MWD) telemetry systems integrated in the BHA. MWD systems measure downhole data using sensors near the drill bit, encode the data, and then transmit the data to the surface via the telemetry system where it is measured and decoded using surface equipment.
Two commonly used telemetry systems in the industry are MP telemetry and EM telemetry. To transmit data using MP telemetry, a flow valve is driven by a mud pulser to momentarily restrict the mud flow through the drill string. This creates pressure pulses in the mud (hence, Mud-Pulses) representing encoded downhole data which are measured at the surface using standpipe pressure sensors. MP telemetry's advantage is that it functions independently of the formations and is generally more deep-drilling reliable than EM telemetry. The disadvantages of MP telemetry are its slower data-transmission rate (up to 1 bit/s) and its dependence on the properties of the mud. It becomes difficult to generate and measure mud pulses effectively if the mud is compressible or contains large amounts of Lost Circulation Materials (LCM). And since the mud is continuously pumped through the drill string, pressure spikes from the mud pump can mask the Mud pulses representing the encoded data. This in combination with a mud pulses' attenuation with increasing wellbore depth can make its detection and decoding impossible.
The data transmission rate for MP telemetry can be increased by reducing the width of the pressure pulses. This is accomplished by restricting the flow of the mud system for shorter periods of time. The disadvantage of this method is that it increases power consumption and makes the mud pulses more susceptible to noise from the mud pump. Decoding reliability can be partially improved by increasing the strength/amplitude of the mud pulse. This can be done by increasing the flow restriction of the drilling mud by blocking a larger percentage of the mud column's cross-sectional area. The disadvantage of this method is that it further restricts mud flow to the drilling motor and can potentially damage the mud circulation system. Another method for improving decoding reliability is to increase the width of the pressure pulse, which is accomplished by restricting the flow of the mud for an increased period. The disadvantage of this method is that slows the data-transmission rate.
To transmit data using EM telemetry, an alternating differential voltage (up to 150V peak-to-peak) is generated across an isolation sub in the BHA, sending a low frequency (0.5-32 Hz) Alternating Current (AC) through the formations and up to the surface. This AC is modulated to carry the encoded data. The alternating differential voltage is measured and decoded at the surface.
EM telemetry is more independent of the mud's properties and has significantly faster data transmission rates which can reach up to 30 bits/s depending on signal frequency and modulation method. A disadvantage of EM telemetry is that it has higher power consumption than MP telemetry. Also, the high voltage outputs (up to 150V peak-to-peak) can damage the electronics in the event of a short-circuit. Furthermore, a fraction of the power consumed by the EM transmitter is wasted as heat due to power inefficiency. Since the systems are operating in a downhole environment that can exceed 200° C., additional waste heat can destroy the electronics. Another disadvantage of EM telemetry is the attenuation of the EM signal. At the surface, EM telemetry receivers must be able to receive, measure, and filter signals as weak as 1 μV (−120 dBV). EM signal attenuation depends on the BHA's configuration (e.g. length and diameter), thickness and electrical properties of the earth's formations, and EM signal reception in dependence of Electro-Magnetic Interference (EMI) generated by drilling equipment and machinery on the surface. Those can include large power generators, pumps, and motors. The combination of signal attenuation and EMI can make measurement and decoding impossible.
The relationship between signal strength and EMI at a certain frequency band can be represented by the Signal-to-Noise ratio (S/N). An EM signal must meet an S/N-threshold to be successfully measured and decoded. One method of increasing S/N is to increase the strength/amplitude of the EM signal. This can be done by increasing the output voltage of the EM-transmitter. The limitation to this method is that it increases power consumption and can generate a significant amount of waste heat due to power inefficiency in the EM transmitter. Output voltages can reach up to 150V (peak-to-peak) and can damage the downhole equipment.
Another solution is to find and switch to a frequency band that has a higher S/N at the surface. To maintain signal integrity, the drilling operator must continuously monitor the EM profile using spectrum graphs to find the optimal frequency channel. Also, switching to a lower frequency band decreases the data transmission rate. Another method to decrease the required S/N threshold for a chosen frequency band is by using a simpler modulation scheme. The disadvantage of this method is that it decreases data transmission rate as well.
In recent years, combined MP and EM telemetry systems have also been developed to switch between a MP mode and an EM mode. U.S. Pat. No. 9,291,049 discloses a downhole MWD telemetry tool comprising a MP telemetry unit and an EM telemetry unit comprising an EM signal generator. The limitation of the combined MP and EM systems currently used in the field is that the EM and MP telemetry units are simply connected ad-hoc. This results in a system that is too long (˜40 meters) to assemble then ship to the rig. Such systems must be assembled at the rig which requires an MWD operator on location. Assembling the entire Bottom Hole Assembly (BHA) also takes more time.
Another limitation is that a connector is used to connect the EM telemetry and MP telemetry modules which immediately introduces an additional risk of system failure. Moreover, since the EM and MP systems are independent they each have separate electrical and mechanical components. This presents a greater risk of system. Since the EM and MP telemetry systems function independently, power and data management are not refined.
Therefore, there is a need to overcome one or more limitations in the prior art and to provide an improved telemetry system which would have low power consumption, increased reliability, and a compact, modular, and intelligent assembly.
This background information is provided for the purpose of making known information believed by the applicant to be of possible relevance to the present technology. No admission is necessarily intended, nor should be construed, that any of the preceding information constitutes prior art against the present technology.

