A dynamic bias control circuit includes a current source, a first switch, a differential amplifier, and a third switch. The current source outputs a first current. The first switch is coupled to an output end of the current source for generating the first current. The differential amplifier includes a first input end for receiving a reference voltage and a second input end coupled to the first switch. The third switch is coupled to an output end of the differential amplifier and to the first end of the first switch for adjusting a voltage at the first end of the first switch according to a result outputted from the differential amplifier. A control end of the first switch is coupled to a second switch. The second switch is used for inputting a second current into the second switch, wherein the second current to the first current is a predetermined ratio.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a dynamic bias control circuit for a digital-to-analog converter, and more particularly, to a dynamic bias control circuit utilizing a differential amplifier for dynamic adjustment.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conventionally, a digital-to-analog converter of a 10/100 high-speed chip includes a plurality set of switching current sources. For example, twenty sets, forty sets, or sixty sets of switching current sources are coupled together in parallel. Referring to partial circuits of a conventional high-speed network chip, the high-speed network chip includes a digital-to-analog converter and a switching current source. With improvements in integrated circuit manufacturing, the supply voltage terminal VDD decreases. In 0.18 μm manufacturing, the supply voltage terminal VDD can be assumed to be 1.8V. In this situation, the value of the first output voltage terminal Vout1 will fall between (VDD−1.25) and (VDD+1.25), where there is only a difference of 550 mV between the ground and the lowest voltage, and which results in compressing the switching current source below entering the triode region. As a result, the current provided by the current source becomes smaller and the amplitude of output signals descends. As the supply voltage terminal VDD becomes lower, the above mentioned phenomenon becomes more serious.
In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, areas of current cells are increased to lower their saturation drain voltage (Vdsat) so that it is more difficult for the current cells to enter the triode region. Nevertheless, it is not beneficial in cost if the element areas of tens of switching current source are increased simultaneously.

Dynamic bias control circuit and related apparatus for digital-to-analog converters


A hinge structure for supporting a window sash on a window frame. The hinge structure includes sash arms secured to opposite sash sides, and a shaft having gears fixed to its ends and supported by tracks for longitudinal movement along opposite sides of the frame. The gears engage racks on each of the tracks. The sash arms are carried with the shaft in its longitudinal movement along the tracks.

1. Technical Field
The present invention is directed toward a hinge for a casement window, and more particularly toward a geared hinge for a casement window.
2. Background Art
A casement window has a window sash movably mounted in a frame by a pair of hinges located between the window frame and upper and lower horizontal sides of a sash. Both the upper and lower hinges typically include a track mountable to the window frame and a sash arm mounted along the horizontal sides of the window sash. A support arm is pivotally connected to the track and the sash arm. A first mounting shoe slidingly supports the sash arm on the track.
During operation, the casement window is movable between a closed position and an egress position. When in the egress position, the window sash extends generally normal to the window frame and adjacent to one side of the window jamb. The egress position maximizes the amount of unobstructed opening to facilitate escape through the casement window in the event of an emergency. When in the closed position, the inside of the casement window can be easily cleaned from the room interior. However, the outside of the window is not readily accessible in the egress position since the sash is too close to the window jamb to allow a person to reach out and wash the outside of the window.
More complex prior art structures include a second mounting shoe having one end of the support arm pivotally mounted thereto. The second mounting shoe can be manipulated to either be slidingly received by the track or fixed to the track. During normal operation between the closed and egress positions, the second mounting shoe is fixed.
The prior art casement window hinges with two mounting shoes allow the casement window to achieve a wash position in addition to the egress position. Typically to obtain the wash position, these hinges are first placed in the egress position, then both top and bottom hinges must be manipulated to release the second mounting shoe, and finally both the top and bottom of the sash must be grasped and pushed simultaneously towards the wash position. If either the top or the bottom of the sash alone is driven, the casement window may twist and bind and not move into the wash position. If the person forgets to release the second mounting shoe for one of the hinges and the sash is driven with sufficient force, the casement window sash, the hinges, or window glass can be broken causing unneeded expense and injury.
Still other casement hinges include sophisticated mechanical apparatus which achieve both egress and wash positions through continuous cranking by an operator. At some point, the movement of the sash becomes a purely sliding motion with no rotation of the casement window. When the sliding motion occurs, these prior art hinges require complex structures to drive both the top sash and the bottom sash simultaneously towards the wash position.
The present invention is directed toward overcoming one or more of the problems set forth above.


An object is to suppress a reflection loss in any desired frequency band outside a required band, without affecting circuit characteristics in the required frequency band. The output impedance of a circuit in a specified frequency band is transformed into a high impedance by a transmission line 15. A resistance grounding circuit 18 having a frequency selectivity is connected in parallel. The resistance grounding circuit 18 is constructed of a resistor 16 which has a resistance close to a load resistance, a capacitance C which is selected so as to satisfy an equation Im[tan h{γ(λ/2−δ)}]=−ω0CZ0 at an angular frequency ω0 included in the frequency band, and a (λ/2−δ)-long end-open stub.

Heretofore, microwave/milliwave circuits which perform the amplification, oscillation, mixing, etc. of radio frequency signals, and digital circuits which perform the amplification, identification, branch, etc. of digital signals have been put into practical use in various systems.
Among the various circuits, a wideband amplifier of distributed type for use in an optical communication system or a radio communication system will be described with reference to FIG. 1. FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram showing an example of the distributed amplifier in the prior art.
The distributed amplifier in the prior art is a cascode-type distributed amplifier of three-stage configuration as employs HBT cascode pairs 3 each being constructed by cascode-connecting a hetero-junction bipolar transistor (hereinbelow, abbreviated to "HBT") 1 and an HBT 2. An input signal is received from an input terminal 7, while an output signal is delivered from an output terminal 8. The base terminal of the HBT 1 is fed with a DC supply voltage from a base power source 9 through a terminating resistor 12. The collector terminal of the HBT 2 is fed with a DC supply voltage from a collector power source 10 through a terminating resistor 12. The base terminal of the HBT 2 is fed with a DC supply voltage from a cascode power source 11 through a terminating resistor 12. Besides, the base terminal of the HBT 2 is grounded radio-frequency-wise through an RF grounding capacitor 13.
The distributed amplifier stated above forms a transmission line of high cutoff frequency by combining the parasitic reactances of the HBTs 1 and HBTs 2 with high-impedance transmission lines 4 and 5. The transmission line has a characteristic impedance which is equal to each of a signal source impedance and a load impedance, and it can realize a flat gain and a low reflection loss over a wide band.
With the cascode-type distributed amplifier in the prior art as shown in FIG. 1, however, a reflection loss particularly on an output side increases outside a required frequency band. There has accordingly been the problem that the reflection loss leads to the occurrence of a negative resistance in some cases. There has also been the problem that the stability of the circuit is consequently degraded to give rise to a parasitic oscillation or an unstable operation.
Incidentally, although the distributed amplifier has been exemplified here, the problems explained above are problems which can occur in various circuits such as microwave/milliwave circuits which perform the amplification, oscillation, mixing, etc. of radio frequency signals, and digital circuits which perform the amplification, identification, branch, etc. of digital signals.
The present invention has been made in view of the above problems. An object of the present invention is to connect a reflection loss suppression circuit to any of various circuits including a distributed amplifier, whereby a reflection loss outside a required frequency band is satisfactorily suppressed without degrading the characteristics of the circuit in the required frequency band, so as to attain the stability of the circuit.


A workpiece has at least one exterior surface with an initial average surface roughness (Ir). The profile of the exterior surface is derived by conventional manufacturing processes, some of which leave the exterior surface with irregularities having directional orientation. The workpiece is subjected to a controlled vibratory finishing process such that the exterior surface has a desired average surface roughness (Ar) after exposure to the finishing process for a predetermine period of time (T.sub.opt). This predetermined period of time is based upon the initial average surface roughness (Ir), the desired average surface roughness (Ar) and a minimum average surface roughness obtainable through the vibratory finishing process (Dr).

