Provided herein is disclosure about the identification and characterization of disease and cancer associated antigen PIPA. The invention also provides a family of monoclonal antibodies that bind to antigen PIPA, and methods of diagnosing and treating various human cancers and diseases that express PIPA.

In addition to their known uses in diagnostics, antibodies have been shown to be useful as therapeutic agents. For example, immunotherapy, or the use of antibodies for therapeutic purposes has been used in recent years to treat disease and cancer. Immunotherapy can be passive or active.
Passive immunotherapy involves the use of monoclonal antibodies in cancer treatments. See for example, Cancer: Principles and Practice of Oncology, 6th Edition (2001) Chapt. 20 pp. 495-508. These antibodies can have inherent therapeutic biological activity both by direct inhibition of diseased or tumor cell growth or survival and by their ability to recruit the natural cell killing activity of the body's immune system. These agents can be administered alone or in conjunction with radiation or chemotherapeutic agents. Rituximab and Trastuzumab, approved for treatment of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and breast cancer, respectively, are two examples of such therapeutics. Alternatively, antibodies can be used to make antibody conjugates where the antibody is linked to a toxic agent and directs that agent to the tumor by specifically binding to the tumor. Gemtuzumab ozogamicin is an example of an approved antibody conjugate used for the treatment of leukemia. Monoclonal antibodies that bind to cancer cells and have potential uses for diagnosis and therapy have been disclosed in publications. See, for example, the following patent applications which disclose, inter alia, some molecular weights of target proteins: U.S. Pat. No. 6,054,561 (200 KD c-erbB-2 (Her2), and other unidentified antigens 40-200 KD in size) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,656,444 (50 KD and 55 KD, oncofetal protein). Examples of antibodies in clinical trials and/or approved treatments of solid tumors include: Trastuzumab (antigen: 180 kD, HER2/neu), Edrecolomab (antigen: 40-50 kD, Ep-CAM), Anti-human milk fat globules (HMFG1) (antigen>200 kD, HMW Mucin), Cetuximab (antigens: 150 kD and 170 kD, EGF receptor, Alemtuzumab (antigen: 21-28 kD, CD52), and Rituximab (antigen: 35 kD, CD20).
The antigen targets of trastuzumab (Her-2 receptor), which is used to treat breast cancer, and cetuximab (EGF receptor), which is in clinical trials for the treatment of several cancers, are present at some detectable level on a large number of normal human adult tissues including skin, colon, lung, ovary, liver, and pancreas. The margin of safety in using these therapeutics is possibly provided by the difference in the level of expression or in access of or activity of the antibody at these sites.
Another type of immunotherapy is active immunotherapy, or vaccination, with an antigen present on a specific pathogen, diseased cell or cancer, or a DNA construct that directs the expression of the antigen, which then evokes the immune response in the individual, ie., to induce the individual to actively produce antibodies against their own disease, pathogen or cancer. Active immunization has not been used as often as passive immunotherapy or immunotoxins.
Several models of disease (including cancer) progression have been suggested. Theories range from causation by a single infective/transforming event to the evolution of an increasingly "disease-like" or "cancer-like" tissue type leading ultimately to one with fully pathogenic or malignant capability. Some argue that with cancer, for example, a single mutational event is sufficient to cause malignancy, while others argue that subsequent alterations are also necessary. Some others have suggested that increasing mutational load and tumor grade are necessary for both initiation as well as progression of neoplasia via a continuum of mutation-selection events at the cellular level. Some cancer targets are found only in tumor tissues, while others are present in normal tissues and are up-regulated and/or over-expressed in tumor tissues. In such situations, some researchers have suggested that the over-expression is linked to the acquisition of malignancy, while others suggest that the over-expression is merely a marker of a trend along a path to an increasing disease state.
An ideal diagnostic and/or therapeutic antibody would be specific for an antigen present on a large number of diseased cells or cancers, but absent or present only at low levels on any normal tissue. The discovery, characterization, and isolation of a novel antigen that is specifically associated with disease(s) or cancer(s) would be useful in many ways. First, the antigen could be used to make monoclonal antibodies against the antigen. An antibody would ideally have biological activity against diseased or cancer cells and be able to recruit the immune system's response to foreign antigens. An antibody could be administered as a therapeutic alone or in combination with current treatments or used to prepare immunoconjugates linked to toxic agents. An antibody with the same specificity but with low or no biological activity when administered alone could also be useful in that an antibody could be used to prepare an immunoconjugate with a radio-isotope, a toxin, or a chemotherapeutic agent or liposome containing a chemotherapeutic agent, with the conjugated form being biologically active by virtue of the antibody directing the toxin to the antigen-containing cells.
One aspect desirable for an ideal diagnostic and/or therapeutic antibody is the discovery and characterization of an antigen that is associated with a variety of cancers. There are few antigens that are expressed on a number of types of cancer (e.g., "pan-cancer" antigen) that have limited expression on non-cancerous cells. The isolation and purification of such an antigen would be useful for making antibodies (e.g., diagnostic or therapeutic) targeting the antigen. An antibody binding to the "pan-cancer" antigen could be able to target a variety of cancers found in different tissues in contrast to an antibody against an antigen associated with only one specific type of cancer. The antigen would also be useful for drug discovery (e.g., small molecules) and for further characterization of cellular regulation, growth, and differentiation.
What is needed are novel targets on the surface of diseased and/or cancer cells that may be used to diagnose and treat such diseases and/or cancers with antibodies and other agents which specifically recognize targets on the surface of cells. It is an object of this invention to identify targets on the surface of diseased and/or cancer cells that are limited in expression on normal tissues and cells. PIPA is such a target. It is another objective to provide novel compounds for use in the assay of PIPA, and for use as immunogens or for selecting anti-human PIPA antibodies.
As will be described in more detail below, the present inventors have discovered a novel antigen, which we refer to herein as PIPA, identified as the antigen target of the novel antagonists, modulators and antibodies provided herein.

Antigen PIPA and antibodies that bind thereto


A hard disk inspection apparatus has a fixed magnetic head for magnetically recording data on and reproducing data from an outside recording area of the back surface of a hard disk and a fine-adjustment magnetic head with a micrometer mechanism for magnetically recording data on and reproducing data from an outside recording area of the front surface of the hard disk. Both heads are mounted on a carriage. A fixed magnetic head for magnetically recording data on and reproducing data from an inside recording area of the back surface of the hard disk and a fine-adjustment magnetic head with another micrometer mechanism for magnetically recording data on and reproducing data from an inside recording area of the front surface of the hard disk are both mounted on another carriage. This arrangement enables easy and accurate alignment between the magnetic heads and improves the inspection efficiency.

This invention relates to a hard disk inspection apparatus for inspecting magnetic recording and reproducing characteristics of a hard disk (information storing medium) to be built in a computer or the like.
This type of a hard disk inspection apparatus is already disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 17684/1990. This hard disk inspection apparatus simultaneously inspects the front surface and the back surface of a hard disk by dividing the surfaces into an outside magnetic recording area and inside magnetic recording area, respectively, in order to shorten the hard-disk inspection time.
Therefore, two pairs of carriages are arranged at the both sides of a hard disk rotating on the spindle so that they face each other, two magnetic heads are set to the end of one pair of carriages so that they are provided on the front surface and the back surface of the hard disk, and a fine-adjustment magnetic head provided on the surface of the hard disk and a magnetic head provided on the back thereof are set to the other pair of carriages so that the displacement can be fine-adjusted by a micrometer.
In this manner, inspection is performed by four magnetic heads at the same time.
When four magnetic heads are set, an error of, for example, approx. 0.5 mm is produced at the carriage or magnetic head setting position. However, because it is necessary to keep the error within 2 to 3 .mu.m for effective inspection, the fine-adjustment magnetic head is fine adjusted by the micrometer.
This structure prevents the inspection of recording tracks from being neglected or performed twice at the boundary between two divided areas, (outside and inside magnetic recording areas) by fine-adjusting the position of the fine-adjustment magnetic heads when magnetically recording inspection signals in a hard disk by using a magnetic head before reproducing them or when inspection known missing pulse errors, extra pulse errors, positive modulation, and negative modulation with the reproduced signals after erasing magnetic records.
However, the conventional hard disk inspection apparatus can only adjust one magnetic head precisely with one micrometer. In this case, it is possible to adjust the displacement between two magnetic heads arranged on the front surface of the hard disk and that between two magnetic heads arranged on the back surface of the hard disk but it is impossible to adjust the displacement between two magnetic heads for the front surface and the back surface arranged on one carriage.
It is also impossible to adjust the displacement between two magnetic heads each other arranged on both carriages. For example, if a hard disk is inversely set in order to determine the electrical characteristics of one of a pair of magnetic heads, the inspection efficiency is not improved because the initially recorded position becomes unclear.


