Copper alloys of aluminum are afforded extended protection against surface corrosion by anodizing the aluminum surface to be protected, treating the surface with a heterocyclic aromatic azole treating agent having up to 16 carbon atoms before, during or after the anodizing step, and coating the treated surface after anodize with a fatty acid of 5 to 24 carbon atoms.

Aluminum alloys with copper, e.g. the Series 1000, 2000 and 7000 aluminum alloys, are extensively used in architectural, aircraft and marine applications, and as such are desirably improved in corrosion resistance without adverse trade-offs such as increased weight or discoloration. At the same time, increasing environmental concerns dictate that improvements be obtained without undue use of environmentally hazardous chemicals in anodizing, such as chromates.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,169,458 to Shulman and Bauman, improvements in corrosion resistance of aluminum were obtained by conditioning a freshly anodized aluminum surface with alcohol and treating with a fatty acid. Corrosion resistance to as much as 2856 hours was obtained using stearic acid and isopropyl alcohol.

Anodizing and duplex protection of aluminum copper alloys


A new and distinct hybrid of Sedum plant substantially as shown and described characterized by pink flowers in large inflorescences, purple black leaves in summer with cut leaf margins, two-toned olive and purple leaves in the spring, strongly upright stems, and a medium, clumping habit.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Sedum and given the cultivar name of 'Cherry Truffle'. Sedum is in the family Crassulaceae. Sedum 'Cherry Truffle' originated from a planned cross between an unnamed proprietary, unpatented Sedum telephium seedling and Sedum telephium PP5, another proprietary, unpatented plant. The new cultivar is planned as an accent for the landscape that is of medium height with strong stems that won't fall over.
Compared to Sedum telephium PP5, the new cultivar is larger with a better crown and with a larger inflorescence.
Compared to Sedum 'Raspberry Truffle' (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 22,755), the new variety is larger with a broader habit that more quickly forms multiple crowns and with leaves that are purple black rather than purple brown.
This new and unique Sedum is distinguished by:                1. pink flowers in large inflorescences,        2. purple black leaves in summer with cut leaf margins,        3. two-toned olive and purple leaves in the spring,        4. strongly upright stems,        5. and a medium, clumping habit.
This new cultivar has been reproduced only by asexual propagation (division and tissue culture). Each of the progeny exhibits identical characteristics to the original plant. Asexual propagation by division and tissue culture using standard micropropagation techniques with terminal and lateral shoots, as done in Canby, Oreg., shows that the foregoing characteristics and distinctions come true to form and are established and transmitted through succeeding propagations. The present invention has not been evaluated under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary with variations in environment without a change in the genotype of the plant.


A method of making a Josephson Junction is disclosed which includes the steps of depositing a base electrode layer of a refractory superconducting material on a substrate, depositing a first passivation layer on the base electrode, depositing a barrier layer of refractory insulating semiconducting material on the passivation layer, depositing a second passivation layer on the barrier layer, and depositing a counter electrode on the second passivation layer. The layers are deposited at a substrate temperature of from about 50.degree. C. to about 700.degree. C. in an Ultra-High Vacuum sputtering system at a base pressure of less than or equal to 5.times.10.sup.-8 Torr. In the preferred embodiment a base electrode and counter electrode of NbN are separated by a barrier layer of hydrogenated silicon. When exposed to high post processing temperatures this structure maintains a chemically stable interface with the substrate.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates, generally, to electronic devices, and, specifically to a method for making a Josephson junction, from NbN/Si/NbN, at elevated substrate temperatures.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Low resistivity niobium nitride thin films are usually reactively sputtered at temperatures greater than 700.degree. C. This material has a resistivity of less than 80 .mu., .OMEGA.-cm. NbN which is sputtered at ambient temperature has high resistivity, is often under strain or has a columnar structure. These properties are not the most desirable for the deposition of subsequent layers.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,426,268 reports a method for forming high T.sub.c film of niobium nitride without heating the substrate. Introducing carbon into the film during reactive sputtering increases the T.sub.c of a thin film of niobium nitride to near that of bulk niobium nitride.
Josephson junctions fabricated with refractory NbN or Nb superconducting electrodes incorporate artificial barriers such as silicon, germanium, MgO or other suitable material. These barriers are normally deposited at cooled or ambient substrate temperature to assure an amorphous film with uniform coverage. The barrier is then oxidized to plug any "pinholes".
U.S. Pat. No. 4,458,409 relates to an all niobium Josephson junction cf a niobium base electrode, a niobium-oxide tunnel barrier and a niobium counter electrode. A non-continuous layer of gold covers the tunnel barrier oxide layer. The areas not covered by the gold layer are strongly oxidized. The gold becomes superconducting by the proximity effect and allows a tunnel current to flow.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,176,365 discloses a Josephson tunnel junction with niobium superconductive electrodes separated by a hydrogenated amorphous semiconductor material (silicon, germanium and alloys thereof), doped or undoped. This barrier material provides high current density.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,220,959 is for a Josephson junction with niobium nitride superconductive electrodes and a polycrystalline semiconductor tunnelling barrier of silicon, germanium or an alloy thereof, doped or undoped, between the electrodes.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,768,069 pertains to a Josephson junction of niobium nitride on a substrate, an epitaxial layer on the niobium nitride of a pseudo-binary compound of composition 3-97 atomic % MgO/97-3 atomic % CaO and an epitaxial layer of niobium nitride on the pseudo-binary layer. Since the MgO-CaO solid solution have the same lattice spacing as the niobium nitride a good quality top layer of niobium nitride is obtained.
These techniques can limit the substrate temperature of any subsequent layers or post processing temperature. If they are carried out at room temperature, succeeding processing and post-processing temperatures at higher temperatures can result in material migration, contamination and degradation. High quality NbN is deposited at elevated substrate temperatures. It is desirable to find an artificial barrier which can be deposited at substrate temperatures approaching 700.degree. C. and still maintain a stable interface with NbN. Current barrier technology is not compatible with high substrate temperature.

Fabrication of NBN based electronic devices with silicon barriers


An electrochemically active material is disclosed in which the particles of electrochemically active material have a zeta potential of less than 25 mV in absolute value (−25 mV to 0 mV; 0 mV to 25 mV) as measured in the medium (water and/or organic solvent) in which the particles are dispersed.

Lithium polymer batteries use a solid electrolyte comprising a polymer and a lithium salt to separate the positive electrode from the negative electrode and to provide ionic conductivity between the electrodes. The negative electrode may be a lithium or lithium alloy metal sheet or an active material capable of insertion and deinsertion of lithium ions such as carbon or Li4Ti5O12 in a polymer binder while the positive electrode consists of electrochemically active material particles such as LiFePO4, LiMnO2, LiMn2O4, etc., an electronically conductive additive and a solid polymer electrolyte which acts as a binder as well as provides the required ionic path between the electrochemically active material particles of the positive electrode and the electrolyte separator.
Contrary to lithium ion batteries which use a liquid electrolyte and therefore the electrodes of a lithium ion electrochemical cell must be porous to allow the liquid electrolyte to soak the electrodes in order to provide the ionic path between the electrochemically active material and/or insertion material of the electrodes and the electrolyte separator, the electrodes of a lithium polymer batteries must have a very low porosity since the binder of its electrodes acts as an ionic conductor and there is no need for any porosity as in the electrodes of a lithium ion electrochemical cell.
The electrodes of a lithium polymer electrochemical cell are preferably loaded with the maximum amount of electrochemically active material particles to obtain the maximum energy density and therefore are preferably compacted to the maximum. Any porosity in the electrodes becomes wasted space and reduces the energy density of the lithium polymer electrochemical cell.
To achieve maximum compaction of the electrodes, the particle size distribution (PSD) of the electrochemically active material is important as described US patent application No. 2010/0273054 which is herein incorporated by reference, and furthermore, in a coating process wherein the particles are in suspension in an aqueous solution and/or an organic solvent, an ideal PSD is necessary but not sufficient to achieve maximum compaction and low porosity of the electrodes as a phenomenon of inter-particles repulsion comes into play that prevent maximum compaction of the electrodes
Therefore, there is a need for an electrochemically active material in which the inter-particles repulsion forces are reduced to a minimum.

Electrode material for lithium electrochemical cells


A bezel positionable adjacent the outer periphery of a computer touch screen is provided. The bezel includes an elongated rim having a first side adjacent the computer screen and a surface. An identification marker positioned on the surface of the rim and identifying a predetermined area of the touch screen. A tactile indicium structure is on the surface at a location between the identification marker and the predetermined area of the touch screen. The tactile indicium structure includes an upper surface having tactile indicium thereon.