This invention relates to a process for finishing working surfaces of workpieces, and in particular to a controlled surface vibratory finishing process for providing superior finishes on exterior surfaces of workpieces constructed from many different hard materials such as, for example, steel or ceramic. This invention finds a wide range of application for any workpiece having one or more exterior surfaces. The exterior surfaces can be, for example, working surfaces against which moving components of the device are maintained in contact during operation or use of the device, including machine parts such as antifriction bearings and gears. As will be discussed below, the surface finishing process used in the present invention is any vibratory finishing process, including barrelling, tumbling, rotating, agitating, spinning, shaking or centrifugal processes, where one or more workpieces are placed in a container or similar device with an abrasive medial or abrading elements that displace portions of the workpiece during the vibratory finishing process. The vibratory finishing process can be performed with or without a solution in the container.
As is known in the art, conventional manufacturing processes for workpieces contructed from hard materials such as metals or ceramic generally are classified in one of three categories: (1) processes used primarily to change the shape of materials (e.g., casting, forging, machining, pressing); (2) processes used to finish parts to a desired dimension (e.g., grinding, hobbing, drilling, shaping, milling, torch cutting); and (3) processes used primarily to obtain a desired surface finish (e.g., polishing, honing, superfinishing, painting, lapping, electroplating). The types of processes used to produce a particular product or workpiece are based upon factors such as, for example, volume of production, quality of the finished product, cost, and efficiency. Most workpieces can be produced by several methods, and considerable resources are devoted to developing one manufacturing process that is most economical.
Some products are suitably finished for commercial use after undergoing the first step set forth above in the manufacturing process. However, other products require further processing to obtain the desired dimensions and surface finish. For example, specialty products and machine parts such as bearings or toothed gears are finished to within close tolerances with a final machining on their critical working surfaces (i.e., surfaces against which major components of the machine part are maintained in contact during operation of the device). Certain products and machine parts are subjected to one of the surface finishing processes set forth above to provide an enhanced finish along their working surfaces to enable the parts to operate at lower torques and with less heat generation. Such critical working surfaces initially are finished with a finish grinding or turning, and finally a honing or superfinishing to provide the enhanced finish.
However, the critical surfaces with enhanced finishes may have directional surface textures and surface irregularities which degrade the performance of the parts if the surface finishing process is terminated prematurely or if the selected finishing process is not a preferred production method for that product. Furthermore, the surface finishing process may destroy the profile of the exterior surface of the workpiece is the processing time continues for an extended time period after the desired surface finish is obtained. Since a trial and error approach is used in the prior art to determine the time necessary to obtain the desired surface finish, the third manufacturing process is often time consuming, inefficient and not cost-effective. Nonetheless, such surface finishing processes are necessary and widely used to provide workpieces that perform properly for a given application.
To overcome the undesirable effects associated with enhanced finishing of workpieces, vibratory finishing processes are used in certain situations to finish exterior surfaces. Vibratory finishing processes, including barrelling, tumbling, rotating, agitating, spinning, shaking or centrifugal processes, are used to provide a desired surface roughness on the exterior surfaces. In certain applications, vibratory finishing is used to obtain an isotropic surface. Surface irregularities associated with isotropic surfaces have no orientation, resulting in a superior surface when compared to those receiving enhanced finishes. In other applications, an isotropic surface is not needed or desired, and the vibratory finishing process can be stopped before an isotropic surface is obtained. As discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,503,481, issued Apr. 2, 1996 to F. Hashimoto et al. and assigned to The Timken Company, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, vibratory finishing processes provide superior working surfaces for bearing components. Many advantages of vibratory finishing are reported in the following articles: A. P. Babichev, The Vibratory Polishing of Turbine Blades, Machine & Tooling, 1964, 35: 41-44; R. G. Dargis, Chemical Accelerated-Vibratory Deburring of Steel Parts, SME, 1984, MR84-943; L. K. Gillespie, A Quantitative Approach to Vibratory Deburring Effectiveness, SME, 1975, MRR75-11; and W. H. Safrenek, A. C. Secrest, and J. C. Turn, Chemical Accelerators for Vibratory Finishing, Manufacturing Engineering, November 1976, pp. 32-33.
However, as discussed above with respect to the other surface finishing processes, a trial and error approach is employed in the prior art to determine the processing time for exposure of the workpiece to the vibratory finishing process to achieve the desired surface roughness or an isotropic finish. If the workpiece remains in certain vibrating solutions too long, the profiles of the working surfaces degrade. Furthermore, the trial and error method is inefficient and not preferred, since the workpieces often remain in the vibrating tub after the desired surface roughness is obtained, or the surface has become isotropic. Time, resources and expense are wasted when the vibratory finishing process continues beyond the time necessary to achieve the desired surface roughness or isotropic surfaces.
The systematical fundamentals of vibratory finishing have not been established prior to the present invention. A universal method for vibratory finishing that produces a desired surface roughness or an isotropic surface on an exterior surface of a workpiece without degrading the profile has not been determined. Furthermore, no common procedures exist to evaluate the vibratory finishing system, including the process set-up conditions, equipment, media, solution, etc. To apply the vibratory finishing technology to the final finishing process for workpieces such as specialty products, it is necessary to develop a process based upon control of process parameters, such as surface roughness and stock removal.
The present invention resides in an improved process founded upon formulas and mathematical modeling for a vibratory finishing process that provides for determination of process parameters, such as an optimum processing time to achieve a desired or aimed surface roughness based upon an initial surface roughness of a workpiece. Based upon the process parameters, superior exterior surfaces for the workpiece are provided in a minimum processing time. The validity of the modeling is illustrated by comparison to experimental results. The invention also resides in workpiece surfaces having a desired or aimed surface roughness after being exposed to the vibratory finishing process for a predetermined optimum processing time.


Discrete portions of a carbon fiber tow, selected from a group of tows, ranging in number of fibers from about 1,000 to about 150,000, and terminated by discrete contact portions of a metal conductor within a non-metallic termination assembly formed by the joinder of a cradle and a cap defining opposing parallel clamping surfaces receiving the tow portions and the contact portions in crossing engagement therebetween. Opposing energy directors on the cradle and cap serve as temporary guide rails for positioning the carbon fiber portions before and during assembly. Meltdown of the energy directors during a pressure and ultrasonic welding cycle enable self-leveling of the carbon fiber portions whereby uniform distribution of carbon fiber over the entire cross section of each of the carbon fiber portions of the assembly may be attained. The clamping surfaces remain intact after welding and retain clamping integrity.

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a suitable non-metallic electrical carbon fiber tow heating element assembly to enable participation in a large portion of the heating element market, namely that portion of the market producing products requiring heat output in the range of 200 to 600 degrees F. Heretofore terminations have been developed for various forms of carbon fiber, however such carbon fiber heating element assemblies usually employ some form of mechanical clamping utilizing a metal plate or plates clamped together in holding engagement by threaded fasteners or adjustable fasteners of other types. Such terminations are generally difficult and expensive to make and are often prone to premature failure.
Two earlier patents to Applicant and relating to non-metallic electrical terminations, U.S. Pat. No. 6,135,829 for Electrical Connection and U.S. Pat. No. 5,857,259 for Method for Making an Electrical Connection, are concerned with technology originally developed for the production of high density electrical termination assemblies and heating applications for the low temperature end of the heating spectrum (100-170 degrees F.) and work well at current limits of 1.5 amperes or less. However the need for new technology becomes apparent after extensive testing of companion carbon fiber electrically terminated product assemblies fail to adequately perform when applying higher amperage (2 to 5 amps) to the tow form of carbon fiber. Unlike other forms of carbon fiber, mainly, inks, mats, broken strand yarn bundles and woven surfaces, all of which feature consistent and uniform surface fiber configuration, the carbon fiber tow form proves virtually impossible to confine in an exacting level position prior to the application of ultrasonic energy required to weld such a plastic termination system together. Due to the relatively high resistance of the carbon fiber tow it is concluded that a single wire mating surface area is insufficient to enable a suitable high current electrical termination.