Electromagnetic telemetry transmitter apparatus and mud pulse-electromagnetic telemetry assembly


A non-contact type IC card includes a power-supply receiving device for receiving power through electromagnetic coupling with a terminal unit; a signal transmitting/receiving device for exchanging signals with a terminal unit; a signal processing device, connected to the power-supply receiving device and the signal transmitting/receiving device, for processing signals; and a resetting device, connected to the signal processing device, for resetting the signal processing device when there is no signal exchange. A method of initializing a non-contact type IC card which receives power through electromagnetic coupling with a terminal unit and which exchanges signals with the terminal unit includes measuring elapsed time from a signal exchange between an IC card and the terminal unit and resetting the IC card if no signal exchange occurs after the elapsed time exceeds a predetermined value.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a non-contact type portable carrier and a method of initializing the same. More particularly, the present invention relates to a non-contact type portable carrier to which a power-supply voltage is supplied from a terminal unit by electromagnetic coupling and to a method of initializing the carrier.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 5 shows the construction of a conventional non-contact type portable carrier (hereinafter referred to as an IC card) employing electromagnetic coupling. An IC card 3 has a coil 4 which is electromagnetically connected to a coil 2 of a terminal unit 1. A rectifying circuit 5 for full-wave rectifying AC power is connected to the coil 4. Connected to the rectifying circuit 5 are a capacitor 6 for smoothing pulsating current waveforms, a waveform shaping circuit 7 for detecting and shaping clock signals from AC waves, and a level detection circuit 8 for extracting signals from full-wave rectified waves. A processing circuit 11 is connected to the rectifying circuit 5, the waveform shaping circuit 7 and the level detection circuit 8 via signal lines 15, 14 and 10, respectively. Reference numerals 9a, 9b and 9c denote respective resistors for supplying bias and signal voltages to the level detection circuit 8.
A transistor 12 and an adjustment resistor 13 are connected in series between both ends of the coil 4. A signal output terminal of the processing circuit 11 is connected to the gate of the transistor 12. In addition, the IC card 3 has a reset coil 17 which is electromagnetically connected to a reset coil 16 of the terminal unit 1. A reset terminal RE of the processing circuit 11 is connected to the reset coil 17 via a waveform shaping circuit 18. Reference numeral 19 denotes a capacitor for smoothing a reset signal induced in the reset coil 17.
The operation of the conventional IC card 3 will now be explained with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 6. First, the IC card 3 is inserted into the terminal unit 1, and the coil 4 of the IC card 3 approaches the coil 2 of the terminal unit 1. In this condition, when supplying of power is started from the terminal unit 1 in step S1, power is induced in the coil 4 of the IC card 3 by electromagnetic induction, thus activating the IC card 3. Next, the terminal unit 1 sends out a reset signal to the IC card 3 from the reset coil 16 in order to initialize the processing circuit 11. The reset signal is input to the processing circuit 11 via the reset coil 17 and the waveform shaping circuit 18 of the IC card 3. In the IC card 3, if it is confirmed in step S2 that the reset signal is being received, the process proceeds to step S3 where the processing circuit 11 is initialized.
Thereafter, when the signal is sent from the terminal unit 1 via the coil 2, the process proceeds from step S2 to step S4 where the IC card 3 receives a signal. The signal detected by the level detection circuit 8 is input to the processing circuit 11. In step S5, the received signal is processed and evaluated by the processing circuit 11. In step S6, the processing circuit 11 sends out the result of the processed signal to the terminal unit 1 by controlling, i.e., turning on and off the transistor 12. When it is determined in the following step S7 that a series of transmissions and receptions of signals between the processing circuit 11 and the terminal unit 1 has been terminated, the IC card 3 receives a reset signal from the terminal unit 1 in step S8. Thereupon, the processing circuit 11 is initialized in step S9, and all processes are terminated.
However, in the conventional IC card 3, there is a problem in that the IC card 3 cannot be made smaller because the reset coil 17 must be provided separately from the coil 4 for receiving power and signals. In addition, since a dedicated reset signal must be sent from the terminal unit 1 in order to initialize the processing circuit 11 of the IC card 3, protocols for signal transmission by the terminal unit 1 become complicated.

Non-contact IC card and method of initializing same


An apparatus for the loading of flour at a mill having at least one filling nozzle, which communicates by way of at least one substantially stationary storage container, a silo or a hopper, and is so constructed that it can be coupled to several input openings of a vehicle to be loaded. In order to connect the filling nozzles to the various input openings of the vehicle to be loaded in succession (or simultaneously), the weighing assembly, which measures the weight of the vehicle together with its load, is constructed so that it incorporates a transport means, in such a way that by moving the vehicle its input openings can be connected in sequence to the filling nozzle for rapid loading of flour in a simple manner. The flour, in particular in a fluidized state, can be conducted though vertical chutes, increasing the control over the amounts loaded into the vehicle and decreasing the possibility of contamination.

A known apparatus of this kind is described in the following with reference to the attached FIG. 3. It comprises overhead hoppers 15, 16, 17 and 18, into which is transferred the flour from the mill's silos (not shown) prior to loading into a vehicle 29. From the hoppers 15-18 the flour passes through gates 14 attached to each of the hoppers 15-18, into a first (chain trough) conveyor 22 and thence into a second (chain trough) conveyor 23, which is displaceable (from left to right in FIG. 3). The conveyor 23 is equipped at each of its two ends with a filler nozzle 10 or 11, and is so constructed that it can convey the flour either to the nozzle 10 (on the right in FIG. 3) or to the nozzle 11 (on the left in FIG. 3). Below the arrangement just described, in particular substantially centered below the connection point of the first conveyor 22, is a weighing assembly 40 to provide a means of weighing vehicles, onto the bridge 47 of which the vehicle 29 can be placed. The bridge 47 rests on weighing cells 48 that are seated on a foundation 50.
The vehicle 29 comprises tank input openings 30-36, through which tanks 37, 38 of the vehicle 29 can be filled. The tanks 37, 38 can be subdivided into individual compartments, sealed off from one another, in which case each input opening 30-36 is associated with a single compartment.
The first step in filling is that the nozzle 10 or the nozzle 11 is firmly connected to one of the input openings 30-36 of the vehicle 29 by appropriately shifting the second conveyor 23 and lowering the nozzle 10 or 11. Then at least one of the gates 14 of one of the hoppers 15-18 is opened and the associated first conveyor 22 is put into operation, as well as the second conveyor 23 (being moved in the appropriate direction). Hence the flour can pass into the tanks 37, 38 of the vehicle 29. During the filling process the load is measured by the weighing assembly 40. In order for a predetermined amount of flour to be put into the tanks 37, 38 of the vehicle 29, the previously opened gate 14 must be shut at just the right time, so that the amount of flour in the entire passageway from the gate 14 to the filling nozzle 10 or 11 corresponds precisely to the difference between the actual content of the tank and the desired "control" content. This precision is made particularly difficult to achieve by the fact that the distance through the second conveyor 23 depends on whether the nozzle 10 or 11 is being used and to which of the tank openings 30-36 it is coupled; that is, the conveyor can contain various amounts in transport. Furthermore, this differential amount depends on the rate of transport of the conveyors 22, 23, so that good reproducibility of the results requires extremely precise transport velocity. These criteria are very hard to meet, especially in combination, with the result that the content of the tanks is seldom exactly as intended.
An additional problem in the known flour-loading apparatus is that the conveyors, in particular, are constructed with very many angles and corners to which access is difficult. In such angles and corners animal pests can shelter or develop, whereupon they continually contaminate the flour. At the same time, physical contaminants (foreign bodies, abrasion detritus) are unavoidably introduced by the known flour-loading apparatus.
Along with all these difficulties, the time required to load a vehicle must be made as short as possible so that a given flour-loading apparatus can load as many vehicles as possible per day; to handle the output of a large mill, it is often necessary for several flour loaders to operate simultaneously.


