Conductive particles each includes a polymer base particle and a conductive layer coating the polymer base particle. Let the compressive elastic deformation characteristic KX of one conductive particle when the displacement of particle diameter of the conductive particles is X % be defined by the following formula: KX=(3/√2)·(SX−3/2)·(R−1/2)·FX. FX is the load (N) necessary for X % displacement of the conductive particles. SX is the compressive deformation amount (mm) upon X % displacement of the conductive particles. R is the particle radius (mm) of the conductive particles. The compressive elastic deformation characteristic K50 when the displacement of particle diameter of the conductive particles is 50% is 100 to 50000 N/mm2 at 20° C., and the recovery factor of particle diameter of the conductive particles when the displacement of particle diameter of the conductive particles is 50% is not less than 30% at 20° C.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to conductive particles and a method of preparing the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, in the fields of electric and electronics materials, conductive particles have been applied to conductive materials such as liquid-crystal spacers, micro-device mounting conductive adhesives, anisotropic conductive adhesives, conductive connecting structures, etc. and put to practical use.
The conductive particles for use in such conductive materials are required to show excellent properties with regard to connection resistance and connection reliability. In the conductive particles, therefore, not only the control of particle diameter of the polymer particles serving as base particles but also the control of hardness and elastic characteristics of the particles, deformation recovery factor after compression displacement, etc. will be of importance.
Examples of the conductive particles thereto known include the following.
For example, JP-A 62-185749 and JP-A 1-225776 disclose conductive microspheres using polyphenylene sulfide particles, phenol resin particles or the like as base microspheres.
Such conductive microspheres using synthetic resin particles as base microspheres are poor in deformation recovery performance after compressive deformation. Therefore, when a compressive load exerted on electrodes in the process of connecting the electrodes to each other by use of the conductive microspheres is removed, slight gap would be formed at the interface between the conductive microsphere and the electrode surface, resulting in contact failure.
JP-B 5-19241 discloses conductive particles in which particles of a soft low-density cross-linked material composed mainly of styrene are used as base particles and their surfaces are coated with a conductive material.
However, such conductive particles having a soft base material also have a low deformation recovery factor of 10% or below after compressive deformation, and the restoring force is lowered with the lapse of time. Therefore, in the case where the conductive particles having the soft base material are used for connection between electrode, also, the connection resistance would increase with the lapse of time, leading to poor connection reliability.
JP-B 7-95165 and JP-A 2000-309715 disclose conductive particles obtained by use of base particles of which the compressive elastic modulus and compressive deformation recovery factor upon 10% displacement of particle diameter are controlled to predetermined values. In addition, JP-A 2003-313304 discloses conductive particles which are composed of a polymer obtained by using a divinylbenzene-ethylvinylbenzene mixture as part of the starting monomers and of which the compressive elastic modulus, compressive deformation recovery factor and breaking strain upon 10% displacement of particle diameter are controlled to predetermined values.
However, most of these conductive particles show a substantial breaking point at a compression displacement of less than 45%, and it is difficult with these conductive particles to enhance the deformation recovery factor upon a high compression displacement. Moreover, the base particles are susceptible to erosion by a strongly acidic or strongly alkaline medium in a plating step, which is a step for forming a conductive film on the base particles. As a result, in most cases, the physical properties intrinsic of the polymer particles would be lowered, and the exfoliation or cracking of the plating film would adversely affect the compressive elasticity characteristics of the base particles constituting the core parts of the conductive particles, resulting in a large lowering in physical properties such as hardness.
Meanwhile, technologies for forming a coat layer on the surfaces of resin particles so as to enhance the adhesion between the resin particles and a conductive material layer thereon are disclosed in JP-A 8-193186 and JP-A 2003-208813.
More specifically, JP-A 8-193186 discloses conductive particles for an anisotropic conductive adhesive in which insulating particles each composed of an inner core and an outer layer coating the inner core and softer than the inner core are further coated with a conductive material, whereas JP-A 2003-208813 discloses conductive particles in which resin particulates each composed of a core particulate and a resin coat layer formed on the surface of the core particulate are coated with a metallic coat layer.
However, in both the conductive particles disclosed in JP-A 8-193186 and JP-A 2003-208813, the core particles (polymer particles) are intrinsically poor in high compression displacement property, so that the high compression displacement amount and deformation recovery factor of the conductive particulates obtained are not so effectively improved; as a result, it is difficult to improve the connection resistance property and the connection reliability. In addition, when the outer layer is made thicker, the physical properties of the soft base material would play a greater role, like in the case of JP-B 5-19241, which adversely affects the physical properties indispensable to conductive particles, such as heat resistance and solvent resistance. Moreover, since the deformation recovery factor upon a high compression displacement is poor, the coating of the core particles with the outer layer is insufficient in the effect of enhancing the adhesion between the core particle and the conductive material layer.
Thus, there have not been known any conductive particles such that compressive deformation characteristics are not considerably lowered even upon formation of a conductive layer, and good deformation recovery performance after a high compression displacement is secured, so that the area of adhesion between the particles and an electrode surface can be enhanced.

Conductive particles and method of preparing the same


A method and apparatus is provided to update information within a first network (103) via a second network (102) when communication no longer exists with the first network. During operation the first network is accessed via a PSTN (108) message that is never answered by the first network. Based on the called number and caller-identification information, the first network updates its system information.

Cellular telephones are currently being developed to take advantage of local area network (LAN) capabilities when placing/receiving calls from within the local-area network. For example, Motorola Inc. is developing a dual-mode phone that operates using both a wireless LAN (WLAN) protocol and a cellular protocol (e.g., GSM, CDMA, . . . , etc.). During operation, the WLAN is utilized for placing/receiving calls within the user's WLAN, while a wide-area network (WAN) (preferably a cellular network) is utilized for placing/receiving calls outside the user's WLAN.
As is evident, seamless mobility needs to be provided when roaming between the local and wide-area networks. For seamless mobility, there must be no ambiguity as to a telephone's location. In order to assure that all calls to the WLAN are properly routed to a user's telephone when outside WLAN coverage, all location updates must be made prior to handing over from the WLAN to the WAN. This is because for the majority of WLAN network configurations, WLAN coverage cannot be relied on for the delivery of location updates to the location database once the hand-out to the WAN has been committed. For example, local RF conditions change so rapidly (such as a door closing) that the subscriber device may not have a chance to send a location update over the WLAN before switching to the WAN network. If the location update is not completed before loss of WLAN network coverage, then the WLAN location information will be incorrect. This results in incoming calls to the subscriber being routed incorrectly by the WLAN. Therefore, a need exists for a method and apparatus for updating information within a communication system that allows for such information to be updated even when losing WLAN coverage.

Method and apparatus for updating information within a communication system


Methods and systems for making decisions related to the operation of a hydrocarbon well include characterizing effective production capacity of a reservoir over space and time based at least in part on a reservoir potential and a near-well capacity; determining an optimized well potential over space and time relative to the characterized effective production capacity using a well model of a simulated well accessing the reservoir, which may be determined based at least in part on an objective function that considers at least one of a plurality of decision-making factors, such as one or more of operations costs, operational risks, and modeled production rates over the life of the well; and determining at least one well operating plan component that can be incorporated into a well operating plan to provide the optimized well potential in a well accessing the reservoir.

