Bed-type massage devices are generally provided with massaging rollers which can be displaced by a drive device in a bed base and are so constructed that the massaging rollers travel on guide rails provided on both sides inside the bed base, the arrangement being such that when a user lies face upwards on the bed-type massage unit the massaging rollers roll along his or her dorsal region and effect finger-pressure type massage thereof.
In recent years there has been research on and development of units in which such bed-type massage devices are made contractible to as compact a size as possible in order to reduce the space needed at times of transport and delivery or during storage.
For example, as disclosed in Japanese Laid-open Patent Application No. 59-189848 and Japanese Laid-open Utility Model Application No. 61-54834, there are known bed-type massage devices which are designed to reduce space requirements at times of transport and delivery or during storage by being constructed in such a way that foldable guide rails are provided on both sides inside a bed base and the bed frame itself is formed as an elastic body which is foldable and the massaging rollers can run along the guide rail, whereby the base unit can be folded into halves or thirds when it is not in use.
However, the structure in these conventional bed-type massage devices is such that extension and contraction of the bed base is employed solely for the purposes of transport and delivery or storage and, although the size of the bed base can be reduced in the longitudinal direction, it is impossible to reduce the volume and so the devices still fail to resolve problems in packing, etc.
Further, since conventional bed-type massage devices are units designed for the purpose of reduction of size at times of transport and delivery or during storage and are not constructed in a manner permitting adjustment of the extension or contraction in accordance with the height of the user, if a user who is shorter than the length of the bed base uses the base to effect massaging, the massaging rollers move to portions beyond the body of the user, i.e., they move over an unnecessarily large range, which is wasteful both in terms of electric power and of time.
By way of a means for resolving this problem, the present Applicant discovered a means whereby a bed base of a bed-type massage device can be extended or contracted in opposed lengthwise directions without being folded and which permits fine adjustment of the extension in accordance with the height of the user. In this case, however, although extension and contraction in opposed lengthwise directions and fine adjustment of the extension are possible, there are problems associated with aspects such as the means for disposing the massaging rollers inside the bed base to match the bed base in different states and the drive means for causing the massaging rollers inside the bed base to move forward and back in a manner such as to match the bed base in different states.
It is the object of the present invention to resolve the various problems noted above and provide a bed-type massage device in which a massage unit is not driven when the bed base is contracted but the massage unit can longitudinally travel repeatedly and smoothly over the whole area of the bed base when the bed base has been extended or contracted and fine adjustment of the extension has been made.
It is a characteristic of the bed-type massage device of the invention that it comprises a variable bed base which is made freely extendible and contractible in opposed lengthwise directions and in which a first side of a flat second base fits into an opening on one side of a flat first base, at least one retention hole is formed on the left and on the right in the lower surface of the second base, and lock pins which are engageable in these retention holes are so provided that lock mechanisms provided at the tips thereof face the second base from the left and right of the other side of the first base; a pair of guide rails which are laid lying along the longitudinal direction on the left and right of the upper surface of at least the first base of the said bed base; a drive mechanism in which a drive motor is provided at and orthogonal to one end of the second base in the longitudinal direction, worms are respectively coupled with the ends of two drive shafts of this drive motor and the respective ends of a pair of rod-like screwshafts which are respectively provided along both lengthwise sides of the second base are in screw engagement which the respective worms; a massaging unit which is constituted by effecting screw engagement of both sides of the base end of a frame unit with the pair of rod-like screwshafts of the said drive mechanism providing facing running rollers which are capable of moving and running over the said guide rail on both sides of the lower part of the far end of the said frame unit and providing rolling members at a set interval above the base end and the far end of the said frame unit; and a covering cloth that is wound around to cover the entire upper surface of the bed base, and the device is so constructed that the massage unit can repeatedly travel over the bed base and the variable bed base is freely extendible and contractible to permit adjustment to any required length.
Having the above construction, the bed-type massage device of the invention brings about the following effects.
All that is needed if it is wished to adjust the length of the bed-type massage device of the invention to match the height of a user is to push the first base of the variable bed base in the direction of the second base and lock it in the said position by means of the lock mechanisms, and if it is required to shorten the bed at times such as when the bed is packed for transport or is delivered it can easily be reduced to about half its length by releasing the lock mechanisms and pushing in the first base into which the second base is inserted.
Further, when it is wished to extend the bed base after it has been shortened, this can easily be done by simply releasing the lock mechanisms, pulling the first base so that the second base is moved out from it and then, after the bed has been set to the required length, locking it with the lock mechanisms.
When the adjustment of the length of the bed-type massage device has been completed, the user lies face upwards on its variable bed base and then simply actuating the drive motor brings about an agreeable massaging action in which, through the action of the drive mechanism, the massage unit is caused to move and travel on the guide rails, limit switches at the variable bed base's terminal and start ends in the longitudinal direction are actuated and cause repeated displacement and travel of the said massage unit, so causing rotatable rollers of the rolling members to slide while coming into uniform contact with the whole surface of the user's back.
The bed-type massage device of the invention will now be described in detail with reference to one embodiment thereof which is shown in the drawings.


The invention concerns a device for setting the ignition timing in projectile fuses. The device comprises a timing ring rotatable around the front-to-rear axis of the fuse for setting the ignition time.
From German Pat. No. 22 00 540, a device for setting the timing of a projectile fuse is known. The disclosure of that patent is incorporated herein by reference. The device consists of a stationary point, a rotatable part and a stationary lower part. The rotatable part comprises a timing ring and is used to get a predetermined ignition time or ignition delay. The timing ring may be rotated by a maximum of 360.degree. and is equipped with a device whereby it is possible to set even longer time delays with a full rotation. To prevent the unintentional resetting of the set ignition time or delay time during subsequent manipulation of the fuse, special measures are usually effected by means of threaded bolts located on a circular ring.
A disadvantage of this arrangement involves the fact that, firstly, the assembly is relatively complex. Secondly, a nonuniform screwing-in of the bolts cannot be entirely prevented; the axial forces are fully applied to the individual threaded bolts and therefore deformations on the housing cannot be entirely avoided.
It is an object of the invention to provide a device of the afore-mentioned type, whereby the time setting torque customarily used in time fuses may be set exactly, and additionally a positive connection of the center and lower parts of the housing is possible.


The present invention is directed, in general, to a method for guiding the drilling of wells at a substantial depth in the earth, and more particularly to methods for determining the distance and direction to a target-well from a borehole being drilled.
The difficulties encountered in guiding the drilling of a borehole to intersect, to avoid, or to parallel an existing well at distances of thousands of feet below the surface of the earth are well known. Such guidance may be required when it is desired to avoid existing wells in a field, or when existing oil or gas wells have blown out and it becomes necessary to drill intersecting relief boreholes to prevent serious damage to underground gas or oil fields. Various electromagnetic methods for the precise drilling of such relief boreholes have been developed and have met with significant success during the past few years. Such methods and the instruments used are described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,323,848 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,372,398, both issued to the applicant herein, and in U.S. Pat. No. 4,072,200 to Morris et al. See, also, Canadian Patent No. 1,269,710 of Barnett et al, issued May 29, 1990.
Even though the guidance of boreholes with respect to existing wells is, in general, well developed, special problems can occur where existing techniques are not sufficient to provide the precise control required. For example, when it is desired to locate and to either avoid or to intersect a particular target well in a field which includes numerous other wells, problems can occur. Thus, when multiple wells lead from a single location, such as a drilling platform, it may become necessary to drill a borehole to avoid intersecting neighboring wells or, alternatively, to intersect a particular one of, for example, sixteen wells, all starting at approximately the same location and spreading downwardly and outwardly from each other. The borehole being drilled may start at the same general location as the other wellheads, or may start at a location several hundred feet from the wellhead of a target well. If intersection with a specific well is desired at, for example, three thousand feet below the surface, guidance information can be provided by a low-frequency alternating current injected into the earth, as from an electrode in the borehole being drilled, with the resulting earth current being concentrated in a casing or other electrically conductive material at the target well. The current so produced in the target well results in a magnetic field which can be detected from a highly sensitive magnetometer located in the borehole. However, in multiple-well fields, the use of such a current injection system results in a target current being induced in all of the wells in the region, not just the target well. This produces multiple magnetic fields which are superimposed at the borehole magnetometer, making it extremely difficult to obtain accurate distance measurements to the target well of interest, thus interfering with drill guidance.
Problems are also encountered in drilling non-parallel wells, such as a horizontal well through a field of vertical wells, or vice versa, where it is desired to avoid the existing wells, or in the alternative to intersect a specific well. Another area of difficulty occurs in the drilling of multiple horizontal wells, particularly where a well being drilled must be essentially parallel to an existing well. The need to provide two or more horizontal wells in close proximity, but with a precisely controlled separation, occurs in a number of contexts such as in steam assisted recovery projects in the petroleum industry, where steam is to be injected in one horizontal well and mobilized viscous oil is to be recovered from the other. This process is described, for example, in Canadian Patent No. 1,304,287 of Edmunds et al, which issued Jun. 30, 1992. Another example is in the field of toxic waste reclamation, where there is a need to drill parallel horizontal wells under waste disposal sites so that air can be pumped into one and toxic fluids forced into and recovered from the other. Again, in hot rock geothermal energy systems, there is a need to drill parallel wells so that cold water can be injected into one and not recovered from the other.
The need to drill horizontal, parallel wells is of most immediate concern in the mobilization of heavy oil sands, where a borehole is to be drilled close to and parallel to an existing horizontal well with a separation of about ten meters for a horizontal extension of a thousand meters or more at depths of, for example, 500 to 1,500 meters. A number of such wells may be drilled relatively closely together, following the horizon of the oil producing sand, and such wells must be drilled economically, without the introduction of additional equipment and personnel.


