Briefly described, embodiments of this disclosure include bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET) systems, methods of detecting a protein-protein interaction, noninvasive methods for detecting the interaction of a first protein with a second protein within a living animal, methods to determine the efficacy of a test compound administered to modulate the interaction of a first protein with a second protein in a living animal, BRET vectors, kits relating to each of the above, transgenic cell or progeny thereof and/or animals relating to each of the above, and the like.

Luminescence is a phenomenon in which energy is specifically channeled to a molecule to produce an excited state. Return to a lower energy state is accompanied by release of a photon. Luminescence includes fluorescence, phosphorescence, chemiluminescence and bioluminescence. Bioluminescence is the process by which living organisms emit light that is visible to other organisms. Where the luminescence is bioluminescence, creation of the excited state derives from an enzyme catalyzed reaction. Luminescence can be used in the analysis of biological interactions.
Interactions between proteins and other molecules play a key regulatory role in almost every biological process. For example, cytosolic and cell surface protein-protein interactions play major roles in normal cellular functions and biological responses. In particular, many cytosolic and cell surface protein-protein interactions are involved in disease pathways. For example, attacks by pathogens such as viruses and bacteria on mammalian cells typically begin with interactions between viral or bacterial proteins and mammalian cell surface proteins. In addition, many protein-protein interactions between factors in cellular transcriptional machineries are also valuable drug targets. Protein-protein interactions are also involved, for example, in the assembly of enzyme subunits; in antigen-antibody reactions; in forming the supramolecular structures of ribosomes, filaments, and viruses; in transport; and in the interaction of receptors on a cell with growth factors and hormones. Products of oncogenes can give rise to neoplastic transformation through protein-protein interactions. Thus, many techniques have been developed to identify and characterize these interactions.
One technique for assessing protein-protein interaction is based on fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET). In this process, one fluorophore (the "donor") transfers its excited-state energy to another fluorophore (the "acceptor"), which usually emits fluorescence of a different color. According to Forster equation (Forster, T., (1948) Ann. Physik., 2, 55 and Forster, T., (1960) Rad. Res. Suppl., 2, 326), FRET efficiency depends on five parameters: (i) the overlap between the absorption spectrum of the second fluorophore and the emission spectrum of the first fluorophore, (ii) the relative orientation between the emission dipole of the donor and the absorption dipole of the acceptor, (iii) the distance between the fluorophores, (iv) the quantum yield of the donor, and (v) the extinction coefficient of the acceptor.
FRET has been used to assay protein-protein proximity in vitro and in vivo by chemically attaching fluorophores such as fluorescein and rhodamine to pairs of purified proteins and measuring fluorescence spectra of protein mixtures or cells that were microinjected with the labeled proteins (Adams et al, (1991) Nature, 349, 694-697).
The cloning and expression of Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP) in heterologous systems opened the possibility of genetic attachment of fluorophores to proteins. In addition, the availability of GFP mutants with altered wavelengths (Heim et al., (1994) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA., 91, 12501-12504) allowed their use as FRET pairs.
An attractive application allowed by GFP-based FRET is the in vivo assay of protein interactions in organisms other than yeast. For example, fusion of GFP and BFP to the mammalian transcriptional factor Pit-1 showed homo-dimerization of Pit-1 in live HeLa cells (Periasamy, A. and Day, R. N., (1998) J. Biomed. Opt., 3, 1-7). In this type of assay, interactions can be examined in the proteins' native organism, such that cell-type specific modifications and/or compartmentalization of the proteins are preserved. Additionally, compartmentalization of these interacting proteins is potentially visible in the microscope.
FRET, however, has several limitations. As with any fluorescence technique, photobleaching of the fluorophore and autofluorescence of the cells/tissue can significantly restrict the usefulness of FRET, and, in highly autofluorescent tissues, FRET is essentially unusable. Also, if the excitation light easily damages the tissue, the technique may be unable to give a value for healthy cells. Finally, if the cells/tissues to be tested are photoresponsive (e.g., retina), FRET may be impractical because as soon as a measurement is taken, the photoresponse may be triggered.

Bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET) systems and methods of use thereof


In an alternator, failure in a power supply line connected to an output terminal of a rectifier is detected. Upon detection of a failure in this power supply line, power generation is suppressed for a predetermined period that is longer than the time constant of a field winding of the alternator. Preferably, a high voltage pulse is detected to discriminate a first condition where a single high voltage pulse is generated when an electrical load connected to the power supply line is cut off and a second condition where a high voltage pulse is repeatedly and frequently generated when a failure occurs in the power supply line. Only when the second condition is discriminated, power generation suppression control of the alternator is conducted.

The present invention relates to a voltage regulator for a vehicle alternator and a method of controlling the power generation of an alternator for a vehicle.
It is proposed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,191,562 (JP-A-2000-60191) to protect a power Zener diode of an alternator by improving a drive circuit of a power transistor so that magnetic energy is dispersed by making conductive the power transistor when electric load cut-off condition is generated. Thus, when a battery is cut off, supply of field current from the battery can be stopped.
However, it has been found that since high voltage is applied to the field winding of the alternator to increase a field current in the alternator of the structure to supply directly a field current from the DC output terminal of a full-wave rectifier of the alternator, the output voltage of the alternator is set in the positive feedback condition. Thereby, magnetic energy increases.
Moreover, when the battery is placed from the condition of being not completely cutoff, for example, to a condition where the harness is not perfectly fixed electrically at the output terminal of alternator, or a connection failure occurs anywhere in a power feeding cable, comparatively small surges of voltage are repeatedly applied to the power Zener diode irregularly within a short period. In this case, a large amount of heat accumulates because of the repetitive generation of heat, even though in comparatively small amounts. Therefore thermal damage becomes larger in this case than in the case where one comparatively large surge of voltage, such as that generated when a rated load is cut off or disconnected is applied.
FIG. 22 shows changes in temperature T when a reverse current I is repeatedly generated in the Zener diode. AC voltage is usually generated in the armature winding. Therefore this voltage becomes high, when a failure occurs. It thereby exceeds the reverse breakdown voltage Vz of the Zener diode, and the diode reverse breakdown allows a reverse current to flow. This is a rectangular wave current and the frequency thereof depends on the number of rotations of the rotor.
In this case, an instantaneous value of energy to be consumed in the Zener diode is given in the form of Vzxc2x7Iz (Iz is a reverse current flowing into one element). This energy is converted to heat and is classified into the energy accumulated in the thermal capacitance in proportion to the volume of element and the energy dispersed to the external side, with thermal resistance to be transferred through a member forming an element (such as electrode, soldering material and sealing material). Therefore, temperature instantaneously rises in comparison with the initial value T0 with the thermal energy accumulated in the element. Finally, when normal conditions are recovered and high voltage disappears, the reverse current is cut off and the temperature of the element is gradually lowered. In this case, if the high voltage condition is maintained for a long period of time, the temperature of the element continuously rises, resulting in the possibility of thermal breakdown of the element.
It is also proposed to increase the thermal capacitance by expanding the area of the diode element. However, mounting becomes difficult if such an increase of thermal capacitance is realized, because of the spatial limitation on the small size alternator. Moreover, it is also proposed that effective thermal dispersion can be realized by lessening thermal conductivity to the external circuits. However, it is likely that in a usual power generating operation temperature rises excessively due to radiation of heat from the external side.
Moreover, when normal diodes are used for the full-wave rectifier of the alternator, high voltage is not absorbed and appears on the power supply line. Accordingly, an electrical system protection device of a vehicle may be damaged.
The present invention therefore has an object to alleviate electrical and thermal damage to a rectifier of an alternator and a vehicle electrical system due to the high voltage that is repeatedly generated by the alternator.
According to the present invention, failure in a power supply line connected to an output terminal of a rectifier of an alternator is detected. Upon detection of a failure in this power supply line, power generation is suppressed for a predetermined period that is longer than the time constant of a field winding of the alternator.
When a high voltage pulse that is higher than a predetermined regulated voltage and exceeds a predetermined voltage that is lower than the withstand voltage of a rectifier built into an alternator appears at an output terminal of an alternator, this high voltage pulse is detected to discriminate a first condition where a single high voltage pulse is generated when an electrical load connected to the power supply line is cut off and a second condition where a high voltage pulse is repeatedly and frequently generated when a failure occurs in a power supply line or in a peripheral area. When the second condition is discriminated, power generation suppression control of the alternator is conducted.