A dual shaft rack and pinion steering assembly for a vehicle includes a housing mounted to the vehicle and containing first and second parallel shafts linked to one another for synchronized axial movement. The first and second shafts are slidably positioned within the housing. One of the shafts includes a piston operable by hydraulic fluid contained within the housing. The other of the shafts includes a rack of teeth for meshing with a pinion gear driven by a steering column. The hydraulic fluid operates the piston by pressure coordinated with the driving of the rack by the pinion gear to assist the coordinated movement of the dual shaft assembly. The linked parallel shafts are connected to a drag link to direct a first wheel in response to axial movement of the shafts, which is further connected to a cross car link simultaneously directing a second wheel.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to vehicular steering systems. More particularly, the invention relates to a dual shaft activated single ended rack-and-pinion steering assembly and system.
2. Description of Related Art
Numerous strategies have been developed to actuate steering in motor vehicles. Some steering systems include a pair of steering knuckles supported on a chassis for vertical suspension purposes and for movement of wheels about a pair of axes. The wheels are rotatably mounted to the steering knuckles are free to pivot thereby allowing the vehicle to turn. A rack-and-pinion steering system typically includes a rack and pinion steering assembly mounted on the chassis, and a pair of tie rods attaching the steering gear to the steering knuckles. An integral gear steering system may include a steering gear operably attached to the chassis and a drag link positioned between the steering gear and the tie rods.
The integral gear steering system usually has greater mass than the rack-and-pinion steering system but relatively greater compliance due to dimensional clearances in the pivotal connections between the additional structural elements. The integral gear steering system may be more suitable for motor "heavy-use" vehicles subject to a wide range of loads (e.g., vans, trucks, sport utility vehicles, etc.) than the rack-and-pinion steering system unless complex and expensive structure is provided to account for the reduced compliance of the rack-and-pinion steering system relative to the integral gear steering system. The rack-and-pinion type steering system, however, may be advantageous to other types of steering arrangements (including integral gear steer systems) in that it is relatively lightweight, has a comparatively simple arrangement, provides superior steering performance, and requires a small mounting space.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a prior art rack-and-pinion assembly, shown generally by numeral 10. Assembly 10 comprises a cylindrical housing 20 including a slidable rack 22 partially enclosed therein. Rack 22 includes a plurality of teeth 24 that engage complementary teeth 26 on a pinion gear 28. Tie rods 30, 32. are positioned at opposing ends of the rack 22 for attachment to steering knuckles (not shown). A plurality of chassis mounts 34, 36 provides fixable attachment means to a vehicle chassis. Pinion gear 28 may be coupled to a steering wheel (not shown) and a shaft 38 so that when a vehicle operator turns the steering wheel, pinion gear teeth 26 rotatably mesh with corresponding rack teeth 24. The rotational movement of the steering wheel is converted into a linear motion on the rack 22 thereby providing the motion to turn the vehicle wheels. Typically, a gear reduction between the pinion gear 28 and rack 22 is provided to make it easier for the vehicle operator to steer.
Many rack-and-pinion type steering designs include means for hydraulically assisting the motion of the rack-and-pinion and, thus, the steering wheel. In this case, a piston 40 is slidably positioned within a fluid chamber 42 of the housing 20 whereby hydraulic fluid 44 pressure may build-up on either side of the piston 40 during steering maneuvers. The pressure difference forces the piston 40 to translate in a direction according to the rotation of a steering wheel thereby providing an assisting force to a vehicle operator. Hydraulic ports 46, 48 allow differential fluid flow on either side of the piston 40. To control the hydraulic fluid 44 pressures, a rotary valve 50 may be provided to sense force applied to the steering wheel. The rotary valve 50 controls a hydraulic pump (not shown), which can generate the differential fluid pressure on the piston 40 through a hydraulic circuit 52, which includes the hydraulic ports 46, 48.
The integral steer system may include a recirculating ball steering gear and linkage. The gear may contain a worm gear including a threaded shaft positioned within a correspondingly threaded block. The block is fixed to the shaft (and the steering wheel), so the steering wheel, shaft, and block may turn in unison. The worm gear may include a plurality of ball bearings positioned within threads of the shaft and block to reduce friction, wear, and steering tolerance or so-called "slop". The block may include additional teeth that engage a sector gear or like member attached to a cross link steering system.
FIG. 2A is an elevated perspective view of a prior art cross car link steering system 70 operably attached to first and second vehicle wheels 80, 82 wherein the steering system 70 is shown in a "straight" configuration. Steering system 70 includes a swinging pitman arm 72 that pivots with respect to a vehicle chassis 84 at a pivoting link 74. Pitman arm 72 is connected to a recirculating ball steering gear, which is connected to an intermediate shaft and a steering column (note: gear, shaft, and column are not shown). A drag link bar 76 is operably attached to the pitman arm 72 and the first vehicle wheel 82 through a steering knuckle (not visible). Drag link bar 76 typically incorporates an adjustment sleeve for steering wheel centering. A cross car link bar 78 is operably attached to both wheels 80, 82 and an anti-sway bar 86 is operably attached adjacent to the cross car link bar 78 ends.
FIG. 2B is an elevated perspective view of the cross car link steering system 70 wherein the steering system 70 is shown in a "right turn" configuration. During operation of the steering system 70, rotation (i.e., in a clockwise direction from the vehicle operator's perspective) of the steering wheel, column, shaft, and gear cause a swinging movement of pitman arm 72. The pitman arm 72 motion biases the drag link bar 76 toward the first vehicle wheel 82 thereby making it pivot to the "right". The first vehicle wheel 82 cooperates with the cross car link bar 78 to simultaneously turn the second wheel 82 to the "right". As with the rack-and-pinion steering assembly, turn assist may be provided by a high-pressure hydraulic system (not shown) wherein fluid pressure provides rotational force to the steering block.
Although the rack-and-pinion and integral steering systems may provide adequate steering in many vehicle applications, numerous changes may be implemented to improve these systems. For example, it would be desirable to provide a rack-and-pinion type steering system that is smaller in size. This would allow the system to be readily adapted for the smaller size allowances of certain "heavy-use" vehicles, which currently use mainly integral type steering systems. Indeed, the rack of current rack-and-pinion type steering systems adapted for "heavy-use" vehicles may contact a tire during certain turn maneuvers. As such, it would be desirable to provide a rack-and-pinion type steering system that is shorter in length.
Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a dual shaft rack-and-pinion type steering assembly and system that overcomes the aforementioned and other disadvantages.

Dual shaft rack and pinion steering assembly


An insulated gate power semiconductor device includes an array of base contact openings in a continuous source region at a face of a semiconductor substrate, and an array of trenches therein. The trenches are preferably interspersed among the array of base contact openings to maximize the effective channel width of the inversion layer channels which are formed in a base region during forward conduction. The device contains a drift region of first conductivity type therein as well as a base region of second conductivity type which extends between the drift region and the first face. In addition, a continuous source region of first conductivity type is provided which extends from the base region to the first face. The source region also has a two-dimensional array of base contact openings therein through which the base region extends. To improve the forward current carrying capability, first and second pairs of opposing trenches are provided in the substrate, on opposites sides of each of the base contact openings in the array, and an insulated gate electrode is also provided in each of the first and second pairs of opposing trenches. To further improve the current carrying capability of the device, the trenches are preferably formed to have a large effective sidewall area (relative to a given lateral dimension) by increasing the number of sidewalls for each trench to twenty-eight (28).