1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a timing analysis apparatus, a timing analysis method, a timing analysis program, and a recording medium for static timing analysis of circuits arranged and wired on a large-scale integration (LSI) chip.
2) Description of the Related Art
In the conventional technology, in static timing analysis (STA) of a LSI, on chip variation (OCV) of delay time (or delay) in a LSI chip arising from temperature, voltage, and manufacturing process is used.
In concrete, a variation on this LSI chip is quantified, and is used as a variation value. For example, by multiplying delay time of a path to input to a sync flip-flop (FF), a path to input to a source FF, and a path between both the FFs by a variation value, timing analysis is carried out. It is necessary to make this variation value a value in which all the variations of supposed delay time are taken into consideration. Among them, with regard to manufacturing process variations, a distance between circuit elements that cause a variation value is set with a supposed maximum range as a reference. Meanwhile, with regard to voltage variations, a potential difference owing to a power source decline is set as a variation value. Furthermore, with regard to temperature variations, a temperature difference between circuits is set as a variation value.
A timing analysis method according to the conventional technology is explained. FIG. 1 is a flowchart showing a timing analysis method according to the conventional technology. Macro cells and logic circuits are arranged and wired on a LSI chip (step S1101). From layout data obtained from this arrangement and wiring, wire resistance values and inter-wire capacity values are extracted (step S1102). Then, by use of the layout data, wire resistance values, and inter-wire capacity values, a delay time is calculated (step S1103). By use of this calculated delay time and the variation values mentioned above, timing analysis is carried out (step S1104). Finally, an error obtained by the result of timing analysis is corrected (step S1105).
In fully custom LSI designs, a delay characteristic analysis method is disclosed where prompt and precise delay characteristic analysis is enabled, when conditions concerning circuit designs and signal transmissions are changed partially, by making the most of analysis results on circuits before the change (see, for example, Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2002-215710). Furthermore, a method to attain both a shortened development period and a low electricity consumption that are in relations of a trade-off is disclosed (see, for example, Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2002-312410).
However, in the methods according to the conventional technology, variation values used in timing analysis are values in which all the variations of supposed delay time, i.e., variations of voltage, temperature, and manufacturing process, should be taken into consideration, therefore, the values are used as constant ones to any of circuits.
Accordingly, when the range of a circuit that causes variation values is narrow (for example, the distance between a sync FF and a source FF is short), variations of manufacturing process and voltage become excessive, and as a result a useless margin occurs. The useless margin makes it difficult to converge the timing, and also increase the size of LSI chips, which has been a problem with the conventional technology.


1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed towards a protective cover dimensioned and configured to overlie the keyboard of a computer while enabling the user of the computer to have free access thereto. Pets such as cats or the like are thereby prohibited from inadvertently walking or jumping on the keys of the keyboard both during operation of the computer and during periods of non-use.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is well understood among pet owners and particularly those individuals who are attracted to cats that in spite of the beneficial relationship existing between an owner and his pet, there are certain inconveniences or annoyances frequently associated with living and caring for such animals. Cats, particularly those of a curious or affectionate nature, frequently insist in occupying the same space or surrounding vicinity as the owner regardless of the activity in which the owner is involved. For example, it is quite common for a cat, of an affectionate nature to spring into the lap of the owner or caretaker while the individual is reading a newspaper or the like. Also, when not directly involved in the activities of the owner, cats in particular, frequently prowl their domain and in doing so interfere with household objects by either purposely or accidently displacing certain objects.
With the advent of the modern day personnel computer, the popularity thereof have increased to the point where almost a majority of the households and work places include some type of computer facility which includes a keyboard. This keyboard is normally operated from some type of table or horizontal work surface and whether the computer is being utilized or not the keyboard is generally left in an exposed position. These individuals who are pet owners and particularly cat lovers and also use some type of computer instrument involving a keyboard have encountered the problem of having cats generally prowl across the keyboard and/or position themselves firmly on the keyboard thereby disturbing the operation thereof. In addition, cats of a particularly curious nature or those who have the habit of invading the operating area while their owners are working on the computer certainly have a disruptive affect on the operation and in fact, could, in certain instances, destroy certain work currently being performed on the computer.
Accordingly, there is a recognized need in this area to protect computer keyboards to the extent that pets, such as but not limited to cats, would be prevented from coming in contact with the keyboard. This protection should occur during periods when the computer is being used and the keyboard is being manipulated and also during periods of non-use. Moreover, a protector assembly should be of generally lightweight construction so as to be easily useable, even by children in the protection of the keyboard, while also making it substantially difficult for an animal to have access to the keyboard and/or remain in an obtrusive location relative to the keyboard. Further, such a device should also have sufficient stability such that investigation by a cat or other small animals would not serve to remove the protection, while allowing clear access to the keyboard by an individual in a manner that the user's hands are free to operate or manipulate the keyboard in the conventional fashion. Also, at least a portion of the overall assembly should be structured to allow clear, and unobstructed viewing of the entire operative surface of the keyboard during operation of the computer and utilization of the keyboard.


1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a near-infrared shield and a display front plate using the near-infrared shield.
2. Description of Related Art
Recently, demands for plasma display panels (PDPs) as display panels for various electronic equipment like large-sized TVs have been increased. A PDP includes two glass plates on which a fluorescent substance is applied, and a gap between the glass plates is filled with a gaseous mixture containing xenon and neon. When a high voltage is applied to the gaseous mixture, ultraviolet radiation is generated. The ultraviolet radiation impinges the fluorescent substance, and thus the fluorescent substance emits light.
At this time however, in addition to the ultraviolet radiation, near-infrared radiation in a wavelength region ranging from 820 nm to 1100 nm, electromagnetic waves and the like are generated as well. Since the near-infrared radiation has a wavelength region overlapping the wavelength region used for near-infrared communications or remote controls of the other electronic equipment, it can cause malfunctions of the equipment. For solving the problem, a near-infrared shield is provided on the front plate of the PDP so as to absorb the near-infrared radiation (see “Characteristics of an antireflection film and optimum design/film formation technology” by Hanaoka et al., first edition, second printing at Technical Information Institute Co., Ltd., Feb. 5, 2002, p. 184).
For the near-infrared shield, for example, a product prepared by dispersing a near-infrared absorption compound in a resin and shaping it into a film is known. Examples of the near-infrared absorption compound include a diimonium compound, a phthalocyanine compound, a cyanine compound and the like. The compounds are known for exhibiting a particularly excellent near-infrared absorption characteristic in a case where two or more of the compounds are used in combination, particularly in a case of combining the diimonium compound and either the phthalocyanine compound or the cyanine compound in comparison with a case of using one of the compounds alone (see JP 11(1999)-316309 A and JP2003-21715 A).
In general however, conventionally-used phthalocyanine compounds do not have the desired solubility in solvents or compatibility with resin. Therefore, various substituents must be introduced when such a compound is used for a near-infrared shield, and this increases the production cost. The conventionally-used cyanine compound is easy to obtain. However, when it is combined in use with a diimonium compound, mutual interaction is generated between the two near-infrared absorption compounds in a long-term storage, and this will cause a problem that both the near-infrared radiation absorptivity and the visible light transmittance change.
Furthermore, since the cyanine compound has a low light resistance in general, both the near-infrared absorptivity and the visible light transmittance of a near-infrared shield using the cyanine alone will change.
In addition, a near-infrared shield used in a display front plate is preferred to have excellent near-infrared shielding property and visible light transmittance, and be capable of enduring long-term storage under a condition of high temperature, high humidity and light irradiation.


Conventionally, an axle driving apparatus consists of a housing for an HST, axles and a power transmitting device for interconnecting the HST and axles. On the center section of the HST is disposed a hydraulic pump, provided with a vertical input shaft, and a hydraulic motor, provided with a horizontal output shaft. A plurality of pistons are disposed in the hydraulic pump cylinder block. The heads of the pistons abut against a movable swash plate. Changing the angle of the movable swash plate changes the pump capacity so as to increase or decrease the number of rotations of the hydraulic motor. The movable swash plate is slanted, thereby enabling the speed of the HST to be changed by rotatably operating trunnions supported in the housing. Each trunnion is disposed on a longitudinally slanted axis of the swash plate, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,456,068, for example.
A speed change controller, such as a pedal or a lever, which is provided on the vehicle can be operated normally longitudinally thereof so that its motion can be transmitted to a control arm of the axle driving apparatus through a link mechanism, such as a rod, disposed longitudinally of the vehicle. Hence, it is preferable that the control arm swing longitudinally around the lateral axis. One conventional construction is provided with a vertical operating shaft, independent of the trunnions, where both trunnions and the vertical operating shaft interlock with each other. The control arm is provided at one end of the operating shaft so that the control arm swings longitudinally around the vertical axis, and the other end is constructed so that the trunnion projects at the axial end thereof from the front wall of the housing. A control arm is provided at the axial end so that the control arm swings laterally around the longitudinal axis. A complex linkage mechanism, with respect to the vertical operating shaft and trunnions, is required in the first construction described above, thereby increasing the number of parts and assembly time, making the axle driving apparatus too expensive to produce. The second construction described above requires a separate link mechanism for converting the longitudinal motion into a lateral motion, thereby requiring space to provide two link mechanisms in the vehicle, making it difficult to apply the apparatus to a vehicle of small size and increasing the number of parts required.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,440,951 and 5,515,747 disclose that when the HST and the mechanism for transmitting power to the axles from the HST are housed in the same housing, the housing can be filled with oil to be used as both operating oil for the HST and lubricating oil for the transmitting mechanism. In this case, a foreign object, such as iron powder, created by the rubbing of the transmitting mechanism may flow toward the HST. The iron powder or other foreign object is removed by an oil filter so as not to enter into the HST closed fluid circuit. However, the iron powder or the like may encroach on the piston and swash plate and thereby adversely affect them. The housing is integrated in part with the oil reservoir so as to enable the oil volume in the housing to be adjusted when expanded due to a rise in temperature. However, the greater the quantity of oil, the larger the increase in volume. Thus, the housing must be made larger and the reservoir therefore becomes larger so that the housing itself has to be large in size.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,094,077 discloses that in order to prevent the speed change controller equipped on the vehicle from being hastily operated by an operator, a shock absorber is provided on the control arm. The shock absorber should be disposed above the upper wall of the housing because the control arm is configured to vertically and longitudinally swing around the axis on the upper wall of the housing. Therefore, space for disposing the shock absorber without interference with an input pulley or an enlarged portion of the upper wall of the housing is required.
Further, where a differential gear is provided between the left and right axles, when one axle is idling, a driving force cannot be transmitted to the other axle. Hence, it is desired to provide a differential locking device on the axle driving apparatus for integrating the differential locking device with the HST and the axles.
Additionally, conventionally there is a well-known IHT, which comprises a housing containing an HST, a pair of axles and a differential unit. A problem arises in the IHT having the differential unit interposed between left and right axles. For example, a vehicle equipped with the IHT, when one of left and right drive wheels is mired in mud or a ditch, cannot escape because the mired wheel idles therein so as to hinder the other wheel from receiving power.