The electronic touch screen is representative of current innovative HMIs for electronic devices. With a touch screen, the user enters data by touching virtual buttons displayed on the computer display. With a touch screen system, the type, size, and number of the virtual buttons may be readily changed by changing the computer's program without changes in the associated hardware. Thus, the touch screen system offers a user-interface that may be flexibly tailored to a particular application. The ability to divide virtual buttons among different screens and to display only those screens needed by the user's particular task can simplify data entry. The combination of text and graphical elements on the screen along with the virtual buttons can help to further guide the user through the steps of data input.
Normally, a touch screen system uses a touch screen panel which is placed directly over the viewing area of a standard computer display, for example, a cathode ray tube ("CRT") or a liquid crystal display ("LCD"). The touch screen panel provides a signal to a computer associated with the computer display indicating where on the surface of the display a stylus or finger is placed. This signal may be generated, for example, by acoustic systems detecting absorption of sound by a finger on the surface of the display; by systems using crossed beams of infrared light arrayed along x and y axes which are broken by the finger; or by laminated transparent electrodes which are physically compressed against each other to provide a point electrical contact that may be interpreted as an x and y coordinate.
Frequently, a touch screen will be used with a computer contained within a device to be used by the public. The computer may have so-called multi-media capabilities providing both a visual and audio program intended to help members of the public obtain information or directions.
Despite the advantage of touch screen systems in such applications, like many novel interface controls, they present a barrier to many people with disabilities. Those with impaired vision perceive only the featureless surface of the display screen knowing that it may contain one or more virtual buttons of arbitrary placement and functions. Those unfamiliar with the language of the legends on the buttons or those who cannot read, are also foreclosed from much of the information presented by touch screen systems. Critical audio information in multi-media presentations will not be received by deaf users. Those with limited mobility may be unable to reach or operate the touch screen surface.
Heretofore, incorporating accessibility into kiosks and other touch screen systems has typically involved adding buttons, keyboards or other mechanical controls for the systems. In many kiosk designs, the addition of these buttons, keyboards or other mechanical controls may be limited by a lack of space, expense or various other constraints. Hence, it would be desirable to provide a device for improving access to the functions of HMIs for people with disabilities without requiring the addition of physical buttons, keyboards or other mechanical controls.
Therefore, it is a primary object and feature of the present invention to provide a device for improving access to the functions of HMIs for people with disabilities without requiring the addition of physical buttons, keyboards or other mechanical controls.
It is a further object and feature of the present invention to provide a device for improving access to the functions of HMIs for people with disabilities that is simple to use and inexpensive to manufacture.
It is a still further object and feature of the present invention to provide a device for improving access to the functions of HMIs for people with disabilities that may be utilized without altering operation of the HMIs or the electronic devices controlled by the HMIs.
In accordance with the present invention, a bezel positionable adjacent the outer periphery of a computer touch screen is provided. The bezel includes an elongated rim having a first side adjacent the touch screen and a surface. An identification marker is positioned on the surface of the rim. The identification marker identifies a predetermined area of the touch screen corresponding to a virtual button. The rim includes a recess therein at location between the identification marker and the touch screen. The recess defines a tactile guide path from the identification marker to the virtual button.
The recess may have a semi-circular cross-section or a generally V-shaped cross-section. The identification marker may includes a generally V-shaped chevron. The chevron includes first and second ribs diverging from a point. Alternatively, the identification marker may have a generally circular configuration.
In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, a bezel positionable adjacent the outer periphery of a computer touch screen is provided. The touch screen display displays a plurality of virtual buttons across a portion thereof. The bezel includes an elongated rim having a first side adjacent the touch screen and a surface. A plurality of identification markers extend from the rim. Each identification marker is alignable with a corresponding one of the plurality of virtual buttons. A plurality of tactile guides are provided along the surface of the rim. Each tactile guide is positioned between a corresponding one of the plurality of identification markers and a corresponding one of the plurality of virtual buttons.
At least one tactile guide is defined by a recess in the surface of the rim. The recess may have a semi-circular cross-section or a generally V-shaped cross-section. At least one of the plurality of identification markers includes a generally V-shaped chevron. The chevron is defined by first and second ribs diverging from a point. Alternatively, at least one of the plurality of identification markers has a generally circular configuration.
In accordance with a still further aspect of the present invention, a bezel positionable adjacent the outer periphery of a computer touch screen is provided. The touch screen display displays a plurality of virtual buttons across a portion thereof. The bezel includes an elongated rim having a first side adjacent the touch screen and a surface. A plurality of axially spaced identification markings are provided on the rim. Each identification marking is aligned with and identifies a corresponding one of the plurality of virtual buttons. A plurality of axially spaced tactile guides are provided along the surface of the rim. Each tactile guide is positioned between a corresponding one of the plurality of identification markers and a corresponding one of the plurality of virtual buttons.
At least one tactile guide is defined by a recess in the surface of the rim. The recess may have a semi-circular cross-section or a generally V-shaped cross-section. At least one of the plurality of identification markers includes a generally V-shaped chevron. The chevron is defined by first and second ribs diverging from a point. Alternatively, the at least one of the plurality of identification markers may have a generally circular configuration.

Device for providing improved access to the functions of human machine interfaces


A biometric sensor device, such as a fingerprint sensor, comprises a substrate to which is mounted a die on which is formed a sensor array and at least one conductive bezel. The die and the bezel are encased in a unitary encapsulation structure to protect those elements from mechanical, electrical, and environmental damage, yet with a portion of the sensor array and the bezel exposed or at most thinly covered by the encapsulation or other coating material structure.

The present disclosure is related to integrated circuit packaging, and more specifically to methods and apparatus for integrally molding a die and one or more bezel structures, with portions of each exposed or at most thinly covered, for fingerprint sensors and the like.
One relatively common biometric sensing device today is the fingerprint sensor. These devices are used in controlling access to electronic devices such as computers and mobile phones, safes, buildings, vehicles, etc. by scanning a user's fingerprint and comparing it to an authenticating set of fingerprint images. If the proffered (live) fingerprint to be authenticated matches one within a set of pre-enrolled authorized fingerprints, access may be granted. Fingerprint sensors may be stand-alone devices, integrated into other devices such as PC peripherals, or may be integrated into the devices over which they control access. The sensors may be optical or electrical (e.g., resistive, capacitive, etc.)
Typical electrical-based fingerprint sensors today comprise a semiconductor body, or die, on which is formed an array of sensor elements and related circuitry. When packaged, the sensor elements are often exposed for contact with a user's finger, or through a protective material. Typically, the sensors operate according to principles that use distance between the sensor surface and a region of the user's finger to construct an image of the user's fingerprint. Accurate operation of such sensors can accommodate no more than a minimal gap between the sensor surface and the fingerprint to be sensed. Therefore, the sensor surface itself is most often left uncovered, and a user places a finger directly into contact therewith in the process of fingerprint sensing. However, certain fingerprint sensor designs include thin protective overcoats over the sensor surface to protect the sensors from physical and environmental damage, wear, etc.
The semiconductor die typically has a sensor array photolithographically (or otherwise) formed on a top surface thereof. The sensor die are typically quite small, with correspondingly small contact pads, necessitating use of a secondary structure to make practical electrical connections between the die and a printed circuit board (PCB) to which the assembly is attached for use. Such secondary structures include lead frames, chip carriers, and the like. In common applications, the die is attached to a lead frame, and fine wires (wirebonds) make the electrical interconnections between the micro-scale bonding pads of the die and the macro-scale bonding leads of the lead frame. To protect the wirebonds and other components, the die, lead frame, and wirebonds are typically encased in an encapsulation material. This is accomplished by placing the bonded and connected die and lead frame in a mold, injecting the encapsulation material into the mold, and hardening the encapsulation material. Typically this is done such that the sensor array portion of the die is left uncovered by the encapsulation material. The encapsulated die structure may then form a component used in subsequent assembly steps.
A number of fingerprint sensor circuit designs operate by injecting a small current into the finger being sensed. One example of such a circuit is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,512,381, which is incorporated herein by reference. In order to drive the user's finger with the desired current, a contact structure, for example as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,636,053, which is also incorporated herein by reference, may be provided. The contact structure may take the form of a bezel located near an edge of the die. The bezel has a generally planar upper surface that is either coplanar with or parallel to the plane of the upper surface of the die. As the user applies a fingertip to the surface of the die, for example by placement on an area sensor or in the swiping motion over a strip sensor, the fingertip is simultaneously in physical and electrical contact with the surface of the die (i.e., the sensor array formed on the top surface of the die) and the bezel, the latter to electrically drive the fingertip during the sensing process.
Traditionally, the bezel and the encapsulated die have each been separate elements, brought together in the process of assembling or packaging the sensor apparatus. That is, the bezel and die are not encapsulated together. In one known example, the bezel is a metal sheet bent to curl over at its edges, which makes electrical connection with the bottom side of the substrate. The bezel wraps around the sides of the substrate to present a top, contact portion roughly in the plane of the top surface of the encapsulated die. In other example, a metal strip or frame makes contact with the top side of the substrate, and presents a top, contact portion roughly in the plane of the top surface of the encapsulated die.
Current fingerprint sensor structures require a number of discrete assembly steps. As the number of discrete elements and manufacturing steps increase, manufacturing cost increases and the potential for faulty or inaccurate assembly that negatively affects product consistency and yield losses increase. Discrete element sub-assembly is also a more time consuming process than integrated manufacturing. As in the general art of IC production, there is significant, ongoing commercial pressure to reduce cost, number of components, and number and complexity of manufacturing steps, and size of the completed structure.
Furthermore, the separate bezel and encapsulated die structures are often undesirably large final devices. Further still, it is desired that the bezel be as physically close to the sensors as possible to optimize the sensitivity of the sensor. However, known separate bezel and encapsulated die designs limit possible options of the final device size and sensor-to-bezel spacing.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Integrally molded die and bezel structure for fingerprint sensors and the like