Carbon fiber tow termination and method for making


A piezoelectric transducer, adapted to a bridge of a stringed instrument such as a sound mute guitar, comprises a piezoelectric element roughly having an elongated rectangular shape, a pair of electrodes respectively attached to the upper and lower surfaces of the piezoelectric element, and insulation sheets for insulating the electrodes, all of which are covered with a conductive shield (e.g., a polymeric piezoelectric film), wherein a thin metal plate is adhered to at least the exterior of the upper surface of the conductive shield and is composed of a prescribed metal, which is selected from among copper, gold, and platinum, or a prescribed alloy mainly composed of one of these metals. The thin metal plate is adhered to the conductive shield by use of unhardened adhesive with a coating thickness of 10 μm or less.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to stringed instruments such as guitars, and in particular, to piezoelectric transducers that are incorporated into bridges to produce electric signals upon detection of vibrations of strings.
This application claims priority on Japanese Patent Application No. 2002-346195, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, in the fields of electronic musical instruments, so-called 'sound mute type' musical instruments are becoming widespread in the market because they allow users (or players) to play or practice musical instruments in restricted environments that do not allow generation of musical tones at high tone volumes.
FIG. 9 shows an example of the constitution of a guitar having sound mute function (simply referred to as a sound mute guitar). That is, a sound mute guitar 100 is constituted by nylon strings 110, a bridge 120 for supporting the nylon strings 110, a center body 130 for supporting the bridge 120, and a pair of frames 140 that form parts of the whole body and are arranged to the left and the right of the center body 130. The sound mute guitar 100 shown in FIG. 9 does not comprise a resonating body, which is normally provided for a general-use acoustic guitar. For this reason, even when the user (or player) plucks the nylon strings 110, the sound mute guitar 100 produces musical tones at very small tone volumes compared with normal tone volumes produced by playing a general-use acoustic guitar. In addition, the sound mute guitar 100 comprises a piezoelectric transducer that is arranged inside of the bridge 120 so as to produce electric signals upon detection of vibrations of the nylon strings 110. Furthermore, the sound mute guitar 100 comprises electric circuitry that is arranged inside of the center body 130 so as to amplify electric signals output from the piezoelectric transducer, so that amplified electric signals are supplied to a headphone terminal (or a headphone jack, not shown). Thus, even though the sound mute guitar 100 actually produces musical tones at very small tone volumes in the surroundings, the user of the sound mute guitar 100 can use a headphone set 150 to listen to musical tones with live-audio presence that the user may experience actually playing an acoustic guitar.
FIG. 10 is a cross sectional view taken along line A—A in FIG. 9 in proximity to the bridge 120 of the sound mute guitar 100. FIG. 11 is an exploded perspective view showing parts of the bridge 120 that are isolated from each other in illustration.
As shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, the bridge 120 is constituted by a support member 111 for supporting the strings 110, a bridge base 112 having an elongated hollow 112a for fixing the support member 111 therein, and a piezoelectric transducer 113 that is arranged between the support member 111 and the bridge base 112.
The piezoelectric transducer 113 is formed in a thin elongated rectangular shape that substantially matches the bottom shape of the elongated hollow 112a of the bridge base 112. Reasons why the piezoelectric transducer 113 is roughly formed in an elongated rectangular shape is to uniformly detect vibrations of all the strings 110.
FIG. 12 shows a cross-sectional constitution of the piezoelectric transducer 113, which is constituted by various layers arranged between an upper surface (facing the support member 111) and a lower surface (facing the bottom of the elongated hollow 112a of the bridge base 112). That is, the piezoelectric transducer 113 is constituted by a polymeric piezoelectric film 113a composed of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), a pair of electrodes 113b respectively adhered to the upper surface and the lower surface of the polymeric piezoelectric film 113a, and a pair of insulation sheets 113c composed of vinyl chloride and the like, all of which are completely covered with a conductive shield (or a shield layer) 113d. The insulation sheets 113c are arranged to insulate the electrodes 113b from the conductive shield 113d. Herein, the conductive shield 113d is composed of a prescribed material such as aluminum and copper, details of which are disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. Hei 7-160265 (in particular, page 3 and FIG. 2), for example.
As described above, it is necessary to cover the polymeric piezoelectric film 113a and its related layers with the conductive shield 113d because the polymeric piezoelectric film 113a composed of PVDF and the like normally has a high impedance and may easily pick up external noise such as hum noise (or humming noise). That is, in order to reduce the influence of external noise, the polymeric piezoelectric film 113a is covered with the conductive shield 113d.
The most important point that the user (or player) may regard as an important factor in playing the sound mute guitar 100 is the tone color of the sound mute guitar 100 that can be heard via the headphone set 150 and the like. It is a present problem that the tone color of the sound mute guitar 100 may be greatly influenced by the piezoelectric transducer 113. The manufacturer which produces the sound mute guitar 100 may actualize a high-quality tone color by installing a high-performance piezoelectric transducer having a desired characteristic in the sound mute guitar 100. However, such a piezoelectric transducer is very expensive and reduces productivity. For this reason, the manufacturer of the sound mute guitar 100 must use a relatively inexpensive piezoelectric transducer, which can be produced at a relatively high productivity, by sacrificing important factors such as tone color of the sound mute guitar 100.

Piezoelectric transducer adapted to bridge of stringed instrument


An apparatus is disclosed for storing and discharging rod-shaped workpieces of different lengths and types and for the automatic supply of, in particular, a cutting-off machine or a station for processing these workpieces under the control of a computer or the like, with at least one shelf system being provided that is equipped with shelf compartments. A hoist is provided for supplying the shelf system and for removing workpieces from the shelf system. The length of each incoming or outgoing workpiece is determined and the determined length value is appropriately stored in the computer. The length measurement is performed by a length measuring device for determining the distance of the front end faces of the workpieces from an abutment. The length measuring device includes a manually operated device that is operated with ultrasound, light or the like directed onto a wall in the region of the workpiece abutment. The manually operated device is equipped with an extension in the form of an abutment for placement against the front end face of the respective workpiece. The manually operated device is coupled with the computer by way of a data exchange device which provides information about the length and type of the workpiece. The length values of the workpieces determined by the manually held device are fed into the computer by actuation of a handle on the manually operated device.

The present invention relates to an apparatus for storing and discharging rod-shaped workpieces of different lengths and types or cartridges containing same and for the automatic supply, under the control of a computer or the like of, in particular, a cutting-off machine or a station for processing these workpieces, with at least one shelf system being provided which is equipped with superposed shelf compartments or honeycombs and a hoist for filling the shelves and for removing the workpieces or cartridges from the shelves. The hoist is movable along the shelf or shelves and transversely thereto. When a workpiece is stored or removed, its length is determined and the resulting value is stored in the computer. A length measuring device is provided for detecting the distance of the front end faces of the workpieces from an abutment for the rear end faces of the workpieces.
In such apparatus the different lengths of the rod-shaped workpieces require inventory administration for each individual workpiece and this requires the compilation of data for each workpiece. Moreover, it is necessary to administer each individual workpiece in order to determine whether certain ordered lengths can be sawed or processed from the respective workpiece material. In this connection it is of eminent importance to be informed of the lengths of the workpieces to be stored or discharged so that orders to supply a cutting-off machine or a processing station, generally referred to herein as a workpiece processing system, can be filled as best as possible in that the best suitable workpiece lengths are held available.
It is already known to determine the lengths of rod-shaped workpieces by determining their weight in that this weight is then converted into a length dimension under consideration of the workpiece material and its cross section. However, this manner of proceeding is extremely inaccurate since, particularly in raw materials, fluctuations in the cross sections occur which add up over the length of the workpiece and may lead to corresponding error values in the length determination.
An apparatus of the above-mentioned type is disclosed in German Patent 3,318,420. Here the abutment for the rear faces of the workpieces has an associated slide that is movable relative to the abutment to be placed against the front end faces of the workpieces and is connected with a pulse generator which records the length of the path traveled by the slide toward the front end face of the workpiece and then feeds the thus determined length value for the workpiece to the computer. However, this apparatus, which operates in the manner of a slide rule, is slow since each individual workpiece must be detected by way of a complicated travel path. Moreover, in cooperation with the hoist, only a single workpiece can be "processed" with respect to its length determination. The result is that economic storage or discharge of layers of several workpieces, perhaps also of different types, is not possible. Thus the prior art apparatus is time consuming. It is also very cumbersome and complicated with respect to the apparatus itself.

Apparatus for storing and discharging rod-shaped workpieces

Keuro Besitz GmbH & Co. EDV-Dienstleistungs KG


A film wrapper for use in storing slugs and ropes of chemical anchoring adhesive includes an outer metallized polymer layer and a heat seal layer. The metallized polymer layer protects the chemical anchoring adhesive from premature reaction by providing a barrier to oxygen and light. The heat seal layer may also act as a moisture barrier layer. The chemical anchoring adhesive is divided into slugs of appropriate size for insertion into boreholes and cementing of anchor pins in the boreholes.

High viscosity chemical anchoring adhesives are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,291,555; 6,402,434; 6,403,678, 6,416,256 and 6,420,458. The chemical anchoring adhesive can be formed to a desired shape and/or cut to a desired length, before being sent to the job site or at the job site. Because of its high viscosity, the chemical anchoring adhesive can be injected into a borehole which is upside down and vertical, or horizontal, or oriented at any angle, and will not spill or flow out of the borehole.
Because of its high viscosity, the chemical anchoring adhesive need not be stored in a wrapper or container for effective use. However, each of the above patents discloses the optional use of a wrapper made of plastic, aluminum, foil, paper or the like. The wrapper may improve the aesthetic appearance and stability of the adhesive during storage. The wrapper typically shreds when the adhesive is applied to a borehole, and mixes with the adhesive, due to action of the driving tool. Depending on the wrapper composition and thickness, mixing of the wrapper with the adhesive may adversely affect the adhesive performance.