The present invention relates to catalyst components for the polymerization of olefins, in particular propylene, comprising a Mg dihalide based support on which are deposited a Ti compound having at least one Ti-halogen bond and at least two electron donor compounds selected from specific classes. The present invention further relates to the catalysts obtained from said components and to their use in processes for the polymerization of olefins. The catalysts of the present invention are able to give, with high yields, polymers characterized by high xylene insolubility, a broad range of isotacticity and are further characterized by a good balance between hydrogen response and isotacticity.
Catalyst components for the stereospecific polymerization of olefins are widely known in the art. Basically two types of catalyst systems are used in the normal processes for the (co)polymerization of olefins. The first one, in its broadest definition, comprises TiCl3 based catalysts components, obtained for example by reduction of TiCl4 with Al-alkyls, used in combination with Al-compounds such as diethylaluminum chloride (DEAC). Despite the good properties of the polymers in terms of isotacticity said catalysts are characterized by a very low activity which causes the presence of large amounts of catalytic residues in the polymers. As a consequence, a further step of deashing is necessary to obtain a polymer having a content of catalytic residue that makes it acceptable for wide use.
The second type of catalyst system comprises a solid catalyst component, constituted by a magnesium dihalide on which are supported a titanium compound and an internal electron donor compound, used in combination with an Al-alkyl compound. Conventionally however, when a higher crystallinity of the polymer is required, also an external donor (for example an alkoxysilane) is needed in order to obtain higher isotacticity. One of the preferred classes of internal donors is constituted by the esters of phthalic acid, diisobutylphthalate being the most used. This catalyst system is capable to give very good performances in terms of activity, isotacticity and xylene insolubility provided that an external electron donor compound is used. In its absence, low yields, low xylene insolubility and poor isotacticity are obtained. On the other hand, when the external donor is used, high xylene insolubility is obtained only together with a high isotacticity. This is not desirable in certain applications, such as production of bi-oriented polypropylene films (BOPP), where polypropylenes are required to have a lower flexural modulus (obtainable by lowering crystallinity of the polymer) while at the same time retaining a high xylene insolubility. As a consequence, it would be desirable to have a catalyst component with still improved characteristics, particularly in terms of activity and isotacticity, as well a catalyst component capable to give polymers coupling high xylene insolubility with a slight lower crystallinity suitable for making the polymers usable in the BOPP sector. Some improvements are obtained when, in the above mentioned catalyst system, the phthalates are substituted by the electron donor compounds disclosed for example in U.S. Pat. No. 4,971,937. In this case, the catalyst components obtained are capable to give better results when used in the absence of an external donor. In particular, the stereoregularity becomes acceptable, while however the xylene insolubility is still to be improved. Also in this case, when the catalyst component is used together with an external donor, high xylene insolubility isnobtaied only together with a high isotacticity.
It is therefore felt the need of a versatile catalyst component which, for high values of xylene insolubility, is capable to give polymers with a broader range of isotacticity. Moreover, it/would be also advantageous to have a catalyst component with still improved features in terms of activity and isotacticity.
It has now unexpectedly been found a catalyst component having the above advantages which comprises Mg, Ti, halogen and two electron donor compounds selected from specific classes.
It is therefore an object of the present invention a catalyst component for the polymerization of olefins CH2xe2x95x90CHR, in which R is hydrogen or a hydrocarbyl radical with 1-12 carbon atoms, comprising Mg, Ti, halogen and at least two electron donor compounds, said catalyst component being characterized by the fact that at least one of the electron donor compounds is selected from ethers containing two or more ether groups which are/further characterized by the formation of complexes with anhydrous magnesium dichloride in an amount less than 60 mmoles per 100 g of MgCl2 and by the failure of entering into substitution reactions with TiCl4 or by reacting in that way for less than 50% by moles, and at least another electron donor compound is selected from esters of mono or polycarboxylic acids.
The conditions under which, the reactivity toward titanium tetrachloride and the complexing activity of the di or polyethers are tested, are reported below.
Very surprisingly it has been found that the performances of the above-disclosed catalysts are not merely intermediate between those of the catalyst components containing the single donors. While we do not intend being bound to any theoretical interpretation, it can be said that a synergic interaction between the elements of the catalyst component, and maybe in particular between the above mentioned donors, is the basis for explaining the unexpected properties of the catalyst component of the invention.
Among the di or polyethers mentioned above, particularly preferred are the compounds belonging to the class of the 1,3-diethers. In particular, preferred 1,3-diethers are those of formula (I)
where RI and RII are the same or different and are hydrogen or linear or branched C1-C18 hydrocarbon groups which can also form one or more cyclic structures; RIII groups, equal or different from each other, are hydrogen or C1-C18 hydrocarbon groups; RIV groups equal or different from each other, have the same meaning of RIII except that they cannot be hydrogen; each of RI to RIV groups can contain heteroatoms selected from halogens, N, O, S and Si.
Preferably, RIV is a 1-6 carbon atom alkyl radical and more particularly a methyl while the RIII radicals are preferably hydrogen. Moreover, when RI is methyl, ethyl, propyl, or isopropyl, RII can be ethyl, propyl, isopropyl, butyl, isobutyl, tert-butyl, isopentyl, 2-ethyihexyl, cyclopentyl, cyclohexyl, methylcyclohexyl, phenyl or benzyl; when RI is hydrogen, RII can be ethyl, butyl, sec-butyl, tert-butyl, 2-ethylhexyl, cyclohexylethyl, diphenylmethyl, p-chlorophenyl, 1-naphthyl, 1-decahydronaphthyl; RI and RII can also be the same and can be ethyl, propyl, isopropyl, butyl, isobutyl, tert-butyl, neopentyl, phenyl, benzyl, cyclohexyl, cyclopentyl.
Specific examples of ethers that can be advantageously used include: 2-(2-ethylhexyl)1,3-dimethoxypropane, 2-isopropyl-1,3-dimethoxypropane, 2-butyl-1,3-dimethoxypropane, 2-sec-butyl-1,3-dimethoxypropane, 2-cyclohexyl-1,3-dimethoxypropane, 2-phenyl-1,3-dimethoxypropane, 2-tert-butyl-1,3-dimethoxypropane, 2-cumyl-1,3-dimethoxypropane, 2-(2-phenylethyl)-1,3-dimethoxypropane, 2-(2-cyclohexylethyl)-1,3-dimethoxypropane, 2-(p-chlorophenyl)-1,3-dimethoxypropane, 2-(diphenylmethyl)-1,3-dimethoxypropane, 2(1-naphthyl)-1,3-dimethoxypropane, 2(p-fluorophenyl)-1,3-dimethoxypropane, 2(1-decahydronaphthyl)-1,3-dimethoxypropane, 2(p-tert-butylphenyl)-1,3-dimethoxypropane, 2,2-dicyclohexyl-1,3-dimethoxypropane, 2,2-diethyl-1,3-dimethoxypropane, 2,2-dipropyl-1,3-dimethoxypropane, 2,2-dibutyl-1,3-dimethoxypropane, 2,2-diethyl-1,3-diethoxypropane, 2,2-dicyclopentyl-1,3-dimethoxypropane, 2,2-dipropyl-1,3-diethoxypropane, 2,2-dibutyl-1,3-diethoxypropane, 2-methyl-2-ethyl-1,3-dimethoxypropane, 2-methyl-2-propyl-1,3-dimethoxypropane, 2-methyl-2-benzyl-1,3-dimethoxypropane, 2-methyl-2-phenyl-1,3-dimethoxypropane, 2-methyl-2-cyclohexyl-1,3-dimethoxypropane, 2-methyl-2-methylcyclohexyl-1,3-dimethoxypropane, 2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl)-1,3-dimethoxypropane, 2,2-bis(2-phenylethyl)-1,3-dimethoxypropane, 2,2-bis(2-cyclohexylethyl)-1,3-dimethoxypropane, 2-methyl-2-isobutyl-1,3-dimethoxypropane, 2-methyl-2-(2-ethylhexyl)-1,3-dimethoxypropane, 2,2-bis(2-ethylhexyl)-1,3-dimethoxypropane,2,2-bis(p-methylphenyl)-1,3-dimethoxypropane, 2-methyl-2-isopropyl-1,3-dimethoxypropane, 2,2-diisobutyl-1,3-dimethoxypropane, 2,2-diphenyl-1,3-dimethoxypropane, 2,2-dibenzyl-1,3-di methoxypropane, 2-isopropyl-2-cyclopentyl-1,3-dimethoxypropane, 2,2-bis(cyclohexylmethyl)-1,3-dimethoxypropane, 2,2-diisobutyl-1,3-diethoxypropane, 2,2-diisobutyl-1,3-dibutoxypropane, 2-isobutyl-2-isopropyl-1,3-dimetoxypropane, 2,2-di-sec-butyl-1,3-dimetoxypropane, 2,2-di-tert-butyl-1,3-dimethoxypropane, 2,2-dineopentyl-1,3-dimethoxypropane, 2-iso-propyl-2-isopentyl-1,3-dimethoxypropane, 2-phenyl-2-benzyl-1,3-dimetoxypropane, 2-cyclohexyl-2-cyclohlexylmethyl-1,3-dimethoxypropane.
Furthermore, particularly preferred are the 1,3-diethers of formula (II)
where the radicals RIV have the same meaning explained above and the radicals RIII and RV radicals, equal or different to each other, are selected from the group consisting of hydrogen; halogens, preferably Cl and F; C1-C20 alkyl radicals, linear or branched; C3-C20 cycloalkyl, C6-C20 aryl, C7-C20 alkaryl and C7-C20 aralkyl radicals and two or more of the RV radicals can be bonded to each other to form condensed cyclic structures, saturated or unsaturated, optionally substituted with RVI radicals selected from the group consisting of halogens, preferably Cl and F; C1-C20 alkyl radicals, linear or branched; C1-C20 cycloalkyl, C6-C20 aryl, C7-C20 alkaryl and C7-C20 aralkyl radicals; said radicals RV and RVI optionally containing one or more heteroatoms as substitutes for carbon or hydrogen atoms, or both. Preferably, in the 1,3-diethers of formulae (I) and (II) all the RIII radicals are hydrogen, and all the RIV radicals are methyl. Moreover, are particularly preferred the 1,3-diethers of formula (II) in which two or more of the RV radicals are bonded to each other to form one or more condensed cyclic structures, preferably benzenic, optionally substituted by RVI radicals. Specially preferred are the compounds of formula (III):
where the RVI radicals equal or different are hydrogen; halogens, preferably Cl and F; C1-C20 alkyl radicals, linear or branched; C3-C20 cycloalkyl, C6-C20 aryl, C7-C20 alkylaryl and C7-C20 aralkyl radicals, optionally containing one or more heteroatoms selected from the group consisting of N, O, S, P, Si and halogens, in particular Cl and F, as substitutes for carbon or hydrogen atoms, or both; the radicals RIII and RIV are as defined above for formula (II).
Specific examples of compounds comprised in formulae (II) and (III) are:
1,1-bis(methoxymethyl)-cyclopentadiene;
1,1-bis(methoxymethyl)-2,3,4,5-tetramethylcyclopentadiene;
1,1-bis(methoxymethyl)-2,3,4,5-tetraphenylcyclopentadiene;
1,1-bis(methoxymethyl)-2,3,4,5-tetrafluorocyclopentadiene;
1,1-bis(methoxymethyl)-3,4-dicyclopentylcyclopentadiene;
1,1-bis(methoxymethyl)indene; 1,1-bis(methoxymethyl)-2,3-dimethylindene;
1,1-bis(imethoxymethyl)-4,5,6,7-tetrahydroindene;
1,1-bis(methoxymethyl)-2,3,6,7-tetrafluoroindene;
1,1-bis(methoxymethyl)-4,7-dimethylindene;
1,1-bis(methoxymethyl)-3,6-dimethylindene;
1,1-bis(methoxymethyl)-4-phenylindene;
1,1-bis(methoxymethyl)-4-phenyl-2-methylindene;
1,1-bis(methoxymethyl)-4-cyclohexylindene;
1,1-bis(methoxymethyl)-7-(3,3,3-trifluoropropyl)indene;
1,1-bis(methoxymethyl)-7-trimethyisilylindene;
1,1-bis(methoxymethyl)-7-trifluoromethylindene;
1,1-bis(methoxymethyl)-4,7-dimethyl-4,5,6,7-tetrahydroindene;
1,1-bis(methoxymethyl)-7-methylindene;
1,1-bis(methoxymethyl)-7-cyclopenthylindene;
1,1-bis(methoxymethyl)-7-isopropylindene;
1,1-bis(methoxymethyl)-7-cyclohexylindene;
1,1-bis(methoxymethyl)-7-tert-butylindene;
1,1-bis(methoxymethyl)-7-tert-butyl-2-methylindene;
1,1-bis(methoxymethyl)-7-phenylindene;
1,1-bis(methoxymethyl)-2-phenylindene;
1,1-bis(methoxymethyl)-1H-benz[e]indene;
1,1-bis(methoxymethyl)-1H-2-methylbenz[e]indene;
9,9-bis(methoxymethyl)fluorene;
9,9-bis(methoxymethyl)-2,3,6,7-tetramethylfluorene;
9,9-bis(methoxymethyl)-2,3,4,5,6,7-hexafluorofluorene;
9,9-bis(methoxymethyl)-2,3-benzofluorene;
9,9-bis methoxymethyl)-2,3,6,7-dibenzofluorene;
9,9-bis(methoxymethyl)-2,7-diisopropylfluorene;
9,9-bis(methoxymethyl)-1,8-dichlorofluorene;
9,9-bis(methoxymethyl)-2,7-dicyclopentylfluorene;
9,9-bis(methoxymethyl)-1,8-difluorofluorene;
9,9-bis(methoxymethyl)-1,2,3,4-tetrahydrofluorene;
9,9-bis(methoxymethyl)-1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8-octahydrofluorene;
9,9-bis(methoxymethyl)-4-tert-butylfluorene.
As explained above, the other electron donor compound which must be present in the catalyst component of the invention has to be selected from the esters of mono or polycarboxylic acids. Said acids can be both aliphatic and aromatic acids.
Among esters of aliphatic acids, particularly preferred are the esters of bicarboxylic acids in particular esters of malonic acids. Particularly preferred are the esters of malonic acids of formula (IV):
where R1 is H or a C1-C20 linear or branched alkyl, alkenyl, cycloalkyl, aryl, arylalkyl or alkylaryl group, R2 is a C1-C20 linear or branched alkyl, alkenyl, cycloalkyl, aryl, arylalkyl or alkylaryl group, R3 and R4, equal to, or different from, each other, are C1-C20 linear or branched alkyl groups or C3-C20 cycloalkyl groups.
Preferably, R3 and R4 are primary, linear or branched C1-C20 alkyl groups, more preferably they are primary branched C4-C20 alkyl groups such as isobutyl or neopentyl groups. R2 is preferably, in particular when R1 is H, a linear or branched C3-C20 alkyl, cycloalkyl, or arylalkyl group; more preferably R2 is a C3-C20 secondary alkyl, cycloalkyl, or arylalkyl group.