A method of and apparatus for removing a thrombus deposit from the cardiovascular system of a patient without the need to surgically access the location of the thrombus deposit via a cut-down or other surgical procedure. A catheter is inserted percutaneously into the patient at a convenient location either directly or over a previously positioned guide wire. The distal end of the catheter is advanced under fluoroscopy to the site of the thrombus deposit. A balloon is inflated to stabilize the position of the distal end of the catheter within the center of the vessel lumen. A flexible metal tube conveys an extremely high pressure stream of sterile saline solution to at least one jet at the distal end of the catheter. At least one jet positions the thrombus deposit for emulsification by at least one other jet. By directing the jets toward the orifice of the large evacuation lumen of the catheter, a stagnation pressure is induced which propels the emulsion proximally for disposal. The rate of proximal flow of effluent is metered to correspond with the distal flow of saline solution to ensure minimal local impact on the vasculature at the site of the thrombus deposit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to medical devices and procedures, and more particularly, relates to medical devices and procedures for removing thrombus deposits from the cardiovascular system.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Procedures and apparatus have been developed for ease in removing tissue and various deposits. U.S. Pat. No. 4,790,813 issued to Kensey and U.S. Pat. No. 4,842,579 issued to Shiber describe techniques for the removal of plaque deposited in arteries by mechanical ablation using rotating cutting surfaces. These relatively traumatic approaches are directed to the treatment and removal of very hard substances.
In current medical procedures, thrombus deposits are often removed using a catheter such as is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,328,811 issued to Fogarty. In this system, a surgical cutdown is performed to access the vessel and allow catheter entry and advancement to a point beyond the deposit. The balloon is inflated and the catheter is withdrawn pulling the deposit along with it.
Pressurized fluids have also been used in the past to flush undesirable substances from body cavities. U.S. Pat. No. 1,902,418 describes such a system for domesticated animals. The more modern approaches tend to use vacuum rather than gravity as the primary means for removal of the deposits or tissue and relatively low fluid pressures to cut into and fragment the substances to be ablated.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,930,505 issued to Wallach describes a surgical apparatus for the removal of tissue from the eye of a patient. As with similar systems, Wallach uses a relatively low pressure jet of water (i.e. 15 to 3500 psi) to disintegrate the tissue, and a suction pump to perform the actual removal.
A similar approach applied to the cardiovascular system is discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,690,672 issued to Veltrup. Veltrup also provides a much lower pressure jet of water (i.e. less than 450 psi) to fragment deposits. As with Wallach, Veltrup uses a vacuum pump for evacuation of the fragments. The distal end of the Veltrup catheter is readily repositionable to permit manual entrapment of the deposits to be fragmented.


A device has a camera that is moveable by one or more actuators. During operation the camera moves. For example, the camera may move to follow a user as they move within the physical space. Mechanical limitations result in the camera movement exhibiting discontinuities, such as small jerks or steps from one orientation to another while panning. If the camera is acquiring video data while moving, the resulting video data may appear jittery and be unpleasant for a user to view. An offset is determined between an intended orientation of the camera at a specified time and an actual orientation of the camera at that time. A portion of raw image data acquired at the specified time is cropped using the offset to produce cropped image data that is free from jitter due to the movement discontinuities.

Motors may be used to move a camera to different orientations. Limitations in the mechanical operation may result in unpleasant jitter in resulting video imagery.
While implementations are described herein by way of example, those skilled in the art will recognize that the implementations are not limited to the examples or figures described. It should be understood that the figures and detailed description thereto are not intended to limit implementations to the particular form disclosed but, on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope as defined by the appended claims. The headings used herein are for organizational purposes only and are not meant to be used to limit the scope of the description or the claims. As used throughout this application, the word "may" is used in a permissive sense (i.e., meaning having the potential to), rather than the mandatory sense (i.e., meaning must). Similarly, the words "include", "including", and "includes" mean "including, but not limited to".

System to mitigate image jitter by an actuator driven camera


A method and apparatus for fabricating known good semiconductor dice are provided. The method includes the steps of: testing the gross functionality of dice contained on a semiconductor wafer; sawing the wafer to singulate a die; and then testing the die by assembly in a carrier having an interconnect adapted to establish electrical communication between the bond pads on the die and external test circuitry. The interconnect for the carrier can be formed using different contact technologies including: thick film contact members on a rigid substrate; self-limiting contact members on a silicon substrate; or microbump contact members with a textured surface. During assembly of the carrier, the die and interconnect are optically aligned and placed into contact with a predetermined contact force. This establishes an electrical connection between the contact members on the interconnect and the bond pads of the die. In the assembled carrier the die and interconnect are biased together by a force distribution mechanism that includes a bridge clamp, a pressure plate and a spring clip. Following testing of the die, the carrier is disassembled and the tested die is removed.

One of the fastest growing segments of the semiconductor industry is the manufacture of multi-chip modules (MCM). Multi-chip modules are being increasingly used in computers to form PC chip sets and in telecommunication items such as modems and cellular telephones. In addition, consumer electronic products such as watches and calculators typically include multi-chip modules.
With a multi-chip module, non-packaged or bare dice (i.e., chips) are secured to a substrate (e.g., printed circuit board) using an adhesive. Electrical connections are then made directly to the bond pads on each die and to electrical leads on the substrate. Non-packaged dice are favored because the costs associated with manufacturing and packaging the dice are substantially reduced. This is because the processes for packaging semiconductor dice are extremely complex and costly.
This is illustrated with reference to FIG. 1. A fabrication process for a packaged die begins with a semiconductor wafer on which a large number of semiconductor dice have been formed by doping, masking, deposition of metals, and etching a silicon substrate. Initially the wafer is probed and mapped, step 10. Wafer mapping is performed to test the gross functionality of the dice on the wafer. The nonfunctional dice are mechanically marked or mapped in software. Next, the mapped wafer is mounted on a carrying film, step 12. The carrying film allows the wafer to be mechanically transported and provides support for the saw cutting procedure.
Next, the dice are singulated using a diamond saw, step 14. Each singulated die must then be attached to a metal lead frame, step 16. A single lead frame supports several semiconductor dice for packaging and provides the leads for the packaged die. Die attach to the lead frame is typically accomplished using a liquid epoxy adhesive that must be cured with heat, step 18. Next, a wire bond process, step 20, is performed to attach thin bond wires to the bond pads on the die and to the lead fingers of the lead frame. A protective coating such as a polyimide film is then applied to the wire bonded die, step 22, and this coating is cured, step 24.
The semiconductor die is then encapsulated using an epoxy molding process, step 26. Alternately premade ceramic packages with a ceramic lid may be used to package the die. Next, the encapsulated die is laser marked for identification, step 28. This is followed by an electrolytic deflash for removing excess encapsulating material, step 30, an encapsulation cure, step 32 and cleaning with a citric bath, step 34. Next, the lead frame is trimmed and formed, step 36, to form the leads of the package, and the leads are plated using a wave solder process (tin or plating), step 38. This is followed by scanning, step 40, in which the packaged dice are optically scanned for defects and then an inventory, step 42.
The packaged die is then subjected to a hot pregrade test, step 44 in which it is tested and then marked, step 46. A series of burn-in tests, steps 48 and 50, and a hot final test, step 52 are then performed to complete the testing procedure. This is followed by another scan, step 54, a visual inspection, step 56, a quality control check, step 58, and packaging for shipping, step 60. The finished goods are represented at step 62.
As is apparent, the packaging process (steps 16-40) for manufacturing packaged dice requires a large amount of time, materials and capital investment to accomplish. Thus one advantage of manufacturing bare or unpackaged dice is that the above manufacturing process can be greatly simplified because all of the packaging steps are eliminated. A disadvantage of manufacturing unpackaged dice is that transport and testing of the dice is more difficult to accomplish.
With unpackaged dice, semiconductor manufacturers are required to supply dice that have been tested and certified as known good die (KGD). Known-good-die (KGD) is a collective term that connotes unpackaged die having the same quality and reliability as the equivalent packaged product. This has led to a need in the art for manufacturing processes suitable for fabricating and testing bare or unpackaged semiconductor die.
For test and burn-in of bare die, a carrier must replace a conventional single chip package in the manufacturing process. The carrier includes an interconnect that allows a temporary electrical connection to be made between external test circuitry and the bond pads of the die. In addition, such a carrier must be compatible with semiconductor manufacturing equipment and allow the necessary test procedures to be performed without damaging the die. The bond pads on a die are particularly susceptible to damage during the test procedure.
In response to the need for unpackaged die, different semiconductor manufacturers have developed carriers for testing known good die. As an example, carriers for testing unpackaged die are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,899,107 to Corbett et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 5,302,891 to Wood et al., which are assigned to Micron Technology, Inc. Other carriers for unpackaged die are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,123,850 to Elder et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 5,073,117 to Malhi et al., which are assigned to Texas Instruments.
One of the key design considerations for a carrier is the method for establishing electrical communication between the die and interconnect. With some carriers, the die is placed face down in the carrier and biased into contact with the interconnect. The interconnect includes contacts that physically align with and contact the bond pads or test pads of the die. Exemplary contact structures include wires, needles, and bumps. The mechanisms for making electrical contact include piercing the native oxide of the bond pad with a sharp point, breaking or burnishing the native oxide with a bump, or moving across the native oxide with a contact adapted to scrub away the oxide. In general, each of these contact structures is adapted to form a low-resistance "ohmic contact" with the bond pad. Low-resistance is a negligible resistance. An ohmic contact is one in which the voltage appearing across the contact is proportional to the current flowing for both directions of current flow. Other design considerations for a carrier include electrical performance over a wide temperature range, thermal management, power and signal distribution, and the cost and reusability of the carrier.
The present invention is directed to a method for manufacturing known good die. In addition, the present invention is directed to an apparatus for manufacturing known good die including carriers for testing bare die and apparatus for automatically loading and unloading bare die into the carriers.