A method ensures that a reduction in data throughput is minimized in the event of a cell change in a GPRS network. When it is determined that cell change is appropriate for a mobile station, the BSS ensures that no further data for the mobile station is transmitted form the SGSN, and then continues to transmit all buffered data to the mobile station. The throughput may be deliberately reduced for a part of this time, so that the system timers become adapted to the reduction in throughput which will occur at the cell change. When the buffer has been emptied, the cell change is effected and, thereafter, that mobile station is prioritised in the BSS, in order to allow any buffered data on the uplink or downlink to be cleared.

In a known General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) mobile communications network, a Gateway GPRS Support Node (GGSN) acts as a gateway to and from an Internet Service Provider (ISP), and has a connection to a general data communications network. Connected to the GGSN is a Serving GPRS Support Node (SGSN), which is further connected to multiple Base Station Systems (BSS).
A mobile station (MS), which is active within the network, has a connection to one BSS, and the SGSN handles the routing of data from the GGSN to the BSS.
Each BSS has at least one Packet Control Unit (PCU), which handles the different GPRS users, and schedules data on the radio resources which are available for GPRS users in the cell.
When downlink data is transmitted to an MS in a GPRS network, the data is buffered, in the form of Logical Link Control (LLC) Packet Data Units (PDU) both in the SGSN and in the BSS. The LLC is the protocol which provides a logical link between the MS and the SGSN.
When a Mobile Station moves in the area covered by the network, procedures are provided to control the way in which its connection changes from one cell to another.
The BSS specifies a Network Control (NC) mode, and broadcasts this to the Mobile Station on control channels. In Network Control mode 0 (NC0) or Network Control mode 1 (NC1), the MS may perform cell reselection autonomously, as described in the 3rd Generation Partnership Project Technical Specification 3GPP TS 44.060 V5.0.0, section 22.214.171.124. Thus, the MS measures the signal strengths of neighbouring cells and, when it determines that a cell change is appropriate, it performs the cell change. The BSS determines that the MS has changed cell only when it receives a Cell Update message from the MS in the new cell.
In Network Control mode 2 (NC2), the cell reselection is initiated by the network, as described in the 3rd Generation Partnership Project Technical Specification 3GPP TS 44.060 V5.0.0, section 8.4. Thus, the MS measures the signal strengths of the serving cell and of neighbouring cells, and sends measurement reports to the BSS. When the BSS determines that a cell change is appropriate, it directs the MS accordingly.
A cell change, as described above, whether performed autonomously by the MS or initiated by the BSS, typically takes 3-5 seconds, during which time data transfer is interrupted.
If it is supported by the MS, the functionality Network Assisted Cell Change, as described in the 3rd Generation Partnership Project Technical Specification 3GPP TS 44.060 V5.0.0, sections 5.51.1a and 8.8, can reduce this interruption to less than 1 second. In this case, when the MS determines that a cell change is appropriate, it sends a Packet Cell Chance Notification message to the BSS. The BSS responds with the system information for the proposed cell reselection, thereby allowing the MS to make a faster access in the new cell.
However, there remains an interruption, during which there is no data transfer. Further, the interruption may lead to timeouts and/or reduced data throughput in higher layer protocols.
Moreover, when an SGSN detects a cell change, it sends a FLUSH-LL PDU message to the old BSS, as described in the 3rd Generation Partnership Project Technical Specification 3GPP TS 08.18 V8.9.0, section 8.1. In some cases, this will allow buffered data, awaiting transmission to the MS, to be transferred to the PCU for the new cell. However, in other cases, particularly in the case of a cell change between routing areas or between Network Service Entities, the buffered data cannot be transferred, and must be retransmitted at a higher layer protocol. Again, this can lead to reduced data throughput for the MS.

Method of data preservation and minimizing reduction in data throughput in the event of a cell change


A data processing method, includes receiving a data flow; generating a triplet set according to the data flow, where each triplet in the set includes three items, the first item is a first element in the data flow, the second item includes a first time point at which the first element appears in the data flow and a first quantity of times that corresponds to the first time point, and the third item includes a second time point at which the first element appears in the data flow and a second quantity of times that corresponds to the second time point; and performing data processing on the data flow according to the triplet set. In the embodiments of the present application, the triplet set may be generated based on the data flow.

A data flow is a sequence of data that arrives sequentially, rapidly, and continuously in a large quantity. Generally, a data flow may be considered as a set of dynamic data that increases infinitely with time. A data flow widely appears in application fields such as network monitoring, sensor networks, aerospace, meteorological measurement and control, and financial services, and satellite cloud picture monitoring, stock market trend analysis, network attack determining, and the like may be performed through research on the data flow.
In fields such as network monitoring, virus detection, trend prediction, and exception analysis, to find a change trend of an element in a data flow is an important aspect in signal detection and is of great instructive significance in signal detection.
In common application, usually a quantity of times that an element appears in a data flow only at a current time point is considered. If data at a historical time point is not recorded and stored in time, the data cannot be queried at the current time point, leading to an information loss. Therefore, currently, how to implement global monitoring on a data flow is a technical bottleneck that urgently needs to be resolved.


