Author: claimsbot

1. A roller screw mechanism provided with a screw comprising:
an external thread,
a nut surrounding and coaxial with the screw, the nut having an internal thread, two gear wheels mounted in a non-threaded part of the nut, each gear wheel including a first set of teeth having a plurality of internal teeth, and a plurality of rollers radially located between the screw and the nut, each of the plurality of rollers providing a roller external thread designed to engage the external and internal threads of the screw and the nut, respectively, and axially at each end a first set of roller teeth having a plurality of gear teeth designed to engage with the plurality of internal teeth of the gear wheels,
wherein an outer diameter of the first set of roller teeth of each of the plurality of rollers is less or equal to a diameter of a thread root of the roller external thread of the plurality of rollers,
wherein the addendum of each tooth of the plurality of gear teeth of each of the plurality of rollers is equal to zero.
2. The roller screw mechanism according to claim 1, wherein each roller further comprises, at each end, a cylindrical stud axially extending from the plurality of gear teeth of the roller, and designed to be fitted inside cylindrical through-out recesses provided on an annular spacer ring mounted radially between the external thread of the screw and the associated gear wheel.
3. The roller screw mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the hardness of the gear wheels is substantially similar to the hardness of the rollers.
4. A roller screw mechanism provided with a screw comprising:
an external thread,
a nut surrounding and coaxial with the screw, the nut having an internal thread, two gear wheels mounted in a non-threaded part of the nut, each gear wheel including a first set of teeth having a plurality of internal teeth, and a plurality of rollers radially located between the screw and the nut, each of the plurality of rollers providing a roller external thread designed to engage the external and internal threads of the screw and the nut, respectively, and axially at each end a first set of roller teeth having a plurality of gear teeth designed to engage with the plurality of internal teeth of the gear wheels,
wherein an outer diameter of the first set of roller teeth of each of the plurality of rollers is less or equal to a diameter of a thread root of the roller external thread of the plurality of rollers, and
wherein each of the plurality of gear teeth of each roller has, in cross section, a concave profile curve and each of the plurality of internal teeth of each gear wheel has, in cross section, a convex profile curve.
5. The roller screw mechanism according to claim 4, wherein a tooth profile curve of the gear wheels and the plurality of rollers is defined by a circular arc.
6. The roller screw mechanism according to claim 4, wherein a tooth profile curve of the gear wheels and the plurality of rollers is defined by a hypocycloid curve.
7. The roller screw mechanism according to claim 6, wherein a portion of each concave tooth of each roller in contact with a convex tooth of the associated gear wheel has, in cross section, a hypocycloid profile.

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. A method comprising:
(a) generating at a first data-processing system a first ringback signal for a call that originates at a telecommunications terminal, wherein the content of the first ringback signal is specified by the user of the telecommunications terminal and depends on the value of a physiological parameter of the user who places the call, wherein the value of the physiological parameter is measured by a sensor and received by the first data-processing system; and
(b) transmitting from the first data-processing system the first ringback signal to the telecommunications terminal.
2. The method of claim 1 further comprising (c) muting a second ringback signal, wherein the second ringback signal is generated by a second data-processing system.
3. The method of claim 1 further comprising (c) transmitting a second ringback signal to the originating terminal, wherein the second ringback signal is generated by a second data-processing system.
4. The method of claim 3 wherein the first ringback signal and the second ringback signal are transmitted concurrently.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein the ringback signal represents an instance of a musical composition, and wherein the value of a property of the instance is specified by the user of the telecommunications terminal, and wherein the property is independent of melody.
6. The method of claim 5 wherein the property is one of tempo, timbre, volume, and pitch.
7. A method comprising:
(a) receiving at a first data-processing system a signal from a second data-processing system, wherein the signal indicates that one or more resources have been allocated to handle a call that originates from a telecommunications terminal;
(b) generating at the first data-processing system a first ringback signal after receiving the signal, wherein:
i. the first ringback signal comprises an animation, and
ii. the speed of the animation depends on the value of a physiological parameter of the user who places the call, wherein the value of the physiological parameter is measured by a sensor; and