A critical parameter in the design of insulated gate power semiconductor devices such as insulated gate field effect transistors (e.g., MOSFETs) and insulated gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs) is the forward on-state resistance because it determines the maximum current carrying capability of the device. With respect to power MOSFETs, the on-state resistance is the total resistance between the source and drain terminals during forward conduction. This total resistance can be determined by summing the resistance contributions of the MOSFET's source region, channel region, drift region and drain/substrate region. Determination of the total resistance for DMOS-type power MOSFETs is more fully described and illustrated in section 7.4.4 of a textbook by B. J. Baliga entitled Power Semiconductor Devices, PWS Publishing Co. (ISBN 0-534-94098-6) (1995).
However, while it may be advantageous to reduce the resistance of each of these regions to minimize forward on-state resistance, the resistance of the drift region generally cannot be minimized without significantly reducing the breakdown voltage of the device. As shown in FIGS. 1A through 1C, a conventional trench DMOS transistor has a body layer 4 which is formed on a main surface of a semiconductor substrate 1 and doped with a p type impurity, a trench which is formed passing through the body layer 4, a gate oxide layer 2 which is formed on the sidewalls and the bottom of the trench, a gate polysilicon layer 3 which is formed on the gate oxide layer 2 and filled in the trench, and two source contact regions 5 which are formed on both upper sides of the gate polysilicon layer 3 and doped with an n.sup.+ type impurity.
In such a trench DMOS transistor, a drain electrode is connected to the back surface of the semiconductor substrate 1, and a source electrode is commonly connected to the two source contact regions 5 and the body layer 4, and a gate electrode is connected to the gate polysilicon layer 3 which is filled in the trench. The semiconductor substrate 1 consists of an n.sup.+ type drain region 1a doped with a high concentration impurity and an n type drift region 1b doped with a low concentration impurity.
When a voltage signal is applied to said trench DMOS transistor, two channels 6a and 6b are vertically formed along the side surfaces of the gate oxide layer 3, as shown in FIG. 1C, between the source contact regions 5 and the drift region 1b. Because the conventional trench DMOS transistor includes on trench, a current signal flows through only two channels which are formed along both sidewalls of the trench. Moreover, because the area occupied by two channels in the conventional transistor is relatively small as compared to the area occupied by the source contact regions 5 and the body layer 4 under a source electrode, the amount of current flowing through the channels is typically insufficient to provide large current carrying capability. The conventional trench DMOS transistor has another problem in that the gate contact area is typically limited due to the structure of the unit cells which, as illustrated in FIG. 1A, are electrically connected by the gate polysilicon layer 3, and a portion 3a of the gate polysilicon layer surrounded by four cells is not wider in area than the other portion 3b.
Thus, notwithstanding the above described insulated gate semiconductor devices including power MOSFETs and IGBTs, there continues to be a need for devices which have both high current carrying capability and high breakdown voltages.

Power semiconductor devices having highly integrated unit cells therein


Innovative graft polymers designed for the efficient delivery of antisense molecules into biological cells and for maintaining the biological activity of these molecules while in serum and other aqueous environments are provided. Such polymers may comprise an anionic graft polymer comprising an anionic polymer backbone with pendant carboxylic acid groups and pendant chains comprising amphipathic or hydrophilic polymers covalently bonded to a portion of said pendant carboxylic acid groups. Antisense molecule delivery vectors comprising such polymers in combination with cationic agents for delivery of antisense molecules are also disclosed.

The ability of exogenously administered nucleotide molecules to mediate gene silencing was discovered nearly 30 years ago. Ever since, this technology has been utilized as a research tool to study gene function, and over time it has been developed for treatment of diseases arising from the abnormal over-expression or over-activity of a particular gene, such as cancer, autoimmune and cardiovascular diseases, wound healing and viral infections. This technology, referred to herein as antisense therapeutics, includes a range of technologies differentiated by the approaches they use to break down the mRNA. Approaches currently generating interest include, for example, RNA interference (RNAi), micro-RNA, and the use of conventional antisense deoxynucleotide technologies.
Further progress in this field requires improvement in the systemic and cellular delivery of these antisense therapeutics to their targets. Some of the barriers at the systemic level include survival against unfavorable interactions with serum proteins present in the bloodstream, avoidance of accumulation in non-target organs such as lung, liver and kidney, and targeting of the diseased or infected cells. Once the antisense therapeutics have overcome these barriers, they must maneuver their way into the target cell and finally to the target mRNA within the cell. Some of the challenges to antisense therapeutics delivery at the cellular level include efficient entry into the cell, escape from degradative lysosomes, and release into the cytoplasm.
While viral vectors are also being used for delivery of such antisense therapeutics and gene delivery, safety concerns persist. Although iterative design of non-viral vectors has endowed them with attributes for overcoming some of the systemic and cellular barriers in the delivery of antisense therapeutics, their delivery efficiencies are generally too low and their cytotoxicities are generally too high. A major barrier to the intracellular delivery of antisense therapeutics is their sequestration in endosomes, which eventually fuse with lysosomes, leading to degradation of their contents.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for methods and materials that improve intracellular delivery of antisense therapeutics.

Graft polymers for enhanced intracellular delivery of antisense molecules

RUTGERS, THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW JERSEY


A recirculation circuit for a processing vessel is configured to process a load with a process fluid. The recirculation circuit includes a first circuit portion configured to recirculate a first portion of the process fluid through the vessel. The first circuit portion includes a first pump having a first flow rate and a first output pressure and a heat exchanger in fluid communication with the first pump. A second circuit portion is configured to recirculate a second portion of the process fluid through the vessel. The second circuit portion includes a second pump having a second flow rate higher than the first flow rate and a second output pressure lower than the first output pressure.