This section is intended to introduce various aspects of the art, which may be associated with exemplary embodiments of the present invention. This discussion is believed to assist in providing a framework to facilitate a better understanding of particular aspects of the present invention. Accordingly, it should be understood that this section should be read in this light, and not necessarily as admissions of prior art.
To facilitate further discussion of the hydrocarbon recovery operations, FIG. 1 provides a schematic representation of a well together with surface facilities providing an exemplary production system 100. In the exemplary production system 100, a floating production facility 102 is coupled to a subsea tree 104 located on the sea floor 106. Through this subsea tree 104, the floating production facility 102 accesses one or more subsurface formations, such as subsurface formation 107, which may include multiple production intervals or zones 108a-108n, wherein number "n" is any integer number. The distinct production intervals 108a-108n may correspond to distinct reservoirs and/or to distinct formation types encompassed by a common reservoir. The production intervals 108a-108n correspond to regions or intervals of the formation having hydrocarbons (e.g., oil and/or gas) to be produced or otherwise acted upon (such as having fluids injected into the interval to move the hydrocarbons toward a nearby well, in which case the interval may be referred to as an injection interval). While FIG. 1 illustrates a floating production facility 102, it should be noted that the production system 100 is illustrated for exemplary purposes and the present discussion may be applied to wells coupled to any variety of surface facilities, such as may be implemented in land and/or water environments.
The floating production facility 102 may be configured to monitor and produce hydrocarbons from the production intervals 108a-108n of the subsurface formation 107. The floating production facility 102 may be a floating vessel capable of managing the production of fluids, such as hydrocarbons, from subsea wells. These fluids may be stored on the floating production facility 102 and/or provided to tankers (not shown). To access the production intervals 108a-108n, the floating production facility 102 is coupled to a subsea tree 104 and control valve 110 via a control umbilical 112. The control umbilical 112 may include production tubing for providing hydrocarbons from the subsea tree 104 to the floating production facility 102, control tubing for hydraulic or electrical devices, and/or a control cable for communicating with other devices within the well 114.
To access the production intervals 108a-108n, the well 114 penetrates the sea floor 106 to a depth that interfaces with the production intervals 108a-108n at different depths (or lengths in the case of horizontal or deviated wells) within the well 114. As may be appreciated, the production intervals 108a-108n, which may be referred to as production intervals 108, may include various layers or intervals of rock that may or may not include hydrocarbons and may be referred to as zones. The subsea tree 104, which is positioned over the well 114 at the sea floor 106, provides an interface between devices within the well 114 and the floating production facility 102. Accordingly, the subsea tree 104 may be coupled to a production tubing string 128 to provide fluid flow paths and a control cable (not shown) to provide communication paths, which may interface with the control umbilical 112 at the subsea tree 104.
Within the well 114, the production system 100 may also include different equipment to provide access to the production intervals 108a-108n. For instance, a surface casing string 124 may be installed from the sea floor 106 to a location at a specific depth beneath the sea floor 106. Within the surface casing string 124, an intermediate or production casing string 126, which may extend down to a depth near the production interval 108a, may be utilized to provide support for walls of the well 114. The surface and production casing strings 124 and 126 may be cemented into a fixed position within the well 114 to further stabilize the well 114. Within the surface and production casing strings 124 and 126, a production tubing string 128 may be utilized to provide a flow path through the well 114 for hydrocarbons and other fluids. A subsurface safety valve 132 may be utilized to block the flow of fluids from portions of the production tubing string 128 in the event of rupture or break above the subsurface safety valve 132. Further, packers 134 may be utilized to isolate specific zones within the well annulus from each other. The packers 134 may be configured to provide fluid communication paths between surface and the sand control devices 138a-138n, while preventing fluid flow in one or more other areas, such as a well annulus.
In addition to the above equipment, other equipment, such as sand control devices 138a-138n, may be utilized to manage the flow of fluids from within the well. In particular, the sand control devices 138a-138n may be utilized to manage the flow of fluids and/or particles into the production tubing string 128. The sand control devices 138a-138n may include slotted liners, stand-alone screens (SAS), pre-packed screens, wire-wrapped screens, membrane screens, expandable screens, and/or wire-mesh screens. The sand control devices 138a-138n may also include inflow control mechanisms, such as inflow control devices (e.g. valves, conduits, nozzles, or any other suitable mechanisms), which may increase pressure loss along the fluid flow path. Still additionally, gravel packs may be implemented together with the sand control devices. The sand control devices 138a-138n may include different components or configurations for any two or more of the intervals 108a-108n of the well to accommodate varying conditions along the length of the well. For example, the intervals 108a-108b may include a cased-hole completion and a particular configuration of sand control devices 138a-138b while interval 108n may be an open-hole interval of the well having a different configuration for the sand control device 138n.
Conventionally, packers or other flow control mechanisms are disposed between adjacent intervals 108 to enable adjacent intervals to be completed differently, such as including sand control in one interval while not in an adjacent interval. While multiple interval wells are relatively common, and while the completions within the different intervals may be different, the planning associated with the design of these completions is generally based on a relatively limited set of information. For example, the design may include sand control equipment in one interval and not in another based solely on observations about the type of rock in the interval or on experiences in nearby wells. Other aspects of conventional well completion design will be understood from the following discussion.
While hydrocarbons have been a source of energy for many years, the technology available for use in extracting hydrocarbons from the ground continues to evolve. In part, the need for continually advancing technology comes from the increasingly challenging circumstances in which hydrocarbons are found. For example, more and more wells are located in areas that are geographically challenging. Geographic complexities, such as reservoirs in arctic conditions, in deep water, or in otherwise challenging subsurface formations (sandy, unconsolidated formations, shale formations, etc.), can increase the costs and operational risks of drilling a well and of treating the well should hydrocarbon production fall below acceptable limits or should there be another problem with the well (such as sand or water production). Even in otherwise conventional fields and formations, the costs of workovers and other treatments are high. In addition to the lost revenues while the well is not producing at target rates, the costs of equipment and manpower during workovers and other treatments can run into millions of dollars. Accordingly, researchers are continually attempting to identify ways to improve the efficiency of wells and reservoirs.
One measure of the efficiency of a well or reservoir is the dollars invested per quantity of oil produced. Clearly, the efficiency is reduced as costs and risks are increased through workovers and other treatments. However, efficiency is also reduced when production rates and/or total production volumes are low. Accordingly, well operators typically attempt to build robust wells, to postpone workovers and treatments, and to produce at rates that will return the greatest total volume with the lowest maintenance costs. While these goals are obvious in themselves, accomplishing these goals is far from easy due to the complexity of the operations.
From a very simplified perspective, hydrocarbon operations include effectively two primary components: 1) the reservoir in which hydrocarbons are stored; and 2) the well through which hydrocarbons are produced to the surface. Well operators take the reservoir in the condition provided by nature. As used herein, the term "well operators" is used generically to refer to the multitude of personnel involved in the production of hydrocarbons including geoscientists, reservoir engineers, drilling personnel, completions personnel, treatment personnel, business managers and planners, etc. In contrast, operators go to great length to engineer the well and to operate it in a manner that will maximize production. The well is the component that the well operators can manipulate, treat, modify, etc. to control the rate at which fluids are produced to the surface. As used herein, the term "well" is used broadly to refer to the wellbore itself (the hole created through drilling operations) and the equipment installed, disposed, or used in the well.
While the reservoir consists of the rock and natural earth into which the well is drilled, it may be understood as having two component parts: the near-well region and the native reservoir. As is well understood, the term reservoir is used herein to refer to regions of the earth in which hydrocarbons or hydrocarbon precursors are disposed or stored. In some implementations, the well drilled to connect to the reservoir may intersect the reservoir directly. In other implementations, the well may be disposed near the reservoir and be operatively connected to the reservoir through a variety of conventional means. Regardless of the relationship between the well and the physical location of the hydrocarbons, the drilling, the completion, and/or the existence of the well often affects the nature of the formation in the area adjacent the well rendering the near-well region distinct from the native reservoir in at least one manner, as is well understood by those in the industry. For the purposes of the present disclosure, the term near-well region refers to those portions of the formation that are affected by operations in the wellbore, such as drilling operations, completion operations, injection operations, fracture operations, acid treatments, etc.