(c) transmitting the first ringback signal to the telecommunications terminal.
8. The method of claim 7 wherein the content of the first ringback signal is specified by the user of the telecommunications terminal.
9. The method of claim 7 further comprising (d) muting a second ringback signal, wherein the second ringback signal is generated by the second data-processing system.
10. The method of claim 7 further comprising (d) transmitting a second ringback signal to the telecommunications terminal, wherein the second ringback signal is generated by the second data-processing system.
11. The method of claim 10 wherein the first ringback signal and the second ringback signal are transmitted concurrently.
12. A method comprising:
(a) receiving at a first data-processing system a first ringback signal from a second data-processing system, wherein
i. the first ringback signal corresponds to a call that originates from a first telecommunications terminal, and
ii. the first ringback signal comprises a first animation;
(b) generating at the first data-processing system a second ringback signal after receiving the first ringback signal, wherein the second ringback signal comprises a second animation; and
(c) transmitting the second ringback signal, in place of the first ringback signal, to the first telecommunications terminal wherein the speed of the second animation is based on dynamic information that is extrinsic to the first data-processing system.
13. The method of claim 12 wherein the call is directed to a second telecommunications terminal, and wherein the second ringback signal conveys information about the user of the second telecommunications terminal.
14. The method of claim 12 wherein the call is directed to a user, and wherein the second ringback signal conveys information about a second telecommunications terminal to which the call is routed.
15. The method of claim 14 wherein the information comprises one or more capabilities of the second telecommunications terminal.
16. The method of claim 14 wherein the information comprises the geo-location of the second telecommunications terminal.