Overpressure retorts are used for the in-container preservation of foodstuffs, such as for pasteurization or commercial sterilization processes (hereinafter sometimes collectively referred to as a "load process", "processing a load", or similar). In general, these machines use a combination of pressure and temperature to commercially sterilize packaged food according to a predefined schedule.
Additional overpressure for processing containers of foodstuffs may be achieved in a spray retort, where water or another suitable process fluid (hereinafter "process fluid") is sprayed from the top (and optionally also from the sides) of the vessel through the load of containers. The water may be heated through external means, or alternatively steam may be directly injected into the vessel.
FIG. 1 illustrates a prior art steam-water-spray (SWS) retort system 10. The prior art SWS retort system 10 generally uses direct steam injection in combination with continuous circulation of process fluid and application of air overpressure when needed. In that regard, the prior art SWS retort system 10 includes a cylindrical pressure vessel 12 that houses a load 16 of containers C. The vessel 12 contains a small amount of sterile process fluid 18 that collects in the bottom of the retort and outlets into a re-circulation circuit 11 having a main process fluid circulation pipe 20. The process fluid 18 is continuously circulated back into the vessel 12 with a re-circulation pump 22. More specifically, when a first valve 68 in the main process fluid circulation pipe 20 is open, the pump 22 circulates the process fluid 18 back into the vessel 12 through one or more spraying tubes 13 having spray nozzles 14 installed over a length of the vessel. In this way, a thorough mixing of the steam, water and the air is achieved. The process fluid 18 passes through a filter 24 to minimize the risk of blocking the spray nozzles 14.
Steam pipes 28 having spreaders (not shown) extend into the vessel 12 above the water level, distributing the steam over the length of the vessel 12 when a proportional steam valve 30 is opened. The process fluid level inside the vessel 12 is continuously monitored and controlled to keep it below the steam pipes 28, and thus below the load 16, with a fluid level gauge 32. Moreover, the process fluid level may be raised before the load process begins by placing a process fluid source into fluid communication with the interior of the vessel 12 through a fluid inlet pipe 34 having a fluid inlet valve 36. In addition, the fluid level may be lowered by allowing process fluid (and steam condensate) to flow out of an outlet in the vessel and into a fluid drain pipe 40 having a fluid outlet valve 42.
Air overpressure can be applied in the vessel 12 during the complete processing cycle through a pressurized air pipe 46 having one or more automatic modulating valves. For instance, a compressed air modulating valve 48 may be opened to allow compressed air into the vessel 12 and a pressure relief modulating valve 50 may be opened to relieve pressure (air and steam vapor) in the vessel 12.
The prior art SWS retort system 10 further includes a heat exchanger assembly 56 for cooling some of the process fluid during a cooling phase. The heat exchanger assembly 56 includes a plate heat exchanger 58 having a first side in selective fluid communication with the main process fluid circulation pipe 20 through a branched heat exchanger inlet pipe 59 having a heat exchanger valve 62. Cooling water flows into a second side of the heat exchanger 58 through a cooling water pipe 64 having a cooling water valve 66. In that manner, heat is removed from the part of the process fluid 18 circulated through the first side of the heat exchanger 58 by the cooling water passing through the second side of the heat exchanger. The cooled process fluid 18 is then circulated back into the retort to remove heat from the load 16. By cooling the commercially sterile process fluid 18, rather than introducing cooling water from a separate source, the commercially sterilized containers C of the load 16 are cooled in commercially sterile conditions (i.e., the process fluid does not become contaminated). When no cooling is desired, such as during the come-up and cook phase of the load process, the process fluid 18 bypasses the heat exchanger 58 through a bypass portion 60 having a bypass valve 68.
The system 10 is in wired or wireless communication with a controller 70 that can be programmed in accordance with process requirements of the load 16. For instance, the controller 70 may include suitable circuitry for selectively opening one or more valves of the system 10 for ensuring that a pre-programmed temperature profile (which can be adjusted with steam and/or cooled process fluid) and a pre-programmed pressure profile (which can be adjusted with pressurized air) is followed. In some embodiments, the controller 70 may include suitable circuitry for activating other components of the system (such as sensors, switches, etc.) and/or for processing input or output signals of the various components.
The load process for the prior art SWS retort system 10 starts after a door of the vessel 12 is closed and locked. With reference to FIG. 2, an exemplary pre-programmed load process cycle includes three phases. During a first come-up phase, the vessel goes from a starting temperature, such as room temperature, to a second cook temperature for thermal processing the containers C in the load 16. To raise the temperature during the come-up phase, the re-circulation pump 22 is activated, and the process fluid 18 is re-circulated through the spraying tubes 13 and nozzles 14 such that it is sprayed continuously onto the containers C of the load 16. Steam is also injected directly in the retort through the steam pipes 28 and automatically controlled with the proportional steam valve 30. Moreover, overpressure is used to seal the door when it is initially closed, and it is also used during the come-up phase to help protect the integrity of the contained product (i.e., to balance the pressure on the container walls).
A second cook/hold phase of the load process for the prior art SWS retort system 10 involves holding the temperature of the retort vessel 12 at the cook temperature. During this second cook/hold phase, the process fluid 18 is re-circulated through the spraying tubes 13 and nozzles 14 such that it is sprayed continuously onto the containers C of the load 16. Moreover, the temperature and pressure are independently controlled by means of the proportional valves for steam, compressed air, and pressure relief, and the fluid level is maintained constant.
Finally, during a third cooling phase of the load process for the prior art SWS retort system 10, the vessel 12 is cooled back down to normal temperatures. In the cooling phase, the process fluid 18 is still re-circulated through the spraying tubes 13 and nozzles 14 such that it is sprayed continuously onto the containers C of the load 16. However, part of the recirculating process fluid 18 is diverted into the heat exchanger 58 for cooling before it is recirculated back into the vessel 12 through the spraying tubes 13/nozzles 14. The flow of cooled process fluid is automatically controlled with valves 68, 62, and 66 to follow the preprogrammed temperature profile. Moreover, the pressure inside the vessel 12 is controlled automatically by the compressed air and pressure relief modulating valve 48 and 50.
On completion of the cooling phase, residual pressure is released from the vessel 12. An end of cycle signal assures the operator that the vessel door can be opened.
Passing only part of the recirculating process fluid through the heat exchanger during the cooling phase only has certain advantages compared to retort systems where all the process fluid circulates always (or during all the phases) through the heat exchanger. For instance, a smaller heat exchanger and/or pump may be used since less fluid needs to be cooled, and there is no risk of cooling the process fluid during the come-up or cook phases which may otherwise occur if the cooling water valve malfunctions. More specifically, if process fluid does not bypass the heat exchanger during the come-up or cook (heating) phases, it will not be inadvertently be cooled if the cooling water valve leaks, for instance, when all the process fluid passes through the heat exchanger in all phases.
There are also several disadvantages of passing only part of the recirculating process fluid through the heat exchanger during the cooling phase only. For instance, if only part of the process fluid is diverted into the heat exchanger, the total flow of cooled recirculated process fluid is lower in in comparison to a system where all the process fluid passes through the heat exchanger in all the phases. More specifically, when the cooling phase begins, the pressure drop across the heat exchanger is greater than in the bypass leg 60 of the main process fluid circulation pipe 20, and a higher pressure drop across the heat exchanger results in a lower total flow of cooled fluid into the system.
In that regard, another disadvantage is that only low (L) to medium (M) turbulence heat exchanger plates can be used to limit the pressure drop, which reduces the heat transfer. As such, cooling capacity is somewhat limited by using L or M turbulence plates in the heat exchanger verses using high (H) turbulence plates. Furthermore, the head required to pass the process fluid through the heat exchanger cannot be extremely high (which would be required with higher turbulence plates) when only a single pump is used for circulation.
In addition, a lower flow of cooled process fluid results in a less efficient and/or less homogeneous cooling of the containers C. For instance, the third cooling phase of the load process may be longer in comparison to a system where all the process fluid passes through the heat exchanger in all the phases. Furthermore, the containers C may not be cooled evenly throughout the load 16 during the cooling process. More specifically, the containers C at the top of the load 16 will cool faster than the containers C at the bottom of the load 16.
Higher flow could be achieved with a larger pump having a higher output pressure head with a high flow, but this has disadvantages as well. For instance, a larger pump requires a correspondingly larger motor and larger diameter suction piping. A larger pump/motor having greater height would also require raising the retort vessel. Moreover, the Net Positive Suction Head required (NPSHr), which is the minimum pressure at the suction port of the pump to keep the pump from cavitating (which can cause erosion, noisy slow operation, and damage to the pump), will significantly increase with a larger pump to prevent cavitation. Furthermore, additional overpressure may be required in the vessel to accommodate the NPSHr. In other words, the overpressure required in the vessel correspondingly increases in order to avoid cavitation in the larger pump. As noted above, overpressure is needed to control and maintain container integrity. (Too much overpressure and the container will crush. Too little overpressure and the container will explode.) Accordingly, the more overpressure needed for the pump to operate, the less flexibility there is in adjusting the overpressure in the vessel to follow a pressure profile to maintain container integrity.
Finally, even with a larger pump, the total flow of process fluid during the cooling phase would still be lower than in the come-up and cook phases due to the pressure drop across the heat exchanger (in comparison to a system that passes all the process fluid through the heat exchanger in all the phases).
Higher flow could also be achieved with a much higher capacity and more expensive heat exchanger having many parallel flow paths to reduce the frictional resistance in the heat exchanger. However, the connection piping to such a high capacity heat exchanger would be very large. For example, a typical system may use four inch diameter pipe connections, whereas a higher capacity heat exchanger may require something like fourteen inch diameter pipes. Such a larger heat exchanger and corresponding piping would also affect the retort layout.
Accordingly, an improved SWS retort system that provides increased cooling capacity without requiring a larger pump or other undesired modifications to the retort vessel is needed.


A charged particle beam exposure system has a blanking aperture array (31) having groups of apertures (53) controlled by shift registers (75), wherein different inputs (C) to the shift registers influence a different number of apertures. Charged particle beamlets traversing the apertures are scanned across a charged particle sensitive substrate in synchronism with a clock signal of the shift registers.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a charged particle beam exposure system used, for example, in a lithographic method.
2. Brief Description of Related Art
Lithographic processes are commonly used in the manufacture of miniaturized structures, such as semiconductor elements, integrated circuits, liquid crystal elements, micro-patterned members and micro-mechanical components.
A lithographic process comprises a plurality of lithographic steps in which patterns or structures to be formed on a substrate are imaged onto the substrate to expose a radiation sensitive layer provided on the substrate. The radiation sensitive layer, which is commonly referred to as a resist, may be exposed by optical radiation, such as visible or ultraviolet light, or by charged particles, such as ions or electrons. In the imaging of patterns using charged particles, a conventional method uses a plurality of charged particle beams or beamlets for writing the pattern onto the resist, wherein the beams or beamlets can be selectively switched on and off while the substrate carrying the resist is moved relative to the array of switchable beams.
The switchable beams are controlled by a deflector plate having a plurality of apertures traversed by the beams. Each aperture has a deflector associated therewith for selectively deflecting the beam traversing the aperture by a sufficient angle such that the beam will not reach the substrate carrying the resist. Such type of multi-aperture plate is also referred to as a blanking aperture plate (BAA) in the art. Background information on charged particle beam exposure systems using a plurality of charged particle beams controlled by a blanking aperture array may be obtained from US 2003/0025088 A1, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
It is desirable to obtain a high through-put in terms of number of wafers exposed per hour. This number is limited by an available charged particle beam current for exposing locations on the wafer with an exposure dose above a threshold of the resist. However, the maximum current per exposing beam is limited due to Coulomb interactions and other effects deteriorating a maximum resolution of an exposed pattern.
A conventional system disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,144,142 and the article of Berry et al., J. Vac. Sci. Technol. B 15.6., November/December 1997 0734-211X/97/15.6./2382/5/$10.00 ©1997 American Vacuum Society, pages 2382 to 2386, uses massively parallel beams for exposing each location on the wafer to achieve a necessary exposure dose with a relatively low current per individual beam. A plurality of apertures is disposed along a line on the blanking aperture plate, and the deflectors associated with the apertures are driven by outputs of stages of a shift register. An exposure pattern supplied to an input of the shift register is shifted in accordance with a clock signal, resulting in that a pattern of exposing beams will be translated across an image plane of the system. The wafer is moved in synchronism with the translating pattern such that each location on the wafer to be exposed receives a number of exposures from individual beams corresponding to the number of apertures in the line connected to the shift register. Other locations on the wafers which are not to be exposed will not receive any exposure dose.
It has been found that the conventional system using the apertures disposed in a line and controlled by stages of a shift register provide limited flexibility in providing exposure patterns suitable for manufacturing desired structures in the lithographic process.