A method of selecting a parent node for routing from among a plurality of nodes in a 6TiSCH network. The method comprises; each of a two or more nodes of the plurality of nodes transmitting a routing message at each power level of a plurality of power levels, wherein the routing message comprises an indication of the reliability for a transmission path to a root node. The method further comprises, at a deciding node, receiving said routing messages from said two or more nodes, determining respective likelihoods of reliability of transmission to a root node via each of said two or more nodes based on the received messages and the indications, and selecting, as the parent node from the two or more nodes the node which has the greatest likelihood of reliability of transmission.

Monitoring and controlling industrial processes has typically been seen as an expensive activity due to the vast number of sensors which are often expensive to install, operate and maintain especially where a wired network is required to facilitate the exchange of communications. In recent times significant advances have occurred in the field of wireless sensor networks, in particular relating to the Internet of Things (IoT), which offer the possibility for low cost, high flexibility sensor networks.
While it is clearly advantageous to use low cost wireless sensors for industrial monitoring; it is not without its challenges. These challenges include the harsh operating conditions created by the presence of large pieces of metallic equipment as well as the stringent reliability and security requirements that are required for operation in an industrial environment.
The latest Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) 6TiSCH (IPv6 over Time Synchronized Channel Hopping (TSCH) MAC) standard is considered by many to be the de-facto standard for wireless sensors with industrial applications and facilitates high reliability, low latency connections for low power IoT devices.
In keeping with 6TiSCH's predecessor (IEEE 802.15.4e), the routing protocol for low-power and lossy networks, known as RPL, has been adopted in the standard. Routing packets in IoT sensor networks can be particularly challenging due to the presence of power constrained devices, lossy radio links and the ever-changing nature of the network topology. Despite the considerable amount of work undertaken by the Internet Engineering Task Force, there remain instances where the RPL routing protocol determines a sub-optimal routing topology for achieving reliable communications. For this reason a new approach to routing packets in a low power lossy network is required.

Method and device for routing data in 6TiSCH networks


Some implementations provide a folding electronic device that includes a base portion, a cover portion and a coupler. The base portion includes a region configured to generate heat. The cover portion includes a display screen, a heat dissipating component, and a thermally insulating component. The heat dissipating component is coplanar to the display screen. The thermally insulating component is coplanar to the display screen. The thermally insulating component is located between the display screen and the heat dissipating component. The coupler is for thermally coupling the base portion to the cover portion. The coupler includes a first component and a second component. The first component is coupled to the region configured to generate heat. The second component is coupled to the heat dissipating component of the cover portion. The coupler provides a path for transferring heat.

1. Field
Various features relate to a heat dissipating apparatus for folding electronic devices.
2. Background
An ultrabook is a laptop computer with a reduced/small form factor. As a result, these laptops have internal components that are tightly packaged within its case. Some of these internal components include a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU) and memory. Despite its reduced form factor (smaller compact size), such laptops are typically high performance computers with above average battery life. However, one of the drawbacks of a high performance laptop is that it generates a lot of heat (e.g., generates heat in excess of 10 W). Specifically, the high performance CPU and/or GPU of the laptop can generate a lot of heat, especially when performing data intensive operations (e.g., games, processing video).
To counter or dissipate the heat generated by the CPU and/or GPU, a laptop may include a cooling fan. The cooling fan will circulate air in the laptop to cool the CPU and/or GPU, thereby cooling the laptop. This method of cooling the laptop is known as an active cooling method. The drawback of this active cooling method is that the cooling fan consumes energy from the battery, thus limiting the battery life of the laptop. Another drawback is that cooling fans make noise (even the ones that are "silent"). In addition, cooling fans may not be practical in a small form factor computer, as they occupy a relatively large space in the computer.
Therefore, there is a need for an improved method and design for dissipating heat from a laptop or any electronic device without having to use any energy from a battery. Ideally, such a method and design can be implemented in a small form factor electronic device.

Heat dissipating apparatus for folding electronic devices


Benzoylguanidines of the formula I ##STR1## in which R(1) to R(6) have the meanings stated in the claims, are antiarrhythmic pharmaceuticals which have excellent activity and a cardioprotective component and are highly suitable for the prophylaxis of infarcts and the treatment of infarcts, and for the treatment of angina pectoris, in which case they also preventively inhibit or greatly reduce the pathophysiological processes in the development of ischemia-induced damage, especially in the triggering of ischemia-induced cardiac arrhythmias.