Wrapped highly viscous chemical anchoring adhesive


The present invention provides methods for synthesizing novel tetrahydroquinoline derivatives that are useful for cancer chemotherapy and anti-viral applications. The present invention provides compounds useful for cancer chemotherapy and methods for the preparation of these compounds. The present invention also includes cancer chemotherapy methods.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to the synthesis of tetrahydroquinoline derivatives and their use in the treatment of various carcinomas.
2. General Background of the Invention
U.S. Pat. No. 6,077,862, incorporated herein by reference, provides an excellent background for the cancer chemotherapeutic use of the this invention.
Chemotherapeutic approaches are most effective to fight cancers with large growth factors, i.e., ones whose cells are rapidly dividing. Ideally cytotoxic agents that have specificity to recognize certain cancer and tumor cells while not affecting normal cells or other less malign tumor cells would be extremely desirable. Unfortunately, none have been found and instead agents that target especially rapidly dividing cells (both tumor and normal) have been generally used.
Clearly, the development of agents that would target certain cancer cells due to some unique specificity for them would be a breakthrough.
Tetrahydroquinoline moiety is present in various natural products and many tetrahydroquinoline derivatives bearing simple or complex substituents exhibit a broad range of biological activities[1] Therefore, it has been attracted researchers continuously to develop methods for the synthesis of tetrahydroquinoline derivatives.[2] Among the various methods, Lewis acid catalyzed aza-Diels-Alder reaction of N-arylimines with various dienophiles is one of the most powerful tools for constructing 2,3,4-substituted tetrahydroquinoline derivatives.[3] When cyclic enol ethers, such as 2,3-dihydrofuran or 3,4-dihydro-2H-pyran, are employed as dienophiles, tricyclic compounds (furano or pyrano quinoline derivatives) are obtained.[4] A one-pot procedure for synthesizing such compounds, based on the three components reaction of a substituted aniline, an aryl aldehyde and an electron-rich olefin in the presence of Lewis acid catalysts, has been reported recently.[5] Since this reaction is much efficient with aryl-aldimines than with alkyl-aldimines, various 2-aryl-tetrahydroquinolines have been synthesized and only a few examples of 2-substituted tetrahydroquinoline derivatives were reported. No procedure was available to synthesize 2-substituted tetrahydroquinoline derivatives via a simple and direct coupling between an aniline derivative and a cyclic enol ether or a cyclic hemiacetal (or its equivalent).
Due to the above-mentioned problems in the art, the present inventors have sought improvements and provide such improvements herein.

Methods for synthesizing heterocycles and therapeutic use of the heterocycles for cancers


New methods for fabrication of silicon microstructures have been developed. In these methods, an etching delay layer is deposited and patterned so as to provide differential control on the depth of features being etched into a substrate material. Compensation for etching-related structural artifacts can be accomplished by proper use of such an etching delay layer.

Development of new fabrication technologies for silicon-based microstructures is currently under aggressive pursuit. Silicon-based microstructures commonly comprise silicon and silicon oxides, but can also comprise silicon nitride, metal thin films, and a range of other structural materials known in the art. Such microstructures are commonly fabricated using a range of techniques originally developed for fabrication of silicon integrated circuits, and find application in the area of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), and in microfluidic systems, such as micro-scale chemical sensors, gas chromatographs, and the like.
It is held desirable in the art to fabricate a desired microstructure so that the number of gross assembly steps is limited. Gross assembly steps are those which provide external functional interconnection between individually fabricated subassemblies. Gross assembly steps require precision handling, positioning, and bonding of delicate millimeter-scale structures, which are fraught with opportunities for failure. In particular, when the goal is a micromechanical device, the bonding materials can easily interfere with the desired motion of the components of the device. Similarly, when the goal is a microfluidic device, the bonding materials can block the flow channels, or prevent microvalves from functioning properly.
Working against the above motivations for direct fabrication of complex microstructures is the difficulty of fabricating such microstructures in their entirety. As the complexity of a process required for fabrication of a desired silicon microstructure increases, the useful yield of that process falls rapidly toward zero. Complex fabrication processes are not only susceptible to error, but in many cases can lead to accumulation of residual stress, nonplanarity, and other structural flaws which can render the desired product unusable.
The etching of features into a silicon-based microstructure plays a central role in the fabrication of micro-scale silicon-based devices. Both wet etching and dry etching are commonly used in such fabrication. Wet etching of silicon is commonly carried out using liquid etchants including, but not limited to, KOH, tetramethyl ammonium hydroxide, or ethylene diamine pyrochatechol. In contrast, dry etching generally comprises the application of reactive neutrals and ionic etchants generated in a plasma to the surface to be etched. Of particular utility in silicon-based microstructural fabrication is deep reactive ion etching.
Both wet and dry etching procedures exhibit an effect called aspect-ratio-dependent etching, in which a narrow feature being defined by etching deepens less rapidly than does a wide feature being defined under the same etching conditions. In other words, the etching rate varies with the size of the feature being defined. Aspect-ratio-dependent etching effects can result in the need to define and etch narrow features separately from wider features, resulting in an undesirable increase in the complexity of the overall fabrication process.
There is an ongoing need in the art for microstructural fabrication techniques which allow the development of less complex fabrication processes.
The present invention addresses this need by enabling increased control over the definition by etching of structural features having widely different pattern widths.
These and other advantages of the method of the present invention will become evident to those skilled in the art.

Method to control artifacts of microstructural fabrication


An independent and foldable running exercise installation that includes: a platform that includes a chassis and, incorporated into the latter, a running track and its tensioning and driving means fixed to the front of the platform, two lateral uprights the top ends of which support a handlebar that includes two lateral branches connected by a linking part, and the ends of which act as handles. Each lateral upright is formed of a front arm and a rear arm which are in parallel and articulated by their lower ends on the side of the platform, on two pivoting axes, and by their top ends to the lateral branches on two pivoting axes. Since the first axis is higher than the second, the four axes forming a deformable parallelogram between a position of use in which the handgrips are more or less horizontal and the lateral uprights are more or less vertical, and a storage position in which the linking part is placed flat on the top of the platform and the lateral uprights on the sides of the platform. The installation includes removable means for locking the lateral uprights at least in the position of use.

Documents U.S. Pat. No. 6,077,200, U.S. Pat. No. 6,602,167 and EP 1 304 143 describe installations of this type which can be easily folded and stored. In each of these three documents however, it is specified that in the folded position, the installation rests on a base that occupies a space of reduced size on the ground, with the running track in a vertical or substantially vertical position. It can be seen that since the base is not sufficiently broad, there is a risk of toppling the installation in the event of an impact. In addition, storage in the vertical position is not very aesthetic, in particular when it is physically located in a user's home.
In the known installations, in particular those in the aforementioned documents, the user has the ability to support himself/herself on support means (e.g., handlebars facing the user). This can be a U-shaped handlebar whose lateral branches extend down to the ground (EP 1 304 143), or a U-shaped handlebar in which the ends of the lateral branches act as handles (U.S. Pat. No. 6,602,167), or a U-shaped handrail (EP 1 304 143).

Self-powered running machine which can be folded in order to occupy less space


A wireless terminal and wireless telecommunications system are disclosed that prevent a thief of a wireless terminal from using the stolen wireless terminal to steal wireless service. A PIN is stored in the wireless terminal and the wireless terminal itself checks that a candidate PIN matches the stored PIN before the wireless terminal will initiate a call or will establish an incoming call. Thereafter, however, the user is permitted to call that telephone number or to receive a call from that telephone number without having to enter a candidate PIN again.. In the wireless telecommunications system, a PIN is stored in a subscriber database for each user. The subscriber database also contains a history list of the telephone numbers that each user has previously called or received calls from. When the user first attempts to call a telephone number from which a received call has not been established, the wireless telecommunications system requires the user to enter a candidate PIN that matches the stored PIN before the call is established. Thereafter, the user is permitted to call that telephone number or receive a call from that telephone number without having to enter a candidate PIN again. Alternatively, when the user first receives a call from a telephone number that the user has not previously called, the wireless telecommunications system requires the user to enter a candidate PIN that matches the stored PIN before the call is established. Thereafter, the user is permitted to call that telephone number or receive a call from that telephone number without having to enter a candidate PIN again.