While this relationship between the well, the near-well, and the reservoir has been appreciated for many years, conventional methods for designing wells and well operating plans, including completions and production operations, do not account for the dynamic behavior that affects well performance during the life of a well. For example, the near-well region that is the most dynamic portion of the formation is not distinguished from the reservoir during the reservoir modeling used to predict production rates and volumes. While reservoir models are increasing in sophistication, completion details and near-well phenomena are either neglected entirely or given simplistic treatment. For example, most reservoir models treat wells as boundary conditions providing an inlet to or an outlet from the overall reservoir system rather than the complex combination of equipment disposed in and methods performed on a well. Drilling operations and completion procedures, such as perforating, gravel packing, hydraulic fracturing, acidizing, etc., are, when considered, considered merely by means of a mathematical correction factor commonly referred to as a "skin factor." Complex completions equipment are commonly neglected entirely in predicting production performance of a reservoir. In many circumstances, reservoir engineers determine predicted production performances with an assumed skin factor establishing the performance expectations. The drilling and subsurface engineers are then expected to provide a completed well with a skin factor less than the factor used in the assumptions. In many implementations, the estimated skin factor of the final completion design is never incorporated into the reservoir simulations for more accurate production performance predictions.
FIG. 2 is representative of a conventional inflow performance analysis 200 that is generally used to make well construction and completion decisions. In FIG. 2, flow rate 202 is plotted along the x-axis while flowing bottomhole pressure 204 is plotted along the y-axis. The initial inflow performance curve 206 is illustrated by the solid line while the initial tubing performance 208, or well performance, is illustrated by the dash-dot line. In effect, the conventional inflow performance analysis consists of predicting the initial production rate as a function of bottomhole pressure 204. The initial production rate is predicted using reservoir models adapted to model the ability of the reservoir to deliver fluids to a well at a particular location. Conventionally, that well is modeled as a single, uniform, static pressure sink into which fluids from the reservoir may flow. Additionally, the reservoir models used to predict the initial production rate fail to consider the nature or properties of the near-well region that is created by the drilling and completing of the well. The initial tubing performance 208 is predicted for a selected well design using conventional well modeling tools. The intersection 210 of the two plots identifies the target flowing bottomhole pressure and the target initial production rate for initial production operations. Initial tubing performance curves may be generated for a variety of well designs until a preferred combination of initial production rate and bottomhole pressure is identified.
While the inflow performance analysis 200 of FIG. 2 may be used to identify a target operating condition, it fails to consider several factors that are typically addressed by an operator before establishing the operating conditions for a well. For example, most operators understand that it is desirable to operate a well with some degree of uplift potential to naturally drive the produced fluids to the surface. Accordingly, while the well and completions are adapted to operate with the higher flow rates and pressures available from the reservoir, the well is typically operated to have a well potential somewhat lower than the reservoir potential. The degree of separation between the well potential and the reservoir potential is generally considered as the uplift potential. The uplift potential may be created or controlled during operation by choking the well or through other conventional means. In the interest of clarity, the terms reservoir potential and well potential should be understood to refer to the reservoir's potential to drive fluids toward the well and the well's potential to accept or receive such fluids and carry the same to the surface, each of which may be measured as a flow rate, a pressure, or other suitable measurement.
Additionally, many operators now recognize the desirability of multi-zone or multi-interval wells and may vary the well completion and/or operating conditions along the contact length of the well. Accordingly, the inflow performance analysis 200 may be performed for each interval to identify target operating conditions for that interval.
FIG. 3 presents a schematic representation of a conventional manner in which an operator may consider the reservoir potential and the well potential in designing a well, a completion, and/or operating conditions. The plot 300 of FIG. 3 represents the production potential 312 along the x-axis and the reservoir contact profile 314 along the y-axis. As illustrated, the well contacts the reservoir in four intervals 316 separated by packers 318. Additionally, the plot 300 presents the modeled reservoir potential 322 and the modeled well potential 324 in each of the intervals 316. As reflected in the illustration, the reservoir potential is conventionally modeled as a potential for the entire reservoir and is not modeled for specific completion intervals. Moreover, as reflected in the illustration, the well potential is modeled at a finer scale and may vary between the intervals. For example, interval 316d may have a higher well potential than interval 316c due to being completed as an open hole (316d) rather than a cased hole with perforations (316c). Still further, some well modeling tools may utilize full-physics modeling methods to produce a still finer scale model of the well potential, such as shown in interval 316b. The modeled well potential 324 of interval 316b may result from a variety of completion tools and/or from a variety of drilling circumstances. As discussed above, the well potential 324 may be intentionally established or controlled to be some degree less than the reservoir potential 322 to provide uplift potential.
While such planning and design methods have worked relatively well in the past, they are focused on making the initial completion designs and on maintaining production rates and volumes at levels established before the well is drilled. For example, while certain production problems may have presented themselves at a given time in a first well, by the time the second well, which is designed based on the experiences of the first well, reaches that given time in its life, the reservoir has changed dramatically through continued production operations and resultant depletion.
Thus far, much of the discussion has focused on designing wells and completions so as to maximize the initial production. While the balance between reservoir potential and well potential is important in the construction and completion of new wells, it is also important in considering proposed workovers of wells that are already suffering reduced production rates. For example, the relative impacts of different workover procedures and/or different completion equipment that may be installed during the workover may be considered. While these impacts are considered today, the consideration is limited to the same types of analysis described above—considering the inflow performance rate of the reservoir on average and the average tubular performance rate. In short, the conventional methods fail to adequately consider: 1) the range of completions technologies available; 2) the ability to customize the completion along the length of the well; and 3) the changes that occur in a well and in the near-well region as a reservoir is produced.
Well operators, and particularly completions engineers, are constantly challenged to produce wells at the highest rate possible and to extract the maximum total hydrocarbons possible from a reservoir. These objectives are often in conflict as producing a given well at high current rates may present risks to the well and/or to the reservoir. For example, a reservoir may have a high reservoir potential, which may be considered to be the potential or driving force moving fluids towards a well. A well completion designed to minimize the skin so as to allow maximum flow into the well may result in high initial production rates from such a reservoir. However, the same completion having low skin disposed in a poorly consolidated formation may lead to sand production in the well. Such a well would have high production rates for a short period of time before production is reduced due to excess sand production. Sand production is one of many challenges or obstacles that may be confronted when wells are designed merely to maximize initial hydrocarbon production rates.
These risks and challenges to maximizing total production are recognized by the industry. Various tools and equipment have been developed to provide complex completions in an effort to control the flow of fluids to maximize production while minimizing workovers. As introduced above, wells having multiple isolated intervals are common. Additionally, various examples of adaptable completions have been proposed, including completion equipment that is controllable from the surface and completion equipment that self-adapts under varying conditions in the well.
The increasing complexity of modern fields and reservoirs and the increasing complexity of modern wells and well technology have rendered the conventional well production planning tools insufficient for optimizing modern operations. While any of the various completions equipment configurations and methods may be applied in a given well to obtain or pursue optimized production rates, the challenge remains in identifying which type to use, how to configure the equipment, and where in the well it should be disposed for maximum cost benefit. Additionally, because the impact of the completion and/or workover decisions and operations on the formation is not reflected in the reservoir models of the conventional methods, it is not possible to determine how much more production, either in current rate or total volume, might be available through continued improvements to the completion.
The foregoing discussion of need in the art is intended to be representative rather than exhaustive. Technology addressing one or more such needs, or some other related shortcoming in the field, would benefit well planning and reservoir development planning, for example, providing decisions or plans for constructing, completing, operating, and/or treating a well and/or developing a reservoir more effectively and more profitably.