Specific examples of preferred monosubstituted malonate compounds are: dineopentyl 2-isopropylmalonate, diisobutyl 2-isopropylmalonate, di-n-butyl 2-isopropylmalonate, diethyl 2-dodecylmalonate, diethyl 2-t-butylmalonate, diethyl 2-(2-pentyl)malonate, diethyl 2-cyclohexylmalonate, dineopentyl 2-t-butylmalonate, dineopentyl 2-isobutylmalonate, diethyl 2-cyclohexylmethylmalonate, dimethyl 2-cyclohexylmethylmalonate.
Specific examples of preferred disubstituted malonates compounds are: diethyl 2,2-dibenzylmalonate, diethyl 2-isobutyl-2-cyclohexylmalonate, dimethyl 2-n-butyl-2-isobutylmalonate, diethyl 2-n-butyl-2-isobutylmalonate, diethyl 2-isopropyl-2-n-butylmalonate, diethyl 2-methyl-2-isopropylmalonate, diethyl 2-isopropyl-2-isobutylmalonate, diethyl 2-methyl-2-isobutylmalonate, diethyl 2-isobutyl-2-benzylmalonate.
Preferred esters of aromatic carboxylic acids are selected from C1-C20 alkyl or aryl esters of benzoic and phthalic acids, possibly substituted. The alkyl esters of the said acids being preferred. Particularly preferred are the C1-C6 linear or branched alkyl esters. Specific examples are ethylbenzoate, n-butylbenzoate, p-methoxy ethylbenzoate, p-ethoxy ethylbenzoate, isobutylbenzoate, ethyl p-toluate, diethyl phthalate, di-n-propyl phthalate, di-n-butyl phthalate di-n-pentyl phthalate, di-i-pentyl phthalate, bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate, ethyl-isobutyl phthalate, ethyl-n-butyl phthalate, di-n-hexyl phthalate, di-isobutylphthalate.
As explained above, the catalyst components of the invention comprise, in addition to the above electron donors, Ti, Mg and halogen. In particular, the catalyst components comprise a titanium compound, having at least a Ti-halogen bond and the above mentioned electron donor compounds supported on a Mg halide. The magnesium halide is preferably MgCl2 in active form which is widely known from the patent literature as a support for Ziegler-Natta catalysts. Patents U.S. Pat. No. 4,298,718 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,495,338 were the first to describe the use of these compounds in Ziegler-Natta catalysis. It is known from these patents that the magnesium dihalides in active form used as support or co-support in components of catalysts for the polymerization of olefins are characterized by X-ray spectra in which the most intense diffraction line that appears in the spectrum of the non-active halide is diminished in intensity and is replaced by a halo whose maximum intensity is displaced towards lower angles relative to that of the more intense line.
The preferred titanium compounds used in the catalyst component of the present invention are TiCl4 and TiCl3; furthermore, also Ti-haloalcoholates of formula Ti(OR)nxe2x88x92yXy can be used, where n is the valence of titanium, y is a number between 1 and nxe2x88x921 X is halogen and R is a hydrocarbon radical having from 1 to 10 carbon atoms.
The preparation of the solid catalyst component can be carried out according to several methods. According to one of these methods, the magnesium dichloride in an anhydrous state, the titanium compound and the electron donor compounds are milled together under conditions in which activation of the magnesium dichloride occurs. The so obtained product can be treated one or more times with an excess of TiCl4 at a temperature between 80 and 135xc2x0 C. This treatment is followed by washings with hydrocarbon solvents until chloride ions disappeared. According to a further method, the product obtained by co-milling the magnesium chloride in an anhydrous state, the titanium compound and the electron donor compounds are treated with halogenated hydrocarbons such as 1,2-dichloroethane, chlorobenzene, dichloromethane etc. The treatment is carried out for a time between 1 and 4 hours and at temperature of from 40xc2x0 C. to the boiling point of the halogenated hydrocarbon. The product obtained is then generally washed with inert hydrocarbon solvents such as hexane.
According to another method, magnesium dichloride is preactivated according to well known methods and then treated with an excess of TiCl4 at a temperature of about 80 to 135xc2x0 C. in the presence of the electron donor compounds. The treatment with TiCl4 is repeated and the solid is washed with hexane in order to eliminate any non-reacted TiCl4. A further method comprises the reaction between magnesium alcoholates or chloroalcoholates (in particular chloroalcoholates prepared according to U.S. Pat. No. 4,220,554) and an excess of TiCl4 in the presence of the electron donor compounds at a temperature of about 80 to 120xc2x0 C.
According to a preferred method, the solid catalyst component can be prepared by reacting a titanium compound of formula Ti(OR)nxe2x88x92yXy, where n is the valence of titanium and y is a number between 1 and n, preferably TiCl4, with a magnesium chloride deriving from an adduct of formula MgCl2pROH, where p is a number between 0.1 and 6, preferably from 2 to 3.5, and R is a hydrocarbon radical having 1-18 carbon atoms. The adduct can be suitably prepared in spherical form by mixing alcohol and magnesium chloride in the presence of an inert hydrocarbon immiscible with the adduct, operating under stirring conditions at the melting temperature of the adduct (100-130xc2x0 C.). Then, the emulsion is quickly quenched, thereby causing the solidification of the adduct in form of spherical particles. Examples of spherical adducts prepared according to this procedure are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,399,054 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,469,648. The so obtained adduct can be directly reacted with Ti compound or it can be previously subjected to thermal controlled dealcoholation (80-130xc2x0 C.) so as to obtain an adduct in which the number of moles of alcoholis generally lower than 3 preferably between 0.1 and 2.5. The reaction with the Ti compound can be carried out by suspending the adduct (dealcoholated or as such) in cold TiCl4 (generally 0xc2x0 C.); the mixture is heated up to 80-130xc2x0 C. and kept at this temperature for 0.5-2 hours. The treatment with TiCl4 can be carried out one or more times. The electron donor compounds can be added during the treatment with TiCl4. They can be added together in the same treatment with TiCl4 or separately in two or more treatments. The preparation of catalyst components in spherical form are described for example in European Patent Applications EP-A-395083, EP-A-553805, EP-A-553806, EPA601525 and WO98/44001.
The solid catalyst components obtained according to the above method show a surface area (by B.E.T. method) generally between 20 and 500 m2/g and preferably between 50 and 400 m2/g and a total porosity (by B.E.T. method) higher than 0.2 cm3/g preferably between 0.2 and 0.6 cm3/g. The porosity (Hg method) due to pores with radius up to 10.000 xc3x85 generally ranges from 0.3 to 1.5 cm3/g, preferably from 0.45 to 1 cm3/g.
A further method to prepare the solid catalyst component of the invention comprises halogenating magnesium dihydrocarbyloxide compounds, such as magnesium dialkoxide or diaryloxide, with solution of TiCl4 in aromatic hydrocarbon (such as toluene, xylene etc.) at temperatures between 80 and 130xc2x0 C. The treatment with TiCl4 in aromatic hydrocarbon solution can be repeated one or more times, and the electron donor compounds are added during one or more of these treatments.
In any of these preparation methods the desired electron donor compounds and in particular those selected from esters of carboxylic acids, can be added as such or, in an alternative way, it can be obtained in situ by using an appropriate precursor capable to be transformed in the desired electron donor compound by means, for example, of known chemical reactions such as esterification, transesterification, etc.
Regardless to the preparation method used, the final amount of the two or more electron donor compounds is such that the molar ratio with respect to the MgCl2 is from 0.01 to 1, preferably from 0.05 to 0.5, while the molar ratio between the di or polyether donor and the esteddonor is comprised in the range of from 50 to 0.02 preferably from 30 to 0.1 and more preferably from 20 to 0.2.
The solid catalyst components according to the present invention are converted into catalysts for the polymerization of olefins by reacting them with organoaluminum compounds according to known methods.
In particular, it is an object of the present invention a catalyst for the polymerization of olefins CH2xe2x95x90CHR, in which R is hydrogen or a hydrocarbyl radical with 1-12 carbon atoms, comprising the product of the reaction between:
(i) the solid catalyst component as disclosed above and
(ii) an alkylaluminum compound.
The alkyl-Al compound (ii) is preferably chosen among the trialkyl aluminum compounds such as for example triethylaluminum, triisobutylaluminum, tri-n-butylaluminum, tri-n-hexylaluminum, tri-n-octylaluminum. It is also possible to use alkylaluminum halides, alkylaluminum hydrides or alkylaluminum sesquichlorides, such as AlEt2Cl and Al2Et3Cl3, possibly in mixture with the above cited trialkylaluminums.
As explained above, the catalyst component of the invention when used in the polymerization of propylene in the absence of external donors are able to give polymers with a controlled wide range of isotacticity (expressed in term of percentage of mmmm pentads) while maintaining high xylene insolubility levels.
Furthermore, the catalyst components of the invention can also be used in combination with an external donor (iii) thereby obtaining very high values of both xylene insolubility and isotacticity. In particular, said values, individually or as a balance, are higher than the values obtainable with the catalyst containing the single donors.
Suitable external electron-donor compounds include silicon compounds, ethers, esters, amines, heterocyclic compounds and particularly 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl piperidine, ketones and the 1,3-diethers of the general formula (V):
wherein RI, RII, RIII, RIV, RV and RVI equal or different to each other, are hydrogen or hydrocarbon radicals having from 1 to 18 carbon atoms, and RVII and RVIII, equal or different from each other, have the same meaning of RI-RVI except that they cannot be hydrogen; one or more of the RI-RVIII groups can be linked to form a cycle. Particularly preferred are the 1,3-diethers in which RVII and RVIII are selected from C1-C4 alkyl radicals.
Another class of preferred external donor compounds is that of silicon compounds of formula Ra5Rb6Si(OR7)c, where a and b are integers from 0 to 2, c is an integer from 1 to 3 and the sum (a+b+c) is 4; R5, R6, and R7, are alkyl, cycloalkyl or aryl radicals with 1-18 carbon atoms optionally containing heteroatoms. Particularly preferred are the silicon compounds in Which a is 1, b is 1, c is 2, at least one of R5 and R6 is selected from branched alkyl, cycloalkyl or aryl groups with 3-10 carbon atoms optionally containing heteroatoms and R7 is a C1-C10 alkyl group, in particular methyl. Examples of such preferred silicon compounds are methylcyclohexyldimethoxysilane, diphenyldimethoxysilane, methyl-t-butyldimethoxysilane, dicyclopentyldimethoxysilane, (2-ethylpiperidinyl)t-butyldimethoxysilane, (2-ethylpiperidinyl)thexyldimethoxysilane, (3,3,3-trifluoro-n-propyl)(2-ethylpiperidinyl)dimethoxysilane, methyl(3,3,3-trifluoro-n-propyl)dimethoxysilane. Moreover, are also preferred the silicon compounds in which a is 0, c is 3, R6 is abranched alkyl or cycloalkyl group, optionally containing heteroatoms, and R7 is methyl. Examples of such preferred silicon compounds are cyclohexyltrimethoxysilane, t-butyltrimethoxysilane and thexyltrimethoxysilane.
The electron donor compound (iii) is used in such an amount to give a molar ratio between the organoaluminum compound and said electron donor compound (iii) of from 0.1 to 500, preferably from 1 to 300 and more preferably from 3 to 100.
Therefore, it constitutes a further object of the present invention a process for the (co)polymerization of olefins CH2xe2x95x90CHR, in which R is hydrogen or a hydrocarbyl radical with 1-12 carbon atoms, carried out in the presence of a catalyst comprising the product of the reaction between:
(i) a solid catalyst component comprising a titanium compound, having at least a Ti-halogen bond, and at least two electron donor compounds supported on a Mg halide said catalyst being characterized by the fact that at least one of the electron donors compounds is selected from ethers containing two or more ether groups which are further characterized by the formation of complexes with anhydrous magnesium dichloride in an amount less than 60 mmoles per 100 g of MgCl2 and by the failure of entering into substitution reactions with TiCl4 or by reacting in that way for less than 50% by moles, and at least another electron donor compound is selected from esters of mono or polycarboxylic acids;
(ii) an alkylaluminum compound and,
(iii) optionally an electron-donor compound (external donor).
The polymerization process can be carried out according to known techniques for example slurry polymerization using as diluent an inert hydrocarbon solvent, or bulk polymerization using the liquid monomer (for example propylene) as a reaction medium. Moreover, it is possible to carry out the polymerization process in gas-phase operating in one or more fluidized or mechanically agitated bed reactors.
The polymerization is generally carried out at temperature of from 20 to 120xc2x0 C., preferably of from 40 to 80xc2x0 C. When the polymerization is carried out in gas-phase the operating pressure is generally between 0.5 and 5 MPa, preferably between 1 and 4 MPa. In the bulk polymerization the operating pressure is generally between 1 and 8 MPa preferably between 1.5 and 5 MPa.