The invention relates to benzoylguanidines of the formula I ##STR2## in which: R(1) is alkyl having 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 or 8 carbon atoms or NR(7)R(8);
R(7) and R(8) are, independently of one another, hydrogen or alkyl having 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 or 8 carbon atoms PA2 R(25) is hydrogen, alkyl having 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 or 8 carbon atoms or phenyl, which is unsubstituted or substituted by 1-3 substituents selected from the group consisting of F, Cl, CF.sub.3, CH.sub.3, methoxy, hydroxyl, amino, methylamino and dimethylamino; PA2 R(25) is --(C.sub.1 -C.sub.9)-heteroaryl, which is unsubstituted or substituted by I - 3 substituents selected from the group consisting of the group F, Cl, CF.sub.3, CH.sub.3, methoxy, hydroxyl, amino, methylamino and dimethylamino; PA2 R(26) and R(27) are, independently of one another, defined as R(25) or are hydrogen or alkyl having 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 or 8 carbon atoms; PA2 m is zero, 1 or2; PA2 R(14) is --(C.sub.3 -C.sub.8)-cycloalkyl or phenyl, which is unsubstituted or substituted by 1-3 substituents selected from the group consisting of F and Cl, --CF.sub.3, methyl, methoxy and --NR(15)R(16); PA2 R(32), R(33) and R(34) are, independently of one another, hydrogen or alkyl having 1, 2, 3 or 4 carbon atoms; PA2 R(7) and R(8) are, independently of one another, hydrogen or alkyl having 1, 2, 3 or 4 carbon atoms; PA2 R(25) is hydrogen, alkyl having 1, 2, 3 or 4 carbon atoms or phenyl, which is unsubstituted or substituted by 1-2 substituents selected from the group consisting of F, Cl, CF.sub.3, CH.sub.3, methoxy and dimethylamino; PA2 R(25) is --(C.sub.1 -C.sub.9)-heteroaryl, which is unsubstituted or substituted by 1-2 substituents selected from the group consisting of F, Cl, CF.sub.3, CH.sub.3, methoxy and dimethylamino; PA2 R(26) and R(27) are, independently of one another, hydrogen or alkyl having 1, 2, 3 or 4 carbon atoms; PA2 m is zero, 1 or2; PA2 R(14) is --(C.sub.3 -C.sub.6)-cycloalkyl or phenyl, which is unsubstituted or substituted by 1-2 substituents selected from the group consisting of F, Cl, --CF.sub.3, methyl and methoxy; PA2 R(32), R(33) and R(34) are, independently of one another, hydrogen or methyl; PA2 R(25) is hydrogen, alkyl having 1, 2 or 3 carbon atoms or phenyl, which is unsubstituted or substituted by one substituent selected from the group consisting of F, Cl, CF.sub.3 and CH.sub.3 ; PA2 R(25) is --(C.sub.1 -C.sub.9)-heteroaryl, which is unsubstituted or substituted by one substituent selected from the group consisting of F, Cl, CF.sub.3 and CH.sub.3 ; PA2 R(26) and R(27) are, independently of one another, hydrogen or methyl; PA2 R(32), R(33) and R(34) are, independently of one another, hydrogen or methyl; PA2 R(25) is hydrogen, alkyl having 1, 2 or 3 carbon atoms or phenyl, which is unsubstituted or substituted by one substituent selected from the group consisting of F, Cl, CF.sub.3 and CH.sub.3 ; PA2 R(25) is --(C.sub.1 -C.sub.9)-heteroaryl, which is unsubstituted or substituted by one substituent selected from the group consisting of F, Cl, CF.sub.3 and CH.sub.3 ; PA2 R(26) and R(27) are, independently of one another, hydrogen or methyl;
R(2) is hydrogen, alkyl having 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 or 8 carbon atoms or --SO.sub.2 R(9) R(9) is independently defined as R(1); PA1 R(3) is hydrogen, --SR(25), --OR(25), --NR(25)R(26) or --CR(25)R(26)R(27); PA1 R(4) is hydrogen, F, Cl, Br, I, OH, --C.tbd.N, CF.sub.3, alkyl having 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 or 8 carbon atoms, alkenyl having 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 or 8 carbon atoms or --(CH.sub.2).sub.m R(14); PA1 R(5) and R(6) are, independently of one another, hydrogen, alkyl having 1, 2, 3 or 4 carbon atoms, F, Cl, --OR(32), --NR(33)R(34) or CF.sub.3 ; PA1 R(1) is alkyl having 1, 2, 3 or 4 carbon atoms or NR(7)R(8); PA1 R(2) is hydrogen, alkyl having 1, 2, 3 or 4 carbon atoms or --SO.sub.2 R(9) R(9) is independently defined as R(1); PA1 R(3) is hydrogen, --SR(25), --OR(25), --NR(25)R(26) or --CR(25)R(26)R(27); PA1 R(4) is hydrogen, F, Cl, Br, I, OH, CF.sub.3, alkyl having 1, 2, 3 or 4 carbon atoms, alkenyl having 2, 3 or 4 carbon atoms or --(CH.sub.2).sub.m R(14); PA1 R(5) and R(6) are, independently of one another, hydrogen, alkyl having 1, 2 or 3 carbon atoms, F, Cl, --OR(32), --NR(33)R(34) or CF.sub.3 ; PA1 R(1) is methyl or dimethylamino; PA1 R(2) is hydrogen, methyl, --SO.sub.2 CH.sub.3 or --SO.sub.2 N(CH.sub.3).sub.2 ; PA1 R(3) is hydrogen, --SR(25), --OR(25), --NR(25)R(26) or --CR(25)R(26)R(27); PA1 R(4) is hydrogen, F, Cl, OH, CF.sub.3 or alkyl having 1, 2, 3 or 4 carbon atoms; PA1 R(5) and R(6) are, independently of one another, hydrogen, alkyl having 1, 2 or 3 carbon atoms, F, Cl, --OR(32), --NR(33)R(34) or CF.sub.3 ; PA1 R(1) is methyl or dimethylamino; PA1 R(2) is hydrogen; PA1 R(3) is hydrogen, --OR(25) or --CR(25)R(26)R(27); PA1 R(4) is hydrogen, OH, CF.sub.3 or alkyl having 1, 2, 3 or 4 carbon atoms; PA1 R(5) and R(6) are, independently of one another, hydrogen, alkyl having 1, 2 or 3 carbon atoms, F, Cl or CF.sub.3 ;
or
R(15) and R(16) are, independently of one another, hydrogen or --CH.sub.3 ;
and their pharmaceutically acceptable salts.
Preferred compounds of the formula I are those in which:
or
and their pharmaceutically acceptable salts.
Particularly preferred compounds of the formula I are those in which:
or
and their pharmaceutically acceptable salts.
Very particularly preferred compounds of the formula I are those in which:
or
and their pharmaceutically acceptable salts.
The specified alkyl radicals can be present both straight-chain and branched.
(C.sub.1 -C.sub.9)-Heteroaryl means radicals which are derived from phenyl or naphthyl in which one or more CH groups are replaced by N and/or in which at least two adjacent CH groups are replaced by S, NH or O (to form a five-membered aromatic ring). It is furthermore possible for one or both carbon atoms at the point of fusion of bicyclic radicals to the nitrogen atoms (as in indolizinyl).
Particularly appropriate as heteroaryl is furanyl, thienyl, pyrrolyl, imidazolyl, pyrazolyl, triazolyl, tetrazolyl, oxazolyl, isoxazolyl, thiazolyl, isothiazolyl, pyridyl, pyrazinyl, pyrimidinyl, pyridazinyl, indolyl, indazolyl, quinolyl, isoquinolyl, phthalazinyl, quinoxalinyl, quinazolinyl, cinnolinyl,
Heterocycles which are very particularly suitable are thienyl, pyrrolyl, imidazolyl, pyrazolyl, triazolyl, tetrazolyl, oxazolyl, isoxazolyl, thiazolyl, isothiazolyl, pyridyl, pyrazinyl, pyrimidinyl, indolyl, quinolyl and isoquinolyl.
If one of the substituents R(1) to R(6) contains one or more centers of asymmetry, these can have, independently of one another, both the S and R configuration. The compounds can be in the form of optical isomers, of diastereomers, of racemates or as mixtures thereof.
The invention furthermore relates to a process for the preparation of the compounds I, which comprises reacting compounds of the formula II ##STR3## in which R(1) to R(6) have the abovementioned meanings, and L is a leaving group readily amenable to nucleophilic substitution, with guanidine. The activated acid derivatives of the formula II in which L is an alkoxy, preferably a methoxy group or phenoxy group, a phenylthio, methylthio, 2-pyridylthio group, or a nitrogen heterocycle, preferably 1-imidazolyl, are advantageously obtained in a manner known per se from the underlying carbonyl chlorides (formula II, L.dbd.Cl), which in turn can be prepared in a manner known per se from the underlying carboxylic acids (formula II, L.dbd.OH), for example with thionyl chloride. Besides the carbonyl chlorides of the formula II (L.dbd.Cl), other activated acid derivatives of the formula II can also be prepared in a manner known per se directly from the underlying benzoic acid derivatives (formula II, L.dbd.OH), such as, for example, the methyl esters of the formula II with L.dbd.OCH.sub.3 by treating with gaseous HCl in methanol, the imidazolides of the formula II by treatment with carbonyldiimidazole L.dbd.1-imidazolyl, Staab, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. Engl. 1,351-367 (1962)!, the mixed anhydrides II with Cl--COOC.sub.2 H.sub.5 or tosyl chloride in the presence of triethylamine in an inert solvent, as well as the activations of benzoic acids with dicyclohexylcarbodiimide (DCC) or with O-(cyano(ethoxycarbonyl)methylene)amino!-1,1,3,3-tetramethyluronium tetrafluoroborate ("TOTU") Proceedings of the 21. European Peptide Symposium, Peptides 1990, Editors E. Giralt and D. Andreu, Escom, Leiden, 1991!. A number of suitable methods for preparing activated carboxylic acid derivatives of the formula II is indicated in J. March, Advanced Organic Chemistry, Third Edition (John Wiley & Sons, 1985), page 350, indicated source literature.
The reaction of an activated carboxylic acid derivative of the formula I with guanidine takes place in a manner known per se in a protic or aprotic polar but inert organic solvent. In this connection, for the reaction of the methyl benzoates (II, L.dbd.OMe) with guanidine, methanol, isopropanol or THF have proven suitable at between 20.degree. C. and the boiling point of these solvents. Most reactions of compounds II with salt-free guanidine have advantageously been carried out in inert solvents such as THF, dimethoxyethane, dioxane or isopropanol. However, water can also be used as the solvent.
When L.dbd.Cl, it is advantageous to add an acid trap, for example in the form of excess guanidine to bind the hydrohalic acid.
The introduction of the benzenesulfonamide derivatives which are substituted in the phenyl moiety by sulfur, oxygen or nitrogen nucleophiles takes place by methods known from the literature for nucleophilic substitution on derivatives of 3-nitrobenzoic acid. Halides and trifluoromethanesulfonates have proven suitable as leaving group on the benzoic acid derivative in this substitution. It is advantageous to use a dipolar aprotic solvent such as DMF or TMU, at a temperature from 0.degree. C. to the boiling point of the solvent, preferably from 80.degree. C. to the boiling point of the solvent. Advantageously used as acid trap is an alkali metal or alkaline earth metal salt with an anion of high basicity and low nucleophilicity, for example K.sub.2 CO.sub.3 or Cs.sub.2 CO.sub.3.
The reduction of the nitro compound to the aniline can make use of the standard processes which have been known for some time. Suitable examples are reduction with iron powder in methanol and concentrated aqueous HCl solution.
Surprisingly, the nitro group can also be converted directly into the methanesulfonylamino group using sodium methanesulfinate. To do this, the nitro compound is reacted with sodium methanesulfinate in a dipolar aprotic solvent such as, for example, DMF, TMU or NMP, at a temperature between RT and the boiling point of the solvent, preferably from 80.degree. C. to 160.degree. C.
The introduction of the alkyl or aryl substituents takes place by methods known from the literature of palladium-mediated cross-coupling of aryl halides with, for example, organozinc compounds, organostannanes, organoboronic acids or organoboranes.