Voltage regulator for alternator and method of controlling power generation of alternator


The invention concerns a device for producing granules, in particular pharmaceutical granules, comprising a drum (4) with peripheral apertures (25) and a member (30) feeding the drum with coating or fixing substance. The drum (4) comprises mutually parallel sections (22) defining between them the apertures (25).

The invention relates to the production of solid products to be administered orally, in particular pharmaceutical products such as microgranules.
Medicaments to be swallowed, formed by a gelatine capsule enclosing microgranules with a maximum dimension of, for example, between 0.4 and 1.4 mm, are known. The aim is, by means of these microgranules, to obtain steady and prolonged release over time of a substance such as an active ingredient into the organism in order to reduce the number of doses taken by the patient. The production of the microgranules involves a stage in which the active ingredient in solution is fixed around inert grains, e.g. starch. This stage should make it possible to obtain on each grain one or more uniform homogeneous coating layers of predetermined thickness formed by a solution containing the active ingredient.
An existing system makes it possible to coat tablets of dimensions greater than 5 mm. These tablets are placed in a drum having perforations of a diameter less than 5 mm in order to avoid escape of the particles while at the same time allowing air to pass through the mass of tablets to be coated. With the drum rotating, the coating liquid is atomized onto the tablets. An air circuit allows elimination of the solvents and thus continuous formation of the coating layer.
As regards the microgranules, since these generally have a diameter of between 0.4 and 1.4 mm, which is thus markedly less than that of the tablets, it is impossible to place them in this drum, because the result would be that the microgranules would immediately escape via the perforations.
To mitigate this problem, one solution, which would be very difficult to implement and costly, would be to manufacture a drum with perforations less than 0.4 mm. Moreover, the small diameter of the apertures would entail a significant pressure drop in the air circuit.
Another solution, which is less costly, is to line the inside of the drum with a metallic cloth or screen with a mesh which prevents the passage of the microgranules. In this case, there are numerous constraints:
the fineness of the mesh makes the cloth very fragile and prone to tear, which entails the escape of the microgranules and hence the contamination of the air circuit and of the remainder of the installation;
the mesh is very rapidly obstructed by deposition of coating residues, necessitating frequent cleaning. The risk of clogging thus makes it necessary to reduce considerably the atomization rate of the coating solution; and
cleaning is made very difficult by the fact that the screen has to be removed. Moreover, even with thorough cleaning, there are numerous risks of contamination such that traces of a first active ingredient will be detected on the subsequent product.
One object of the invention is to provide a device suitable for the production of granules, in particular mini- or microgranules, which is easy to manufacture, entails a small pressure drop in the air circuit, reduces the risks that the product will escape into the installation, reduces the risks of cross-contamination and allows fixing or coating with a high output of coating or fixing substance.
With a view to achieving this object, the invention provides a device for the production of granules, in particular pharmaceutical granules, the device having a drum with peripheral apertures and a member for feeding the drum with coating or fixing substance, in which the drum has mutually parallel sections which define between them the apertures.
The width of the apertures thus depends on the spacing chosen for the sections. This spacing can be very small so as to obtain very narrow apertures suitable for the production of microgranules with a diameter between 0.4 and 1.5 mm, for example. This drum is easy to manufacture, including very narrow apertures. Moreover, the percentage of gaps in the wall of the drum is high, such that the pressure drop as any circulating air crosses the drum is reduced. The sections make the wall of the drum very strong. Any risk that the granules will escape into the installation is thus avoided. The sections are very easy to clean, in particular from the outside of the drum, thus reducing the risks of cross-contamination when fixing two different products in succession. Moreover, since the sections cause little clogging, fixing or coating can be carried out at a high rate of flow of coating or fixing fluid. Hence, when the products to be fixed or coated are sensitive to heat or humidity, the risks of degradation of the products are avoided. The device is particularly suitable for fixing or coating microgranules for medical applications comprising an active ingredient which should be released steadily and over a prolonged period into the organism.
It is advantageous if the sections have edges arranged opposite one another.
The edges thus make it possible to define the dimensions of the apertures very accurately.
It is advantageous if the edges delimit a flat face of each section, the said face facing the inside of the drum.
The flat faces of the sections thus define a flat internal face of the drum, which may be cylindrical, allowing the products fixed or coated to be given a very smooth surface.
It is advantageous if each section has a width that decreases from the inside towards the outside of the drum.
The drum is thus simple to clean, particularly from the outside of the drum, the lateral faces of the sections guiding a cleaning fluid towards the apertures between the sections for the purpose of unclogging them.
It is advantageous if each section has a triangular profile.
It is advantageous if the sections are rectilinear and parallel to an axis of rotation of the drum.
It is advantageous if the sections are curved.
It is advantageous if the drum has sectors which carry the sections and can be removed independently of one another.
This makes the drum easier to clean.
It is advantageous if the substance feed member is arranged in the drum.
It is advantageous if the substance feed member comprises an atomizer.
It is advantageous if the substance feed member is connected to a source of liquid.
It is advantageous if the substance feed member is connected to a source of compressed air.
It is advantageous if the device has means for the continuous supply of a gas to the interior of the drum and for forcing the gas to pass through the apertures from the inside towards the outside of the drum.
It is advantageous if the device has means for heating the gas upstream of the drum.
It is advantageous if the device is set up such that the gas passes through the apertures from the outside towards the inside of the drum.
The invention also provides a process for producing granules, in particular pharmaceutical granules, in which use is made of a device according to the invention.
Moreover, the invention provides granules, in particular pharmaceutical granules, which have been produced by means of a process according to the invention.
The invention also provides packaging such as a sachet or gelatine capsule comprising granules according to the invention.