A method of forming an integrated circuit device using ion implantation to improve the adhesion of plasma nitride to spin-on-glass is achieved. Semiconductor device structures are provided in and on a substrate where conductive connections are planned between the device structures and planned conductive traces overlying a planned interlevel dielectric layer. An insulating oxide layer is deposited overlying the device structures. A spin-on-glass layer is coated overlying the insulating oxide layer. The spin-on-glass layer is dried. The spin-on-glass layer is ion implanted to form an amorphous, silicon rich, adhesion layer at the top surface of the spin-on-glass layer. The spin-on-glass layer is cured. A first plasma-enhanced silicon nitride layer deposited overlying the adhesion layer of the spin-on-glass and completing the interlevel dielectric layer. Via openings are etched through to the top surfaces of the semiconductor device. A conductive layer is deposited to fill the via openings and is etched to form the conductive traces. A second plasma-enhanced silicon nitride layer is deposited to complete the integrated circuit.

(1) Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method of fabricating semiconductor structures, and more particularly, to the formation of an interlevel dielectric comprised of a spin-on-glass and a plasma-enhanced silicon nitride stack.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
Spin-on-glass (SOG) is a material commonly used in the manufacture of integrated circuits as a dielectric or insulating layer. The advantage of SOG over other forms of dielectric material, such as low-pressure chemical vapor deposited silicon oxide (CVD), is that SOG can reliably fill and planarize even very difficult wafer surface topologies.
SOG is essentially a form of silicon oxide that is suspended in a solution of solvent. Typically, SOG is made from a silicate or a polysiloxane material dissolved in a combination of a low boiling point solvent, such as methanol, and a high boiling point solvent, such as butyl cellosolve. SOG is applied by dispensing a small amount of the solution onto a wafer that is spinning. Most of the solvent, or vehicle, is then driven off the wafer surface during a low-temperature drying step that is usually called the bake step. The process of coating and drying SOG layers may then be repeated until a sufficient amount of material has been built up to achieve the coverage and planarization desired. Once the layer of SOG is built up, a curing step is performed. During the curing step, the SOG is subjected to a high temperature environment to breakdown the silicate or the polysiloxane material to form a more nearly silicon dioxide material.
Once the SOG layer is formed, it is typical in the art to cover the SOG with a capping layer such as silicon oxide or silicon nitride before depositing conductive layers such as aluminum. It is the specific case of using plasma-enhanced silicon nitride as a capping layer for SOG that this invention is seeking to improve.
Referring to FIG. 1, a partially-completed prior art integrated circuit is shown in cross-section. A layer of thick field oxide 14 has been formed overlying a substrate 10. Two conductive traces 18 are shown defined overlying the field oxide layer 14. A layer of insulating oxide 22 has been deposited overlying the conductors. A thick layer of spin-on-glass 26 is shown overlying the insulating layer 22. The SOG layer has been formed using the process of coating, drying, and curing outlined above. Finally, a layer of plasma-enhanced silicon nitride, or simply plasma nitride, 30, has been deposited overlying the SOG layer 26. Plasma nitride is commonly used as an insulating dielectric in integrated circuit manufacturing because it can be deposited with low pinhole density, has good mechanical properties, and a high dielectric constant when compared to silicon oxide.
A problem that occurs in the conventional art is also shown in FIG. 1. Poor layer to layer adhesion between plasma nitride 30 and SOG 26 can cause delamination 35 to occur. Subsequent processing steps, such as polyimide coating and curing and even certain assembly processes can cause this delamination 35 that, in turn, can cause a reduction in wafer yield or an increase in reliability problems.
There are several prior art references to the effects of ion implantation into spin-on-glass and other thin film materials. In "Manufacturing Advancements in an Organic Process by Ar.sup.+ Implantation," by Berti and Farina, 1996 IEEE/SEMI Advanced Semiconductor Manufacturing Conference, pp. 259-264, argon ion implantation into SOG is shown to break Si--CH.sub.3 bonds leaving only Si--OH bonds. The density of the SOG material is increased and the absorption and outgassing effects in SOG are reduced. The article "Modification Effects in Ion-Implanted SiO.sub.2 Spin-On-Glass," by Moriya, Diamond, and Kalish, in The Journal of the Electrochemical Society, Vol. 140, No. 5, May 1993, pp. 1442-1449, describes material volume shrinkage and a greater than 50% reduction in HF etch rate of SiO.sub.2 -based SOG when implanted with either silicon or phosphorous. In "Plasma Processes for Thin Film Surface Treatment," by Mukkavilla, Pasco, Farooq, and Griffin, in the Proceedings of the IEEE Electronic Component and Technology Conference, 1990, 40.sup.th, Vol. 1, pp. 737-745, modification of polyimide surface characteristics, such as wetting and adhesion, is seen due to ion implantation.
Several other prior art approaches attempt to improve the performance of SOG by ion implantation., U.S. Pat. No. 5,459,086 to Yang teaches a process to eliminate outgassing from the SOG layer. An ion implantation is performed at a large tilt angle through the via opening to prevent via poisoning from the SOG layer. U.S. Pat. No. 5,496,776 to Chien et al teaches a method to implant ions into a spin-on-glass layer sufficient to cause structural changes in the complete depth of the cured material and to cause the material to become moisture sorption and outgassing resistant. U.S. Pat. No. 5,413,953 to Chien et al discloses a process to planarize an oxide layer using an ion implant and etch back sequence where spin-on-glass is used as a sacrificial implant layer. U.S. Pat. No. 5,192,697 to Leong discloses a method to cure SOG using ion implantation of argon to cause material heating. U.S. Pat. No. 5,429,990 to Liu et al teaches a method to improve planarity and to eliminate via poisoning in spin-on-glass by ion implanting through the complete thickness of the SOG layer after curing.

Method to prevent delamination of spin-on-glass and plasma nitride layers using ion implantation

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company


Aspects hereof relate to a footwear upper formed from a plurality of tensile strands interwoven with a webbing material. The upper may have a bootie configuration. At least a portion of the strands may extend between a lateral-side portion of the upper and a medial-side portion of the upper and extend over an instep region and/or a sole region of the upper. The tensile strands may be bundled such that a plurality of strands forms a single weft or warp. Bundles having differing quantities of tensile strands may form a pattern on the upper that is effective for aiding conformance of the upper to a wearer's foot while enhancing ventilation and reducing water saturation. The tensile strands, whether singular or bundled, may be effective for transferring a load of a fastening mechanism through the woven upper while allowing the upper to have a desired degree of elasticity, support and/or comfort.

Articles of footwear generally include two major components: an upper and a sole structure. The upper is often formed from a plurality of material elements (e.g., textiles, polymer sheet layers, foam layers, leather, and synthetic leather) that are stitched or adhesively bonded together to form an enclosure for comfortably and securely receiving a wearer's foot. More particularly, the upper forms a structure that extends over instep and toe areas of the wearer's foot, along medial and lateral sides of the foot, and around a heel area of the foot. The upper may also incorporate a fastening mechanism to adjust the fit of the footwear, as well as to permit entry and removal of the foot from the enclosure. The sole is generally secured to a lower portion of the upper and is primarily positioned between a wearer's foot and the ground. The sole may be designed to absorb the shock as the shoe contacts the ground and other surfaces.