The theft of wireless telecommunications service is a major problem for a wireless service provider. Traditionally, a thief steals wireless service by "cloning" a legitimate user's wireless terminal and by using the clone to a place call, which is then billed to the legitimate user. Typically, a thief clones a wireless terminal by using a sophisticated radio to eavesdrop on a legitimate wireless call and to obtain the legitimate user's wireless terminal's authentication codes. When the thief has obtained the authentication codes, the thief re-programs another wireless terminal with the authentication codes, which results in a clone.
To combat the ease with which authentication codes can be stolen through eavesdropping, authentication codes are now typically encrypted when they are transmitted to and from the wireless terminal. Although this precaution usually precludes the theft of wireless service through eavesdropping, it does not, however, eliminate all theft of wireless service.
Because a wireless terminal is small and portable, a thief can easily steal a legitimate wireless terminal and use the wireless terminal to steal wireless service. To prevent a thief from using a stolen wireless terminal to steal wireless service, a wireless telecommunications system can incorporate a password-based system that must be satisfied before an outgoing call can be initiated or an incoming call can be answered.
In accordance with the password-based system, the wireless service provider and each authorized user agree on a personal identification number ("PIN"), which is stored in the wireless telecommunications system's subscriber database as part of the user's record. Thereafter, when the user initiates a call from the wireless terminal, the wireless telecommunications system makes an authentication request. The authentication request prompts the user to enter a candidate PIN into his or her wireless terminal and to transmit the candidate PIN to the wireless telecommunications system. If, and only if, the candidate PIN matches the PIN in the database does the wireless telecommunications system complete the call. Presumably, the thief of a wireless terminal would not know the user's PIN and would, therefore, be thwarted from using the wireless terminal to place a call.
Although this technique is effective, it has three main disadvantages. First, the technique often works only for calls initiated within the authorized user's home wireless service area. Therefore, a thief can still succeed in stealing wireless service by taking the wireless terminal out of the authorized user's home wireless service area, or, alternatively, by stealing a wireless terminal from a user who is traveling outside the user's home area. Second, most users are annoyed at having to enter their PIN each time they initiate a call. And third, the transmission of the authentication request, the transmission of the PIN and the subsequent delay while the PIN is being confirmed by the wireless service provider all consume air time, which is inevitably paid for by the user, and delays the user in reaching their desired party.
Alternatively, a wireless telecommunications system could reduce the annoyance to a user by requiring the PIN to be transmitted only after power-up but before the first call is placed. However, this technique compromises security for safety, since the wireless terminal can be stolen before it is powered off.
Some wireless terminals have a provision that prevents a call from being initiated unless the user enters a key sequence that matches a PIN stored in the terminal before each call is initiated. This technique is, advantageous because it works outside of the wireless terminal's home area and because there is no air time consumption. The technique is annoying, however, because a user must still enter a candidate PIN before each call is initiated.
Therefore, the need exists for a more advantageous technique that prevents the thief of a wireless terminal from stealing wireless service.

Wireless terminal and wireless telecommunications system adapted to prevent the theft of wireless service


The present invention relates to a method of detection of an early-stage renal disease, comprising determining the concentration of human lipocalin-type prostaglandin D synthase in a body fluid sample taken from a subject and comparing the determined concentration with a reference value set by determining the concentrations of human lipocalin-type prostaglandin D synthase in body fluid samples taken from healthy subjects; and a method of disease state management for a renal disease, comprising determining the concentration of human lipocalin-type prostaglandin D synthase in a body fluid sample taken from a subject and evaluating the glomerular filtration ability of the subject from the determined concentration.

Recently, the number of patients who begin to undergo dialysis therapy because of diabetic nephropathy is increasing year by year. According to statistical data in 1994, the number of patients with diabetic nephropathy who have newly started dialysis therapy in one year was 9,351, which is very close to the corresponding number 10,995 in patients with chronic glomerulonephritis (Akira Sekikawa et al., The 41st Annual Meeting of Japan Diabetes Society) Unfortunately, however, dialysis therapy for diabetic patients causes many problems such as cardiac failure, raising or lowering of blood pressure, infections or shunt troubles, and the average duration of life after the introduction of dialysis is as short as about 3 years (see, for example, Statistical Survey Committee of the Japanese Society for Dialysis Therapy, Journal of the Japanese Society for Dialysis Therapy, 25, 1095–1103, 1992). Thus, it is believed that early treatment by early diagnosis is important for diabetic nephropathy.
In diagnosis and disease state management for renal diseases such as diabetic nephropathy and glomerulonephritis that cause glomerular lesions, clearance tests using inulin, creatinine, etc. are considered bo be useful for the evaluation of glomerular filtration ability. However, clearance tests require timed urine. Also, in clearance tests where an exogenous substance such as inulin is administered, intravenous injection of the exogenous substance is required. Therefore, due to the time and labor required for such tests, application of a clearance test has been limited to patients with apparent renal diseases. Accordingly, it is rather rare to use a clearance test as a routine diagnosis method for those patients who are suspected of renal diseases or who may possibly have renal diseases. In many cases, diseases of such patients have been diagnosed by detecting persistent proteinuria or determining serum creatinine concentrations. However, it is also known that irreversible glomerular lesions have already progressed when persistent proteinuria appears or when serum creatinine concentrations increase (see, for example, "Nephrology", Kiyoshi Kurokawa (ed.), 249–251, 1995). Therefore, the detection of persistent proteinuria or the determination of serum creatinine concentration cannot be effective means to detect early-stage lesions.
Recently, it has become possible to determine various proteins excreted into urine. For example, it has become clear that albumin excretion in urine increases in diabetic nephropathy, i.e. microalbuminuria precedes persistent proteinuria. At present, it is a general practice to diagnose renal diseases with the appearance of microalbuminuria or the like.
Generally, diabetic nephropathy and other nephropathy are classified into the 1st stage (pre-nephropathy stage), the 2nd stage (early nephropathy stage), the 3rd stage (apparent nephropathy stage), the 4th stage (renal failure stage) and the 5th stage (dialysis therapy stage) (Yukio Shigeta et al., "1991 Diabetes Survey Report", Ministry of Health and Welfare, 317–320, 1992). The stage at which microalbuminuria is detected falls under the above-described 2nd stage (early nephropathy stage). Pathologically, mild to medium grade diffuse lesions are already present at this stage; the presence of nodular lesions is also known at this stage. For example, diabetic nephropathy is characterized by thickening of the glomerular basement membrane and expansion of the mesangial region. However, it is known that these changes are already present even at a stage when no microalbuminuria appeares clinically (Shigeki Inomata et al., Journal of the Japan Diabetes Society, 30, 429–435, 1987; Bangstad, H., J. et al., Diabetologia, 36, 523–529, 1993). Therefore, the 2nd stage (early nephropathy stage) does not necessarily mean the beginning of nephropathy, and is understood as the stage at which nephropathy becomes diagnosable by current clinical tests. On the other hand, it is believed that those abnormalities occurring at the 1st stage (pre-nephropathy stage) prior to the appearance of microalbuminuria can only be detected by renal biopsy. However, since renal biopsy is invasive, it involves pain and danger. Besides, it requires enormous labor and time from the beginning of biopsy to the obtainment of results. Therefore, the development of a simple, non-invasive test method is desired which can detect those abnormalities occurring prior to the appearance of microalbuminuria.
Under such circumstances, it was reported that urinary type-IV collagen excretion increases even at the pre-nephropathy stage, and the possibility that urinary type-IV collagen could be an earlier indicator of diabetic nephropathy has been suggested (Hayashi, Y. et al., Diabetic Medicine, 9, 366–370, 1992; Yagame, M. et al., J. Clin. Lab. Anal., 11, 110–116, 1997). It is believed that such increase of urinary type-IV collagen excretion reflects histological changes such as thickening of the glomerular basement membrane and mesangial expansion, and that the increase is the result of enhanced production of type-IV collagen in the glomerular basement membrane, glomerular epithelial cells or tubular epithelial cells (Motohide Isono et al., Journal of the Japan Diabetes Society, 39, 599–604, 1996). However, it is considered that even before the above-mentioned histological changes take place in the glomerulus, various changes in metabolism, morphology, etc. are occurring at the cell level, corresponding to hyperglycemia characteristic in diabetes. For example, up-regulation of protein kinase C activity has been reported in the glomeruli of diabetic rats, and glomerular or mesangial cells cultured under high glucose concentrations. The relation between this rise and histological changes in diabetic complications such as diabetic nephropathy is attracting attention (Craven, P., A. and DeRubertis, F. R., J. Clin. Invest., 83, 1667–1675, 1989; Williams, B. and Schrier, R. W., Diabetes, 41, 1464–1472, 1992). Therefore, if it is possible to detect these qualitative changes at the cellular level earlier, more effective treatment could be given before histological changes have occurred. However, no reports have been made to date which clinically examine such utility.
On the other hand, human lipocalin-type prostaglandin D synthase (hereinafter, referred to as "L-PGDS") is an enzyme which catalyzes the isomerization of PGH2 (a common precursor of various prostaglandins) to PGD2 that exhibits various physiological actions such as sleep induction (Urade, Y., Fujimoto, N. and Hayaishi, O., J. Biol. Chem., 260, 12410–12415, 1985; Urade, Y., Watanabe, K. and Hayaishi, O., J. Lipid Mediator Cell Signaling, 12, 257–273, 1995). Recently, it was revealed that this L-PGDS is identical with β-trace which was known to be present in human cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) abundantly (Hoffmann, A., Conradt, H. S., Gross, G., Nimitz, M., Lottspeich, F., and Wurster, U., J. Neurochem., 61, 451–456, 1993; Zahn, M. Mader, M., Schmidt, B., Bollensen, E. and Felgenhauer, K., Neurosci. Let., 154, 93–95, 1993; Watanabe, K., Urade, Y., Mader, M., Murphy, C. and Hayaishi, O., Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun., 203, 1110–1116, 1994).
In 1969 when L-PGDS was still called β-trace, Ericsson et al. published a paper suggesting correlation between renal diseases and β-trace (L-PGDS) (Ericsson, J., Link, H. and Zettervall, O., Neurology, 19, 606–610, 1969). Since assay methods at that time were technically immature, L-PGDS was undetectable in serum and urine from healthy subjects, but it was detected in serum and urine from patients with renal diseases such as chronic glomerulonephritis in which abnormalities are recognized in serum creatinine concentration and creatinine clearance. It was suggested that L-PGDS concentrations increase in those patients. Felgenhauer et al. also reported that serum L-PGDS, which was not detected in healthy subjects, was detected though in only one patient with renal failure (Felgenhauer, K., Schadlich, H. J. and Nekic, M., Klin. Wochenschr., 65, 764–768, 1987). Against these findings, Whitsed et al. developed a more sensitive assay system, compared urinary L-PGDS concentrations (amounts excreted/24 hr) from healthy subjects and those from patients with renal diseases presenting proteinuria, and reported that patients with renal diseases not necessarily exhibited higher L-PGDS concentrations (Whitsed, H., and Penny, R., Clin. Chim. Acta, 50, 111–118, 1974). It is believed that the reason why researchers have such opposite opinions on the correlation between renal diseases and L-PGDS is because the assay system used in these reports are semi-quantitative methods based on classical immunological methods using polyclonal antibodies. Recently, using more quantitative assay system, Hoffmann et al. have confirmed that serum L-PGDS concentrations in patients with end-stage renal failure (at dialysis therapy stage) are remarkably increased as compared to the concentrations in healthy subjects (Hoffmann, A., Nimtz, M. and Conradt, H. S., Glycobiology, 7, 499–506, 1997). However, although they use monoclonal antibodies with clarified specificity, their assay method is complicated. Briefly, they purify L-PGDS from serum samples, and then compare the strength of the bands on Western blot. Thus, it is considered to be still difficult to accurately compare minor differences in concentration by this method.
As described above, any of the examinations concerning the correlation between renal diseases and L-PGDS made to date has merely detected a remarkable rise of L-PGDS concentrations in those patients who have been confirmed to have an evidently advanced renal disease by existing diagnostic methods, e.g. showing abnormality in creatinine kinetics, presenting proteinurea or being at dialysis therapy stage. On the contrary, no examinations have been made to date concerning L-PGDS concentrations prior to the progress of renal diseases.