Benzoylguanidines I are generally weak bases and are able to bond acid to form salts. Suitable acid addition salts are salts of all pharmacologically suitable acids, for example halides, in particular hydrochlorides, ascorbates, lactates, sulfates, citrates, tartrates, acetates, phosphates, methylsulfonates, p-toluenesulfonates.
Benzoylguanidines are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5 091 394 (HOE 89/F 288) and European Published Specification 0 556 674 (HOE 92/F 034), but in these the substituents do not have the meanings claimed in the present invention. No phenylsulfamide derivatives are described. In addition, the solubility in water of these known benzoylguanidines is unsatisfactory.
These also disclose benzoylguanidines with sulfamoyl substituents R.sub.2 N--SO.sub.2 --; however, no compounds of the type according to the invention which carry an aminosulfonyl group --NR(2)SO.sub.2 --R(1) are disclosed.
The compounds are, as a subsequence of their pharmacological properties, outstandingly suitable as antiarrhythmic pharmaceuticals with a cardioprotective component for the prophylaxis of infarcts and the treatment of infarcts, and for the treatment of angina pectoris, in which case they also preventively inhibit or greatly reduce the pathophysiological processes in the development of ischemia-induced damage, especially in the triggering of ischemia-induced cardiac arrhythmias. Because of their protective effect in pathological hypoxic and ischemic situations, the compounds of the formula I according to the invention can, as a consequence of inhibition of the cellular Na.sup.+ /H.sup.+ exchange mechanism, be used as pharmaceuticals for the treatment of all acute or chronic damage induced by ischemia or disorders induced primarily or secondarily thereby. This relates to their use as pharmaceuticals for surgical interventions, for example in organ transplants, in which case the compounds can be used both to protect the organs in the donor before and during removal, protect removed organs, for example on treatment with or storage thereof in physiological bath liquids, and on transferring to the recipient organism. The compounds are likewise valuable pharmaceuticals which have a protective effect when performing angioplastic surgical interventions, for example on the heart and on peripheral vessels. In accordance with their protective effect on ischemia-induced damage, the compounds are also suitable as pharmaceuticals for the treatment of ischemias of the nervous system, especially the CNS, in which case they are suitable, for example, for treating stroke or cerebral edema. In addition, the compounds of the formula I according to the invention are likewise suitable for treatments of types of shock such as, for example, of allergic, cardiogenic, hypovolemic and bacterial shock.
Furthermore, the compounds of the formula I according to the invention are distinguished by a potent inhibitory effect on the proliferation of cells, for example of fibroblast cell proliferation and the proliferation of smooth vascular muscle cells. The compounds of the formula I are therefore suitable as valuable therapeutic agents for diseases in which cell proliferation represents a primary or secondary cause, and can therefore be used as antiatherosclerotics, agents for late complications of diabetes, cancers, fibrotic disorders such as pulmonary fibrosis, liver fibrosis or kidney fibrosis, organ hypertrophies and hyperplasias, especially in prostate hyperplasia and prostate hypertrophy.
The compounds according to the invention are effective inhibitors of the cellular sodium/proton antiporter (Na.sup.+ /H.sup.+ exchanger), which is elevated in numerous disorders (essential hypertension, atherosclerosis, diabetes etc.) also in those cells which are readily accessible to measurements, such as, for example, in erythrocytes, platelets or leukozytes. The compounds according to the invention are therefore suitable as outstanding and simple scientific tools, for example in their use as diagnostic aids for determining and distinguishing certain types of hypertension, but also of atherosclerosis, of diabetes, of proliferative disorders etc. Furthermore, the compounds of the formula I are suitable for preventive therapy to prevent the development of high blood pressure, for example of essential hypertension.
Compared with most of the known compounds, the compounds according to the invention display a significantly improved solubility in water. They are therefore considerably more suitable for i.v. administration.
The compounds according to the invention are distinguished from the known compounds with good solubility in water by their better bioavailabiity and pharmacokinetics.
Pharmaceuticals which contain a compound I can moreover be administered orally, parenterally, intravenously, rectally or by inhalation, with the preferred administration depending on the particular manifestation of the disorder. The compounds I can moreover be used alone or together with pharmaceutical ancillary substances, specifically in veterinary and in human medicine.
The particular ancillary substances suitable for the required pharmaceutical formulation are familiar to the skilled worker on the basis of his expert knowledge. Besides solvents, gel formers, suppository bases, tablet auxiliaries and other active substance vehicles, it is preferable to use for example, antioxidants, dispersants, emulsifiers, antifoams, flavors, preservatives, solubilizers or colorants.
For a form for oral use, the active compounds are mixed with additives suitable for this purpose, such as excipients, stabilizers or inert diluents, and converted by conventional methods into suitable dosage forms such as tablets, coated tablets, hard gelatin capsules, aqueous, alcoholic or oily solutions. Examples of inert vehicles which can be used are gum arabic, magnesia, magnesium carbonate, potassium phosphate, lactose, glucose or starch, especially corn starch. This preparation can take place either as dry or as wet granules. Examples of suitable oily excipients or solvents are vegetable oils or animal oils, such as sunflower oil or fishliver oil.
For subcutaneous or intravenous administration, the active compounds are converted, if required with the substances customary for this purpose, such as solubilizers, emulsifiers or other ancillary substances, into a solution, suspension or emulsion. Examples of suitable solvents are: water, physiological saline or alcohols, for example ethanol, propanol, glycerol, as well as sugar solutions such as glucose or mannitol solutions or else a mixture of the various solvents mentioned.
Examples of suitable pharmaceutical formulations for administration in the form of aerosols or sprays are solutions, suspensions or emulsions of the active substance of the formula I in a pharmaceutically acceptable solvent such as, in particular, ethanol or water, or a mixture of such solvents. The formulation can also, if required, contain other pharmaceutical ancillary substances such as surfactants, emulsifiers and stabilizers, and a propellant gas. A formulation of this type normally contains the active substance in a concentration of about 0.1 to 10, in particular of about 0.3 to 3% by weight.
The dosage of the active substance of the formula I to be administered, and the frequency of administration, depend on the potency and duration of action of the compounds used; also on the nature and severity of the disease to be treated and on the sex, age, weight and individual response of the mammal to be treated.
On average, the daily dose of a compound of the formula I for a patient weighing about 75 kg is at least 0.001 mg/kg of body weight, preferably at least 0.01 mg/kg of body weight, to a maximum of 10 mg/kg of body weight, preferably up to a maximum of 1 mg/kg of body weight. It is also possible in the case of acute episodes of the is disease, for example immediately after suffering a myocardial infarct, for even higher and, in particular, more frequent doses to be necessary, for example up to 4 single doses per day. Up to 100 mg per day may be necessary, especially on i.v. use, for example for an infarct patient in intensive care.
List of abbreviations:
AIBN .alpha.,.alpha.-azobisisobutyronitrile PA0 Bn benzyl PA0 Brine saturated aqueous NaCl solution PA0 CH.sub.2 Cl.sub.2 dichloromethane PA0 DCI desorption chemical ionization PA0 DIP diisopropyl ether PA0 DMA dimethylacetamide PA0 DME dimethoxyethane PA0 DMF N,N-dimethylformamide PA0 EA ethyl acetate (EtOAc) PA0 El electron impact PA0 eq equivalent PA0 ES elektrospray ionization PA0 Et ethyl PA0 FAB fast atom bombardment PA0 HEP n-heptane PA0 HOAc acetic acid PA0 Me methyl PA0 MeOH methanol PA0 mp melting point PA0 MTB methyl tertiary-butyl ether PA0 NBS N-bromosuccinimide PA0 NMP N-methylpyrrolidone PA0 RT room temperature PA0 THF tetrahydrofuran PA0 TMU N,N,N',N'-tetramethylurea PA0 Tol toluene PA0 CNS central nervous system
Experimental part
General method for the preparation of benzoylguanidines (I)
Variant A: from benzoic acids (II, L.dbd.OH)
0.01M of the benzoic acid derivative of the formula II is dissolved or suspended in 60 ml of anhydrous THF and then 1.78 g (0.011 mol) of carbonyldiimidazole are added. After stirring at RT for 2 hours, 2.95 g (0.05 mol) of guanidine are introduced into the reaction solution. After stirring overnight, the THF is removed by distillation under reduced pressure (rotary evaporator), water is added, the pH is adjusted to 6 to 7 with 2N HCl, and the appropriate benzoylguanidine (formula I) is filtered off. The benzoylguanidines obtained in this way can be converted into corresponding salts by treatment with aqueous, methanolic or ethereal hydrochloric acid or other pharmacologically suitable acids.
General method for the preparation of benzoylguanidines (I)
Variant B: from alkyl benzoates (II, L.dbd.O-alkyl)
5 mmol of the alkyl benzoate of the formula II and 25 mmol of guanidine (free base) are dissolved in 15 ml of isopropanol or suspended in 15 ml of THF and boiled under reflux until conversion is complete (thin-layer check) (typical reaction time 2 to 5 h). The solvent is removed by distillation under reduced pressure (rotary evaporator), the residue is taken up in 300 ml EA and washed 3 x with 50 ml of NaHCO.sub.3 solution each time. It is dried over Na.sub.2 SO.sub.4, the solvent is removed by distillation in vacuo, and chromatography is carried out on silica gel with a suitable mobile phase, for example EA/MeOH 5:1.
(Compare Variant A for salt formation)
General method for the preparation of benzoylguanidines (I)
Variant C: From alkyl benzoates (II, L.dbd.O-alkyl), guanidine liberation in situ
25 mmol of potassium t-butoxide are dissolved in 100 ml of DMF (anhydrous), and 30 mmol of guanidine hydrochloride are added. The mixture is stirred at RT for 1 h and then 5 mmol of the alkyl benzoate of the formula II are added, and the mixture is stirred at RT (typical reaction time 1-24 h) or at 80.degree. C. (typical reaction time 10 minutes to 4 h) until conversion is complete (thin-layer check). The reaction mixture is poured into 500 ml of water, adjusted to pH=8-9 with dilute aqueous HCl solution, stirred for 1 h and filtered with suction. The product is dried in vacuo and, if necessary, chromatographed on silica gel with a suitable mobile phase, for example EA/MeOH 5:1. (Compare Variant A for salt formation)