Method and apparatus for manufacturing known good semiconductor die


A new and distinct variety of Enkianthus perulatus plant named `J. L. Pennock,` which is particularly characterized by its distinctive, bright red fall coloration, and which can be readily distinguished from other Enkianthus plants by its onset of fall color development about two weeks before that of other Enkianthus perulatus plants.

This invention relates to the discovery and asexual propagation of a new and distinct variety of Enkianthus perulatus, a member of the Ericaceae family and sometimes called White Enkianthus. The new plant is of unknown parentage. It was selected by Rick J. Lewandowski and Paul W. Meyer from among several seedlings growing in a cultivated research collection of Enkianthus perulatus plants at The Morris Arboretum of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pa. The new plant was selected particularly because of its distinctive fall coloration. The object of this present invention is to provide a new variety of Enkianthus perulatus that has highly unique characteristics which lend it to decorative autumn landscaping.
The new Enkianthus perulatus plant has been named `J. L. Pennock`. `J. L. Pennock` was first asexually propagated by softwood cuttings in 1988, at The Morris Arboretum, by the plant propagator of the arboretum, Rochelle J. Dillard. Asexual propagation has further been accomplished at the Philadelphia arboretum, and also at a nursery in West Grove, Pa. Testing has shown the `J. L. Pennock` variety maintains its distinguishing characteristics, as hereinafter set out, over several succeeding generations through asexual propagation using softwood cuttings. Enkianthus perulatus `J. L. Pennock` is an attractive shrub exhibiting white flowers which are typical of the species, and bright red fall foliage, thus making it ideal for use as an ornamental garden plant. The most celebrated feature of `J. L. Pennock` is its distinctive fall coloration which can be readily distinguished from other Enkianthus varieties by beginning to develop its fall coloration approximately two weeks before other such plants, and retaining its fall color to the end of the duration of the fall season. The following combination of characteristics are exhibited by this new variety and further enable it to be distinguished from other Enkianthus perulatus varieties:
(i) a dense, symmetrical growth habit that is wider than it is tall, possessing a strongly layered appearance; whereas typical Enkianthus perulatus plants are about as wide as they are tall; PA0 (ii) a slow growth rate of 3 to 6 inches per year, making this plant an excellent candidate for the small garden; PA0 (iii) highly attractive fall coloration which, in Philadelphia, begins as early as the first week of September, its leaves turning purplish, transforming to a bright red by about the end of October, and retaining color through the fall season with those of other members of the species; whereas typical Enkianthus perulatus varieties begin fall coloration sometime in October, and transform to red, not bright red, by sometime in November.

Enkianthus perulatus cv. `J. L. Pennock`

The Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania


An energy harvesting apparatus utilizes a modular structure to preserve the proper alignment between a chain of energy-producing elements and an energy-producing channel (within which the chain is located and free to slide along, creating electrical energy from mechanical movement). The channel includes a plurality of rigid modules that are separated by flexible segments of tubing. The rigid channel modules house the energy-producing electrodes and/or coils. The chain includes a plurality of rigid modules that are attached along a flexible string in a spaced-apart configuration. The rigid chain modules house the energy-producing magnets and/or conductive droplets. The combination of the flexible channel segments and chain string allow for freedom of motion of the apparatus (required for human locomotion, for example), while providing the desired “fixed” alignment between the rigid energy-producing modules.

High-power harvesting of mechanical energy from human locomotion is a well known concept which has not been commercialized in the past due to the lack of a viable energy harvesting technology. Classical methods of mechanical-to-electrical energy conversion (such as electromagnetic, piezoelectric, and/or electrostatic) are not well suited for direct coupling with the forces and displacements typical in human locomotion. For example, the highly restricted size and form-factor of a footwear-embedded device prevents the use of traditional, mechanical transducers that are necessary to convert a broad range of aperiodic forces and displacements (typically encountered in locomotion) into a readily accessible form.
Recently, a new approach to energy harvesting using microfluidic devices that substantially alleviates the above-mentioned problems has been demonstrated. In particular, a high-power microfluidics-based energy harvester is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,898,096, entitled METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ENERGY HARVESTING USING MICROFLUIDICS, inventor: Thomas Nikita Krupenkin, granted Mar. 1, 2011, and in U.S. Pat. No. 8,053,914, entitled METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ENERGY HARVESTING USING MICROFLUIDICS, inventor: Thomas Nikita Krupenkin, granted Nov. 8, 2011, both of which are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety. The energy harvester as disclosed in these references generates electrical energy through the interaction of thousands of microscopic liquid droplets with a network of thin-film electrodes and is capable of providing several watts of power. In one preferred embodiment of described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,898,096 and 8,053,914, a train of the energy-producing droplets is disposed within a thin channel (creating what will be referred to as an "energy-producing channel") and is hydraulically actuated by a pressure differential (such as, for example, the movement of a foot) applied between the channel ends. Such an energy generation method provides an important advantage as it allows for efficient, direct coupling with a wide range of high-power environmental mechanical energy sources (including human locomotion).
A new method for energy harvesting using microfluidic devices that improves on the teaching of U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,898,096 and 8,053,914 has also been under development by the inventors and provides a new energy generation method and an apparatus that combine in a synergetic way the microfluidic-based electrical energy generation method based on the energy-producing channel concept and described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,898,096 and 8,053,914 with the classical magnetic method of electrical power generation based on Faraday's law of electromagnetic induction. One preferred embodiment of this method, as described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/692,062, filed Dec. 3, 2012 and herein incorporated by reference, comprises a chain of special energy-producing elements (these elements being a set of magnets interleaved with a set of microfluidic droplets) which is adapted to freely slide along the energy-producing channel under the influence of a pressure differential applied between the channel ends as the result of hydraulic actuation. The energy-producing channel is formed to include alternating sets of dielectric members (which create energy when aligned with the microfluidic droplets) and electrical conductors (which create energy when aligned with the magnets). Energy generation is achieved by reciprocating motion of the chain within the energy-producing channel. Other preferred embodiments also utilize hydraulic actuation and includes the use of specialized expandable chain elements that allow for continuous revolving motion of the chain of energy-producing elements within the energy-producing channel. The resulting approach has a number of substantial advantages over the teaching of U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,898,096 and 8,053,914. In particular, it provides greatly increased power output and allows effective energy generation without the need for the external bias voltage source. This improves the harvester performance characteristics, enhances its reliability and simplifies the harvester design in comparison with the teaching of U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,898,096 and 8,053,914.
However, these methods of energy generation are not free from some shortcomings. In particular, in order to be compatible with conventional footwear, the energy-producing channel in these arrangements has to be flexible. This requirement, however, imposes severe restrictions on the dimensional stability of the energy-producing channel, as well as the chain of energy-producing elements. In particular, as the channel flexes (such as under the force of human locomotion), the channel walls alternately stretch and compress. This means that the relative position and spacing of the electrodes and coils embedded in the channel walls is dynamically changing, potentially creating misalignment between the energy-producing channel elements (electrodes and coils) on one side, and the chain of the energy-producing elements (magnets and microfluidic droplets) on the other side. This misalignment adversely affects power generation and thus leads to a lower energy harvesting efficiency. The problem equally affects both the reciprocating motion embodiments and the revolving motion harvester embodiments of the above-referenced arrangement.
Thus, need remains for a method and an apparatus that can preserve accurate alignment between the energy-producing chain and the coils/electrodes embedded in the channel walls (i.e., the "energy-producing channel"), without compromising the flexibility of channel itself, thereby improving the energy harvester device power output and increasing its efficiency.

Apparatus for footwear-embedded mechanical energy harvesting using modular elements


Described is head apparel for restraining the head of a wearer. The head apparel includes headwear having an outer surface and an opening that exposes an interior surface configured to receive the head of the wearer. The headwear also includes a restraining device attached to the outer surface of the headwear. The restraining device has a first state in which a length of the restraining device extends from the headwear and is configured to engage a stationary object to restrain the head against the stationary object. The restraining device has a second state in which the length of the restraining device is substantially secured to the headwear.

It is well known that people often enjoy sleeping in their seats while traveling in an airplane, train, automobile, or other mode of transportation. However, it is difficult for a person to sleep in his or her seat when the back portion of the seat is in an upright position or reclined position. Thus, it is difficult for a traveler to be comfortable when attempting to sleep, especially because a traveler's head is not stabilized while in an upright position. As a result, the traveler's head can fall forward during sleep.
Travelers often attempt to lean their heads against a stationary object such as a window, or rely on a pillow placed between the head and the back surface of the seat for comfort. However, when the head is not secured against the stationary object, the traveler's head is subject to abrupt movement during sleep.