The present invention relates to an adjustable book holder which can be attached to a stand to permit hands-free reading and hand-assisted page turning in a sitting or reclining position. It provides for a one piece book support shelf and back of rigid material, such as a molded clear plastic or metal, onto which a book is secured and one or more pages are held open and flat by a single length of monofilament line attached to opposite sides of a swing arm held in a closed position. A swing arm in the open position allows unobstructed page turning after which the swing arm is returned to the closed position. The swing arm is held in the closed position by free swinging latches fastened to the swing arm and turned up behind the book support back. The swing arm is moved to the open position by pushing back against the swing arm which removes the pressure against the latches allowing the latches to drop clear. The swing arm is rotated down until parallel with the bottom of the book support shelf, limited by a stop rigidly connected to the bottom center of the swing arm and with the stop extension in contact with the underside of the book support bracket. In this position the monofilament line is below the book support shelf and the book page can now be turned. The swing arm is then returned to the closed position.

To facilitate the reading of books and magazines, various book holders have been suggested and exist in the prior art. Typically, the prior art addresses the problem of reading in a sitting position where no reasonably flat surface exists for resting the book. This most often is experienced when reading in bed or in a chair that is not directly in front of a table or a desk where the book can be placed. Normally when one holds a book in front of hint for an extended time, the weight of the book combined with holding one's arms stretched the required distance place a strain on the arms, shoulders and eventually the often enjoyable act of reading gives way in favor of rest.
In order to help readers cope with the aforementioned problems and inconveniences, most prior art permits the leading material to rest on a flat surface that is elevated at a distance that is comfortably readable. Most of the prior art therefore includes a flat surface upon which to rest the book or magazine, a stand that adjusts the height of the reading material relative to the readers' eye sight, a means for holding the book and in the more advanced schemes, a means for the reader to turn the pages.
U.S. Pat. No. 376,593 (Greenawait et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 1,083,764 (Smith), U.S. Pat. No. 1,692,337 (Forbes), U.S. Pat. No. 2,136,702 (Manierre), U.S. Pat. No. 4,596,372 (Ford), U.S. Pat. No. 4,702,453 (Bishop) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,351,927 (Howell) are but a few of the patents covering book holders. However, the prior art book holders are difficult to use, particularly when turning a books' pages. Additionally, the page restraining devices often interfere with the readers' view because the device to restrain pages either obscures the print or reflects light back into the readers' eyes.


A method for calibrating a detector of a damping assembly in a vehicle. The damping assembly comprises a damper for connecting a transmission shaft of a transmission system of the vehicle to a driving shaft, the method comprising the step of applying different torques at the damping assembly by generating losses at different working conditions of the transmission system, so that the damper can be compared to a damper of a reference vehicle for each of the different working conditions.

Known tractors comprise an internal combustion engine for generating torque in order to rotate a driving axle and possibly drive one or more external devices attached to a power take-off of the tractor. A transmission system is provided for transmitting power from the engine to the driving axle and/or to the power take-off. The transmission system may comprise a continuously variable transmission (CVT), particularly of a hydrostatic type.
A crankshaft of the engine is connected to a shaft of the transmission system by a damping assembly. The damping assembly comprises a damper that is used to deflect and absorb engine vibrations, in order that torque may be transmitted to the transmission system more smoothly.
Angular speed of the crankshaft varies according to a periodic waveform. Angular speed of the transmission shaft downstream of the damping assembly also varies according to a periodic waveform. However, due to the damping assembly, a phase difference exists between angular speed of the crankshaft and angular speed of the transmission shaft.
The damping assembly may comprise a detector for detecting torque which is transmitted from the engine to the transmission system. The detector measures the phase angle at the damping assembly, i.e. the phase difference between angular speed of the crankshaft and angular speed of the transmission shaft.
Once the phase angle has been measured, torque at the damping assembly can be determined by means of a characteristic curve which, for a given damper, gives the relationship between phase angle and torque.
The detector of the damping assembly needs to be calibrated, in order to measure the real value of the phase angle and hence obtain the real value of the torque, in any working condition. The value of torque so obtained can be subsequently used for a number of different purposes.
A calibration method is known in which the phase angle is measured at two different working points, with the clutch completely or almost completely engaged and the brakes activated. The two working points at which the phase angle is measured correspond to different values of torque generated by the engine. High torque values are selected for the two working points, such as, for example, 300 N·m and up to 1000 N·m respectively. The transmission system is therefore subjected to considerable stress.
Furthermore, since the known calibration method is carried out while the clutch is engaged, wear on the clutch components is produced.
Finally, the known calibration method is not particularly accurate, both because only two working points are taken into consideration and because of the manner in which data relating to the two working points are processed.
An object of the invention is to improve known vehicles, particularly working vehicles such as wheeled or crawler tractors and excavators.
Another object is to provide a method for calibrating a detector included in a damping assembly of a vehicle, in which the components of the vehicle and particularly the transmission system thereof are subjected to reduced stress.
A further object is to provide a method for calibrating a detector included in a damping assembly of a vehicle, which involves substantially no wear on the clutch.
Another object is to provide a method for calibrating a detector included in a damping assembly of a vehicle, which produces accurate and reliable results.

Method for calibrating a detector in a damping assembly


A The present invention provides a semiconductor device, an electrical device, and a control signal generation method that enable easy generation of a given control signal even by a comparatively low cost and low processing power microcontroller, whereby a microcontroller of a motor control system includes a PWM device equipped with a PWM setting register. The PWM setting register includes a duty update cycle register, a duty update value register and a duty update-times number register. A PWM generator generates and outputs a PWM signal according to values set in each register of the PWM setting register. The PWM device is capable of generating and outputting a PWM signal automatically with the PWM generator according to setting values set in the PWM setting register, even without an interruption by the software (CPU).

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device, an electrical device and a control signal generation method, that generate control signals.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, brushless DC motors are often employed as fan motors. Such brushless DC motors generally are configured by a number of coil(s), and a rotor to which a permanent magnet is attached, with the rotor rotated by magnetization of the coils by supply of current thereto. Namely, the current in the coil is controlled according to the rotation position of the rotor, and the rotor is rotated by changing a magnetic field. A method of applying a constant voltage to both ends of the coil is suggested as one method of making current flow in and magnetizing the coil. In such a method, the rotation speed is controlled according to the voltage level applied. In contrast thereto, as a more general method, a method of applying a voltage using Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) is suggested to raise electromotive force efficiency. In such a method, the rotation speed is controlled by the duty ratio of the PWM signal.
A Hall device and back electromotive force during switching are employed to detect the rotation position of the rotor. A motor drive circuit switches polarity of voltage applied to the coil based on a timing from detecting a Hall signal or back electromotive force. In order to reduce motor drive noise in the vicinity of such a switching timing, a motor drive circuit that performs soft switching is employed to gently change the voltage and polarity applied to the coil. The effectiveness of motor drive noise reduction varies depending on characteristics such as the start timing of soft switching and the manner in which voltage is changed after the start of soft switching. A motor drive circuit is accordingly matched to the type of motor actually being employed and to conditions of use in order to minimize drive noise.
For example, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 2007-174778, technology for driving is described that sets the soft switching start position at 62.5%, 75% or 87.5% of a half cycle of a Hall device signal, with the remaining region from there onwards of 37.5%, 25% or 12.5% divided into 8 or 16 steps of gradually reducing duty of a PWM signal applied to a coil.
Further, in JP-A No. 2011-19386, a technology that enables selecting a voltage change cycle (voltage change slope) during soft switching execution, and the soft switching execution period, by using a pre-set constant value, is disclosed.
Further, for example, JP-A No. 2006-174017 discloses a technology that manages a table of change amounts of duty ratio. In this technology, a program pre-written to ROM reads values from a table, and generates a PWM signal under control of the program configured from a combination of sub-routines.
However, whichever of the above technologies is employed, flexible response still may not be made, in cases such as when one motor is replaced by a motor with different characteristics.
For example, in the technology described in JP-A No. 2007-174778, the soft switching start position (62.5%, 75% or 87.5% of a half cycle of a Hall device signal) and the duty change steps of the PWM signal during soft switching execution (8 steps or 16 steps) may be changed. However, it is necessary to change hardware (the motor drive circuit) in order to perform such change. Moreover, since there are only limited selectable positions, it may not be possible to set optimal characteristics for many motors.
For example, in the technology described in JP-A No. 2011-19386, the soft switching execution period may be changed by changing the values of the pre-set constant. However, start position of the soft switching may not be changed. Consequently, it is not possible to set optimal characteristics for many motors.
However, in the technology described for example in JP-A No. 2006-174017, High/Low switching over of each pulse of a PWM signal is implemented by interruption processing. Thus, in such technology, the burden may be increased by the software interruption processing, with the possibility arising that the processor is unable to keep up with the processing.

