Author: claimsbot

1. A method for preparing an alkoxycarbonylphtalide of formula (III)
comprising:
(a) reacting a compound of formula (VIIIa) with a formaldehyde and oleum; and
(b) adding the reaction mixture of step (a) to an alcohol of formula R3-OH;
wherein X and Y of formula (VIIIa) are independently selected from: OR1, OR2, a halogen, and NR2;
wherein R, R1 and R2 are independently H or a C1-6-alkyl; and R3 is a C1-6-alkyl or phenyl.
2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the compound of formula (VIIIa) is a compound of formula (VIII)
wherein R1 and R2 are selected independently from H and C1-6-alkyl.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the formaldehyde is 1,3,5-trioxane of formula IX
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the formaldehyde is paraformaldehyde.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein R1 and R2 are independently selected from hydrogen, methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, iso-propyl, n-butyl, iso-butyl, sec.-butyl, tert-butyl, n-pentyl, and n-hexyl.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the amount of formaldehyde reacted in step (a) is 1-3 equivalents of the formaldehyde per equivalent of the compound of formula (VIII).
7. The method of claim 1, wherein the amount of oleum reacted in step (a) is 1-8 liters of oleum per kg of formula (VIII).
8. The method of claim 1, wherein the oleum in step (a) contains 18-65% SO3.
9. The method of claim 1, wherein step (a) is performed at a temperature in the range of 115\xb0 C.-175\xb0 C.
10. The method of claim 1, wherein step (b) is performed at a temperature below the boiling point of the alcohol.
11. The method of claim 1, said method comprising purification of the alkoxycarbonylphtalide by adding an organic solvent and an aqueous solvent to the alkoxycarbonylphtalide, and extracting the alkoxycarbonylphtalide into the organic phase.
12. The method of claim 1, wherein the compound of formula (VIIIa) is terephthaloyl dichloride of formula (B)
13. The method of claim 1, comprising converting the alkoxycarbonylphtalide to an amide of formula (IV), wherein R4 is H or C1-6-alkyl
14. A method for the synthesis of 5-cyanophthalide comprising the method for preparing an alkoxycarbonylphtalide of formula (III) according to claim 1.
15. A method for the synthesis of citalopram or escitalopram comprising a method for preparing a alkoxycarbonylphtalide of formula (III) according to claim 1.
16. A method for the synthesis of citalopram or escitalopram comprising the method for the synthesis of 5-cyanophthalide according to claim 14.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. Latent Semantic Engineering processes, devices, and methods, comprising:
user need descriptions;
wherein, user need descriptions are user need descriptions, user need keywords, or user need surveys;
wherein, user need descriptions are written by users, user need descriptions contain any number of words, user need descriptions contain (aspirational, emotional, functional, physical) words, user need descriptions contain (technical, non-technical) words, user need descriptions contain words that users select;
wherein, user need keywords are derived from user need descriptions, user need keywords contain any number of keywords, user need keywords contain (aspirational, emotional, functional, physical) keywords, user need keywords contain (technical, non-technical) keywords, user need keywords contain keywords that users select;
wherein, user need surveys are completed by users, user need surveys contain any number of user needs, user need surveys contain (aspirational, emotional, functional, physical) user needs, user need surveys contain (technical, non-technical) user needs, user need surveys contain user needs that users select.
2. Latent Semantic Engineering processes, devices, and methods, comprising:
design descriptions;
wherein, design descriptions are design descriptions, design keywords, or design surveys;
wherein, design descriptions are written by designers, design descriptions contain any number of words, design descriptions contain (aspirational, emotional, functional, physical) words design descriptions contain (technical, non-technical) words, design descriptions contain words that designers select;
wherein, design keywords are derived from design descriptions, design keywords contain any number of keywords, design keywords contain (aspirational, emotional, functional, physical) keywords, design keywords contain (technical, non-technical) keywords, design keywords contain keywords that designers select;
wherein, design surveys are completed by designers, design surveys contain any number of design elements, design surveys contain (technical, non-technical) design elements, design surveys contain design elements that designers select.
3. Latent Semantic Engineering processes, devices, and methods, comprising:
user needs;
wherein, user needs are user need vectors;
wherein, user need vectors are derived from user need descriptions, user need vectors contain any number of user needs, user need vectors contain (aspirational, emotional, functional, physical) user needs, user need vectors contain (technical, non-technical) user needs, user need vectors contain user needs that users select.