One kind of combination weigher, used for selecting a predetermined number of articles having substantially same weights from a group of articles having substantial variance or inequality in their weights, which is provided with a plurality of independent weigh units and adapted to weigh an article by each unit at the same time, process the resultant weight signals by a computer to select a combination of a predetermined number of weight signals whose variance or inequality satisfies a predetermined condition from various combinations of the weight signals, and indicate those weight units attributable to the selected combination by pilot lamps, for example.

This invention relates to a combination weigher, and particularly to a combination weighing device useful in preparing packs of articles whose individual weights do not vary from each other by more than a predetermined range.
In the case of producing packs or packages each containing plurality of articles having a total weight within an allowable range, it is well known that a so-called combination weigher is effectively used for this purpose. Such combination weigher is disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,336,852. The combination weigher is provided with a plurality of mutually independent weighing units and is adapted to weigh one or more articles by each unit at the same time, combine the resultant weight indicative signals from the weigh units in various fashions, select from the resultant combinations a combination having a total weight within a predetermined range, and deliver the articles from the corresponding weigh units. Although such combination weigher is conveniently used for producing a number of packs of the same weight of content, the individual articles contained in each pack are not always uniform in their respective weights, and in fact substantial inequality or variance is unavoidable therein.
However, in the case, for example, of small fishes or culets of fish or meat prepared for cooking, it is often more desirable that the number of individual pieces in each pack be constants, and that the weight or size of each piece in the pack be as uniform as possible, rather than have the total weight of each pack be uniform. It is impossible to prepare such packs by the known combination weigher as disclosed above (unless the articles to be weighed are previously sorted as uniform in their individual weights).


A system to detect a presence in a space is provided and includes a sensor to issue a signal at an instance when a door to the space closes, a detector to periodically issue packets that identify when a presence was last detected in the space, and a processing unit, coupled to the sensor and the detector, which is configured to receive the signal and the packets and which has executable instructions stored thereon that, when executed, cause the processing unit to identify when the door closes based on the signal and to judge the space to be unoccupied after a wait time if the packets indicate the presence was last detected prior to the closing.

The subject matter disclosed herein relates to occupancy detectors and, more particularly, occupancy detectors with managed communication traffic, reduced power consumption and improved occupancy determination.
Occupancy detectors, such as motion detectors, have been used for occupancy detection in many industries, such as the security and hospitality industries, for many years. In the hospitality industry, energy management systems have used motion detectors in the control of temperature setbacks or automatic lighting as a function of a presence determination of a person.
In hotel guestrooms, occupancy detection provided by motion detectors is also often augmented with a system that senses when a door to the room opens and closes. This is useful in applications where a person will not create any motion for a prolonged period of time, such as when sleeping in a bed or when visiting the bathroom and not being visible to the motion detector. In such cases, the system recognizes that the room door has closed recently but does not simply declare the room as being unoccupied just because no current motion is detected.
In these systems, when a door closure is sensed, the augmented occupancy detection system allows for a certain amount of time to pass (i.e., ten minutes) in which the room is assumed by the system to be occupied. Should motion be detected in that period of time, the system assumes that the room is occupied. If, after expiration of the period of time, no motion is detected, the room will be declared as being unoccupied. Afterwards, a guestroom control system can start to conserve energy in the room by setting back the temperature control, turning off lamps or by just informing the hotel staff at a management console that the room is no longer occupied. The room will now stay unoccupied at least until the next door opening or closing event has been detected. Once such an event is detected and the room is declared to be occupied, the system again waits for the door closure event and thereafter again attempts to declare the room as being unoccupied. However, in a case in which the room is declared unoccupied but a later motion signal is detected without a prior door opening, the system needs to recognize that the room was mistakenly declared unoccupied and subsequently declare the room as being occupied. In such a case, energy conservation methods are reversed and restored back to normal.
Typically, in the hospitality industry, motion detectors are wired to a controller that provides power to the motion detecting components, receives the motion signals, processes the door opening and closing events and determines the occupancy state of the room in a fashion similar to that which is described above. In addition, motion detectors are generally connected to a network to which the motion signals are sent as data packets at certain time intervals, which can be rather long to conserve power.
When such a controller senses a door closure event, the controller begins looking for occupancy signals. However, if the motion detector reports in a subsequent packet that there was motion detected but the detected motion actually occurred before the door closed, the motion detector may send the packet to the network as indicating that the room is occupied when it might not be.


The invention discloses a rubber process oil and a process for manufacturing rubber process oils which are non-carcinogenic in nature. The process comprises of selectively producing Hildebrand solubility components enriched vacuum residue by selective distillation of reduced crude oil (RCO) to obtain minimum of 10 vol % boiling components in the range 490° C. to 50° C., which leads to higher solubility of rubber process oil with an aniline point of less than 70° C. and with extremely low concentration of selective polycyclic aromatics which makes the 15 product non-carcinogenic. The process comprises of selectively enriching higher Hildebrand solubility components in vacuum residue by vacuum distillation of reduced crude oil (RCO), then subjecting the enriched vacuum residue to solvent deasphalting process and subjecting the deasphalted oil to aromatic extraction process and then blending the enriched aromatic extract with Heavy Alkyl 20 Benzene (HAB) or Solvent processed base oil or hydroprocessed base oil or mixture thereof. The rubber process oils manufactured by the invented process have a polycyclic aromatics (PCA) content of less than 10 ppm, specifically benzo(a)pyrene content of less than 1 ppm. They have aniline point less than 70° C. but have high kinematic viscosity of 25 to 75 cSt at 100° C., pour point of 27° C. or less and a flash point minimum of 250° C. or more.

Process oils are hydrocarbon mixtures that boil in the same temperature range as lubricant base oils and are derived from petroleum distillates by solvent extraction. However, unlike lubricant base oils which are rarely employed outside the lubricant field, process oils have a wide range of industrial applications which include using them as a rubber process oil (RPO), ink process oil etc. These oils invariably come in contact with their users who are exposed to the ill effects of their toxicity and other harmful properties. Therefore, to make process oils suitable for these applications, the compositions of process oils have to be carefully controlled during refining.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,034,119 claims bright stock extract and deasphalted oil substantially free from mutagenic activity with mutagencity index less than 1.0. Further the invention was limited to mutagenic index and its relationship with a physical property (boiling point). However, it has not discussed the process for producing rubber process oil and the critical properties required including solvency characteristics such as aniline point and/or hydrocarbon composition and flowability in terms of viscometrics or pour point.
The present invention discloses a method of producing processing oils which contain extremely low concentration of selective polycyclic aromatics. The process comprises of selectively producing vacuum residue with negligible amount of polycyclic aromatics compounds and subsequent deasphalting and extraction followed by suitable blending with heavy alkyl benzene or hydroprocessed base oil or solvent processed base oil or mixture thereof to produce rubber process oils with better solvency characteristics as indicated by aniline point which is less than 70° C. and pour point of less than 27° C.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,504,135, dewaxed deasphalted oil is used as RPO which has aniline point less than 97° C. However, in the present invention, the process oil is a blend of bright neutral (BN) extract with HAB or hydroprocessed or solvent processed base oil or mixture thereof with aniline point of less than 70° C. U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,248,929 and 6,878,263 discuss about RPO production employing a process with two stage extraction. U.S. Pat. No. 6,146,520 claims selective reextraction process for reducing the mutagenicity Index to less than 1 by using of two different solvents. However the present invention deals with production of vacuum residue containing low carcinogenic PCA compounds followed by solvent extraction and blending with suitable hydrocarbon streams to produce RPO.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,103,808, high aromatic oil is used as RPO which has aniline point 97° C. or less. However, it does not disclose the selective carcinogenic PCA content. RPO produced in the present invention is having an aniline point less than 70° C. and selective carcinogenic PCA content of less than 10 ppm.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,399,697, residual oil is mixed with lubricant base oil and then mixture is extracted with a solvent to get a product with low PCA content satisfying the RPO requirements but not disclosing the selective carcinogenic PCA content and Aniline point.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,410,816, the RPO was produced by mineral oil extraction by using a polar solvent. The extract (40-97%) was blended with base oil (3-60%). In this process deasphalting process was not involved and process conditions are not disclosed. Further in the present invention, selective carcinogenic PCA content is less than 10 ppm.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,972,496 deals with the manufacturing of process oil by mixing extract of deasphalted oil with lubricant base oil with a volume ratio of 95/5 to 60/40. The process oil has aniline point of 90° C. or less with selective carcinogenic PCA content: benzo(a)pyrene content of 1 mass ppm or less; specified aromatic compound content of 10 mass ppm or lower.
The present invention comprises process for producing rubber process oil with selectively producing higher Hildebrand solubility components enriched vacuum residue by selective distillation of Reduced Crude Oil (RCO) to obtain minimum of 10 vol % boiling components in between 490° C. to 550° C.; which leads to higher solubility of rubber process oil with an aniline point of less than 70° C. and higher hildebrand components enriched vacuum residue containing extremely low carcinogenic polycyclic aromatics followed by solvent deasphalting to produce deasphalted oil and then solvent extraction to produce higher Hildebrand solubility components enriched bright neutral extract which then suitably blended with heavy alkyl benzene to produce the process oil having a specified aromatic compound content of 10 mass ppm or lower and benzo(a)pyrene content of 1 mass ppm or less; and further the aniline point of the resultant process oil is 70° C. or less.
European Patent EP1031621 discloses a process for producing process oil by extraction of premixed deasphlated oil with lubricating base oil.
However, the present invention is based on vacuum distillation to selectively produce enriched hildebrand solubility components in vacuum residue which on subsequent processing in deasphalting unit and extraction unit will result in enriched higher soluble process oil with aniline point less than 70° C. as well as benzopyrene content less than 1 ppm.
Chinese Patent CN101691427 discloses a blending of deasphalted oil with naphthenic oil for producing environment-friendly rubber oil having no toxicity and no carcinogenic effects.
However, it does not disclose the critical step of selectively producing enriched hildebrand solubility components in vacuum residue by selective distillation of Reduced Crude Oil (RCO) which leads to higher solubility of rubber process oil with an aniline point of less than 70° C., on subsequent processing in deasphalting and extraction units, with extremely low carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic components.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,034,119 discloses only on mutagenicity index and not disclosed on the solubility and performance indicator such as aniline point less than 70° C.
It does not disclose the critical step of selectively producing enriched hildebrand solubility components in vacuum residue by selective distillation of reduced crude oil (RCO) to obtain minimum of 10% volume recovery boiling components in between 490° C. to 550° C. which leads to higher solubility of rubber process oil with an aniline point of less than 70° C., on subsequent processing in deasphalting and extraction units, with extremely low carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic components.
None of the above disclosures discussed about production of vacuum residue with enriching Hildebrand solubility parameter by produced it with a minimum 10% volume recovery of the boiling components being in the range between 490° C. to 550° C. which increases solubility of rubber process oil with aniline point of less than 70° C., on subsequent processing in deasphalting and extraction units, with extremely low carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic components.