Semiconductor device, electrical device and control signal, generation method


An image bar recording system, which, in a preferred embodiment, utilizes a plurality of LED image bars, forms a plurality of latent images, which may subsequently be developed in different colors. The print bars are initially aligned so that each color image is in precise lateral registration on the surface of a photoreceptor belt. The registration is accomplished by first forming a Z-shaped pattern along the non-image edge of a photoreceptor belt, the pattern extending in the direction of the belt motion (process direction). Each print bar is positioned adjacent the belt surface and the pixels of the LED array are selectively energized to form the desired image. An array of non-imaging pixels is contiguous to the image-forming pixels and positioned along the belt so as to be periodically visible through the Z-shaped pattern by photosensors positioned beneath each of the print bars. By an iterative energization process, one of the end pixels of each array is identified as a fiduciary pixel lying at the center trace line of the Z-shaped pattern. Upon recognition of the fiduciary pixel, the system controller establishes a #1 write pixel at the other end of the array. Each bar is initially laterally aligned by enabling fiduciary and #1 pixels in the same manner. A predetermined tolerance is stored in system memory and in circuitry associated with detecting the position of the fiduciary pixel. During operation, if the tolerance is found to be exceeded (the fiduciary pixel is detected as no longer along the center trace line of the Z-shaped pattern), correction signals are generated which select a new fiduciary pixel which is within the tolerance range, the new fiduciary pixel also establishing a new #1 write pixel. The detection circuitry is designed to discriminate between the exceeding of tolerance conditions caused by lateral motion of a print bar or by lateral motion of the photoreceptor belt, and to generate the appropriate correction signals.

The present invention relates to registration of plural image exposures formed on a photoreceptor belt in a single pass by a plurality of LED print bars and, more particularly, to improvements in lateral registration by use of high resolution print bars.
Image print bars used in xerographic recording systems are well known in the art. The print bar generally consists of a linear array of a plurality of discrete light emitting sources. Light emitting diode (LED) arrays are preferred for many recording applications. In order to achieve high resolution, a large number of light emitting diodes, or pixels, are arranged in a linear array on a common substrate. The orientation of the print bar is transverse to the movement of the photoreceptor (transverse to the process direction). Each LED in a central, or image forming area of the array is used to expose a corresponding area on a moving photoreceptor to an exposure value defined by the video data information applied to the drive circuits of the print bars. The photoreceptor is advanced in the process direction to provide a desired image by the formation of sequential scan lines.
In one embodiment of a color xerographic printer, a plurality of LED print bars are positioned adjacent to a photoreceptor belt surface and selectively energized to create successive image exposures. If two bars are used, the system typically provides one highlight color and one black color. For full color, four bars are used, one for each of the three basic colors and a fourth print bar for black images.
When a full color system is implemented, each color image must be precisely aligned (registered) so that all corresponding pixels in each image area are registered. Current requirements are for registration tolerance of approximately 100.mu.. This is a cumulative total which includes 25.mu. for lateral motion of the photoreceptor, 25.mu. for the skew motion of the photoreceptor, and the remainder for the photoreceptor motion quality in the process direction and lateral belt motion (cross process direction). The present invention is directed towards a method and apparatus for improved registration of the print bar areas in the lateral or cross process direction.
There are several prior art techniques for registering multiple print bars in the lateral direction. Co-pending application U.S. Ser. No. 07/807,931, assigned to the same assignee as the present invention, discloses LED print bar registration techniques which utilize hole sensors to generate registration correction signals which are used to drive stepper motors which provide transverse and rotational motion to an associated image bar. Another U.S. Pat. No. 5,208,796, assigned to the same assignee as the present invention, discloses lateral registration techniques which include physical shifting of the print bar by operation of piezoelectric stacks. A still further co-pending application U.S. Ser. No. 07/862,150, assigned to the same assignee as the present invention, discloses lateral registration of print bars by use of pairs of oppositely aligned holes formed on the photoreceptor, beneath which are placed sensors which detect light from selected print bar pixels. The contents of these three applications are hereby incorporated by reference.
The present invention is directed towards an improved technique for obtaining lateral registration of multiple print bars in a single pass printer, which does not require mechanisms for lateral movement of the print bars to obtain registration nor the use of hole pairs on opposite sides of the photoreceptor belt. The invention isolates two tolerances, the pixel position and the lateral motion components (collective total of 50.mu.) and provides a print bar control system which establishes an initial registration for each print bar that places it within the 50.mu. tolerance, and then maintains print bar operation within that tolerance range by detecting subsequent lateral motion of the print bar and/or the photoreceptor and generate corrective signals within a control system to maintain the registration within the prescribed tolerances. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method for lateral registration of sequential images formed in a single pass on the surface of a photoreceptor belt moving in a process direction including the steps of:
(a) positioning a plurality of light emitting diode (LED) print bars in image-forming relation with respect to said belt, said print bar having a first linear segment of light emitting pixels which are selectively addressed to form said sequential images, said print bar having a second, non-image forming segment of light emitting pixels at one end contiguous to said image-forming segment, PA0 (b) forming a Z-shaped pattern at one end of the photoreceptor belt, said pattern comprising a first, second and third angled slot aperture aligned in the process direction, PA0 (c) moving the photoreceptor so that light from the non-image forming pixels is periodically visible through said slot apertures, as said belt moves the apertures past said print bars, PA0 (d) selectively energizing at least one of said non-image forming pixels of a first print bar, PA0 (e) detecting the passage of light through said apertures, PA0 (f) measuring the time between detection of the light passing through the first and second apertures passing beneath the instant energized pixel to establish a time t.sub.1, PA0 (g) measuring the time between detection of the second and third apertures passing beneath the instant energized pixel to establish a second time t.sub.2, PA0 (h) continuing selective energization of pixels in said end array unit t.sub.1 =t.sub.2, thereby establishing the instant energized pixel as a fiduciary pixel, PA0 (i) establishing a #1 scan pixel in said first linear segment, PA0 (j) repeating steps (d) through (i) for the second, third and fourth print bars, PA0 (k) establishing a tolerance value whereby t.sub.1 is considered equal to t.sub.2 in said step (h), PA0 (l) periodically repeating steps (d), (g) and (h) to detect a condition where t.sub.1 is no longer equal to t.sub.2 within the established tolerance for at least one print bar, and PA0 (m) establishing a new fiduciary pixel and a new start of scan pixel to return to the condition of t.sub.1 =t.sub.2 within the prescribed tolerance.

Method and apparatus for lateral registration of sequential images in a singles pass, multi-LED print bar printer


A vehicle, such as a motorcycle, which has an engine control system that is configured to reduce an output of the engine upon a determination that a shifting of the transmission, without a corresponding disengagement of the clutch, is likely to occur. In one arrangement, the vehicle includes a controller that is configured such that if a release rate of the accelerator, calculated on the basis of signals from an accelerator position sensor, has been equal to or larger than a threshold value for a period of time, and other conditions have been met, it is determined that snapping of the accelerator by the operator has been performed. The snapping is a release of the accelerator that is predicted to be accompanied by a transmission shift without disengagement of the clutch. In response to the snapping determination, the engine output is reduced for a reduction duration, such as by retarding the ignition timing, after the elapse of a predetermined stand-by time.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a straddle-type vehicle, such as a motorcycle. More particularly, the present invention relates to an engine control system for a vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
Straddle-type vehicles, such as motorcycles, often adopt a constant-mesh transmission. Such transmissions include gears provided on each of a main shaft and a drive shaft. A gear change is effected by selectively changing the combination of these gears through the operation of a shifter device, such as a shifter arm or change pedal ("shifter").
In a constant-mesh transmission, a driving force or output from the engine is transmitted via a clutch to the main shaft to be exerted on the drive shaft. Therefore, when a gear is to be changed, normally, the clutch is temporarily disengaged to release the driving force exerted on the drive shaft before performing a gear change.
However, some shift changes occur without a corresponding disengagement of the clutch. That is, under a state in which the accelerator position is significantly open and the engine driving force is large, accelerator release and opening operations are performed in quick succession (i.e., "snapping" or "blipping" is performed). This allows a gear change to be performed while the engine driving force is reduced for only a short period of time. The aforementioned operation is often referred to as "snapping."
A technique for effecting the above-mentioned shift change operation omitting disengagement of the clutch is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Publication No. 03-081537. The straddle-type vehicle disclosed in the publication includes a throttle opening sensor that detects the opening of a throttle valve. Ignition retardation processing is performed at the timing at which a change in the opening of the throttle valve due to movement of an operator-activated accelerator is detected by the sensor, thereby reducing the engine driving force. Accordingly, the engine driving force is reduced by the ignition retardation processing, thereby making it possible to reduce the operating force required for operating the shifter.