Device for coating granules to be administered orally

Laboratoires des Produits Ethiques Ethypharm


A method for cleaning a nozzle of a material deposition system configured to deposit material on an electronic substrate includes: performing a deposition operation with a material deposition system configured to position an electronic substrate under a deposition head movable by a gantry, to supply material to a chamber of the deposition head, to extend a piston of the deposition head from the chamber, the needle terminating in a needle orifice, and to push a volume of material out of the chamber by an actuator of the deposition head to form a desired volume of material at the needle orifice that is deposited on the electronic substrate; and cleaning the needle orifice with air directed to the needle orifice.

1. Field of the Disclosure
This disclosure relates generally to systems and methods for depositing a material on a substrate, such as a printed circuit board, and more particularly to an apparatus and a method for depositing viscous materials, such as solder paste, epoxies, underfill materials, encapsulants, and other assembly materials, on electronic substrates.
2. Discussion of Related Art
There are several types of prior art dispensing systems used for dispensing metered amounts of liquid or paste for a variety of applications. One such application is the assembly of integrated circuit chips and other electronic components onto circuit board substrates, which are sometimes referred to as electronic substrates. In this application, automated dispensing systems are used for dispensing dots of liquid epoxy or solder paste, or some other related material, onto circuit boards. Automated dispensing systems are also used for dispensing lines of underfill materials and encapsulants, which mechanically secure components to the circuit board. Underfill materials and encapsulants are used to improve the mechanical and environmental characteristics of the assembly.
Another application is to dispense very small amounts or dots onto a circuit board. In one system capable of dispensing dots of material, a dispenser unit utilizes a rotating auger having a helical groove to force material out of a nozzle and onto a circuit board. One such system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,819,983, entitled LIQUID DISPENSING SYSTEM WITH SEALING AUGERING SCREW AND METHOD FOR DISPENSING, which is owned by Speedline Technologies, Inc. of Franklin, Mass., a subsidiary of the assignee of the present disclosure.
In an operation employing an auger-type dispenser, the dispenser unit is lowered towards the surface of the circuit board prior to dispensing a dot or a line of material onto the circuit board and raised after dispensing the dot or line of material. Using this type of dispenser, small, precise quantities of material may be placed with great accuracy. The time required to lower and raise the dispenser unit in a direction normal to the circuit board, typically known as a z-axis movement, can contribute to the time required to perform dispensing operations. Specifically, with auger-type dispensers, prior to dispensing the dot or line of material, the dispenser unit is lowered so that the material touches or "wets" the circuit board. The process of wetting contributes to additional time to perform the dispensing operation.
It is also known in the field of automated dispensers to launch or jet dots of viscous material toward the circuit board. In such a jetter-type system, a minute, discrete quantity of viscous material is ejected from a nozzle with sufficient inertia to enable the material to separate from the nozzle prior to contacting the circuit board. As discussed above, with the auger-type application or other prior, traditional dispensing systems, it is necessary to wet the circuit board with the dot of material prior to releasing the dot from the nozzle. When ejecting, the dots may be deposited on the substrate without wetting as a pattern of discrete dots, or alternatively the dots may be placed sufficiently close to each other to cause them to coalesce into more or less a continuous pattern. One such jetter-type system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,980,197, entitled METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DISPENSING A VISCOUS MATERIAL ON A SUBSTRATE, which is owned by Illinois Tool Works Inc. of Glenview, Illinois, the assignee of the present disclosure.