Woven footwear upper with integrated tensile strands


It is possible to certainly prevent a vehicle from being stolen at low cost. A user of an automobile 31 registers an on or off state of a security mode with a center apparatus 33 in advance. When abnormality is detected by a sensor 41, the abnormality is notified to a center communication device 52 from an on-vehicle communication device 43 through a communication network 34. When the security mode is on, a center control device 51 notifies the abnormality to a portable telephone 32 of the user of the automobile 31 through the communication network 34.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a portable communication terminal and a communication method, an antitheft apparatus and an antitheft method, and an antitheft system, and particularly to a portable communication terminal and a communication method, an antitheft apparatus and an antitheft method, and an antitheft system, in which it is possible to more certainly prevent a vehicle from being stolen.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, because of the frequent theft of vehicles, it is demanded by society to prevent the theft of vehicles. Such a vehicle antitheft system is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-52932. The antitheft system proposed in the publication is constructed, for example, as shown in FIG. 1.
A vehicle 1 includes a security device 11 and an emergency communication service device 12. In the case where the security device 11 detects, for example, the opening of a door of the vehicle 1, that is notified to the emergency communication service device 12.
When receiving an abnormality detection signal like this from the security device 11, the emergency communication service device 12 communicates that to a response center 2 by wireless.
When receiving, from the emergency communication service device 12, notification that abnormality is detected, the response center 2 notifies that to a portable telephone 3 of a user of the vehicle 1 or a business pager 4. By this, the user of the vehicle 1 can know that the abnormality occurs in the vehicle 1, and the user confirms safety by, for example, going to a place where the vehicle 1 is parked.
However, in such an antitheft system, when abnormality is detected, the security device 11 detects this and notifies the portable telephone 3 or the business pager 4 through the response center 2 that the abnormality is detected, so that there has been a problem that for example, in the case where a thief cancels a security mode of the security device 11, it becomes impossible to prevent the vehicle 1 from being stolen.
The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and an object thereof is to more certainly prevent a vehicle from being stolen.
A portable communication terminal of the present invention comprises access means for accessing a center apparatus for taking charge of a vehicle against theft, and instruction means for instructing the center apparatus to register a mode of taking charge of the vehicle against theft.
The portable communication terminal may further comprise reception means for receiving notification of abnormality from the center apparatus.
For example, this portable communication terminal is constructed by a portable telephone 32 of FIG. 2, and in addition, it is constructed by a PHS (Personal Handyphone), a PDA (Personal Digital Assistants) or the like. The center apparatus is constructed by a center apparatus 33. Further, the vehicle is constructed by an automobile 31 of FIG. 2, and this vehicle also includes a passenger car, a truck, a bus, a motorcycle, a bicycle, and the like.
The access means is constructed by a control portion 92 of FIG. 5 which executes, for example, a processing of step S1 of FIG. 6. The instruction means is constructed by the control portion 92 of FIG. 5 which executes, for example, a processing of step S3 of FIG. 6.
The reception means is constructed by the control portion 92 of FIG. 5 which executes, for example, a processing of step S61 of FIG. 11.
A communication method of the present invention comprises an access step of accessing a center apparatus for taking charge of a vehicle against theft, and an instruction step of instructing the center apparatus to register a mode of taking charge of the vehicle against theft.
The access step is constructed by, for example, step S1 of FIG. 6, and the instruction step is constructed by step S3.
In the portable communication terminal and the communication method of the present invention, the center apparatus is instructed to register the mode of taking charge of the vehicle against theft. Accordingly, it becomes possible to certainly prevent the vehicle from being stolen.
An antitheft apparatus of the present invention comprises first reception means for receiving a request for registration of a mode of taking charge of a vehicle against theft, registration means for registering the mode on the basis of the request received by the first reception means, second reception means for receiving an abnormality detection signal from the vehicle, judgement means for judging the mode registered in the registration means when the second reception means receives the abnormality detection signal, and notification means for notifying a user of abnormality on the basis of a judgement result by the judgement means.
The antitheft apparatus may further comprise detection means which communicates with a communication device installed in the vehicle at a predetermined period and detects a state of the vehicle.
This antitheft apparatus is constructed by, for example, a center apparatus 33 of FIG. 2.
For example, the first reception means is constructed by a center control device 51 of FIG. 4 which executes a processing of step S11 of FIG. 7, the registration means is constructed by a storage device 83 of FIG. 4, the second reception means is constructed by the center control device 51 of FIG. 4 which executes a processing of step S41 of FIG. 10, the judgement means is constructed by the center control device 51 of FIG. 4 which executes a processing of step S42 of FIG. 10, and the notification means is constructed by the center control device 51 of FIG. 4 which executes a processing of step S43 of FIG. 10.
The detection means is constructed by the center control device 51 of FIG. 4 which executes, for example, processings of steps S48, S49 and S50 of FIG. 10.
An antitheft method of the present invention comprises a first reception step of receiving a request for registration of a mode of taking charge of a vehicle against theft, a registration step of registering the mode on the basis of the request received by a processing of the first reception step, a second reception step of receiving an abnormality detection signal from the vehicle, a judgement step of judging the mode registered by a processing of the registration step when the abnormality detection signal is received by a processing of the second reception step, and a notification step of notifying a user of abnormality on the basis of a judgement result by a processing of the judgement step.
For example, the first reception step is constructed by step S11 of FIG. 7, the registration step is constructed by step S17 of FIG. 7, the second reception step is constructed by step S41 of FIG. 10, the judgement step is constructed by step S42 of FIG. 10, and the notification step is constructed by step S43 of FIG. 10.
In the antitheft apparatus and the antitheft method of the present invention, the mode of taking charge of the vehicle against theft is registered on the basis of the request from the user. When the abnormality detection signal is received, the user is notified of the abnormality on the basis of the mode.
Accordingly, it becomes hard for a person other than the user to cancel the mode of taking charge of the vehicle against theft, and it is possible to provide the user with a service which can certainly prevent the vehicle from being stolen.
An antitheft system of the present invention is characterized in that a portable communication terminal comprises access means for accessing a center apparatus, and instruction means for instructing the center apparatus to register a mode of taking charge of a vehicle against theft, and the center apparatus comprises first reception means for receiving an instruction to register the mode from the instruction means, registration means for registering the mode on the basis of the instruction received by the first reception means, second reception means for receiving an abnormality detection signal from the vehicle, judgement means for judging the mode registered in the registration means when the second reception means receives the abnormality detection signal, and notification means for notifying the portable communication terminal of abnormality on the basis of a judgement result by the judgement means.
An antitheft method of the present invention is characterized in that an antitheft method of a portable communication terminal comprises an access step of accessing a center apparatus, and an instruction step of instructing the center apparatus to register a mode of taking charge of a vehicle against theft, and an antitheft method of the center apparatus comprises a first reception step of receiving an instruction to register the mode on the basis of a processing of the instruction step, a registration step of registering the mode on the basis of the instruction received at the first reception step, a second reception step of receiving an abnormality detection signal from the vehicle, a judgement step of judging the mode registered at the registration step when the abnormality detection signal is received at the second reception step, and a notification step of notifying the portable communication terminal of abnormality on the basis of a judgement result at the judgement step.
For example, the portable communication terminal is constructed by a portable telephone 32 of FIG. 2, and the center apparatus is constructed by a center apparatus 33 of FIG. 2.
For example, the access means is constructed by a control portion 92 of FIG. 5 which executes, for example, a processing of step S1 of FIG. 6, and the instruction means is constructed by the control portion 92 which executes, for example, a processing of step S3 of FIG. 6.
For example, the first reception means is constructed by a center control device 51 of FIG. 4 which executes a processing of step S11 of FIG. 7, the registration means is constructed by a storage device 83 of FIG. 4, the second reception means is constructed by the center control device 51 of FIG. 4 which executes a processing of step S41 of FIG. 10, the judgement means is constructed by the center control device 51 of FIG. 4 which executes a processing of step S42 of FIG. 10, and the notification means is constructed by the center control device 51 which executes a processing of step S43.
For example, the access step is constructed by, for example, step S1 of FIG. 6, and the instruction step is constructed by step S3 of FIG. 6.
For example, the first reception step is constructed by step S11 of FIG. 7, the registration step is constructed by step S17 of FIG. 7, the second reception step is constructed by step S41 of FIG. 10, the judgement step is constructed by step S42 of FIG. 10, and the notification step is constructed by step S43 of FIG. 10.
In the antitheft system and the antitheft method of the present invention, the center apparatus registers the mode of taking charge of the vehicle against theft on the basis of the request from the portable communication terminal. When the abnormality detection signal from the vehicle is received, the center apparatus notifies the portable communication terminal of the abnormality on the basis of the registered mode.
It becomes impossible for a person other than the user to cancel the mode, and it is possible to more certainly prevent the vehicle from being stolen. Besides, cost required for the user to that end can be made low.

Portable communication terminal and communication method, antitheft apparatus and antitheft method, and antitheft system


A method of driving a machine related to printing technology, wherein movable elements forming a kinematic chain are coupled with one another via at least one gear mechanism, includes infeeding torque components by a respective motor of at least one group of two motors, respectively located at least at two elements associated with one another. The torque components are of equal amplitude but have opposite directions of rotation, for suppressing disruptive oscillations at least at the one group of two motors. The amplitude of the torque components is proportional to relative rotation of the two elements associated with one another. Rotary encoders are provided to obtain signals for reproducing rotational positions of the elements.

Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method of driving a machine related to printing technology.
German Published, Non-prosecuted Patent Application DE 42 10 988 A1 describes a multi-motor drive for a printing press wherein a rotary encoder is assigned to each motor. The rotary encoders generate signals relating to the rotary position of a respective element to which a torque is fed in a gear mechanism or transmission of the printing press. The rotary encoder signals are fed to phase measuring devices, by which the phase difference between adjacent feed points are determined. Depending upon the phase difference, the motors are driven in such manner that elastic stresses in the gear train can be kept constant. Controlling the stress between two adjacent feed points ensures continuous tooth surface or flank contact in the gear train and therefore has a positive effect upon maintenance of register, but only a slight effect upon vibration characteristics of the printing press.
In a method disclosed in German Published, Non-prosecuted Patent Application DE 199 14 627 A1, corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 6,401,620, for compensating for rotational oscillations of a printing press, opposing torques are infed at locations where rotational oscillations occur most intensely. The infeeding of opposing moments may be effected by driving a main drive motor or a separate motor, by which a variable-speed opposing torque component may be produced. The opposing torques to be infed are stored permanently in a control system and are changed only when the machine configuration is changed, so that the locations with the oscillations which occur most intensely occur with an offset.
It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a method of driving a machine related to printing technology, which overcomes the hereinafore-mentioned disadvantages of the heretofore-known methods of this general type and which permits a suppression of undesired oscillations over a wide rotational speed range.
With the foregoing and other objects in view, there is provided, in accordance with the invention, a method of driving a machine related to printing technology, which comprises providing movable elements forming a kinematic chain being coupled with one another via at least one gear mechanism. Torque components are fed in by a respective motor of at least one group of two motors respectively located at least at two elements associated with one another. The torque components have equal amplitude but opposite directions of rotation, for suppressing disruptive oscillations at least at the one group of two motors. The amplitude of the torque components is proportional to relative rotation of the two elements associated with one another. Rotary encoders are provided to obtain signals for reproducing rotational positions of the elements.
In accordance with another mode, the method of the invention further includes placing the motors, in at least the one group thereof, at the start and the end of the kinematic chain.
In accordance with a further mode, the method of the invention further includes driving the one group of two motors independently of signal processing of further motors.
In accordance with an added mode, the method of the invention further includes driving the motors of the one group, for shifting the natural frequency of the kinematic chain into a non-disruptive range.
In accordance with an additional mode, the method of the invention further includes providing a printing press having a large number of printing units forming the kinematic chain. A main drive torque is fed in by a main drive motor and a natural frequency is shifted by auxiliary drive motors forming a group.
In accordance with yet another mode, the method of the invention further includes providing the auxiliary drive motors for acting at the start and the end of the kinematic chain.
In accordance with a concomitant mode, the method of the invention further includes driving the auxiliary drive motors independently of the control of the main drive motor.
Applying and controlling additional motors, in particular electric motors, and using previously provided motors at one or more elements, also in addition to a main drive motor, makes it is possible to operate motors pairwise so that a torque output by one motor corresponds to that from a mechanical spring which is connected between two pairwise coupled motors. In the case of a printing press of in-line construction, having a multiplicity of printing units, an increase in the critical natural frequency of the printing press of 50% can be achieved, for example with two auxiliary motors at the start and the end of the printing press, and coupling these two drives via a previously provided gear train. Accordingly, the number of prints at resonance can be increased, for example, from the usual 10,000 prints per hour to 15,000 prints per hour. The pairwise coupled motors form an electromechanical spring which changes the natural form of the machine that is related to printing technology. The natural form can be influenced by a suitable selection of the stiffness or rigidity of such an electromechanical spring, so that the relative excursions and, therewith, the dynamic sectional torques in a gear train that couples the driven elements can be improved in the range that is critical for backlash. It is possible to realize or implement electromechanical springs, by which the natural frequency of a printing machine can be increased even further, by using a main drive motor in conjunction with auxiliary drive motors.
The method encompasses the possibility, depending upon the then occurring machine speed or upon other parameters, such as the machine configuration, of the connection or disconnection of the electromechanical springs or the use of various combinations. A linear damping characteristic between pairwise connected machine elements can also be realized or implemented by the motor control system, in addition to the spring characteristic, in order to increase the oscillation damping. For this reason, the method can advantageously be combined with electrical infeeding of compensation torques.
Other features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in the appended claims.
Although the invention is illustrated and described herein as embodied in a method of driving a machine related to printing technology, it is nevertheless not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims.
The construction and method of operation of the invention, however, together with additional objects and advantages thereof will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.