A processor-inclusive memory module (PIMM) is disclosed. In one embodiment of the present invention, the PIMM includes a printed circuit board having first and second opposing surfaces. The printed circuit board also has an address line formed therein. A first SRAM is mounted on the first surface of the printed circuit board. The present PIMM is further comprised of a second SRAM mounted on the second surface of the printed circuit board. The second SRAM is mounted on the second surface of the printed circuit board directly opposite the first SRAM mounted on the first surface of the printed circuit board. The first and second SRAMs are coupled to the address line by respective cache buses. A processor is also mounted on the first surface of the printed circuit board, and is coupled to the address line. In one embodiment of the invention, a heat sink is thermally coupled to the processor. The processor has a plurality of contact pads disposed thereon. Electrical connectors extend from the second surface of the printed circuit board. The electrical connectors are electrically coupled to respective contact pads of the processor. In the present PIMM, the electrical connectors are adapted to be removably attached to a mother board. In so doing, the present PIMM is removably attachable to a mother board.

It is currently possible to increase or "upgrade" computer memory using memory modules. An example of a memory module is a single in-line memory module or "SIMM." A SIMM is typically comprised of a printed circuit board with at least one memory component such as a RAM, SRAM, DRAM, and the like attached thereto. The SIMM also commonly includes a multi-pin/pad single in-line connector for connecting the SIMM to the device being upgraded. A detailed description of such a SIMM is found in commonly owned U.S. Pat. No. 5,272,664 to Alexander et al., filed Apr. 21, 1993 entitled "High Memory Capacity DRAM SIMM." U.S. Pat. No. 5,272,664 is incorporated herein by reference.
Prior Art FIG. 1 is a side cut away view of a pair of SIMMs 10 and 12 conventionally mounted to a mother board 14. Each of SIMMs 10 and 12 include a memory component 16 and 18, respectively. Memory components 16 and 18 are attached to substrates 20 and 22, respectively. SIMM 10 is attached to mother board 14 via edge connector 24. Similarly, SIMM 12 is attached to mother board 14 via edge connector 26. A processor 28 with a heat sink 30 coupled thereto is bonded to mother board 14.
As shown by Prior Art FIG. 1, an extended bus is required for processor 28 to access memory components 16 or 18. That is, in the prior art, signals traveling from processor 28 to SIMM 10, for example, must travel from processor 28 along an address line present in mother board 14. The signals must continue to travel along the address line through mother board 14 and to edge connector 24 up into substrate 20. The signals then travel along a cache bus in substrate 20 of SIMM 10. The cache bus extends from edge connector 24 to memory component 16.
In the prior art, component layouts generate long "routing distances" between the processor and SIMMs thereby necessitating such extended address line lengths. As shown in Prior Art FIG. 1, heat sink 30 extends beyond the periphery of processor 28. Thus, heat sink 30 prevents SIMMs 10 and 12 from being placed directly next to processor 28. It will be seen from Prior Art FIG. 1, that memory components 16 and 18 are separated from mother board 14 by at least the height of edge connector 24. Thus, the cache buses must extend at least from the memory component and through the vertical length of the edge card connector. Additionally, as processors generate greater quantities of waste heat, heat sinks become larger to dissipate the waste heat. As a result, prior art SIMMs are pushed farther from the processor by the protruding edges of the ever-larger heat sinks. Thus, prior art address line lengths and cache bus lengths are extended. Furthermore, passing signals form the mother board to the SIMM via the card edge connector creates electrical continuity problems.
Increased address line run lengths and cache bus lengths also inhibit the speed at which signals are effectively transferred. More specifically, as address lines and cache buses lengthen, transmission line effects increase. In the prior art, extended address line and cache bus lengths generate transmission line effects which limit effective signal speeds to well under 200 MHz. Furthermore, simultaneous switching noise generated as a result of the numerous outputs from prior art SIMMs to the mother board creates tremendous transient current. The transient current passes through parasitic inductance and generates noise on ground. Noise on ground is highly undesirable because all voltage signals are referenced to ground. Although prior art SIMMs have several limitations, the SIMMs still possess substantial utility. As an example, the "socketability" or replaceability of the SIMMs is an advantageous feature. Thus, even if substantial improvements are made over existing prior art memory modules, socketability features should be retained.
Thus, a need exists for a memory module which does not require extended address lines or cache buses, a memory module which is capable of operating at high speeds up to 200 MHz, and a memory module which is socketable.


Systems and methods for a fault protection are provided that can be implemented in a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) to limit the magnitude of a current that flows when an AC-to-chassis fault (ACF) occurs between an AC connection and the chassis of the HEV. An electric machine having a winding, an inverter sub-module (ISM) having a first switch and a second switch, and fault protection elements (FPEs), coupled to the ISM, are provided. The winding is coupled to the ISM coupled via the AC connection. The FPEs can include, for example, first and second inductances. To limit the magnitude of the current, the current can be passed along a first current path that includes the second inductance when the first switch is closed, and can be passed along a second current path that includes the first inductance when the second switch is closed.

Electric multi-phase machines are utilized in a wide variety of applications. As used herein, the term "multi-phase" refers to three or more phases, and can be used to refer to electric machines that have three or more phases.
For example, many hybrid/electric vehicles (HEVs) include a machine drive system (sometimes also referred to as an electric traction drive system) that includes as alternating current (AC) electric machine that is driven by an inverter module. The inverter module is supplied with power from a direct current (DC) power source, such as a storage battery. An AC cable can be used to couple terminals at the windings of the AC electric machine to corresponding terminals at the inverter sub-modules of the inverter module. Each inverter sub-module includes a pair of switches. Switching signals are applied to each pair of switches in a complementary manner to convert the DC power to AC power that drives the AC electric machine, which in turn drives a shaft of HEV's drivetrain.
In some situations, an AC-to-chassis fault can occur at a motor winding of the electric machine (or the terminal it is connected to), at the inverter sub-module (or the terminal it is connected to or in one of the elements of an inverter sub-module), or at any point along the AC cable that couples the terminals of the machine to terminals of the inverter module.
It would be desirable to provide circuitry that can help protect the inverter module from high magnitude of fault currents that flow when an AC-to-chassis fault happens. Other desirable features and characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the foregoing technical field and background.


An air suspension system includes an air tank, an air drier, a compressor, and an air spring, which are sequentially provided in a first line. The air suspension system further includes a second line, a third line, an intake line, and a discharge line, which are connected to the first line. The first line, the second line and the third lines can be switched by a 4-port/2-position solenoid valve, and the first line is selectively connected to the intake line by a 3-port/2-position solenoid valve.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an air suspension system for a vehicle, and more particularly to an air suspension system for a vehicle designed to allow air to circulate in a closed circuit between an air tank and a spring.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram of a conventional air suspension system for a vehicle.
The conventional air suspension system for the vehicle serves to allow air in an air tank 2 to be supplied to an air spring 6, or to allow air to be withdrawn from the air spring 6 to the air tank 2 by means of a compressor 4 via several valve means 10 provided among the air tank 2, the compressor 4, and the air spring 6, respectively. Furthermore, the air suspension system allows outside air to be added to the air tank 2 or allows air in the air tank 2 to be discharged to the outside via the valve 10.
Meanwhile, an air drier 12 to dry air is equipped in a line through which outside air is introduced or discharged, and a pressure sensor 14 to measure the pressure of the air tank 2 or of the air spring 6 is equipped in a line through which air circulates between the air tank 2 and the air spring 6.
However, in the conventional air suspension system for the vehicle disclosed above, the air tank 2 and the air spring 6 are not connected to each other by means of an in-line structure, and the line through which air flows is complicatedly entangled. As a result, there occur problems of a large air pressure loss and of low responsiveness.
Additionally, the conventional air suspension system has the air drier 12 exposed to the outside, so that even when air is not added to the air tank 2, outside air is always introduced into the air drier 12. As a result, there occur problems in that the air drier 12 has a large volume, and in that the air drier 12 is excessively operated, causing ineffective operation of the air drier 12.


The present invention provides compositions and methods for inhibiting cell migration, e.g., lymphocytes and inflammation. The invention also provides an improved process for preparing fluorinated N-acetylglucosamines.