Sulfonylamino-substituted benzoylguanidines, a process for their preparation, their use as a medicament or diagnostic aid, and medicament containing them


A method is provided for synthesis of error-minimized nucleic acid molecules. Oligonucleotides intended to have fragments of a desired, full-length nucleotide sequence, and optionally containing other desired nucleotides, such as nucleotides for binding the oligonucleotides to a substrate, are obtained. Oligonucleotides for both strands of the desired, full-length sequence may be obtained. The oligonucleotides are amplified and assembled into a first set of molecules intended to have the desired, full-length nucleotide sequence. The first set of molecules is denatured and annealed to form a second set of molecules intended to have the desired, full-length nucleotide sequence. The second set of molecules is cut into smaller segments, for example, by mixing the molecules with endonucleases that form blunt cuts in the second set of molecules where there are sequence errors, as well as randomly along the molecules. The smaller segments are assembled into a set of molecules intended to have the desired, full-length nucleotide sequence. By promoting cutting of the molecules in this manner near the end of the nucleic acid molecule synthesis process, a set of full-length molecules can be obtained with fewer nucleotide sequence errors than can be achieved with other methods.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to molecular biology, and more particularly to the synthesis of genes and other nucleic acid molecules.
2. Description of Related Art
To test hypotheses in the field of genomics, and to synthesize designed proteins and organisms with tailored genomes, cost-effective methods for synthesizing nucleic acid molecules with a high degree of fidelity to an intended nucleotide sequence are required. Recently, efforts to synthesize genes accurately while controlling costs have yielded methods including microchip-based gene synthesis and PCR-based gene assembly technologies. While these conventional technologies provide the capability to synthesize multiple genes, reducing errors introduced into the desired gene-sequence remains challenging. To avoid the problems with sequence errors inherent in gene synthesis, some have focused on purifying the oligonucleotides that are used at the early stages of the synthesis process. However, these oligonucleotide purification approaches are costly, and sequence errors persist and propagate through the subsequent steps of the synthesis process.
What is desired is a way to synthesize genes and other nucleic acid molecules with a greater yield of molecules having a desired nucleotide sequence. An approach that can correct sequence errors at a much later step in the synthesis process makes the desired increase in nucleotide sequence accuracy possible, while allowing the process to be cost-effective.