Footwear typically includes a sole configured to be located under a wearer's foot to space the foot away from the ground or floor surface. Soles can be designed to provide a desired level of cushioning. Athletic footwear in particular sometimes utilizes polyurethane foam or other resilient materials in the sole to provide cushioning. Fluid-filled bladders are sometimes included in the sole to provide desired impact force absorption, motion control, and resiliency. The incorporation of additional materials and components adds processing steps to the manufacturing of footwear.


The present invention relates to a novel gene coding for thermostable beta-galactosidase, Bacillus subtilis, having the above gene, a novel enzyme coded by the gene and a process for the production thereof.
Beta-galactosidase is an enzyme which hydrolyzes lactose to galactose and glucose and is widely utilized in food processing, such as the production of milk with a low lactose content or the production of galactose or glucose from lactose contained in whey obtained in a large amount as a by-product in the production of cheese.
Generally, it is desired that enzymes for use in food processing be stable at an elevated temperature from the viewpoint of preventing microbial contamination. This also applies to the aforementioned enzyme.
Further, the enzyme is also utilized as a pharmaceutical to treat intolerance to lactose. In this case, good heat resistance is preferred for stability of the preparation as well.
The present invention has been made in order to achieve the above various requirements and provides a well-defined process for producing beta-galactosidase of excellent heat stability in a commercially advantageous manner.


1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method for modelling steady state as well as transient multiphase flows such as hydrocarbon mixtures circulating in pipeline networks taking into account a set of variables defining fluid properties and flow patterns, as well as dimensions or slope angles of the pipelines.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Prior art relating to multi-phase
Fabre, J., et al 1983. Intermittent gas-liquid flow in horizontal or slightly inclined pipes, Int. Conference on the Physical Modelling of Multi-Phase Flow, Coventry, England, pp 233, 254 PA1 Fabre, J., et al 1989. Two fluid/two flow pattern model for transient gas liquid flow in pipes, Int. Conference on Multi-Phase Flow, Nice, France, pp 269, 284, Cranfield, BHRA. PA1 characterizing flow regimes by a parameter .beta. representing the fraction of a flow in a separated state, said parameter .beta. continuously ranging from 0 for dispersed flow regimes and 1 for separated flow regimes; PA1 determining any current flow regime while determining said set of transport equations by comparing current values of a liquid fraction in slugs with respect to a liquid fraction in a dispersed region of the flow, as well as gas slug velocity with respect to a critical velocity; and PA1 imposing while solving said closure relations continuity constraints at the boundaries between said regimes to the respective gas volume fractions and to the slug velocities.