In the field of micro-jetting technology, ink jet printers traditionally use one or more ink jet heads for precisely projecting drops of ink onto a printing medium (such as paper) to generate text, graphical images or other indicia. Drops are projected from a minute external orifice in each head to the printing medium so as to form the text, graphical images or other indicia on the printing medium. A suitable control system synchronizes the generation of ink drops. It is important that the ink drops be of substantially uniform size, and also that the drops are applied consistently onto the printing medium so that printing is not distorted. It is also important, especially when depositing material onto an electronic substrate, that the drops are applied precisely onto the electronic substrate.
Existing ink jet technology, whether it is thermal-jet or piezo-jet, can only jet micro-droplets with low viscosity liquids (typically 2-15 centipoise), such as water based inks, and only for short printing distances. Thus, traditional ink jet systems are not particularly suited for dispensing the more viscous materials described above. In such existing ink jet technology, a pressure pulse is applied to a fluid chamber with sufficient pressure to overcome surface tension forces, thereby forming and ejecting a droplet of fluid from the ink jet nozzle. However, for jetting higher viscosity liquids (greater than 100 centipoise) with drop-on-demand requirement, there is no known ink jetting method.
In one basic type of ink jet head, ink drops are produced on demand, for example as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,106,032, entitled APPARATUS FOR APPLYING LIQUID DROPLETS TO A SURFACE BY USING A HIGH SPEED LAMINAR AIR FLOW TO ACCELERATE THE SAME, the entire disclosure of which is herein incorporated by reference. In such drop-on-demand ink jet heads, ink in an ink chamber in the ink jet head, in response to a pressure wave generated from an electric pulse applied to a piezoelectric crystal, flows through an ink passageway in an ink chamber wall and forms an ink drop at an internal drop-forming orifice outlet located at the outer surface of the ink chamber wall. The ink drop passes from the drop-forming orifice outlet, through an air chamber, and toward a main external orifice of the ink jet head leading to the print medium. Continuous air under pressure is delivered to the air chamber and propels the ink drop through the air chamber and to the print medium.
However, such prior art drop-on-demand ink jet heads suffer from numerous disadvantages, drawbacks and/or limitations, for example as discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,613,875, entitled AIR ASSISTED INK JET HEAD WITH PROJECTING INTERNAL INK DROP-FORMING ORIFICE OUTLET, and in U.S. Pat. No. 4,728,969, entitled AIR ASSISTED INK JET HEAD WITH SINGLE COMPARTMENT INK CHAMBER, the entire disclosures of these patents are herein incorporated by reference. In an attempt to improve upon such prior art drop-on-demand ink jet heads, an ink chamber with an ink drop-forming orifice outlet from which ink drops are generated in response to pressure waves caused by a piezoelectric crystal. This internal orifice outlet is centered in a projecting structure which extends toward an external orifice. The projecting structure is of a frustoconical or mesa-like shape. As stated therein, air flowing past the top (orifice outlet) of the projection prevents ink from wetting anything but the top of the projection, resulting in highly uniform ink drop formation with a single uniform dot being produced on the printing medium in response to each pressure wave.
The existing micro-jetting technology, whether it is piezo-jet, positive displacement or time pressure has inherent limitations on droplet size and fluid viscosity range for suitable jetted fluids, and therefore have not been successfully incorporated into dispensers and systems for applying such viscous materials onto electronic substrates.