Method of driving a machine related to printing technology


A system and method for recording and providing a written transcript of a portion of a media session (e.g., a video or audio conference) are provided. An exemplary system continuously records a media session, allowing one or more users to select segments of the session to store and have transcribed. A copy of the recording and the corresponding transcription may be provided to one or more users.

Various techniques for recording video and/or audio material exist. For example, audio information can be recorded digitally and stored as WAV, AIFF, AU, raw, MP3, AAC, or similar file types. Similarly, video recordings may be stored as 3GP, ASF, AVI, MP4, or the like.
Often, during a phone or video conversation, it is desirable to memorialize a portion (e.g., specific information, such as contact information (name, number, address, etc.) or other information) of the conversation. This may be done by, for example, taking notes by hand during the conversation. Unfortunately, the person taking notes may not have much, if any notice, that the information about to be conveyed is important and may therefore miss something. Consequently, the person desiring to memorialize a portion of the session may have to ask for the desired information to be repeated.
Alternatively, a system may be set up to record the entire audio or video session. In this case, a person may review the recording and note the desired information. Unfortunately, it may take an undesirable amount of time to review the session recording to find the desired information.
Therefore, improved systems and methods for memorializing a portion of an audio or video session are desired.
It will be appreciated that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of illustrated embodiments of the present invention.

Digital media recording system and method


This technique for assembling a print head for an LED printer has LED dice first assembled into precisely known locations on mounting tiles. A portion of the front face of each tile is left exposed beyond anything mounted on the tile. The tiles are then assembled with these exposed areas on a planar reference on an assembly fixture. Reference surfaces built into the fixture align the edges of the tiles, and hence the LED dice. Finally a mother plate is adhesively bonded onto the backs of the tiles. The adhesive accommodates thickness variations in the mounting tiles, and lack of flatness in the back surfaces of the tiles and the front face of the mother plate. Reference tiles coplanar with the reference plane formed by the front faces of the mounting tiles provide a z axis reference.

It has become desirable to employ non-impact printers for text and graphics. Xerographic techniques are employed in such non-impact printers. An electrostatic charge is developed on the surface of a moving drum or belt and selected areas of the surface are discharged by exposure to light. Alternatively, areas may be charged by illumination. A printing toner is applied to the drum and adheres to the areas having an electrostatic charge and does not adhere to the discharged areas. The toner is then transferred to a sheet of plain paper and is heat-fused to the paper. By controlling the areas illuminated and the areas not illuminated, characters, lines and other images may be produced on the paper.
One type of non-impact printer employs an array of light emitting diodes (LEDs) for exposing the photoreceptor drum surface. A line of minute LEDs is positioned next to a lens so that the images of the LEDs are arrayed across the surface to be illuminated. In some printers, multiple rows of LEDs may be used. As the surface moves past the line of LEDs, the LEDs are selectively activated to either emit light or not, thereby exposing or not exposing the surface of the drum in a pattern corresponding to the LEDs activated.
To obtain good resolution and image quality in such a printer, the physical dimensions of the LEDs must be quite small and very tight position tolerances must be maintained. Dimensional tolerances are often no more than a few tens of micrometers.
At the lowest level of integration, a plurality of light emitting diodes are formed on gallium arsenide chips or dice by conventional techniques. The size and positions of the LEDs are controlled by well-established photolithographic techniques. The wafer on which the LEDs are formed is carefully cut into individual dice, each having a row of LEDs. In an exemplary embodiment, the length of such a die is cut to .+-.2 micrometers and the width is cut to .+-.5 micrometers. An exemplary die about 8 millimeters long may have 96 LEDs along its length.
Practical problems arise in arranging these LED-bearing dice in a line with the necessary precision for good image quality. Clearly economical as well as precise assembly techniques are important.
For purposes of exposition herein, the face of the LED die on which the LEDs are formed is referred to as the front and the opposite face as the back. The same nomenclature is used for the other parts of the assembly such as integrated circuit chips, mounting tiles and the like. In each case, the face facing in the same direction as the LEDs is referred to as the front.
It is also convenient to employ a coordinate system for the assembly. Thus, the x direction is along the line of LEDs. The y direction is in the plane of the LEDs perpendicular to the x direction. The z direction is normal to these and is the direction in which the light output from the LEDs is generally directed. It might be thought of as the height.
In an exemplary embodiment, a print-head with a length corresponding to the width of a sheet of business size paper has 2592 light emitting diodes. Close control of dimensions between adjacent LEDs is more significant than the total length of the array since the user is more sensitive to a line displacement or character imperfection in mid-page than a discrepancy in the total page width. Spacing of LEDs on a die is well controlled by photolithography. The spacing between LEDs at the ends of adjacent dice is an area of concern in assembling an LED print head. Typical tolerance between adjacent LEDs at the ends of dice can be as little as .+-.10 micrometers in the x direction.
Similarly, the tolerance in the y direction may be .+-.25 micrometers at the ends of adjacent dice, with a total "waviness" along the entire print-head of .+-.75 micrometers. Tolerance in the z direction may be .+-.25 microns to assure that light from the LEDs is sharply focused on the photo-receptor surface throughout the full length of the array.
It is desirable to provide a technique for rapidly and economically assembling a print-head having a line of LEDs that is substantially straight and co-planar. Tight control of dimensional tolerances is important. It is important that the chances for operator error be reduced to a minimum and to provide for intermediate testing of components as the array is assembled for a maximum yield of the final product.

Light emitting diode print head assembly


A method of manual control neutral drift correction for a work vehicle is characterized by the steps of: sensing a position of a first manual control using a first position sensor when an activation switch is activated, wherein the first position sensor generates a first input signal; sending the first input signal to a controller; retrieving a stored first manual control neutral position value from a memory unit; calculating a first corrected manual control neutral position value using the controller, wherein the first corrected manual control neutral position value is calculated using the first input signal and the first manual control position value; and utilizing the first corrected manual control neutral position value to generate a first control signal for operating a first electro-hydraulic valve, wherein the first control signal is generated by the controller to operate the first electro-hydraulic valve to effect movement of a first assembly.