Method of detection and disease state management for renal diseases


A method and apparatus for determining an optimum modulation scheme for a retransmission in a communication system supporting HARQ. When two modulation schemes are available, at an initial transmission, information is modulated in the lower-order modulation scheme if a first MPR is less than a first threshold, and in the higher-order modulation scheme if the first MPR is greater than or equal to the first threshold. Here, an MPR is determined by an EP size, the number of available Walsh codes, and the number of slots per sub-packet that are used for a transmission. To select one of the modulation schemes for a retransmission, a second MPR is calculated using an EP size, the number of available Walsh codes, and the number of slots per sub-packet that are used for the retransmission. If the first MPR is equal to or less than a second threshold greater than the first threshold, the lower-order modulation scheme is selected. If the second MPR is greater than the second threshold, the higher-order modulation scheme is selected.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a communication system that determines a modulation and coding scheme adaptively, and in particular, to a method and apparatus for determining an optimum modulation scheme for retransmission in a given environment.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a future mobile communication system (3GPP2 1xEV-DV: 3rd Generation Partnership Project 2 1xEvolution-Data and Voice, or 3GPP HSDPA: 3GPP High Speed Downlink Packet Access), if the number of available Walsh codes, that is, an available Walsh code space is given, the size of an encoder packet (EP) to be transmitted and the number of slots per sub-packet are determined according to channel condition and data backlog. A slot is a transmission unit having a predetermined time span and data backlog indicates the state of a buffer that stores data received from a higher layer. If the EP size and the number of slots per sub-packet are determined, this implies that a data rate is determined. An EP is then transmitted by selecting one of as many combinations of modulation schemes and coding rates as modulations supported in the system. For efficient packet transmission, it is very important to select an optimum modulation and coding scheme that minimizes BER (Bit Error Rate) and PER (Packet Error Rate) because the error rate of each modulation and coding scheme is different.
According to a proposed modulation scheme determining method for 3GPP2 1xEV-DV under standardization, a modulation scheme is selected referring to a look-up table listing data rates mapped to modulation schemes on a one-to-one basis for each EP size in a given Walsh code space. The look-up table, was made to offer an optimum modulation and coding scheme only at an initial transmission, which minimizes BER or PER under a given condition. However, even if a sub-packet is to be retransmitted due to failure of the previous transmission, the look-up table is still used. Without considering the previous sub-packet transmissions, therefore, an inappropriate modulation scheme may be selected, resulting in degradation of system performance.

Method and apparatus for determining modulation scheme for retransmission in a communication system


Method for a variable-gain amplifier (VGA). A plurality of attenuator nodes is serially connected via a first set of resistors between adjacent attenuator nodes to form an attenuator ladder and coupled to an AC input of the variable-gain amplifier. Each of the attenuator nodes includes a transistor and an RC circuitry that couples drain, gate, and source terminals of the transistor to a control signal for the attenuator node. The VGA also includes an amplifier that has an output produced based on an input to the amplifier connected to a plurality of coupled terminals, each of which is respectively from one of the plurality of attenuator nodes. The RC circuitry for each attenuator node is configured to pass a control signal to the gate terminal of the transistor of the attenuator node in accordance with a first time scale and permit the gate terminal to float in accordance with a second time scale so as to yield a reduction of distortion contributed by the transistor while the transistor is transitioning between on and off states.

1. Field of Invention
The present teachings presented herein relate to a variable-gain amplifier. More specifically, the present teachings relate to methods and systems for improved variable-gain amplifier employing a tapped-attenuator ladder.
2. Discussion of Related Art
A variable gain amplifier (VGA) is used in a wide variety of communication system applications. In most applications, it is necessary for the VGA to maintain good dynamic range across the full gain control range. Other desirable characteristics of a VGA include high linearity, linear-in-dB gain control, low noise, low DC power consumption, CMOS compatibility, high frequency operation, large signal handling capability, and a gain control relation that is insensitive to ambient temperature.
VGA's have been used for many years, and a variety of techniques have been employed to achieve this critical circuit function. The types of VGA's reported in the literature generally fall into several broad categories. Current steering is an abundant method that usually employs some type of emitter-coupled bipolar junction transistor (BJT) pair to steer a fraction of current based on a ΔVbe control voltage. The bias control method alters the bias point of a transistor device to affect gm and the resulting gain. PIN diodes or MOSFET resistors are often used to degenerate the gain of amplifiers in a continuously variable fashion. Another method relies on a class of circuits known as multi-Tanh cells to affect the gain of a gm block. Although simple to implement, these four general methods to realize a VGA often suffer from poor linearity and small input signal handling capability.
One approach to address some of the short-comings of conventional VGAs is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,077,541 by Gilbert, entitled "Variable-Gain Amplifier Controlled by an Analog Signal and Having a Large Dynamic Range," issued Dec. 31, 1991. This patent describes a variable-gain amplifier employing a fixed resistive attenuator ladder with a plurality of high impedance tap points to sample the signal at each of the attenuator nodes. The signal voltage at these tap points are converted to signal currents that are summed into an operational amplifier to create a composite gain function. The effective transconductance gain of each tap point is varied in the specified method to produce a continuous gain function. The fixed attenuator ladder aims at providing a stable input impedance with large input signal handling capability across the entire linear-in-dB gain range.
Although Gilbert method of signal tapping and gain interpolation control may be attractive in bipolar technology, it is less desirable in CMOS technology. Implementing the gm taps in CMOS is prone to upconverted 1/f noise due to the nature of current-carrying MOS transistors, and the gm errors are substantially greater due to the poor MOSFET Vth matching compared to BJT Vbe matching.
A CMOS-compatible, attenuator-based VGA is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,205,817 by Huang, entitled "Analog Control Integrated FET Based Variable Attenuator," issued Apr. 17, 2007. This patent describes a method of assembling and controlling a plurality of series and parallel MOS devices to implement a variable attenuator. Huang avoids critical Vth matching issues and eliminates DC bias currents within the attenuator, but it involves controlling both the series and parallel elements along the attenuator ladder. This yields a more difficult control circuit that often results in a gain-control function with significantly bumpy deviations from the ideal linear-in-dB gain law. Controlling distortion throughout the gain control range is also difficult and requires floating P-wells of a sort not typically found in a standard N-well CMOS process.