1. A solar cell comprising:
a silicon substrate;
a buffer layer disposed on a side of the silicon substrate;
a germanium junction disposed on a side of the buffer layer opposite the silicon substrate;
a first electrode electrically connected to the germanium junction;
a first junction disposed on the germanium junction opposite the silicon substrate and having a band gap energy of about 0.7 electron volt to about 1.5 electron volts;
a second junction disposed on the first junction opposite the silicon substrate and having a band gap energy of about 1.5 electron volts to about 3.0 electron volts; and
a second electrode disposed on the second junction,
wherein the buffer layer is disposed between the silicon substrate and the germanium junction, and has a lattice constant that increases in a direction from the silicon substrate to the germanium junction, and
wherein the buffer layer comprises GaAsxP1-x wherein 0\u2266x\u22661, Ga1-yInyP wherein 0\u2266y\u22661, AlAszP1-z wherein 0\u2266z\u22661, or a combination thereof and wherein x in GaAsxP1-x varies in proportion to a distance from the silicon substrate to the germanium junction.
2. The solar cell of claim 1, wherein the buffer layer has a lattice constant satisfying the following Equation 1:
CSi\u22120.1 \u212b\u2266Cb\u2266CGe+0.1 \u212b,\u2003\u2003Equation 1
wherein
CSi is a lattice constant of the silicon substrate,
Cb is a lattice constant of the buffer layer, and
CGe is a lattice constant of the germanium junction.
3. The solar cell of claim 2, wherein a portion of the buffer layer contacting the silicon substrate has a lattice constant satisfying the following Equation 2:
CSi\u22120.05 \u212b\u2266Cb1\u2266CSi+0.05 \u212b,\u2003\u2003Equation 2
wherein
CSi is a lattice constant of the silicon substrate, and
Cb1 is a lattice constant of the portion of the buffer layer contacting the silicon substrate.
4. The solar cell of claim 2, wherein a portion of the buffer layer contacting the germanium junction has a lattice constant satisfying the following Equation 3:
CGe\u22120.05 \u212b\u2266Cbn\u2266CGe+0.05 \u212b,\u2003\u2003Equation 3
wherein
CGe is a lattice constant of the germanium junction, and
Cbn is a lattice constant of the portion of the buffer layer contacting the germanium junction.
5. The solar cell of claim 1, wherein the buffer layer comprises a plurality of layers and the lattice constant of the buffer layer varies discontinuously.
6. The solar cell of claim 5, wherein each layer of the plurality of layers independently has a thickness of about 0.1 micrometers to about 5 micrometers.
7. The solar cell of claim 5, wherein the plurality of layers of the buffer layer comprises a first layer contacting the silicon substrate and having a first lattice constant and an nth layer contacting to the germanium junction and having an nth lattice constant, and the lattice constant of each layer of the plurality of layers increases in a direction from the first layer to the nth layer.
8. The solar cell of claim 1, wherein the silicon substrate has a thickness of about 50 micrometers to about 1000 micrometers.
9. The solar cell of claim 1, wherein the buffer layer has a thickness of about 1 micrometer to about 10 micrometers.
10. The solar cell of claim 1, wherein the germanium junction has a thickness of about 1 micrometer to about 3 micrometers.
11. The solar cell of claim 1, further comprising at least one junction disposed between the germanium junction and the second electrode.
12. The solar cell of claim 11, wherein the at least one junction between the germanium junction and the second electrode comprises junction having a band gap energy of about 0.7 electron volt to about 3.0 electron volts.
13. The solar cell of claim 12, wherein
the first junction comprises GaAs, and
the second junction comprises GaInP.
14. The solar cell of claim 11, wherein the at least one junction disposed between the germanium junction and the second electrode has a band gap energy that increases in a direction from the germanium junction to the second electrode.
15. A method of manufacturing a solar cell, the method comprising:
providing a silicon substrate;
disposing a buffer layer on a side of the silicon substrate;
disposing a germanium junction on a side of the buffer layer opposite the silicon substrate;
disposing a first electrode electrically connected to the germanium junction;
disposing a first junction having a band gap energy of about 0.7 electron volt to about 1.5 electron volts on the germanium junction opposite the silicon substrate;
disposing a second junction having a band gap energy of about 1.5 electron volts to about 3.0 electron volts on the first junction opposite the silicon substrate; and
disposing a second electrode on the second junction,
wherein the buffer layer is disposed between the silicon substrate and the germanium junction, and has a lattice constant that increases in a direction from the silicon substrate to the germanium junction, and
wherein the buffer layer comprises GaAsxP1-x wherein 0\u2266x\u22661, Ga1-yInyP wherein 0\u2266y\u22661, AlAszP1-z wherein 0\u2266z\u22661, or a combination thereof and wherein x in GaAsxP1-x varies in proportion to a distance from the silicon substrate to the germanium junction.
16. The method of claim 15, wherein the buffer layer has a lattice constant satisfying the following Equation 1:
CSi\u22120.1 \u212b\u2266Cb\u2266CGe+0.1 \u212b\u2003\u2003Equation 1

wherein
CSi is a lattice constant of the silicon substrate,
Cb is a lattice constant of the buffer layer, and
CGe is a lattice constant of the germanium junction.
17. The method of claim 15, wherein the disposing a germanium junction comprises molecular beam epitaxy, metal-organic chemical vapor deposition, chemical beam epitaxy, or a combination thereof.
18. The method of claim 15, further comprising forming at least one junction on a side of the germanium junction before disposing the first and second electrodes.
19. The method of claim 18, wherein the at least one junction on a side of the germanium junction has a band gap energy of about 0.7 electron volt to about 3.0 electron Volts.
20. The method of claim 19, wherein the band gap energy of the at least one junction on a side of the germanium junction increases in proportion to a distance from the germanium junction.