4. Latent Semantic Engineering processes, devices, and methods, comprising:
designs;
wherein, designs are design vectors and design matrices;
wherein, design vectors are derived from design descriptions, design vectors contain any number of design elements, design vectors contain (aspirational, emotional, functional, physical) design elements, design vectors contain (technical, non-technical) design elements, design vectors contain design elements that designers select;
wherein, design matrices are derived from design vectors, design matrices contain any number of design vectors, design vectors contain any number of design elements, design vectors contain (aspirational, emotional, functional, physical) design elements, design vectors contain (technical, non-technical) design elements, design vectors contain design elements that designers select.
5. Latent Semantic Engineering processes, devices, and methods, comprising:
Latent Semantic Engineering semantic spaces;
wherein, Latent Semantic Engineering semantic spaces are singular value decompositions of design matrices;
wherein, singular value decompositions of design matrices are Latent Semantic Engineering semantic space design element matrices, Latent Semantic Engineering semantic space scaling factor matrices, and Latent Semantic Engineering semantic space design matrices;
wherein, Latent Semantic Engineering semantic space design element matrices contain any number of Latent Semantic Engineering semantic space design element vectors, design element vectors contain any number of Latent Semantic Engineering semantic space design elements, Latent Semantic Engineering semantic space design element vectors contain (aspirational, emotional, functional, physical) Latent Semantic Engineering semantic space design elements, Latent Semantic Engineering semantic space design element vectors contain (technical, non-technical) Latent Semantic Engineering semantic space design elements, and Latent Semantic Engineering semantic space design element vectors contain Latent Semantic Engineering semantic space design elements that designers select;
wherein, Latent Semantic Engineering semantic space scaling factor matrices contain Latent Semantic Engineering semantic space scaling factor vectors, semantic space scaling factor vectors contain one scaling factor;
wherein, Latent Semantic Engineering semantic space design matrices contain any number of Latent Semantic Engineering semantic space design vectors, Latent Semantic Engineering semantic space design vectors contain any number of Latent Semantic Engineering semantic space design elements, Latent Semantic Engineering semantic space design vectors contain (aspirational, emotional, functional, physical) Latent Semantic Engineering semantic space design elements, Latent Semantic Engineering semantic space design vectors contain (technical, non-technical) Latent Semantic Engineering semantic space design elements, and Latent Semantic Engineering semantic space design vectors contain LSE semantic space design elements that designers select.
6. Latent Semantic Engineering processes, devices, and methods, comprising:
Latent Semantic Engineering semantic space user needs;
wherein, Latent Semantic Engineering semantic space user needs are Latent Semantic Engineering semantic space projections of user needs;
wherein, Latent Semantic Engineering semantic space projections of user needs are user need vector, Latent Semantic Engineering semantic space design element matrix products, Latent Semantic Engineering semantic space projections of user needs are user need vector, Latent Semantic Engineering semantic space design element matrix products are Latent Semantic Engineering semantic space user need vectors, Latent Semantic Engineering semantic space user need vectors contain any number of Latent Semantic Engineering semantic space user needs, Latent Semantic Engineering semantic space user need vectors contain (aspirational, emotional, functional, physical) Latent Semantic Engineering semantic space user needs, Latent Semantic Engineering semantic space user need vectors contain (technical, non-technical) Latent Semantic Engineering semantic space user needs, Latent Semantic Engineering semantic space user need vectors contain Latent Semantic Engineering semantic space user needs that users select.
7. Latent Semantic Engineering processes, devices, and methods, comprising:
Latent Semantic Engineering semantic space designs;
wherein, Latent Semantic Engineering semantic space designs are Latent Semantic Engineering semantic space projections of designs;
wherein, Latent Semantic Engineering semantic space projections of designs are design vector, Latent Semantic Engineering semantic space design element matrix products, design vector, Latent Semantic Engineering semantic space design element matrix products are Latent Semantic Engineering semantic space design vectors, Latent Semantic Engineering semantic space design vectors contain any number of Latent Semantic Engineering semantic space design elements, Latent Semantic Engineering semantic space design vectors designs contain (aspirational, emotional, functional, physical) Latent Semantic Engineering semantic space design elements, Latent Semantic Engineering semantic space design vectors contain (technical, non-technical) Latent Semantic Engineering semantic space design elements, and Latent Semantic Engineering semantic space design vectors contain Latent Semantic Engineering semantic space design elements that designers select.