Synthesis of error-minimized nucleic acid molecules


Methods and apparatuses are provided in connection with a transparent electrode on organic photovoltaic cells. A layer of dissolvable material is formed on a substrate. A solution having conductive nanowires suspended therein is deposited on the layer of dissolvable material. The solution is evaporated to form a nanowire mesh. The nanowire mesh is heated to sinter junctions between nanowires in the nanowire mesh. The nanowire mesh is affixed on a layer of one or more organic photovoltaic cells. The layer of dissolvable material is dissolved to deposit the nanowire mesh on the layer of one or more organic photovoltaic cells.

Organic photovoltaic cells are considered a promising solar cell technology because of the configurability of electronic and optical properties of organic semiconductors and the potential for low-cost roll-to-roll manufacturing. However, the relatively low efficiency of organic solar cells is a major roadblock that stands in the way of commercialization.
Efficiencies of organic photovoltaic cells may be improved by stacking several individual cells having different optical gaps which are combined into a series-connected stack. The cells are tuned so some photons that have energy sufficient to pass through a first one of the stacked cells can be absorbed by other ones of the stacked cells. Conventionally, the stacked cells are electrically interconnected in series in the stack. As a result of the series connected arrangement, current passing through the cells is limited to the smallest current produced by one of the cells in the stack. Efficient cells that produce a lot of current are limited by inefficient cells that produce little current. To avoid this scenario, stacked cells are generally matched so the cells in a stack each produce approximately an equivalent current. Such matching can be time consuming and expensive.
Further, the manufacture of organic photovoltaic cells is complicated by current processes of fabricating conductive electrodes. Previous methods for depositing transparent conductive films on a photovoltaic cell to form an electrode involve high temperature, vacuum sputtering processes, and harsh chemicals, which can damage organic photovoltaic cells.
One or more embodiments may address one or more of the above issues.

Multi-terminal multi-junction photovoltaic cells

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