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

What is claimed is:

1. A chiral copper complex catalyst composition, which is obtained by
contacting an optically active N-salicylideneaminoalcohol compound of formula (1):
8
with a mono-valent or di-valent copper compound in an inert solvent,
wherein R1 represents
an alkyl group which may be substituted with a group selected from an alkoxy group, an aralkyloxy group, an aryloxy group and cycloalkoxy group,
an aralkyl, aryl or cycloalkyl group all of which may be substituted with a group selected from an alkyl group, an alkoxy group, an aralkyloxy group, an aryloxy roup, and a cycloalkoxy group,
R2 represent
a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, a cycloalkyl group, or
an aralkyl or phenyl group which may be substituted with a group selected from an alkyl group, an alkoxy group, an aralkyloxy group, an aryloxy group and a cycloalkoxy group,
X1 and X2 are the same or different and independently represent a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, a nitro group, an alkyl group, an alkoxy group or a cyano group, and two adjacent X1 and X2 together with the benzene ring to which they are bonded may form a 1-hydroxy-2- or 2-hydroxy-1-naphthyl group, and
the carbon atom denoted by * is an asymmetric carbon atom having either an S or R configuration, and
the amount of the mono-valent or di-valent copper compound is less than 1 mole per 1 mole of the optically active N-salicylideneaminoalcohol compound of formula (1).
2. A process for producing an optically active cyclopropane-carboxylic acid ester of formula (2):
9
wherein R3, R4, R5 and R6 are as defined below, and
R7 represents
an alkyl group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms,
a cycloalkyl group which may be optionally substituted with a lower alkyl group,
a benzyl group or phenyl group which may be optionally substituted with a lower alkyl group, a lower alkoxy group or a phenoxy group,

which comprises the steps of:
(a) contacting an optically active N-salicylideneaminoalcohol compound of formula (1):
10
with a mono-valent or di-valent copper compound, in an inert solvent,
wherein R1 represents
an alkyl group which may be substituted with a group selected from an alkoxy group, an aralkyloxy group, an aryloxy group, and cycloalkoxy group,
an aralkyl, aryl or cycloalkyl group all of which may be substituted with a group selected from an alkyl group, an alkoxy group, an aralkyloxy group, an aryloxy roup, and a cycloalkoxy group,
R2 represent
a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, a cycloalkyl group, or an aralkyl or phenyl group which may be substituted with a group selected from an alkyl group, an alkoxy group, an aralkyloxy group, an aryloxy group, and a cycloalkoxy group,
X1 and X2 are the same or different and independently represent a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, a nitro group, an alkyl group, an alkoxy group or a cyano group, and two adjacent X1 and X2 together with the benzene ring to which they are bonded may form a 1-hydroxy-2- or 2-hydroxy-1-naphthyl group, and
the carbon atom denoted by * is an asymmetric carbon atom having either an S or R configuration, and
the amount of the mono-valent or di-valent copper compound is less than 1 mole per 1 mole of the optically active N-salicylideneaminoalcohol compound of formula (1), and
(b) reacting a prochiral olefin of formula (3):
11
wherein R3, R4, R5 and R6 independently represent
a hydrogen atom,
a halogen atom,
a (C1-C10)alkyl group which may be substituted with a halogen atom or a lower alkoxy group,
a (C4-C8)cycloalkyl group,
an aryl group which may be substituted with a halogen atom, a lower alkyl group or a lower alkoxy group,
R3 and R4, or R5 and R6 may be bonded at their terminals to form an alkylene group having 2-4 carbon atoms, and
one of R3, R4, R5 and R6 groups represents an alkenyl group which may be substituted with a halogen atom, an alkoxy group or an alkoxy carbonyl group, of which alkoxy may be substituted with a halogen atom or atoms,
provided that when R3 and R5 are the same, R4 and R6 are not the same,
with a diazoacetic acid ester of formula (4):
N2CHCO2R7(4)
wherein R7 is the same as defined above, in the presence of a chiral copper complex catalyst composition so produced in step (a).