This invention relates to spray shields primarily for use with surgical scissors to protect people from potentially hazardous blood spray when an umbilical cord or any other item is severed.
For more than fifty years, labor and delivery clinicians have used the same method for transecting the umbilical cord. The process includes placing two clamps on the umbilical cord several inches apart from each other and cutting the umbilical cord between the two clamps with surgical scissors. The blood in the umbilical cord between the two clamps remains pressurized and has been known to spray as far as eight feet or more hitting walls, ceiling tiles, drapes, clinicians and others. It is well established that there exists more than twenty blood borne pathogens such as AIDS/HIV, Hepatitis C, sexually transmitted diseases and now the Ebola virus that could be present in the blood spray and which could contaminate those present. Cases of clinician exposure to blood borne pathogens such as HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted diseases through cord blood spray are well documented. Such cases require extensive, costly and physically demanding prophylactic treatment.
In spite of numerous technological attempts to address this problem, no commercially or functionally viable devices or solutions are available to clinicians to prevent blood spray when cutting the cord. In the majority of cases, the prior art/devices simply did not function as intended. In one instance, the device attempted to combine functions such as preventing spray while also drawing cord blood into vials. In another example, the device was intended to prevent blood spray while simultaneously cutting and clamping the umbilical cord. Those and other known devices were plagued with operational issues involving one or more of these functions and consequently unable to perform the intended functions to the satisfaction of the market. Devices that required a significant departure from existing procedures and new equipment also met with resistance. As with virtually every decision, cost is an important factor and the cost of some devices were considered prohibitive.
With no functional solution available, clinicians try to minimize the impact of umbilical cord blood spray in several different ways. Many clinicians put a hand up near the scissors to act as a shield. Unfortunately, this prevents the clinician from using that hand for clinical or care related functions and momentarily distracts the clinician causing them to focus on their own safety rather than the immediate procedure and the patient's care and safety.
Another approach is to look away when the cord is cut hoping any spray that might occur will hit them somewhere other than the eyes, nose or mouth. Clearly this is undesirable as it is best to have clinicians looking at the task at hand.
Alternatively, some caregivers have even held a towel over the area in an attempt to block the spray. None of these approaches are effective or safe for either the clinician or the patient. Furthermore, they do not comply with the federal requirements as set forth in 29 CFR 1910 generally requiring that employers reduce the risk of blood borne pathogen exposure to employees.
One attempt to address this problem is disclosed as a disposable shield in U.S. Pat. No. 5,542,435 to Kelly, et al. This device was intended to protect only the scissor user. It does not protect any other personnel in the area due to its shape, orientation, location and distance from the source of the spray.
While protecting the clinician cutting the cord, typically a doctor or midwife, is a worthwhile endeavor, a 2012 survey of labor and delivery nurses (i.e. clinicians not cutting the umbilical cord and positioned in physical locations throughout the delivery area) revealed that 95% of those nurses had experienced cord blood spray and 21% had been sprayed within the prior year. Additionally, tests designed to replicate spray from an umbilical cord were recently conducted and the spray pattern analysis indicated that as much as 50% of the spray occurs in a direction other than towards the user. Blood spray is a serious problem to all in the delivery room and is not limited to the clinician cutting the umbilical cord.
A similar potential solution is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. D399,971 to Scherer which approaches the problem in a similar manner as does Kelly, et al., but with a different shield design. Nevertheless, Scherer fails to solve the above-noted shortcomings of Kelly, et al.
As previously mentioned, there is currently no functionally or commercially viable solution in the marketplace for the problem of blood spray resulting from the transection of the umbilical cord or other cutting procedures.


The invention relates to a transmitting and/or receiving arrangement for portable appliances, consisting of a shielding housing of metal, containing the radio-frequency section, and an antenna, the antenna consisting of two or more antenna resonators which are parasitically coupled to one another and are essentially identically oriented in the longitudinal direction, having in each case one free resonator end and in each case one end angled via a bending edge and conductively connected to the shielding housing.
In EP-A 177 362, a wide-band antenna for portable radio appliances is described. It consists of two angled resonators of different resonant frequency. The two resonators are fed by a common line via a branch of the type of an "inverted-F antenna". The antenna resonators act independently of one another and do not form a unit. This is why the efficiency is not particularly high. The distance between the parallel legs is constant.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,584,585, an antenna with resonators of wire angles is described. One resonator is fed at the end and forms an "inverted-L antenna". The second resonator is parasitically coupled. Although this arrangement achieves a good efficiency, the antenna has a fixed impedance and cannot be easily matched. The shape of the active antenna resonator is relatively difficult to bend and, in addition, the baseplate also exhibits a step. The bandwidth is relatively narrow.
In GB-A 2 067 842, a microstrip antenna is described which is applied to an insulating ground. Here, too, the distance between the two antenna resonators is constant. The free ends of the resonators are opposite one another. The feedpoint is close to the free end of one resonator.
"Inverted-F antennas" are known from T. Taga and K. Tsunekawa, "Performance Analysis of a Built-in Planar Inverted F Antenna for 800 MHz Band Portable Radio Units," IEEE Trans., Selected Areas in Commun., vol. SAC-5, no.5, pp. 921-929, June (1987). Such antennas are matched by varying the position of the feedpoint.


Currently, a maturely-developed call center technology has been widely applied in various industries. Particularly, with the popularization of a telephone service mode based on the call center technology, not only service level and operation efficiency are greatly improved, but also demands of users for more convenient services are satisfied.
The telephone service mode usually includes a manual service and an automatic service. Architecture of a call center system and a basic process of the manual service may be generally described as follows. After a user dials a call center number (for example, China Mobile 10086 or China Post 11185), the call enters the call center system through routing of a communication network; generally, an Automatic Call Distribution (ACD) of the call center is responsible for call access and distribution, and notifies Computer Telephony Integration (CTI) of managing a call access procedure (for example, controlling the call to be accessed by performing functions such as queuing, routing, or connection); the CTI connects, according to a service requested by the call and a current condition of operators, the service with a corresponding operator, and provides the service for the user corresponding to the call through customer service application software.
In a basic process of the automatic service, after a call enters the call center system, the CTI and an Interactive Voice Response (IVR) control a service access procedure. The CTI divides different service contents or levels into different queues according to service capabilities and service scopes of agents and operators. The IVR is an important device for processing automatic calls in the call center system, and is capable of providing a voice play for the user, receiving key input selected by the user, and providing different services according to the key information.
The service of accessing the call center system may be processed according to many manners, for example, an intelligent service manner, where after the call of the user accesses the call center system, basic information of the user (for example, the level of the user or the account type of the user) is identified according to the number, and the relatively differentiated service is provided for the user according to the basic information. However, in the existing processing manner, the differentiated service is provided merely according to the static information of the user, which has certain limitations, and more refined services cannot be provided for the user.


This section provides background information and introduces information related to various aspects of the disclosure that are described and/or claimed below. These background statements are not admissions of prior art.
The usefulness of gallium nitride (GaN), and its ternary and quaternary compounds incorporating aluminum and indium (AlGaN, InGaN, AlInGaN), has been well established, for example, in the fabrication of visible and ultraviolet optoelectronic devices and high-power electronic devices. These devices are typically grown epitaxially using growth techniques including molecular beam epitaxy (MBE), CVD, metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD), and hydride vapor phase epitaxy (HYPE).
As shown in FIG. 1, GaN and its alloys are most stable in the hexagonal wurtzite crystal structure, in which the structure is described by two (or three) equivalent basal plane axes that are rotated 120° with respect to each other (the a-axes), all of which are perpendicular to a unique c-axis. FIG. 1 illustrates an example c-plane 2, m-plane 4, and a-plane 6. Group III and nitrogen atoms occupy alternating c-planes along the crystal's c-axis. The symmetry elements included in the wurtzite structure dictate that III-nitrides possess a bulk spontaneous polarization along this c-axis, and the wurtzite structure exhibits piezoelectric polarization.
Current nitride technology for electronic and optoelectronic devices employs nitride films grown along the polar c-direction. However, related art c-plane quantum well structures in III-nitride (III-N) based optoelectronic and electronic devices suffer from the undesirable quantum-confined Stark effect (QCSE), due to the existence of strong piezoelectric and spontaneous polarizations. The strong built-in electric fields along the c-direction can significantly degrade the usefulness of these III-N materials.
One approach to eliminating the spontaneous and piezoelectric polarization effects in GaN optoelectronic devices is to grow the devices on non-polar planes, the m-planes and a-planes of the crystal. Such planes contain equal numbers of Ga and N atoms and are charge-neutral. Furthermore, subsequent non-polar layers are equivalent to one another so the bulk crystal will not be polarized along the growth direction. However, growth of GaN semiconductor wafers with a non-polar surface remains difficult. Accordingly, there exists a need to increase the efficiency and improve operating characteristics for III-nitride based optoelectronic and electronic devices, for example LEDs.