Process for manufacturing of rubber process oils with extremely low carcinogenic polycyclic aromatics compounds


Mechanisms that allow a physical storage device that has storage capability (such as a hard disk, tape drive, tape changer, or read-write compact disk) to emulate one or more storage devices. A configuration interface receives configuration function calls that specify properties of the storage device to be emulated. A front end component receives network communications and extracts SCSI commands from the network communication. An emulation software component establishes a file within the physical storage device in response to the configuration function call, determines that the SCSI command is intended for the emulated storage device, and uses the properties and the file storage space that correspond to the emulated storage device to fulfill the SCSI command in a manner that emulates the fulfillment of the SCSI command on the emulated storage device.

1. The Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to network communication technology. More specifically, the present invention relates to mechanisms for configuring a physical storage device on a network to emulate Small Computer System Interconnect (SCSI) devices with different physical properties.
2. Background and Related Art
Computing technology has transformed the way we work and play. In a typical configuration, a computing system is coupled through a local bus to a variety of hardware devices for optimal operation. Such devices may include, for example, magnetic and/or optical disk drives, printers, fax machines, scanners, cameras, or the like. The computing system communicates with each of the connected hardware devices using a standard communication protocol that is recognized by the hardware device.
One commonly used communication protocol for communication between a computing system and its various connected hardware devices is a parallel interface standard called "Small Computer System Interface" (SCSI for short). SCSI allows for effective block transfer of data between a computing system and its various peripheral devices. However, SCSI does have certain limitations. In particular, data transfer using SCSI is relatively slow compared to other data transfer mechanisms. Furthermore, the cable length of the SCSI is relatively short compared to expansive networks. Accordingly, the hardware devices typically have to be close to the computing system if SCSI is employed in its purest form.
More recently, SCSI devices have been connected to computing system over networks, rather than locally through a bus. Such network-connected SCSI devices allow for more flexible network topologies since the SCSI device may serve a number of computing systems and need not be locally connected to any computing system it serves. However, SCSI commands cannot be communicated over a network directly, without being encapsulated into formats compatible with network transfer. Accordingly, various mechanisms for communicating SCSI commands over a network have been developed.
One such mechanism is an improvement to SCSI is called "Internet SCSI" ("iSCSI" for short). iSCSI is a standard which allows standard SCSI commands and responses to be communicated over any IP-based network such as Ethernets and the Internet. The computing system includes an "initiator" (which may be hardware or software) which initiates communication with the target device using the iSCSI standard. Specifically, the SCSI message is fragmented if needed and then encapsulated with Internet Protocol (IP) headers, whereupon it is sent over the IP network. The target device then extracts and executes the SCSI command, and then returns the response, if any, using the iSCSI standard over the IP-based network. Another method for communicating SCSI commands over a network is called Fiber Channel.
It is sometimes advantageous for a device to emulate one or more SCSI devices or to have more than one device emulate a single SCSI device. For example, suppose that an Information Technology (IT) administrator has a one hundred gigabyte hard drive available, but has several storage needs. For example, the IT administrator may need ten hard disks, one for each client, a tape drive for nightly backup purposes. It would be much less expensive to have the one hundred gigabyte hard drive emulate the five different hard drives and the tape drive, rather than having to purchase these devices separately.
Accordingly, what would be advantageous are mechanisms in which one physical storage device emulates other storage devices.

Software-aided storage device emulation in a physical storage device


The invention discloses a lens adjusting module for adjusting the position of a lens module. The lens adjusting module includes an input rod and an output rod, wherein the input rod is configured along a first direction and has an inclined surface. The output rod is configured along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The output rod has a first contact surface contacting the inclined surface, and a second contact surface contacting the lens module. When the input rod moves along the first direction, the first contact surface of the output rod moves along the inclined surface of the input rod, and the lens module moves with the output rod along the second direction.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a projecting device and the lens adjusting module thereof. Particularly, the present invention relates to a lens adjusting module capable of adjusting the position of lens and a projecting device having the same.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Among projectors in current markets, the lens module is generally fixed on the projector. If users want to adjust the position of the projected image on the screen, they have to change the relative position between the projector and the screen. Users must expend time and be patient to correctly adjust the position and angle of the projector so that the projected image on the screen is at optimal viewing.
After determining the position of the projector, if users want to heighten the projected image on the screen, they must adjust the front stands of the projector to increase the projection elevation angle. However, adjusting the height of the front stands will change the relative angle between the lens and the screen and result in image distortion. For example, a rectangular image projected previously is distorted in a trapezoidal fashion.
To resolve the mentioned problems, several lens adjusting devices for the projector have been developed. By adjusting the position of the lens, users can easily shift projected images up or down on the screen without image distortion effects.
For instance, Taiwan Patent Publication No. 200900836 illustrates a lens-shifting device of a projector, which discloses gear sets, a sliding plate, and fixing rods to smoothly and accurately move the lens disposed on the sliding plate along the fixing rod. In this manner, minute adjustment of the lens position can be achieved.
However, the prior art lens-adjusting device has an overly complicated design, making the adjusting device bulky, heavy, and cost ineffective. As a result, conventional lens-adjusting devices are not widely adopted in projectors targeted to miniaturization and personalization. Additionally, the projector structure would need to be heavily modified to accommodate the complicated design of the prior art lens-adjusting device, which causes that the projector cannot adapt to various types of lens. Therefore, the practicality is significantly restricted.

Projecting device and lens adjusting module thereof


An exemplary embodiment of the invention is a method for determining a reference speed approximating a ground speed of a vehicle having a plurality of axles. The method includes selecting a minimum vehicle speed based on one of the axles having a minimum speed. An axle having a lowest amount of creep is determined and designated as a speed axle. A derived speed from the speed axle is obtained and compensated by subtracting a creep value from the derived speed to obtain a corrected speed. Operating dynamics for the vehicle are determined and a reference speed is determined based on the minimum vehicle speed or the corrected speed in response to the operating dynamics.

The invention relates generally to a method and system for determining reference speed in a vehicle and in particular to a method and system for determining a reference speed in a locomotive driven by AC motors. Locomotives used for heavy haul applications generally are equipped with speed sensors connected to individual traction motors. Information from these speed sensors are compared with a reference speed estimating the true ground speed for obtaining the maximum adhesion and for wheel slip/slide protection. The estimate of ground speed, or reference speed, relies on individual motor speed sensors along with other ground speed measurements such as radar-based ground speed measurements. The use of radar to estimate ground speed has disadvantages due to cost, accuracy and misoperation due to ground conditions and other environmental conditions. Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a technique for estimating ground speed which does not use radar.

Method, system and storage medium for determining a vehicle reference speed


A semiconductor integrated circuit includes: a power supply circuit; a voltage-current conversion circuit connected with an output of the power supply circuit, the voltage-current conversion circuit having an output terminal; a current-voltage conversion circuit connected with the output terminal of the voltage-current conversion circuit, the current-voltage conversion circuit having an output terminal; a constant-voltage line connected with the output terminal of the current-voltage conversion circuit; an output circuit which has an output terminal to which an external element is connected at a rear stage thereof; and a protection circuit which receives a potential of the constant-voltage line and the output signal from the power supply circuit to control a potential of the output terminal, and prevents the external element from operating when an increase in the potential of the constant-voltage line is insufficient or the power supply voltage is not in a steady state.