Method and system for variable-gain amplifier


In addition to a music piece data file in which music piece data for a karaoke performance are stored, a BGP script file in which BGP script data (picture sequence data) are stored, and a picture data file in which plural still picture data are stored are disposed. The BGP script data describe the procedure of combining still picture data and switchingly displaying the synthesized data, and include music piece corresponding data corresponding to a specific music piece data, and genre corresponding data corresponding to the genre of a music piece. During a karaoke performance of a music piece, when a music piece corresponding data corresponding to the music piece exists, an image is displayed by using the data, and, when such a data does not exists, an image is displayed by using a data corresponding to the genre of the music piece. When a data corresponding to the genre does not exists or cannot be used, background still picture data corresponding to the genre are switchingly displayed.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a karaoke apparatus which can supply an image synchronized with a karaoke performance to a monitor so as to be displayed thereon.
2. Prior Art
At present, many karaoke apparatuses are respectively connected to monitors. An image corresponding to a music piece, and words are displayed on the monitor in synchronization with a karaoke performance. A karaoke apparatus having a tone generator is currently mainly used. Such a karaoke apparatus comprises optical disks on each of which image data of motion pictures are stored in addition to music piece data for a karaoke performance. An image corresponding to a music piece to be performed is selected from the optical disks and then reproduced.
However, a karaoke apparatus provided with such a changer has drawbacks that the cost is high, and that the apparatus is increased in size and weight and hence inadequate for a portable use. The karaoke apparatus has a further drawback that the mechanisms for exchanging and reproducing optical disks are increased in number and hence a fault frequently occurs.
Recently, a portable karaoke apparatus in which still pictures are stored in a hard disk and the pictures are displayed on a monitor during a karaoke performance has been practically used. However, such an apparatus has a drawback that the displayed picture is monotonous and hence the atmosphere of a karaoke performance cannot be enhanced.


A process is disclosed for the synthesis of 2-(6-methoxy-2-naphthyl)propionic acid that utilizes 2,6-diisopropylnaphthalene.

Naproxen is a common name for D-2-(6-methoxy-2-naphthyl)propionic acid which is known to be a non-steroidal agent having anti-inflammatory, analgesic and antipyretic activity. South African Patent No. 67/07597 issued to Syntex as assignee in 1968 disclosed that 2-(napth-2'-yl) acetic and propionic acid derivatives were useful for therapeutic purposes. Since that time, the D-enantiomer of 2-(6-methoxy-2-naphthyl)propionic acid has proven particularly useful as a therapeutic agent and several synthesis processes have been developed in the art.
The propionic acid derivative, 2-(6-methoxy-2-naphthyl)propionic acid, exists as two enantiomers (D- and L-), also known as optical isomers, and the D-enantiomer sold as "naproxen" is known to be much more therapeutically potent than its L- ccunterpart. Therefore, during some phase of synthesis the D- and L- enantiomers are separated to provide the naproxen product. The prior art suggests two general schemes for preparing D-2-(6-methoxy-2-naphthyl)propionic acid. The first scheme encompasses several 2-stage methods wherein the first stage is organic synthesis of a racemic, (DL-) 2-(6-methoxy-2-naphthyl)propionic acid and the second stage comprises isolating the therapeutically effective D-enantiomer. Several methods for resolution of the optical isomers of 2-(6-methoxy-2-naphthyl)propionic acid are known in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,637,767 issued to Syntex as assignee discloses reacting the racemic product with an optically active base to form a D-enantiomer salt. The salt is crystallized, separated and then recovered as D-2-(6-methoxy-2-naphthyl)propionic acid by acidification. U.S. Pat. No. 4,800,162 to Matson utilizes multi-phase and extractive enzyme membrane bioreactors as a means to produce substantiall purified optically active compounds from mixtures of active and inactive isomers.
A second general scheme for preparing naproxen focuses on asymmetric organic synthesis of the D-2-(6-methoxy-2-naphthyl)propionic acid product. These methods utilize optically pure starting materials or reagents, or may comprise stereo-selective synthesis steps. For example, European Patent No. 0,163,338 to Blaschim teaches using optically pure chiral reagents for direct stereo-specific synthesis.
The present invention is directed to providing an alternative process for the organic synthesis of racemic (DL-) 2-(6-methoxy-2-naphthyl)propionic acid, and also to providing intermediates for use in stereo-selective processes. It is known to synthesize racemic 2-(6-methoxy-2-naphthyl)propionic acid by various routes using 2-methoxynaphthalene as a starting material. A substituent is introduced at the C-6 position on the naphthalene nucleus via Freidel-Crafts acylation to yield a ketone intermediate 2-acetyl-6-methoxynaphthalene. [See U.S. Pat. No. 3,994,968 to Syntex as assignee]. The acylation may require halogenation or other methods to block substitution at other positions on the compound.
Several routes to the propionic acid derivative are known which utilize the ketone intermediate 2-acetyl-6-methoxynaphthalene heretofore described. For example, an early method known as the "Willgerodt/Methyl Iodide" process first prepares an acetic acid derivative from the ketone intermediate in the presence of morpholine and sulfur and then completes a series of steps including esterifying, methylating, and hydrolyzing the compound to produce (DL-)2-(6-methoxy-2-naphthyl)propionic acid. [E.g. U.S. Pat. No. 3,994,968 issued to Syntex as assignee; U.S. Pat. No. 3,958,012 to Fried et al.]. Although this method has utility, the percent conversion from the ketone intermediate to the acid derivative product is relatively low (20% to 30%), whereas the cost of raw materials and reagents is relatively high.
Another method known in the art converts the ketone group of 2-acetyl-6-methoxynaphthalene to a 2-substituted propylene oxide using a trimethylsulfonium iodide reagent, followed by conversion to a propylene aldehyde and oxidation to the 2-substituted propionic acid. [U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,994,968 and 3,637,767 to Syntex as assignee]. The yields are higher (approximately 30% to 40%) than that observed with the Willgerodt/Methyl Iodide process, however the yields are still too low to justify the high cost of the trimethylsulfonium iodide reagent and raw materials.
Other known routes include hydrocyanation of the carbonyl group of the ketone intermediate 2-acetyl-6-methoxynaphthalene followed by conversion to a 2-substituted propionic acid through a series of steps. This method has about a 30% to 40% conversion as well and calls for expensive reagents such as triethylaluminum. Other process steps for the preparation of 2-(6-methoxy-2-naphthyl)propionic acid are known which utilize intermediates derived from the acylated 2-methoxynaphthalene as starting or intermediate materials. [E.g. U.S. Pat. No. 4,414,405 to Giorano; U.S. Pat. No. 4,620,031 to Uggeri; U.S. Pat. No. 3,651,148 to Nelson et al.].
Although the above conventional routes have utility, using 2-methoxynaphthalene as a starting material (or its precursor 2-naphthol) is expensive, partially due to industry demand, to the high cost of reagents, and to disposal of waste products. There is need for a process that utilizes inexpensive materials and results in a high yield of product.
It is therefore a primary object of this invention to provide a process for the organic synthesis of 2-(6-methoxy -2 -naphthyl)propionic acid that utilizes readily available and inexpensive starting material of fixed isomeric purity.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a process for the organic synthesis of 2-(6-methoxy-2-naphthyl)propionic acid that utilizes 2,6-diisopropylnaphthalene as a starter material.
Another object of this invention is to provide a process for the organic synthesis of 2-(6-methoxy-2-naphthyl)propionic acid that does not require Friedel-Crafts acylation.
It is still a further object of this invention to provide a process for the organic synthesis of 2-(6-methoxy-2-naphthyl)propionic acid having a high percent of conversion of 2,6-diisopropylnaphthalene to 2-(6-methoxy-2-naphthyl)propionic acid.
A further object of this invention is to provide a process for the organic synthesis of 2-(6-methoxy-2-naphthyl)propionic acid whereby the unreacted products and reaction reagents are recyclable.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a process for the organic synthesis of 2-(6-methoxy-2-naphthy)propionic acid that eliminates waste associated with the use of some conventional method reagents.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a process for the organic synthesis of 2-(6-methoxy-2-naphthyl)propionic acid whereby the reagents are inexpensive and some of the needed reactants are provided by the process.
Another object of the present invention is to provide ga process for the organic synthesis of 2-(6-methoxy-2-naphthyl)propionic acid wherein several steps can be run continuously, thereby lowering capital costs and increasing throughout.
It is also a object of the present invention to provide a process for the organic synthesis of 2-(6-methoxy-2-naphthyl)propionic acid that can be used in combination with other processes to asymmetrically prepare D-2-(6-methoxy-2-naphthyl)propionic acid.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a process for the organic synthesis of 2-(6-methoxy-2-naphthyl)propionic acid which produces intermediates applicable to other synthesis processes.
These and other objects are achieved by a novel process for preparing 2-(6-methoxy-2-naphthyl)propionic acid and the intermediates therefor, a preferred route exemplified as follows: ##STR1##
Formula I is 2,6-diisopropylnaphthalene; Formula II is 2-(1-hydroperoxy-1-methylethyl)-6-(1-methylethyl)naphthalene; Formula III is 2-hydroxy-6-(1-methylethyl)naphthalene; Formula IV is 2-methoxy-6-isopropylnaphthalene; Formula V is 2-methoxy-6-(1-hydroperoxy-1-methylethyl)naphthalene; Formula VI is 2-methoxy-6-isopropenylnaphthalene; Formula VII 2-(6-methoxy-2-naphthyl)-1-propylene oxide; Formula VIII is 2-methoxy-6-(1-hydroxy-1-methylethyl)naphthalene; Formula IX is 2-(6-methoxy-2-naphthyl)propionaldehyde; and Formula X is 2-(6-methoxy-2-naphthyl)propionic acid.