The detection, analysis, transcription, and amplification of nucleic acids are the most important procedures in modern molecular biology. The application of such procedures for RNA analysis is especially important in the investigation of gene expression, diagnosis of infectious agents or genetic diseases, the generation of cDNA, and analysis of retroviruses, to name but a few applications. The reverse transcription of RNA, followed by polymerase chain reaction amplification, commonly referred to as RT-PCR, has become widely used for the detection and quantification of RNA.
The RT-PCR procedure involves two separate molecular syntheses: (i) the synthesis of cDNA from an RNA template; and (ii) the replication of the newly synthesized cDNA through PCR amplification. RT-PCR can be performed under three general protocols: (1) uncoupled RT-PCR, also referred to as two-step RT-PCR; (2) single enzyme coupled RT-PCR (coupled RT-PCR is also referred to as one-step RT-PCR or continuous RT-PCR), in which a single polymerase is used for both the cDNA generation from RNA as well as subsequent DNA amplification; and (3) two (or more) enzyme coupled RT-PCR, in which at least two separate polymerases are used for initial cDNA synthesis and subsequent replication and amplification.
In uncoupled RT-PCR, reverse transcription is performed as an independent step using buffer and reaction conditions optimal for reverse transcriptase activity. Following cDNA synthesis, an aliquot of the RT reaction product is used as template for PCR amplification with a thermostable DNA Polymerase, such as Taq DNA Polymerase, under conditions optimal for PCR amplification.
In coupled RT-PCR, reverse transcription and PCR amplification are combined into a single reaction mixture. Single enzyme RT-PCR utilizes the reverse transcriptase activity of some DNA polymerases, such as Taq DNA Polymerase and Tth DNA polymerase, whereas two-enzyme RT-PCR typically uses a retroviral or bacterial reverse transcriptase (e.g., AMV-RT, MMLV-RT, HIV-RT, EIAV-RT, RAV2-RT, Carboxydothermus hydrogenoformans DNA Polymerase or a mutant, variant or derivative thereof), and a thermostable DNA polymerase (e.g., Taq, Tbr, Tth, Tih, Tfi, Tfl, Pfu, Pwo, Kod, VENT, DEEPVENT, Tma, Tne, Bst, Pho, Sac, Sso, ES4 and others or a mutant, variant or derivative thereof).
Coupled RT-PCR provides numerous advantages over uncoupled RT-PCR. Coupled RT-PCR requires less handling of the reaction mixture reagents and nucleic acid products than uncoupled RT-PCR (e.g., opening of the reaction tube for component or enzyme addition in between the two reaction steps), and is therefore less labor intensive, reducing the required number of person hours. Coupled RT-PCR also requires less sample, and reduces the risk of contamination (Sellner and Turbett, 1998).
Single enzyme coupled RT-PCR, is the simplest RT-PCR procedure to date. This system is expensive to perform, however, due to the amount of DNA polymerase required. In addition, the single enzyme coupled RT-PCR method has been found to be less sensitive than uncoupled RT-PCR (Cusi et al., 1994), and limited to polymerizing nucleic acids of less than one kilobase pair (>1 kb) in length. Two enzyme RT-PCR systems show increased sensitivity over the single enzyme system generally, even when coupled in a single reaction mixture. This effect has been attributed to the higher efficiency of reverse transcriptase in comparison to the reverse transcriptase activity of DNA polymerases (Sellner and Turbett, 1998).
Although the two enzyme coupled RT-PCR system is more sensitive than the uncoupled protocol, reverse transcriptase has been found to interfere with DNA polymerase during the replication of the cDNA, thus reducing the sensitivity and efficiency of this technique (Sellner et al., 1992; Aatsinki et al., 1994; Mallet et al., (1995)). A variety of solutions to overcome the inhibitory activity of reverse transcriptase on DNA polymerase have been tried, including: increasing the amount of template RNA, increasing the ratio of DNA polymerase to reverse transcriptase, adding modifier reagents that can reduce the inhibitory effect of reverse transcriptase on DNA polymerase (e.g., non-homologous tRNA, T4 gene 32 protein, sulfur or acetate-containing molecules,), and heat-inactivation of the reverse transcriptase before the addition of DNA polymerase.
All of these modified RT-PCR methods have significant drawbacks, however. Increasing the amount of template RNA is not possible in cases where only limited amounts of sample are available. Individual optimization of the ratio of reverse transcriptase to DNA polymerase is not practicable for ready-to-use reagent kits for one-step RT-PCR. The net effect of currently proposed modifier reagents to relieve reverse transcriptase inhibition of DNA polymerization is controversial and in dispute: positive effects due to these reagents are highly dependent on RNA template amounts, RNA composition, or can require specific reverse transcriptase-DNA polymerase combinations (see, for example, Chandler et al., 1998). Finally, heat inactivation of the reverse transcriptase before the addition of the DNA polymerase negates the advantages of the coupled RT-PCR and carries with it all the disadvantages of uncoupled RT-PCR systems discussed earlier.
Because of the importance of RT-PCR applications, a one-step RT-PCR system with reduced RT inhibition, in the form of a generalized ready-to-use composition, which exhibits high sensitivity, requires a small amount of initial sample, reduces the amount of practitioner manipulation, minimizes the risks of contamination, minimizes the expense of reagents, is not restricted to the use of specific reaction buffers, and maximizes the amount of nucleic acid end product is needed in the art.


1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a locking detection circuit used in a PLL (phase locked loop) frequency synthesizer for detecting whether the PLL is locked.
2. Description of the Related Art
Referring to FIG. 1, a conventional PLL frequency synthesizer 10 comprises a reference frequency demultiplier counter 11, a comparison frequency demultiplier counter 12, a phase comparator 13, a charge pump 14, a low pass filter (hereafter abbreviated as LPF) 15, a voltage controlled oscillator (hereafter abbreviated as VCO) 16 and a lock detection circuit 17.
The reference frequency demultiplier counter 11 produces a reference signal fr from a signal of generated by a crystal oscillator 18 through frequency demultiplication. The comparison frequency demultiplier counter 12 produces a compared signal fp obtained from an output signal fv from the VCO 16 through frequency demultiplication. The phase comparator 13 produces a first and a second phase difference signals xcfx86R, xcfx86P in accordance with a phase difference between the reference signal fr and the compared signal fp. On the basis of both phase difference signals xcfx86R, xcfx86P through the operations of the charge pump 14 and the LPF 15, the magnitude of voltage of a control signal VT which is input to the VCO 16 is changed. The PLL circuit 10 also operates to lock the frequency of the output signal fv from the VCO 16 to a desired frequency.
The lock detection circuit 17 receives the first and second phase difference signals xcfx86R, xcfx86P from the phase comparator 13, and also receives a reference clock signal CK from the reference frequency demultiplier counter 11 which is obtained by the frequency demultiplication of the signal of from the crystal oscillator 18 at a given ratio. The lock detection circuit 17, which operates in synchronism with the reference clock signal CK, detects whether the output signal fv is locked on the basis of the first and second phase difference signals xcfx86R, xcfx86P, and generates a locking detection signal LD having a level which depends on the result of such detection.
Referring to FIG. 2, there is shown a specific circuit arrangement of the lock detection circuit 17. As shown, the lock detection circuit 17 includes a NAND circuit 21 that receives the first and the second phase difference signals xcfx86R, xcfx86P from the phase comparator 13 and provides an output signal S1 corresponding to the phase difference which is represented by each pulse width of the signals xcfx86R, xcfx86P. A data flip-flop circuit (hereafter referred to as FF circuit) 22 has a data terminal D for receiving the output signal S1 and a clock terminal CK for receiving the reference clock signal CK, and delivers an output signal S2 corresponding to the output signal S1 at its output terminal Q in synchronism with the rising edge of the reference clock signal CK.
A NAND circuit 23 receives the signals S1, S2, and delivers its to an inverter circuit 24. An inverted signal S3 is supplied to a data terminal D of an FF circuit 25 from the inverter circuit 24.
The FF circuit 25 has a clock terminal for receiving the reference clock signal CK, and provides an output signal S4 at its output terminal Q which depends on the inverted signal S3 in synchronism with the rising edge of the reference clock signal CK.
An inverter circuit 30 receives the output signal S4 and generates an inverted signal S4a. A synchronous counter is formed by a plurality of FF circuits 27, 28, 29. The first stage FF circuit 27 has a data terminal D, to which the inverted signal S4a is applied. Each of the FF circuits 27 to 29 has a clock terminal, to which an inverted signal S1a, formed by an inverter circuit 26 with the signal S1, is applied. The FF circuit 27 delivers an output signal S5 at its output terminal Q in synchronism with the rising edge of the inverted signal S1a (or the falling edge of the signal S1). The FF circuit 28 has a data terminal D, to which the output signal S5 is applied, and delivers an output signal S6 at its output terminal Q in synchronism with the falling edge of the output signal S1. The FF circuit 29 has a data terminal D, to which the output signal S6 is applied, and delivers an output signal S7 at its output terminal Q in synchronism with the falling edge of the output signal S1. The output signals S5, S6, and S7 are input to a NAND circuit 31, which then delivers the locking detection signal LD.
In the lock detection circuit 17, when one or both of the phase difference signals xcfx86R, xcfx86P has an L level, the NAND circuit 21 delivers the signal S1 which has an H level. The phase difference signals xcfx86R, xcfx86P each have a pulse width which is related to a phase difference between the reference signal fr and the compared signal fp, as will be further described later. Accordingly, the NAND circuit 21 delivers the signal S1 of the H level for a time interval corresponding to the phase difference between the signals fr, fp. The greater the phase difference between the signals fr, fp, the longer the pulse width of the signal S1 or vice versa.
The lock detection circuit 17 detects whether the PLL circuit 10 is locked on the basis of the number of rising edges of the reference clock signal CK which are input during a time interval corresponding to the pulse width of the output signal S1 or a time interval during which the NAND circuit 21 delivers the output signal S1 having the H level, and delivers the locking detection signal LD having a level which depends on the result of such detection. Thus it will be seen that the lock detection circuit 17 requires the reference clock signal CK of a higher frequency than the frequencies of the reference signal fr and the compared signal fp. Hence, the reference frequency demultiplier counter 11 produces the reference clock signal CK by the frequency demultiplication at a ratio which is less than the ratio of frequency demultiplication applied to the reference signal fr. Alternatively, the reference frequency demultiplier counter 11 may deliver the input crystal oscillator signal of directly as the reference clock signal CK.
The synchronous counter delivers the locking detection signal LD having an H level only when a phase coincidence is reached between the reference signal fr and the compared fp a number of times which is equal to the number of counter stages or more. This prevents the locking detection signal LD having the H level from being delivered from the lock detection circuit 17 for an accidental phase coincidence between the both signals fr, fp.
Digital mobile equipment generally requires the output signal fv of a higher frequency than analog mobile equipment, and consequently, the PLL circuit 10 produces the reference signal fr and the compared signal fp of higher frequencies, which then approach the frequency of the reference clock signal CK. This may result in a malfunctioning of the lock detection circuit 17.
For example, if the PLL circuit is locked between two consecutive rising edges of the reference clock signal CK, the lock detection circuit 17 may be unable to detect the locked condition, thus undesirably delivering the locking detection signal LD having the L level. Because the locking detection signal LD is used in controlling the charge pump 14, the LPF 15 or other external circuit, there are adverse influences upon the operation of the entire PLL circuit or external circuit, causing instability in the operation of the mobile equipment.
An object of the present invention is to provide a lock detection circuit and a PLL frequency synthesizer capable of reliably detecting a locked condition.
To achieve the above objective, the present invention provides a lock detection circuit for detecting whether a phase of a compared signal is locked with that of a reference signal based on first and second phase difference signals that represents a phase difference between the reference signal having a reference frequency and the compared signal having a preset frequency, the lock detection circuit comprising: a clock generating unit for receiving the first and the second phase difference signals and generating a detecting clock signal in synchronism with one of the first and the second phase difference signals, based on the first and the second phase difference signals; and a lock detecting unit for receiving the first and the second phase difference signals and the detecting clock signal, and detecting whether the phase of the compared signal is locked with the pulse of the reference signal based on the relationship between the detecting clock signal and the phase difference between the first and the second phase difference signals, and generating a lock detecting signal.
The present invention further provides a PLL synthesizer comprising: a voltage control oscillator for generating a frequency signal corresponding to a value of a control voltage signal; a comparison frequency demultiplier for generating a compared signal by frequency-demultiplying the frequency signal from the voltage control oscillator; a reference frequency demultiplier for generating a reference signal by frequency-demultiplying an oscillation signal; a phase comparator for receiving the reference signal and the compared signal to compare the phases thereof, and generating first and second phase difference signals, representing a relationship between the reference signal and the compared signal, based on a result of the phase comparison; a charge pump for converting the first and the second phase difference signals from the phase comparator to voltage signal; a low pass filter for receiving the voltage signal from the charge pump and generating the control voltage signal provided to the voltage control oscillator; and a lock detection circuit for detecting whether a phase of the compared signal is locked with a phase of the reference signal based on the first and second phase difference signals and generating a lock detecting signal, the lock detection circuit comprising: a clock generating unit for receiving the first and the second phase difference signals and generating a detecting clock signal in synchronism with one of the first and the second phase difference signals, based on the first and the second phase difference signals; and a lock detecting unit for receiving the first and the second phase difference signals and the detecting clock signal, and detecting whether the phase of the compared signal is locked with the phase of the reference signal based on the relationship between the detecting clock signal and the phase difference between the first and the second phase difference signals, and generating a lock detecting signal.
The present invention provides a lock detection circuit for use with a PLL frequency synthesizer for detecting a locked condition of the synthesizer, the synthesizer including a phase comparator which receives a reference signal and a compared signal and generates first and second phase difference signals therefrom, the lock detection circuit comprising: a phase difference detector which receives the first and second phase difference signals and generates a third phase difference signal which depends on a pulse width of each of the first and second phase difference signals; a clock generator circuit which receives the first and second phase difference signals and produces a detection clock signal synchronized with the third phase difference signal; a plurality of delay circuits connected in parallel with each other and in series with the phase difference detector, each of the delay circuits receiving the third phase difference signal and delaying the third phase difference signal by a different delay time; a plurality of switches connected in series with the plurality of delay circuits; a flip-flop circuit having a data input connected to the delay circuits for receiving the third phase difference signal delayed by a predetermined time period, a clock input connected to the clock generator circuit for receiving the detection clock signal, and a data output for providing a status signal, wherein one of the plurality of switches is selectively turned on to delay the third phase difference signal by a selected predetermined time period; and a locking counter connected to a data output of the flip-flop circuit for receiving the status signal and connected to the clock generator circuit for receiving the detection clock signal, the locking counter counting a number of pulses of the detection clock signal while the status signal is at a predetermined level and generating a locking detection signal therefrom, the locking detection signal indicating locked condition of the synthesizer.