1. Cross Reference to Related Application
This application claims benefit of priority under 35USC §119 to Japanese Patent Application No. 2005-165561, filed on Jun. 6, 2005, the contents of which are incorporate by reference herein.
2. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor integrated circuit and a controlling method thereof.
3. Related Background Art
A semiconductor integrated circuit used for, e.g., driving an element conventionally has a power supply circuit, a transistor, a current-voltage converter such as a resistor, an NPN transistor, a small-signal circuit and an output circuit. The power supply circuit enters a steady state when an external supply power Vcc is not smaller than a voltage Vccth. The transistor receives an output from the power supply circuit and converts it into a current. The current-voltage, converter receives a current from the transistor and converts it into a voltage. The NPN transistor receives an output from the current-voltage converter and fixes a potential of a constant-voltage line. A voltage is applied to the small-signal circuit through this constant-voltage line as a voltage supply line. The output circuit is connected with a rear stage of the small-signal circuit. An output terminal of this output circuit drives a power element connected with this terminal.
Japanese patent laid open (kokai) 2004-056914 discloses a driving apparatus which can avoid an increase in consumption current due to a rise of a temperature of a piezoelectric element and prevent breakdown of the element or an increase in size of a power supply. This apparatus is characterized in that a supply current stabilizing circuit section comprising a current-limit circuit section and a capacitor is provided between the power supply and a driving circuit section.

Semiconductor integrated circuit and controlling method thereof


A process for adhesively bonding two adherends to each other. The process includes directing a laser beam having characteristics substantially equivalent to a free electron laser to a respective surface of each of a first and/or second adherend to effectuate ablation of any organic and halogenated residues present on the surfaces, to glaze each surface, to form a substantially stable oxide layer thereon, and to microtexturize each surface such that a roughened surface with a tailored topography is formed on each surface. Thereafter, an adhesive is applied to at least one roughened surface and the two roughened surfaces are placed against each other such that the adhesive bonds the adherends along these respective roughened surfaces and provides a high-strength, long-term durability in most environments.

The formation of effective adhesive bonds is critical in many applications, including the formation of a joint between two adherends. Fundamental to the formation of an effective bond is acceptance of the bonding material or adhesive by the articles to be joined, compatibility of the surface geometries, and environmental stability of the two sites where adhesion is to occur. In particular, the surface geometry must be such as to provide maximum wetted surface per unit area and interlocking features that result in a high strength bond-line.
While surface preparation or texturizing to achieve the foregoing characteristics is desired, prior art approaches for preparing adherends have not met this goal. For example, chemical cleansing and texturizing treatments preceding adhesive applications can easily result in surface and sub-surface contamination at the sites to be joined to thereby interfere with bonding. Further, with chemical as well as conventional laser beam treatments, surface textures are inadequately refined to efficiently interact with surface tension characteristics, wetability of adhesives, or to provide an optimum surface topography. Further, typical metal oxides formed on bonding surfaces generally are unstable and result in poor bond-line durability or fatigue life when used in a hostile environment as exemplified by hot-wet.
In view of the above considerations, it is apparent that a need is present for methodology that enhances adhesive bonding of two parts. Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a process for adhesively bonding two adherends to each other wherein a laser beam having free-electron laser characteristics aimed at surfaces to be adhered ablates organic and halogenated residues present on the surfaces.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a bonding process wherein such a laser beam aimed at surfaces to be adhered microtexturizes the surfaces by glazing the surfaces and forming a controlled stable oxide layer.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a process for adhesively bonding two adherends wherein such a laser beam aimed at surfaces to be adhered microtexturizes the surfaces to a controlled topography by forming depressions and whisker projections on the surfaces to enhance mechanical interlocking of the two adherends with the adhesive and substantially match surface tensions of the surfaces and the adhesive being used.
These and other objects of the invention will become apparent throughout the description thereof which now follows.

Method for microtexturizing and bonding two surfaces


A multi-pixel photodetector array may include a semiconductor substrate having a back side and a front side, Geiger mode avalanche photodiodes (GM-APDs) on the semiconductor substrate, each including an anode contact, and a common cathode for the GM-APDs and having a first connection lead on the backside of the semiconductor substrate. The multi-pixel photodetector array may include a second connection lead, and a common anode on the front side of the semiconductor substrate and configured to couple in common the anode contacts of the GM-APDs to the second connection lead. Each GM-APD may be configured to generate, when a photon impinges thereon, a current pulse of different shape for discrimination by an external circuit connected to the common cathode and the common anode.

Photosensors made of semiconductor materials have gained attention in recent years because they may be specially adapted for the needs of many optical applications. See D. Renker, Properties of avalanche photodiodes for applications in high energy physics, astrophysics and medical imaging, Nuclear Instrumentation and Methods A, 486, pp. 164-169, (2002); S. Vasile, P. Gothoskar, R. Farrell and D. Sdrulla, Photon detection with high gain avalanche photodiode arrays, IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science, 45(3), pp. 720-723, (1998); B. F. Aull, A. H. Loomis, D. J. Young, R. M. Heinrichs, B. J. Felton, P. J. Daniels, and D. J. Landers, Geiger-Mode Avalanche Photodiodes for Three-Dimensional Imaging, Lincoln Laboratory Journal, 13(2), pp. 335-350, (2002); J. C. Jackson, D. Phelan, A. P. Morrison, R. M. Redfern, and A. Mathewson, Towards integrated single photon counting microarrays, Optical Engineering. 42(1), pp. 112-118, (2003); C. Niclass, A. Rochas, P.-A. Besse, and E. Charbon, Design and characterization of a CMOS 3-D image sensor based on single photon avalanche diodes, IEEE Journal of Solid-State Circuits, 40(9), pp. 1847-1854, (2005); F. Zappa, A. Gulinatti, P. Maccagnani, S. Tisa, and S. Cova, SPADA: Single Photon Avalanche Arrays, IEEE Photonics Technology Letters, 17(3) pp. 657-659, (2005); E. Sciacca, S. Lombardo, M. Mazzillo, G. Condorelli, D. Sanfilippo, A. Contissa, M. Belluso, F. Torrisi, S. Billotta, A. Campisi, L. Cosentino, A. Piazza, G. Fallica, P. Finocchiaro, F. Musumeci, S. Privitera, S. Tudisco, G. Bonanno, and E. Rimini, Arrays of Geiger mode Avalanche Photodiodes, IEEE Photonics Technology Letters, 18(15), pp. 1633-1635, (2006); and F. Zappa, S. Tisa, A. Tosi and S. Cova, Principles and features of single photon avalanche diode arrays, Sensors and Actuators A 140, pp. 103-112. (2007).
Due to their properties, photon counting detectors have found widespread use for the detection of very weak and fast optical signals in many fields like astronomy, fluorescence and luminescence decay measurements, single-molecule detection and laser ranging. (M. Ghioni, S. Cova, F. Zappa, and C. Amori, Compact active quenching circuit for fast photon counting with avalanche photodiodes, Review Scientific Instruments, 67(10), pp. 3440-3448, (1996)).
Silicon photomultipliers (SiPM) are semiconductor photodetectors operated in a limited Geiger mode. The SiPM structure is based on a two-dimensional pixel array of Geiger mode Avalanche Photodiodes (GM-APD) that individually act as photon counters. In Geiger mode, each pixel (photodiode) is operated with a bias voltage above its breakdown voltage. At this operating condition, the electric field within the GM-APD depletion layer is high enough that charge carriers injected in this region may trigger a self-sustaining avalanche multiplication process by impact ionization mechanisms.
When a photon is absorbed in the depletion layer of the diode, a photo electron-hole pair is generated. This pair may initiate the breakdown current. As a result, a sharp current pulse of few milliamps and with sub-nanosecond rise time is produced. The current rising edge marks the photon arrival time. In Geiger mode, photodiodes work as binary devices, because they give the same output signal regardless of the number of interacting photons. (E. Sciacca, A. C. Giudice, D. Sanfilippo, F. Zappa, S. Lombardo, R. Cosentino, C. Di Franco, M. Ghioni, G. Fallica, G. Bonanno, S. Cova, and E. Rimini, Silicon planar technology for single-photon optical detectors, IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices, 50(4), pp. 918-925, (2003)).
In a SiPM, the current flow throughout each pixel (photodiode) is limited by integrated individual quenching resistors, which turn off the avalanche current and reset each fired diode. In SiPM configuration, each diode is connected to the power supply through an integrated large series ballast resistor Rq (typical values in the range 100 kΩ-3MΩ). (P. Buzhan, B. Dolgoshein, L. Filatov, A. Ilyin, V. Kantzerov, V. Kaplin, A. Karakash, F. Kayumov, S. Klemin, E. Popova, and S. Smirnov, Silicon photomultiplier and its possible applications, Nuclear Instrumentation and Methods A, 504, pp. 48-52, (2003)).
In a SiPM, the outputs of all the pixels are multiplexed; therefore, it is not possible to localize the pixels fired by the absorption of photons. This drawback may limit the performance of this device and make its use possible only in applications where it is important only to determine the number of photons impinging on the detector surface, regardless of their point of absorption.
Typically, to overcome this limitation in applications like Positron Emission Tomography (PET), several Photomultiplier Tubes (PMTs) or SiPMs are tiled together to form along with a two-dimensional array of scintillating crystals a unique block detector, as shown in FIG. 5. In PET applications, the crystals in the scintillator block are usually optically isolated from each other, and each scintillator is coupled to a SiPM with size comparable to the transverse dimensions of the coupled crystal.
When a gamma-photon is incident on one of the crystals, the resultant light may be conveyed within the same crystal if the scintillators in the block are optically isolated or shared by the different scintillators otherwise. Information on the position of the detecting crystal may be obtained from the detector outputs by using complex position reconstruction algorithms if the light emitted by the scintillators is shared among different detectors, as it is typical of tiled arrays coupled to scintillators that are not optically isolated. On the other hand, also in the case where the scintillators are isolated and coupled to independent detectors, it is helpful to have independent anode and cathode outputs for each one of the SiPMs within the array to determine the gamma-ray impinging position on the scintillator block. However, the spatial resolution allowed with this technique may be poor due the limited number of detectors that may be tiled together because of the complexity of the electronics, packaging constraints, the finite dimension of the same detectors required to obtain a measurable signal at their outputs, and the limited fill factor of the whole tiled array.
This requirement may also be important in imaging arrays using GM-APD pixels as sensitive elements to exploit fast response of these detectors in LIDAR techniques. To provide adequate spatial information without using readout scanning techniques, individual outputs with appropriate driving and readout circuits for each pixel of the array may be required. Obviously the larger the number of pixels in the array, the higher its dynamic range, and consequently, the more accurate the spatial information provided by the whole photodetector. Moreover the higher the whole dimension and the geometrical fill factor of the array, the higher its sensitivity. However, because of packaging constraints and the reduction of the fill factor due to the individual pixels outputs, arrays with a reduced number of pixels (typically 1000) may only be realized by using this approach.