The initial adhesive contacts between leukocytes and vascular endothelial cells are mediated by cell adhesion molecules called selectins. The selectin family of adhesion molecules mediate leukocyte tethering and rolling interactions on endothelial cells. Their expression on either the leukocyte (L-selectin) or endothelium (P- and E-selectin) helps the leukocyte "slow down" enabling cells in flow to respond to chemokine/cytokine signals, firmly attach and migrate through the endothelial lining into a tissue site. This primary intravascular braking mechanism is controlled by the Ca++ dependent binding activity of the selectins directed against their respective ligands, which are comprised of carbohydrate determinants displayed on cell surface proteins or lipids expressed on leukocytes and/or endothelial cells. The cooperative involvement of all selectins and selectin ligands is critical for rapid and efficient recruitment of leukocytes at sites of inflammation. These molecular interactions are also necessary for the maintenance of steady state host immunity and tissue-specific homing as illustrated in lymphocyte homing to peripheral lymph nodes (L-selectin-mediated), trafficking of human memory T-cells to skin (E selectin-mediated), and human progenitor cell (HPC) entry into the bone marrow (BM) (E-selectin-mediated). The latter two paradigms represent physiologically relevant processes that are dependent, at least in part, on the cell adhesive interactions between vascular E-selectin, which is constitutively expressed on post-capillary venules in the skin and BM, and its leukocyte E-selectin ligands. The cell-specific expression of leukocyte E-selectin ligands is, therefore, an important feature in developing therapeutic strategies to selectively control the extent of leukocyte infiltration associated with the progression of skin or bone-marrow-related diseases.
Analogs of the naturally occurring cell surface carbohydrate N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) have been synthesized that are fully-acetylated and possess an isosteric substitution of a fluorine for a hydroxyl group at the carbon 3- and 4-positions, 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-1,4,6-tri-O-acetyl-3-deoxy-3-fluoro-D-glucopyranose (3-F-GlcNAc) and 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-1,3,6-tri-O-acetyl-4-deoxy-4-fluoro-D-glucopyranose (4-F-GlcNAc) (Bernacki, R. J. et al. (1977) J. Supra. Stru., 7:235–250; Sharma, M. and W. Korvtnyk (1980) Carbohyd. Res., 79:39–51; Sharma, M. et al. (1990). Carbohyd. Res., 198:205–22):
This structural modification has been postulated to cause the termination of poly-N-acetyllactosamine chain elongation or to inhibit the enzymatic processes of glycoconjugate metabolism involved in oligosaccharide biosynthesis (Bernacki, R. J. et al. (1977) J. Supra. Stru., 7:235–250). There is strong evidence that these compounds enter the cell by passive diffusion, rapidly de-O-acetylate and form UDP-fluorinated-N-acetylglucosamine, and incorporate into tumor cellular glycoproteins (Bernacki, R. J. et al. (1977) J. Supra. Stru., 7:235–250). Studies evaluating the effects of the fluorinated N-acetylglucosamine analogs 3-F-GlcNAc and 4-F-GlcNAc on human colon and ovarian cancer cell surface carbohydrate structure and glycoprotein function show that 3- or 4-F-GlcNAc treatment results in the selective termination of poly-N-acetyllactosamine chain formation and modulates the structure and function of tumor-associated glycoproteins (Woynarowska, B. et al. (1996) Glycoconjugate J., 13(4):663–674; Woynarowska, B. et al. (1994) J. Biol. Chem., 269(36):22797–22803). More specifically, treatment of human colon HT-29 cancer cells with 4-F-GlcNAc results in the inhibition of radiolabeled glucosamine, fucose and galactose incorporation into cell surface glycoproteins leading to quantitative reductions and qualitative structural changes in tumor-associated antigens: carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), lysosomal-associated membrane proteins-I and 2 (LAMPs) and sialyl Lewis antigen (Woynarowska, B. et al. (1994) J. Biol. Chem., 269(36):22797–22803). Similarly, 3- and/or 4-F-GlcNAc treatment of human ovarian, A121, tumor cells causes conspicuous reductions in the incorporation of radiolabeled sugar precursors and in the carbohydrate composition of LAMPs (Woynarowska, B. et al. (1996) Glycoconjugate J., 13(4):663–674). Preventing the glycosylation of CEA and LAMPs inhibits their capacity to function as homotypic and heterotypic adhesion molecules, respectively, and, therefore, reduces human colon and ovarian tumor cell adhesion and metastatic potential, in vivo (Woynarowska, B. et al. (1994) J. Biol. Chem., 269(36):22797–22803; Dimitroff, C. J. (1999) Thesis dissertation. SUNY (Buffalo Roswell Park Graduate School)).

Fluorinated glucosamine analogs useful for modulating post-translational glycosylations on cells


Certain embodiments according to the invention provide compression articles suitable for a wide variety of uses (e.g., compression socks, athletic garments, etc.). In accordance with certain embodiments, the compression article includes at least two uniform compression regions, including a first uniform compression region having a first compression pressure and a second uniform compression region having a second compression pressure, and at least one transitioning compression region, including a first transitioning compression region positioned between the first and second uniform compression regions. The first transitioning compression region comprises a first end adjacent or proximate to the first uniform compression region and a second end adjacent or proximate to the second uniform compression region. The first transitioning compression region comprises a compression pressure gradient extending from the first end to the second end of the first transitioning compression region.

For medical applications, the application of inlay stretch yarn or plated stretch yarn and a laid-in stitch in a compression garment may provide a desired compression "dosage" for preventative and therapeutic purposes. Most medical compression garments are individually designed and manufactured for a particular part of the body, such as stockings, gloves, sleeves, face masks, and body suits, and are worn for an appointed time depending on the medical treatment need. For example, compression stockings have been used in therapeutic management of varicose veins, venous thrombosis, lymphedema, poor blood circulation, muscle fatigue and/or the like. In addition, compression garments have also been used to provide compression on the body's muscles to increase blood flow to improve performance, reduce injury risk, and accelerate muscle recovery during and after exercise. Moreover, compression garments are increasingly used as shapewear to enhance body image by creating attractive contours, reducing abdominal size and/or the like.
The circumference of a compression garment is smaller than the size of the body part on which it is to be used so that the garment stretches when placed on that body part in order to provide optimum compression. The level of compression is governed by the garment size as well as the amount of fabric that stretches. Standard compression garments apply different levels of compression to different segments of the garment. However, this approach creates an abrupt change in compression moving between different sections of the garment. These abrupt changes make it difficult to put on and take off the garment because it can cause discomfort and/or pain, particularly for the elderly or handicapped individuals. Moreover, in some scenarios, standard compression garments may even restrict circulation by bunching or tightening at the seams, particularly at the foot, toe, ankle, or lower leg area. In this regard, standard compression articles are difficult to use and may even exacerbate medical problems.
Therefore there at least remains a need in the art for compression garments that provide a contoured fit having smooth transitions from one area of compressive pressure to another.

Compression fabrics with tailored comfort


Apparatuses and methods assist telcos and service providers with Ethernet virtual circuit (EVC) set up. They need only set up ends of a path with a pair of units with automated private addressing, and designate one unit as a remote terminal (RT) and the other unit as a central office (CO) to ensure different addresses. After a DS1 state is enabled, no other operator involvement is needed to set up a DS1 end to end connection with the other unit since the enable DS1 state triggers automated connection set up functions such as creating/saving Default Parameters based on CO versus RT selection, creating Emulated Circuits based on saved parameters, and enabling/disabling Emulated Circuits based on DS1 Service State. Automated provisioning operations for EVC set up can be configured for other types of time division multiplexing (TDM) payloads such as other digital signaling levels, and other circuit channel types.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to provisioning Ethernet circuits to carry TDM payloads (e.g., DS1 or DS3).
Description of Related Art
Telcos and other larger carriers such as AT&T and Verizon have been reluctant to switch to Ethernet because set up or provisioning Ethernet lines to carry TDM payloads (e.g., DS1 or DS3) is complicated. Further, it is important that packet traffic collisions be avoided since the telcos and larger carriers are required to provide the same quality of service (QoS) for DS1s carried over Ethernet service as they do for DS1s carried over SONET, for example.
The ability to configure an Ethernet circuit to carry DS1 or DS3 TDM signals is known. In general, a standard TDM signal is "packetized" to be compatible with Ethernet. In addition to TDM payload, each packet contains overhead (e.g., "headers" and "footers") to designate the packet destination and source within an Ethernet network, and often includes information such as check sums to validate that bits have not been corrupted, as well as means to designate the priority of each packet and the order in which the packets should be reassembled. Such overhead assists with providing the afore-mentioned QoS.
While it is presently possible to send DS1 and DS3 TDM circuits over Ethernet, many technicians and engineers were trained on TDM technology such as SONET and are therefore unfamiliar with the intricacies necessary to support TDM over Ethernet. In addition, even technicians familiar with the necessary Ethernet provisioning are still faced with the many individual steps necessary to set up such a circuit.

Methods and apparatuses for automated TDM-ethernet provisioning