Unmanned air vehicles, i.e. vehicles that do not have a physical pilot on board, can be of great interest not just for military missions but also for civil missions. Furthermore, the emergence of new data and image uptake and interpretation systems makes the number of tasks that can be carried out by this type of vehicles increase more and more in both the civil and the military or police scope.
A fundamental difference between unmanned air vehicles and manned air vehicles is that in the case of the former, in addition to the aerial system, a ground system and data link means necessary for operating the vehicle are also required. Nevertheless, there may be moments or periods which are shorter or longer in time (in some cases, corresponding to most of the duration of the flight) during which the vehicle must function autonomously. Given that during the flight or “mission” in an unmanned air vehicle it is quite probable that unexpected events or conditions (for example changes in weather conditions, wind, turbulences, mechanical problems, etc.) may occur, autonomous control of the flight becomes a complex task.
There are a large number of unmanned vehicle control systems. They are usually based on different modules responsible for different parts of the control. For example, the following general modules schematically shown in FIG. 1 may exist:                sensors 101 acquiring and transmitting data related, for example, to the state of the actuators 104, the state of the aircraft (for example, its position, altitude or orientation) and the meteorological conditions (mainly wind intensity and direction);        actuators 104 providing the position of the mechanical control elements which, in the case of an aircraft, provide the forces necessary for controlling the flight;        an estimation and navigation module 102 responsible for obtaining the state variables needed for controlling the system from the values provided by the measurement variables of the sensors;        a guidance and control module 103 providing the actuators 104 with the control variables needed for stabilizing and taking the system state variables to the desired reference values in each case; and        a mission management module 105 which, based on the available data regarding the information on the state of the aircraft it receives from the estimation and navigation module 102 and when the vehicle is flying under the control of an external operator 106, such as a ground control station, based on the instructions it receives from said external operator, provides the guidance and control module with the desired reference variables so as to fulfill certain objectives; this module normally includes means for storing data indicating a mission route comprising a plurality of mission route segments (defined, for example, by “waypoints” corresponding to the mission route).
There are a large number of publications reflecting different aspects of unmanned air vehicle control.
For example, patent document U.S. Pat. No. 6,122,572 describes an unmanned air vehicle control system designed for the execution of a mission and having a programmable decision unit capable of managing and controlling the execution of the mission taking into account all available systems and data in the vehicle.
Patent document U.S. Pat. No. 6,349,258 relates to a method for generating, from two waypoints, a course which must necessarily pass between these two points.
Programmed unmanned air vehicles are known to fly according to a “mission route” (which can be preprogrammed) and with the capacity to calculate alternative routes in the case of incidents. For example, patent document U.S. Pat. No. 6,377,875s describes an unmanned air vehicle control system in which a safe flight route is programmed. The vehicle can be controlled remotely via radio; if communication with the control station is lost, the on-board system recalculates the route without the intervention of the control station.
However, the recalculation of the route on board the vehicle requires that the vehicle has an on-board system with sufficient capacity to recalculate the route. This may involve, for example:                the need to have fairly detailed data on the terrain (a digital terrain model);        a complex computer system with the capacity to completely recalculate the route;        a certain risk of “unpredictability” of the route which is finally chosen by the vehicle (which may involve risks and problems for aviation and/or air control in the area, for high buildings in the area, etc.);        uncertainty regarding where recovery of the vehicle will occur;        uncertainty regarding the needs of the vehicle with respect to fuel (given that in the moment of vehicle take-off, its course in the event that it has to divert from its mission route cannot be foreseen).
An objective of the invention is to provide an alternative system for implementing alternative or auxiliary routes apart from the mission route which may involve improvements in some or in all of the aforementioned aspects.


Central/branch retinal artery/vein occlusion, diabetes, glaucoma and, possibly, age related macular degeneration (AMD) are conditions associated with retinal ischaemia. All these diseases may lead to severe sequelae. Therefore, the management of retinal ischaemia is crucial.
After ischaemia/reperfusion (I/R), large amounts of reactive oxygen species (ROS) such as H2O2 are produced. These ROS attack nearby cells and cause tissue damage. Moreover, excessive release of excitatory transmitters such as the glutamate from ischaemia affected neurons leads to neuronal overstimulation and unwanted depolarisation. Consequently, neurons that possess a high density of glutamate receptors are most at risk. This explains why neurons such as retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) and amacrine cells, as well as their neuronal processes, which are located in the inner retina, are vulnerable to (I/R).
Ischaemia induces angiogenesis. Furthermore, in the retina, angiogenesis is often disorganized and typically results in oedema and haemorrhage; these have adverse effects on visual function. There is an urgent need for therapies that promote endogenous protective responses and prevent harmful angiogenesis. Increased levels of hypoxia-inducible factor-1Alpha (HIF-1 Alpha) have been found to be present after retinal ischaemia. HIF-1 binds to the hypoxia response element in hypoxia-responsive target genes, and triggers the expression of vascular endothelium growth factor (VEGF) and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). Liu et al. have shown that oxidative stress in human retinal pigment epitheliums (hRPEs) results in up-regulation of VEGF and MMP-9. Additionally, ischaemia has been proved to result in irreversible RGC loss that is accompanied by MMP-9 up-regulation. All the above evidence suggests that the over-expression of HIF-1 Alpha, VEGF and/or MMP-9 in the retina or in RGCs is directly related to ischaemic/ischaemic-like insult, but the relationship in more detail is unknown.
S-allyl L-cysteine (SAC), an active organosulfur compound in aged garlic extract, has been reported to possess antioxidative activity. In macrophages and endotheliums, SAC has been shown to exhibit potent antioxidative effects involving the scavenging of superoxide radicals, hydroxyl radicals and hydrogen peroxide.


It is desirable to provide decoupling capacitance in a close proximity to an integrated circuit chip or die. The need for such capacitance increases as the switching speed and current requirements of chips or dies becomes higher. Thus, the need for a high number of passive components for high density integrated circuit chips or dies, the resultant increasing circuit density of printed wiring boards (PWB), and a trend to higher frequencies in the multi-gigaHertz range are among the factors combining to increase pressure on passive components surface-mounted on package substrates or PWBs. By incorporating embedded passive components (e.g., capacitors, resistors, inductors) into the package substrate or PWB, improved performance, better reliability, smaller footprint, and lower cost can be achieved.
Capacitors are the predominant passive component in most circuit designs. Typical materials for suitable embedded capacitor components, such as polymer and high-dielectric constant (high-k) ceramic powder composites or high-k ceramic powder and glass powder mixtures, are generally limited to a capacitance density on the order of nanoFarad/cm2 and 0.1 microFarad/cm2. Attempts have been made to embed thin film capacitors into organic substrates, such as utilizing ceramic fillers in polyimide or epoxy resins in thin laminate form. However, processing and handling of thin-core laminates has proved to be difficult.


This section provides background information related to the present disclosure which is not necessarily prior art.
Manufacturers are increasingly producing vehicles having higher levels of driving automation. Features such as adaptive cruise control and lateral positioning have become popular and are precursors to greater adoption of fully autonomous-driving-capable vehicles.
While availability of autonomous-driving-capable vehicles is on the rise, users' familiarity and comfort with autonomous-driving functions will not necessarily keep pace. User comfort with the automation is an important aspect in overall technology adoption and user experience.
Drivers or other vehicle occupants using the autonomous functionality may not be accustomed with various aspects of being a passenger or an autonomous vehicles, lowering satisfaction with the riding experience.
Drivers using autonomous functionality may also not be accustomed to taking back control of the vehicle, which may be stressful.