The present invention relates to the calibration of a neutral position for hand or foot manual controls such as would be used in a work vehicle, such as, for example a mini excavator or skid steer loader. In particular, the present invention relates to an apparatus and method automatically correcting sensor output drift utilizing a xe2x80x9cmoving averagexe2x80x9d to correct for control and position sensor drift.
Skid steer loaders are work vehicles that include four wheels rotatably mounted to a frame, an engine mounted on the frame and connected by a transmission to rotate at least two wheels, a cab compartment mounted on the frame that includes a seat for an operator, manual controls and a display panel disposed in the cab compartment, a boom arm assembly rotatably mounted on the frame and connected to a pair of hydraulic boom cylinders for moving the boom arm assembly, and an implement assembly connected to the boom arm assembly. Typically, one or more hydraulic cylinders are used to manipulate the implement assembly. The implement assembly may be, for example, a bucket assembly, wherein the implement is a bucket and a pair of hydraulic bucket cylinders is used to move the bucket assembly. Other types of work vehicles that are similar to skid steer loaders include tractors, bulldozers and mini-excavators.
To operate the hydraulic boom cylinders and the hydraulic bucket cylinders, an operator in the cab manipulates either hand or foot manual controls. The skid steer loader, or similar work vehicle, includes an electronic control circuit system that includes an onboard computer, microprocessor, or controller. For the purposes of this disclosure a computer, microprocessor, or controller are considered to be equivalent and interchangeable elements. The onboard computer operates solenoids or digital coils of electroliydraulic valves that activate the hydraulic boom and bucket cylinders.
To properly operate the hydraulic boom cylinders and the hydraulic implement cylinders, each manual control is associated with a control and position sensor that generates input signals and sends them to the controller. The input signals generated by each sensor correspond proportionately to a displacement of the particular manual control from a neutral position. Generally, the neutral position is memorized and stored in the memory storage unit that is either integral with, or connected to, the controller. The controller receives the control and position sensor input signals, compares the information provided by these sensors to the memorized neutral position data, then generates output control signals used to control the operation of electrohydraulic valves, such as spool valves or cartridge valves, Thus, the controlled operation of the electrohydraulic valves activates the hydraulic cylinders of the boom arm assembly and the implement assembly to effect movement of the boom arm assembly and the implement carried by the boom arm assembly. In this way, an operator directs the desired movement on the boom arm assembly and the implement by manipulating manual controls in the cab of the work vehicle.
One such work vehicle is the skid steer loaded disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,924,516 to Sagaser et al., which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Sagaser et al. discloses an electronic control system for a skid steer loader (xe2x80x9cskidderxe2x80x9d) that includes a controller receiving inputs from an interface controller, position sensors associated with a hand grip and foot pedal manual controls, and a feedback signal from a linear actuator. The controller generates outputs to the linear actuator, which in turn activates a hydraulic spool valve that activates a hydraulic cylinder such as is connected to effect movement of a boom arm assembly or an implement carried by the boom arm assembly.
The hand grip and foot pedal manual controls are biased to a neutral position. The controller is programmed so that, upon power-up, the controller determines whether the manual controls are in a neutral position (or within some predetermined range of the neutral position) or not based on the data provided by position sensors associated with each manual control. If the manual controls are not in the neutral position, or not within some predetermined range of the neutral position, the controller sends a signal to the interface controller instructing the interface controller to inhibit certain operations of the loader until the manual controls are placed in the neutral position for some predetermined time period. In this manner, the loader is provided with a safety feature that prevents sudden and accidental operation of either the boom arm assembly and/or the implement assembly in case the operator starts up the loader with the manual controls significantly displaced from the neutral position.
However, the prior art work vehicles have certain drawbacks. First, the position information provided by the manual control and position sensors is susceptible to drift over time. Specifically, control and position sensors are partially sensitive to environmental changes such as variations in temperature. This dependence of each sensor on environmental factors is referred to as xe2x80x9csensor drift.xe2x80x9d Besides being partially temperature sensitive, the operational relationship between each control and position sensor and its associated manual control is partially sensitive to changes in the mechanical linkage between the manual controls and the sensors themselves. This dependence of the functioning of the sensor-manual control pair on the mechanical linkage between the sensor and the manual control is referred to, for the purposes of this disclosure, as xe2x80x9clinkage drift.xe2x80x9d The ever changing problem caused by the naturally occurring xe2x80x9csensor drift,xe2x80x9d i.e., sensor signal fluctuation secondary to temperature changes, and some degree of xe2x80x9clinkage drift,xe2x80x9d i.e., eventual changes over time in the mechanical linkage between the manual controls and the sensors themselves, is that the physical neutral position of the manual controls may not correspond precisely to the memorized neutral position. This drift in the physical neutral position from the memorized neutral position is referred to as xe2x80x9cneutral driftxe2x80x9d and is a function of, at least, sensor drift and linkage drift.
The prior art work vehicle has the disadvantage that the memorized neutral position stored in a memory storage device is fixed and there is no algorithm providing compensation for the neutral drift. The practical result of neutral drift is an eventual improper matching between the physical neutral position of the manual controls and the memorized neutral position stored in the memory storage device, which results in improper movement control of the boom arm assembly and/or the implement assembly when the physical neutral position is misperceived by the controller. Consequently, unexpected operation of the boom arm assembly and the implement assembly result as the manual controls are no longer precisely matched to movement in the boom arm assembly and implement assembly. In other words, the boom arm assembly and the implement can not be positioned as desired because the controller of the skid steer loader, or similar type of work vehicle, does not recognize when the manual controls are in the neutral position; therefore, the controller can not properly generate output control signals proportionate to the amount of displacement of the manual controls from the physical neutral position. Furthermore, when the controller can not properly recognize when the manual controls are in the neutral position, it becomes a more difficult task to get the controller to enable the operation of the boom arm assembly and the implement assembly instead of operating to inhibit operations of these assemblies.
From the previous discussion, it is clear that there is a need to correct for neutral drift. However, the particular amount of neutral drift between any one control and position sensor and its associated manual control is a physical limitation of the sensor and its mechanistic association with the manual control. In other words, the temperature dependence of any one particular control and position sensor is not readily predicable, and whatever play there is in the mechanical linkage between the sensor and its associated manual control is also unpredictable. Consequently, each sensor, paired to its manual control will form a system having unique neutral drift characteristics. Without extensive physical characterization of each individual sensor and characterization of the relationship with its associated manual control, it is impractical to confidently predict how much drift from the neutral position there will be with temperature changes and time related changes in the mechanical linkage between each sensor and its associated manual control. In other words, it is difficult or impractical to approach the problem of sensor neutral drift from the point of view of characterizing and correcting for each sensor and its mechanistic association with a manual control.
One object of the present invention is to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art electronic control systems for work vehicles and like machines.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an electronic control system for work vehicles, and like machines, that includes a feature for automatically correcting for neutral drift by using previously measured position sensor information collected at the moment of previous work vehicle start-ups and adding the most recently measured position sensor information collected at the moment of the present start-up to provide a xe2x80x9cmoving averagexe2x80x9d position that serves as the new neutral position of the manual controls for the work vehicle.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an electronic control system for work vehicles, and like machines, that permits the selection and enablement of either hand or foot manual controls to manipulate the boom arm assembly and the implement assembly, wherein neutral drift has been compensated for by the control system of the work vehicle.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an electronic control system for work vehicles, and like machines, that is practical and cost effective to manufacture.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an electronic control system for work vehicles, and like machines, that is both durable and reliable.
Although the electronic control system for work vehicles and like machines will be described for use in skid steer loaders and other similar work vehicles, another object of the present invention is to provide an electronic control system for machines having a boom arm assembly and an implement assembly connected to the boom assembly, wherein the machine can be a self-propelled vehicle or a stationary device.
In accordance with the above objects, thus is provided both method and apparatus embodiments in accordance with the present invention. In a first method embodiment in accordance with the present invention, a method of manual control neutral drift correction for a work vehicle is characterized by the steps of: (a) sensing a position of a first manual control using a first position sensor when an activation switch is activated, wherein the first position sensor generates a first input signal; (b) sending the first input signal to a controller; (c) retrieving a stored first manual control neutral position value from a memory unit; (d) calculating a first corrected manual control neutral position value using the controller, wherein the first corrected manual control neutral position value is calculated using the first input signal and the first manual control position value; and (e) utilizing the first corrected manual control neutral position value to generate a first control signal for operating a first electro-hydraulic valve, wherein the first control signal is generated by the controller to operate the first electro-hydraulic valve to effect movement of a first assembly.
In accordance with a second method embodiment of the present invention, the first method embodiment is further modified so that calculation of the first corrected manual control neutral position value is a weighted average calculated as a function of the first input signal and the first manual control position value. In accordance with a third method embodiment of the present invention, the second method embodiment is further modified so that the first corrected manual control neutral position value is the weighted average calculated using formula I:
NNA=[(PNA)*(nxe2x88x921)+NNU)]/nxe2x80x83xe2x80x83(I)
which is a moving average, where NNA is the first corrected manual control neutral position value, PNA is the first manual control neutral position value, NNU is the first input signal, and n=128.
In accordance with a fourth method embodiment of the present invention, the first method embodiment is further modified so that the first manual control is a right foot pedal manual control, the first position sensor is a right foot pedal implement position sensor, and the first assembly is an implement assembly, wherein the implement assembly moves when the first electro-hydraulic valve receives the first control signal.