8. Latent Semantic Engineering processes, devices, and methods, comprising:
created designs;
wherein, created designs are designs with Latent Semantic Engineering semantic space design elements that match Latent Semantic Engineering semantic space user needs;
wherein, Latent Semantic Engineering semantic space design elements that match Latent Semantic Engineering semantic space user needs are Latent Semantic Engineering semantic space design elements with maximum Latent Semantic Engineering semantic space cosines.
9. Latent Semantic Engineering processes, devices, and methods, comprising:
selected designs;
wherein, selected designs are designs with Latent Semantic Engineering semantic space designs that match Latent Semantic Engineering semantic space user needs;
wherein, Latent Semantic Engineering semantic space designs that match Latent Semantic Engineering semantic space user needs are Latent Semantic Engineering semantic space designs with maximum Latent Semantic Engineering semantic space cosines.
10. Latent Semantic Engineering processes, devices, and methods, comprising:
configured designs;
wherein, configured designs are designs with Latent Semantic Engineering semantic space design elements that match Latent Semantic Engineering semantic space user choices;
wherein, Latent Semantic Engineering semantic space design elements that match Latent Semantic Engineering semantic space user choices are Latent Semantic Engineering semantic space design elements with maximum Latent Semantic Engineering semantic space cosines.
11. Latent Semantic Engineering applications, comprising:
computer-aided design systems, design configuration systems, and online ordering systems;
wherein, Latent Semantic Engineering processes, devices, and methods use (aspirational, emotional, functional, physical) user need descriptions to transform (aspirational, emotional, functional, physical) user concepts into (aspirational, emotional, functional, physical) user needs, use (aspirational, emotional, functional, physical) design descriptions to transform (aspirational, emotional, functional, physical) design concepts into (aspirational, emotional, functional, physical) designs, use (aspirational, emotional, functional, physical) singular value decompositions to transform (aspirational, emotional, functional, physical) designs into (aspirational, emotional, functional, physical) Latent Semantic Engineering semantic spaces, use (aspirational, emotional, functional, physical) Latent Semantic Engineering semantic space projections to transform (aspirational, emotional, functional, physical) user needs into (aspirational, emotional, functional, physical) Latent Semantic Engineering semantic space user needs, use (aspirational, emotional, functional, physical) Latent Semantic Engineering semantic space projections to transform (aspirational, emotional, functional, physical) designs into (aspirational, emotional, functional, physical) Latent Semantic Engineering semantic space designs, and use (aspirational, emotional, functional, physical) Latent Semantic Engineering semantic space cosines to match (aspirational, emotional, functional, physical) Latent Semantic Engineering semantic space user needs to (aspirational, emotional, functional, physical) Latent Semantic Engineering semantic space designs;
wherein, LSE processes, devices, and methods thereby match user needs to designs, increase matching accuracy, and increase product quality, customer satisfaction, and product success.

1. A self-supporting shower head system comprising:
a hollow center section configured to couple with a flexible tube;
at least one shower head coupled to the center section; and
at least one telescoping rod coupled to the center section, where the at least one telescoping rod is configured to extend away from and to retract toward the center section;
wherein the flexible tube is configured to couple with at least one shower outlet pipe and to provide water to the at least one shower head.
2. The shower head system of claim 1, wherein the at least one telescoping rod comprises two telescoping rods each extending from an end of the center section.
3. The shower head system of claim 1, wherein the at least one shower head comprises three shower heads, each coupled to the center section.
4. The shower head system of claim 1, wherein the at least one telescoping rod is configured to support, at least in part, the weight of the shower head system.
5. The shower head system of claim 1, wherein the at least one telescoping rod comprises a mechanism configured to exert a force on the at least one telescoping rod, where the force is directed away from the center section.