Multi pixel photo detector array of Geiger mode avalanche photodiodes


A device for receiving therein a prestressed roller journal, the device being provided in a printing unit of a rotary printing press, includes a screw-in element having a prestressed pressure element movably guided therein for adjusting to a contact width of a roller, a bearing member carrying the screw-in element and being adjustable between a vertical installation position thereof and at least one installation position deviating from the vertical installation position, the bearing member being formed with a pair of guide cams disposed opposite one another for automatically orienting the roller in the vertical installation position, one of the guide cams of the pair thereof being disposed so as to carry the weight of the roller in the at least one installation position of the bearing member deviating from the vertical installation position.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a device for receiving rollers, especially in inking units of rotary printing presses.
2. Description of the Related Art
An inking unit for rotary printing presses has become known heretofore from the state of the art, as exemplified by the German Published Patent Document 33 42 852 C2, which is convertible from newspaper printing to job or commercial printing by the installation of supplemental components. For this purpose, bearing plates or brackets are provided wherein transfer rollers are received. An adjustment of a roller gap between one of the transfer rollers and an applicator roller is effected via a thumbscrew and is included in the individual discretionary estimates made by the pressman.
A device is furthermore known from U.S. Pat. No. 3,167,010 wherein adjustable roller bearings for ink applicator rollers and transfer rollers are disclosed. Slide rings are fastened in side walls so that bearing members can be shifted by twisting an adjustment screw in order to vary the contact force in the contact zone. The amount or size of the contact force is indicated by the compression path of a spring or a spring set or package. After the adjustment position for generating a defined contact force has been determined, the bearing member is fastened in the determined position. No provision is made in this heretofore known device for an automatic adjustment of the contact zone to parameters varying during the operation of the printing press.


The present invention is to provide an apparatus presenting information serving as a reason for inference as information on findings so as to be easily recognized by a doctor. A medical diagnosis support apparatus infers a diagnostic name derived from a medical image based on image feature values indicating features of a region included in the medical image, acquires information on findings representing the features of the region included in the medical image based on the image feature values, and presents the information on the findings as a reason for the inference.

In recent years, various types of medical information are used in diagnosis and a technique of a system has been highly expected in which a result acquired by a computer analyzing medical information including medical images is used as support for diagnosis. PTL 1 discloses presentation of a result of search associated with a radiogram interpretation item used in the search in a system in which a similar case is searched for based on image feature values acquired by analyzing a medical image and the radiogram interpretation item of a past case.
Even in a case where only a result of analysis is displayed when the result obtained by a computer analyzing medical information is used by a doctor as support for diagnosis, the doctor may not determine whether the result is useful. A determination as to whether a past case deeply associated with a radiogram interpretation item used in the search is useful information for the diagnosis to be made may not be reliably made only by displaying the past case.

Medical diagnosis support apparatus, information processing method, medical diagnosis support system, and program


A differential scanning calorimeter has a heat sink for accommodating therein a measurement sample and a reference material, and a differential heat flow detector that detects a temperature difference between the sample and the reference material. A cooling mechanism cools the heat sink, and a thermoconductor is disposed between the cooling mechanism and the heat sink and forms a heat flow path between the two. A first heater heats the heat sink, and a second heater heats the thermoconductor to thereby heat the heat sink. The second heater begins operating before the first heater nears its rated maximum output power.

The present invention relates to a differential scanning calorimeter for a thermal analyzer.
A differential scanning calorimeter of a thermal analyzer is equipped with a heat-controlled heat sink, a sample within the heat sink, a reference material holder, a heater for heating the heat sink, and a cooling device for cooling the heat sink. With differential scanning calorimeters of the related art, a cooling device comes into direct contact with a heat sink so as to cool the heat sink. Cooling devices taking liquid nitrogen as a medium are disclosed in Japanese issued Patent Tokkohei 2-116744 and Japanese issued Patent Tokkohei 7-122619. At the cooling device, an electrical cooling device that compresses a cooling agent using a compressor so as to cause adiabatic expansion that in turn produces cooling is provided. A metallic member connected to the electrical cooling device then makes direct contact with a heat sink so as to cause cooling.
With heat-flux differential scanning calorimeters of the related art, it is preferable for providing power to the heater that heats the heat sink to be of high-resolution in order to control the temperature of the heat sink as precisely as possible. For example, with differential scanning calorimeters with an upper limit of 750° C., an ideal maximum heater power is taken to be a value sufficient for requiring heating necessary to bring the heat sink temperature up to 750° C.
Differential scanning calorimeters are connected to a device for cooling a heatsink such as an electrical cooling device that compresses a cooling medium using, for example, a compressor so as to bring about adiabatic expansion which in turn brings about cooling in order to measure negative temperature bands or measure falling temperatures. However, with differential scanning calorimeters designed with the sufficient heating power necessary for heating processing, in cases where a cooling device is not connected, it is possible for the temperature to be increased up to 750° C. but when an electrical cooling device is connected, the current for heating the heat sink flows in the cooling mechanism, and because extra heater power is therefore required, heating up to 750° C. cannot be achieved for the differential scanning calorimeter and the temperature range that can be measured is therefore reduced. Further, when a cooling device is installed and the outputted heater power is increased to achieve heating up to 750° C., the resolution of the control of the heater power deteriorates, and heat sink temperature can no longer be controlled in a precise manner.
In order to resolve the aforementioned problems, the current application sets out to precisely control heat sink temperature using high-resolution heater power without reducing the measurable temperature range of a differential scanning calorimeter to which an electrical cooling device for cooling a heat sink is connected.

Differential scanning calorimeter with a second heater


A system and method for controlling a rotor of an aircraft is disclosed. A desired rotor speed for the rotor is received and a torque command that generates the received rotor speed is calculated. A fuel adjustment signal is calculated based on the torque command and a dynamic rotor measurement of the aircraft. The fuel adjustment signal is provided to the aircraft to track the rotor speed to the desired rotor speed.

The present invention is directed to a system and method for flying a rotary wing aircraft having a coaxial main rotor assembly and, in particular, to controlling a rotor torque and rotor speed of the aircraft.
Rotary wing aircraft such as helicopters include a main rotor assembly having a rotor and rotor blades that sits atop a fuselage of the aircraft. An engine or electric motor of the aircraft applies a torque to the rotor in order to cause the rotor to rotate at a selected rotor speed, thereby providing lift to the aircraft. Current flight control systems for rotary wing aircraft generate and pass a suitable rotor speed reference value to an engine or electric motor control system which makes the actual rotor speed track the reference value. Such flight control systems are suitable for tracking slow changes in rotor speed. However, faster changes in rotor speed, such as those changes that occur at the on-set of aggressive aircraft maneuvering, cannot be accommodated by these flight control systems.

Model following control for torque and rotor speed


A yellow dye compound having a structure of following formula (I) is disclosed:

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a yellow dye compound, and more particularly, to a yellow dye compound especially applied to ink-jet ink. The present invention also relates to a yellow ink composition comprising the above yellow dye compound.
2. Description of Related Art
Ink jet printing is a non-impact printing method, the involving features include and provide sharp, non feathering patterns, as well consist of good light-fastness, optical density, high solubility, storage stability, and fine fluency, so as to provide excellent printing quality.
Currently, there are several kinds of yellow dyes used in ink-jet ink, such as C.I. Reactive Yellow 95, C.I. Direct Yellow 86, C.I. Direct Yellow 132 and C.I. Acid Yellow 23. Also, in Taiwan Invention Patent No. 265181 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,867,286, yellow dyes for ink-jet ink are disclosed. However, these yellow dyes known in the conventional art have caused problems in deposition and blocking due to undesirable light-fastness and low solubility, and further, result in poor printing quality in terms of non-uniformness and discontinuity.
It is an important issue to provide a novel yellow dye, having desirable light-fastness and solubility, so that diversified selectiveness can be obtained in manufacturing yellow ink-jet ink.

Yellow dye compound and ink composition comprising the same

Abstract: wherein R1, R2, R3, and R4, is defined the same as in the specification. The yellow dye compound can be used in ink-jet ink. Also disclosed is a yellow ink composition including the yellow dye compound having the above formula (I).