Process for preparation of 2-(6-methoxy-2-naphthyl)propionic acid and intermediates therefor utilizing 2,6-diisopropylnaphthalene


A plurality of conduction control circuits controls conduction of input signals. A logical operation circuit receives output signals from each of the conduction control circuits via a plurality of signal paths, and performs a logical operation on each of the output signals to output a single signal. A signal-level setting circuit sets, when the conduction of the input signals in the conduction control circuits connected to a same signal path is blocked, a signal level of the signal path. A control-signal generating circuit generates a first control signal that controls the conduction control circuits to select only one input signal for conduction, and a second control signal that controls the signal-level setting circuit to set the signal level of the signal path, by performing a logical operation on a same input signal.

1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a selector circuit that receives a plurality of input signals and outputs a single output signal, and more particularly, to a selector circuit that can suppress increase in a wiring area, slowing off of a signal waveform, and a delay of signal transfer.
2) Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, selector circuits are widely used in various information processing devices. A selector circuit is a circuit that selects and outputs only one input signal from among a plurality of input signals.
FIG. 7 is a circuit diagram of an example of a conventional selector circuit. FIG. 7 is an example of the selector circuit that selects and outputs one input signal from among four input signals A to D. In the selector circuit, inverter circuits 1a to 1d invert the signal levels of the input signals A to D, and the input signals with the inverted signal levels become the input signals of pass transistor circuits 2a to 2d.
Further, the pass transistor circuits 2a to 2d control conduction of the input signals received from the inverter circuits 1a to 1d according to control signals SELA to SELD and XSELA to XSELD.
The signal levels of the control signal SELA and the control signal XSELA are mutually inverted. To be specific, when the signal level of the control signal SELA is "H" (High), the signal level of the control signal XSELA becomes "L" (Low). Conversely, when the signal level of the control signal SELA is "L", the signal level of the control signal XSELA becomes "H".
Similarly, the signal levels of the control signal SELB and the control signal XSELB, the signal levels of the control signal SELC and the control signal XSELC, and the signal levels of the control signal SELD and the control signal XSELD are also mutually inverted.
Further, among the control signals XSELA to XSELD, only one signal is set to a different signal level than the rest of the control signals XSELA to XSELD. For example, when the signal level of the control signal XSELA is "L", the signal level of the control signals XSELB to XSELD becomes "H".
The pass transistor circuits 2a to 2d conduct the signals when the signal level of the control signals XSELA to XSELD is "L", and block the signals when the signal level of the control signals XSELA to XSELD is "H".
As a result, among the signals that are output from the inverter circuits 1a to 1d, only one signal is input into an inverter circuit 3 via a wire 4, and an output signal X with an inverted signal level is output.
The inverter circuits 1a to 1d and the inverter circuit 3 are provided in a selector circuit shown in FIG. 8 in order to stabilize the signal potential of the input signals A to D and the output signal X.
FIG. 8 is a circuit diagram of a control-signal generating circuit that generates control signals SELA to SELD and XSELA to XSELD input into pass transistor circuits 2a to 2d shown in FIG. 7.
In the control-signal generating circuit shown in FIG. 8, pairs of control signals with mutually inverted signal levels can be generated according to the combination of the input signals I and J. In other words, pairs of the control signals SELA and XSELA, the control signals SELB and XSELB, the control signals SELC and XSELC, and the control signals SELD and XSELD can be generated. Moreover, from among the control signals XSELA to XSELD, only one signal can be set to a different signal level than the rest of the control signals XSELA to XSELD. FIG. 9 is a table of signal levels of the signals that are generated by the control-signal generating circuit shown in FIG. 8.
In the selector circuit in FIG. 7, when the distance between the pass transistor circuits 2a to 2d and the inverter circuit 3 is large, the wiring area can be reduced by integrating four wires into a single one and extending the integrated wire. However, this increases the load capacitance of the wire 4, thus causing slowing of the waveforms of the input signals that are input in the inverter circuit 3, resulting in signaling delay.
Forming a plurality of signal input systems and designing circuits in a way so that a plurality of output signals from these signal input systems are received in a multi-input CMOS logic circuit can overcome this drawback, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. H9-93118.
FIG. 10 is a circuit diagram of a conventional pass transistor logic circuit disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. H9-93118. In the pass transistor logic circuit, a pass transistor circuit 10a and a pass transistor circuit 10b form a first signal input system. A pass transistor circuit 10c and a pass transistor circuit 10d form a second signal input system.
Output signals from the first and the second signal input systems, are input into a NAND circuit 11 via two wires. Thus, by inputting the output signals from the first and the second signal input system into the NAND circuit 11 to separate wires, the load capacitance of the wires can be reduced, thereby remedying slowing of signal waveforms and signaling delay.
Moreover, in the circuit in FIG. 10, since even extending the wire can reduce the load capacitance of the wire, the pass transistor circuits 10a to 10d can be provided at a distance from the NAND circuit 11 when it is not possible to secure a wiring area around the NAND circuit 11.
In this case, the wiring area of the NAND circuit 11 with the pass transistor circuits 10a to 10d is substantially similar to that the wiring area shown in FIG. 7. Thus, the increase in the wiring area can be prevented.
FIG. 11 is a detailed circuit diagram of the conventional pass transistor logic circuit disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. H9-93118. In the pass transistor logic circuit, a pass transistor circuit 12a and a pass transistor circuit 12b form a first signal input system. A pass transistor circuit 12c and a pass transistor circuit 12d form a second signal input system.
A NAND circuit is formed with p-channel MOS transistors 13a and 13b and n-channel MOS transistors 13c and 13d. Moreover, in the pass transistor logic circuit, p-channel MOS transistors 14a, and 14b, stabilize the signal levels of signal X and signal Y with the aid of output signal Z of the NAND circuit.
However, the circuitry in the conventional technology disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. H9-93118 does not form the selector circuit that outputs one signal selected from a plurality of input signals.
In other words, structure of the selector circuit that can prevent increase in the wiring area, slowing of the signal waveforms and signaling delay goes beyond providing a plurality of signal input systems requiring a device for generating the control signals for the pass transistor circuits 10a to 10d and 12a to 12d that control the conduction of signals.


A display apparatus and a control method thereof is provided in which channels corresponding to a predetermined broadcasting format are displayed on a display unit even though they are not separately selected by a user as desired channels. A display apparatus includes a display unit to display a picture thereon, and a tuner to select a channel, a broadcasting format selection unit to select a predetermined broadcasting format, a signal receiver to receive information about the broadcasting format, and a controller to control the tuner to allow the channel corresponding to the broadcasting format to be displayed on the display unit when the broadcasting format is selected through the broadcasting format selection unit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a display apparatus and a control method thereof, and more particularly, to a display apparatus and a control method thereof, which can display a picture based on only channels corresponding to a predetermined broadcasting format on a display unit.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, as data broadcasting services have started, display apparatuses receive data as well as video signals. For example, a display apparatus has been widely used in receiving the data separately from the video signal as well as receiving both the data and the video signal at once.
Accordingly, technology has been developed that allows a user to easily select a desired channel or a desired program by checking information about the program or data associated with a picture the user is currently watching or by checking through a television.
However, in the conventional display apparatus, when a user wants to watch only channels associated with a predetermined broadcasting format, for example, when a user wants to watch only High Definition (HD) broadcasting channels, it is inconvenient for a user to have to previously store each channel associated with HD broadcasting as desired channels.

Display apparatus and control method thereof


A plasma vapor deposition system is described for forming a feature on a semiconductor wafer. The plasma vapor deposition comprises a primary target electrode and a plurality of secondary target electrodes. The deposition is performed by sputtering atoms off the primary and secondary target electrodes.

Semiconductor devices are used in many electronic and other applications. Semiconductor devices comprise integrated circuits that are formed on semiconductor wafers by depositing many types of thin films of material over the semiconductor wafers, and patterning the thin films of material to form the integrated circuits.
Success of the semiconductor industry requires delivering higher performance at lower cost. Consequently, maintaining production costs within reasonable levels is one of the primary challenges in semiconductor manufacturing.
Improving product quality is another challenge in manufacturing semiconductor devices. For example, depositing thin films involves the challenge of maintaining a uniform deposition rate (both across wafer and within wafer) along with directional deposition for filling high aspect ratio (ratio of depth of feature to the feature's width) features such as vias and trenches. As feature sizes are continually scaled along with wafer size, there exists a continuous need to improve film deposition techniques.
Deposition equipments thus need to reduce production cost, for example, lower processing time (or increase through put) and lower down time (or maintenance time), but at the same time improve product quality. Continued success of the semiconductor industry requires overcoming these and other limitations.