6. The shower head system of claim 5, wherein the mechanism includes a threaded rod.
7. The shower head system of claim 5, wherein the mechanism includes a spring.
8. The shower head system of claim 5, wherein the mechanism includes a wire release mechanism coupled to a pawl.
9. The shower head system of claim 8, wherein the pawl is configured to engage teeth fixed to the center section.
10. The shower head system of claim 9, wherein the at least one telescoping rod includes a button coupled to the wire release mechanism, where the button is configured to release the telescoping rod and to enable the telescoping rod to retract toward the center section.
11. The shower head system of claim 1, wherein an end of the at least one telescoping rod is configured to engage with a shower wall.
12. The shower head system of claim 11, wherein the at least one telescoping rod comprises a brake, where the brake is configured to support, at least in part, the weight of the shower head system.
13. The shower head system of claim 12, wherein the brake is configured to engage with a shower wall.
14. The shower head system of claim 13, wherein the brake is rotably fixed to the at least one telescoping rod.
15. The shower head system of claim 14, wherein the brake includes a cam lock configured to fix the position of the brake with respect to the at least one telescoping rod.
16. The shower head system of claim 14, wherein the brake is configured to extend at an angle from the at least one telescoping rod to the shower wall.
17. A method of installing a self-supporting shower head system in a shower stall, the self-supporting shower head system having a hollow center section configured to couple with a flexible tube, at least one shower head coupled to the center section, and at least one telescoping rod coupled to the center section, where the at least one telescoping rod is configured to extend away from and to retract toward the center section, where the flexible tube is configured to couple with at least one shower outlet pipe and to provide water to the at least one shower head, the method comprising:
extending the at least one telescoping rod to a wall of the shower stall; and
coupling the flexible tube to the at least one shower outlet pipe and to the center section.
18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:
using a threaded rod to maintain the extended position of the at least one telescoping rod.
19. The method of claim 17, further comprising:
using a spring to maintain the extended position of the at least one telescoping rod.
20. The method of claim 17, further comprising:
using a wire release mechanism coupled to a pawl to maintain the extended position of the at least one telescoping rod, where the pawl is configured to engage teeth fixed to the center section.
21. The method of claim 21, wherein the at least one telescoping rod includes a button coupled to the wire release mechanism, where the button is configured to release the telescoping rod and to enable the telescoping rod to retract toward the center section.
22. A self-supporting shower head system comprising:
a hollow center section configured to couple with a flexible tube;
at least one shower head coupled to the center section;
at least one telescoping rod coupled to the center section; and
means for extending and retracting the at least one telescoping rod;
wherein the flexible tube is configured to couple with at least one shower outlet pipe and to channel water to the at least one shower head.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. An exposure controller of a digital camera, comprising:
a photometering sensor; and
a control device; wherein
said control device calculates a first exposure time in accordance with a photometering value obtained via said photometering sensor;
said control device calculates a second exposure time shorter than said first exposure time in the case where said first exposure time is longer than a reference time duration;
said control device performs a pre-exposure in which a sensitive surface of an image pick-up device of said digital camera is exposed at said second exposure time to calculate a brightness value in accordance with a picture signal which is output from said image pick-up device at said pre-exposure; and
said control device calculates a third exposure time which is to be used at a main exposure, in which said sensitive surface of said image pick-up device is exposed to obtain a picture signal which is to be stored in a memory, by changing the value of one of said first exposure time and said second exposure time in accordance with said calculated brightness value.
2. The exposure controller of a digital camera according to claim 1, wherein said reference time duration is a predetermined flash synchronization speed.
3. The exposure controller of a digital camera according to claim 1, wherein said exposure time is equal to said first exposure time divided by the Nth power of two (2N).
4. The exposure controller of a digital camera according to claim 2, wherein said control device calculates said third exposure time in accordance with an average brightness value of all the pixels of said image pick-up device which are obtained by said pre-exposure.
5. The exposure controller of a digital camera according to claim 4, wherein said third exposure time is calculated by multiplying said second exposure time by an exposure compensation factor;
wherein said exposure compensation factor is calculated by dividing a predetermined value by said average brightness value, and multiplying the result thereof by the Nth power of two (2N).
6. The exposure controller of a digital camera according to claim 1, wherein said reference time duration is a longest exposure time which can just prevent an image formed on said sensitive surface of said image pick-up device from becoming blurry, caused by hand movement.
7. The exposure controller of a digital camera according to claim 1, wherein said digital camera is an SLR digital camera.