In accordance with a fifth method embodiment of the present invention, the first method embodiment is further modified so that the first manual control is a left hand grip manual control, the first position sensor is a left hand stick boom arm position sensor, and the first assembly is a boom arm assembly, wherein the boom arm assembly moves when the first electro-hydraulic valve receives the first control signal.
In accordance with a sixth method embodiment of the present invention, the first method embodiment is further modified so that the first manual control is a left foot pedal manual control, the first position sensor is a left foot pedal boom arm position sensor, and the first assembly is a boom arm assembly, wherein the boom arm assembly moves when the first electro-hydraulic valve receives the first control signal.
In accordance with a seventh method embodiment of the present invention, the first method embodiment is further modified so that the first manual control is a right hand grip manual control, the first position sensor is a right hand stick implement position sensor, and the first assembly is an implement assembly, wherein the implement assembly moves when the first electro-hydraulic valve receives the first control signal.
In accordance with an eighth method embodiment of the present invention, the first method embodiment is further modified so that the first manual control is a hand grip manual control, and the first position sensor is a hand rip position sensor.
In accordance with a ninth method embodiment of the present invention, the first method embodiment is further modified so that the first manual control is a foot pedal manual control, and the first position sensor is a foot pedal position sensor.
In accordance with a tenth method embodiment of the present invention, the eighth method embodiment is further modified so that the first assembly is an implement assembly.
In accordance with an eleventh method embodiment of the present invention, the ninth method embodiment is further modified so that the first assembly is an implement assembly.
In accordance with a twelfth method embodiment of the present invention, the eighth method embodiment is further modified so that the first assembly is a boom arm assembly.
In accordance with a thirteenth method embodiment of the present invention, the ninth method embodiment is further modified so that the first assembly is a boom arm assembly.
In accordance with a fourteenth method embodiment of the present invention, the first method embodiment is further modified so that activating the activation switch enables the first manual control and disables a second manual control.
In accordance with a fifteenth method embodiment of the present invention, the fourteenth method embodiment is further modified so that the first manual control is a right hand grip manual control, the second manual control is a right foot pedal manual control, the first position sensor is a right hand stick implement position sensor, and the first assembly is an implement assembly, wherein the implement assembly moves when the first electro-hydraulic valve receives the first control signal.
In accordance with a sixteenth method embodiment of the present invention, the fourteenth method embodiment is further modified so that the first manual control is a right foot pedal manual control, the second manual control is a right hand grip manual control, the first position sensor is a right foot pedal implement position sensor, and the first assembly is an implement assembly, wherein the implement assembly moves when the first electro-hydraulic valve receives the first control signal.
In accordance with a seventeenth method embodiment of the present invention, the fourteenth method embodiment is further modified so that the first manual control is a left hand grip manual control, the second manual control is a left foot pedal manual control, the first position sensor is a left hand stick boom position sensor, and the first assembly is a boom arm assembly, wherein the boom arm assembly moves when the first electro-hydraulic valve receives the first control signal.
In accordance with an eighteenth method embodiment of the present invention, the fourteen method embodiment is further modified so that the first manual control is a left foot pedal manual control, the second manual control is a left hand grip manual control, the first position sensor is a left foot pedal boom position sensor, and the first assembly is a boom arm assembly, wherein the boom arm assembly moves when the first electro-hydraulic valve receives the first control signal.
In accordance with a nineteenth method embodiment of the present invention, the first method embodiment is further modified to include the steps of: (g) when the activation switch is activated, sensing a position of a second manual control using a second position sensor, sensing a position of a third manual control using a third position sensor, and sensing a position of a fourth manual control using a fourth position sensor, wherein the second position sensor generates a second input signal, the third position sensor generates a third input signal and the fourth position sensor generates a fourth input signal; (h) sending the second input signal, the third input signal and the fourth input signal to the controller; (i) retrieving a stored second manual control neutral position value, a stored third manual control neutral position value and a stored fourth manual control neutral position value from the memory unit; (j) calculating a second corrected manual control neutral position value using the controller, wherein the second corrected manual control neutral position value is calculated using the second input signal and the second manual control position value; (k) calculating a third corrected manual control neutral position value using the controller, wherein the third corrected manual control neutral position value is calculated using the third input signal and the third manual control position value; and (l) calculating a fourth corrected manual control neutral position value using the controller, wherein the fourth corrected manual control neutral position value is calculated using the fourth input signal and the fourth manual control position value.
In accordance with a twentieth method embodiment of the present invention, the nineteenth method embodiment is further modified to include the step of: (m) utilizing the second corrected manual control neutral position value to generate a second control signal for operating a second electro-hydraulic valve, wherein the second control signal is generated by the controller to operate the second electro-hydraulic valve to effect movement of a second assembly.
In accordance with a twenty-first method embodiment of the present invention, the twentieth method embodiment is further modified to include the step of: (n) storing the first corrected manual control neutral position value, the second corrected manual control neutral position value, the third corrected manual control neutral position value, and the fourth corrected manual control neutral position value in the memory unit.
In accordance with a twenty-second method embodiment of the present invention, the nineteenth method embodiment is further modified so that activating the activation switch enables the first manual control and the second manual control while disabling the third manual control and the fourth manual control.
In accordance with a twenty-third method embodiment of the present invention, the first method embodiment is further modified to include the step of: (f) storing the first corrected manual control neutral position value in the memory unit.
In a first apparatus embodiment in accordance with the present invention, a work vehicle is characterized by: (a) a frame; (b) a boom arm assembly connected at one end to the frame; (c) an implement assembly pivotally connected to another end of the boom arm assembly, wherein the implement assembly includes an implement; (d) a first hydraulic implement cylinder connected to the implement assembly and positioned to pivotally rotate the implement relative to the boom arm assembly when a piston of the first hydraulic implement cylinder is extended or retracted, wherein the first hydraulic implement cylinder is connected to a first electrohydraulic valve that activates extension and retraction of the piston of the first implement cylinder; (e) a second hydraulic boom cylinder connected to the boom arm assembly and positioned to move the boom arm assembly between a first retracted position and a second extended position when a piston of the second boom cylinder is retracted and extended, respectively, wherein the second hydraulic boom cylinder is connected to a second electrohydraulic valve that activates extension and retraction of the piston of the second hydraulic cylinder; (f) a first position sensor disposed to sense a position of a first manual control and generate a first input signal; (g) a second position sensor disposed to sense a position of a second manual control and generate a second input signal; (h) a controller connected to receive the first input signal from the first position sensor and the second input signal from the second position sensor, and connected to send a first control signal to the first electrohydraulic valve and a second control signal to the second electrohydraulic valve; and (i) an activation switch connected to send an activation signal to the controller, wherein when the activation signal is sent to the controller, the controller retrieves a first manual control neutral position value and a second manual control neutral position value from a memory storage device connected to provide stored data to the controller and the controller calculates a first corrected manual control neutral position value and a second corrected manual control neutral position value using the first input signal, the second input signal, the first manual control neutral position value and the second manual control neutral position value, wherein the controller generates the first control signal using the first corrected manual control neutral position value and generates the second control signal using the second corrected manual control neutral position value.
In accordance with a second apparatus embodiment of the present invention, the first apparatus embodiment is further modified to include a third position sensor disposed to sense a position of a third manual control and generate a third input signal; and a fourth position sensor disposed to sense a position of a fourth manual control and generate a fourth input signal, wherein the controller is connected to receive the third input from the third position sensor and to receive the fourth input from the fourth position sensor, wherein when the activation signal is sent to the controller, the controller retrieves a third manual control neutral position value and a fourth manual control neutral position value from the memory storage device connected to provide stored data to the controller and the controller calculates a third corrected manual control neutral position value and a fourth corrected manual control neutral position value using the third input signal, the fourth input signal, the third manual control neutral position value and the fourth manual control neutral position value.
In accordance with a third apparatus embodiment of the present invention, the second apparatus embodiment is further modified so that the first manual control and the second manual control are manual hand grip controls and the third manual control and the fourth manual controls are manual foot pedal controls, wherein the controller enables the first manual control and the second manual control and disables the third manual control and the fourth manual control in response to receiving the activation signal from the activation switch.
In accordance with a fourth apparatus embodiment of the present invention, the second apparatus embodiment is further modified so that the first manual control and the second manual control are manual foot pedal controls and the third manual control and the fourth manual controls are manual hand grip controls, wherein the controller enables the first manual control and the second manual control and disables the third manual control and the fourth manual control in response to receiving the activation signal from the activation switch.
In accordance with a fifth apparatus embodiment of the present invention, the second apparatus embodiment is further modified so that the memory storage device is integrally connected to the controller and forms a portion of the controller.
In accordance with a sixth apparatus embodiment of the present invention, the second apparatus embodiment is further modified so that the memory storage device is an external non-volatile memory unit connected to the controller.
Further objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments, which follows, when considered together with the attached drawings.

Skid steer loader neutral drift correction method