Method for cleaning a nozzle of a material deposition system


A working machine includes a base, at least one z-axis track mounted on the base, a secondary z-axis track mounted on the base, at least one z-axis saddle mounted on the z-axis track, a secondary z-axis saddle mounted on the secondary z-axis track, at least one x-axis track mounted on the z-axis saddle, at least one x-axis slide mounted on the x-axis track, at least one upright support mounted on the x-axis slide, and at least one y-axis track mounted on the upright support. Thus, the y-axis track is disposed at a vertical state so that the y-axis track is operated exactly and stably to facilitate operation of the working machine and to enhance the working precision and stability of the working machine.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a working machine and, more particularly, to a composite working machine for milling and turning purposes.
2. Description of the Related Art
A first conventional working machine in accordance with the prior art shown in FIG. 1 comprises a base 1, an x-axis track 4 mounted on base 1, a y-axis track 3 mounted on the x-axis track 4, and a cutter 2 mounted on the y-axis track 3. The x-axis track 4 is movable in the X-axis direction, and the y-axis track 3 is movable in the Y-axis direction. The y-axis track 3 is inclined relative to the x-axis track 4, and an angle of about thirty degrees (30°) is defined between the y-axis track 3 and the x-axis track 4. However, the y-axis track 3 is not perpendicular to the x-axis track 4 so that it is difficult for a programmer to write the working program and difficult for an operator to calibrate the working precision.
A second conventional working machine in accordance with the prior art shown in FIG. 2 comprises a base 1a, an x-axis track 4a mounted on base 1a, a y-axis track 3a mounted on the x-axis track 4a, and a cutter 2a mounted on the y-axis track 3a. The x-axis track 4a is movable in the X-axis direction, and the y-axis track 3a is movable in the Y-axis direction. The y-axis track 3a is inclined relative to the x-axis track 4a, and an angle of about thirty degrees) (30°) is defined between the y-axis track 3a and the x-axis track 4a. However, the y-axis track 3a is not perpendicular to the x-axis track 4a so that it is difficult for a programmer to write the working program and difficult for an operator to calibrate the working precision.
A third conventional working machine in accordance with the prior art shown in FIG. 3 comprises a base 1b, an x-axis track 4b mounted on base 1b, a y-axis track 3b mounted on the x-axis track 4b, and a cutter 2b mounted on the y-axis track 3b. The x-axis track 4b is movable in the X-axis direction, and the y-axis track 3b is movable in the Y-axis direction. The y-axis track 3b is perpendicular to the x-axis track 4b. However, the y-axis track 3b is disposed at an inclined state and is inclined relative to the ground to produce a force moment so that the center of gravity of the y-axis track 3b is disposed at an unsteady state, and the y-axis track 3b is easily deformed or worn out due to the force moment produced by inclination, thereby shortening the lifetime of the working machine. In addition, the y-axis track 3b is disposed at an inclined state so that the y-axis track 3b is not operated exactly and stably, thereby causing instability and difficulty in operation of the working machine, and thereby decreasing the working precision and stability of the working machine.

Milling and turning composite working machine


A method for forming a dielectric layer is disclosed herein. In accordance with the method, a first material is provided (303) which comprises a suspension of nanoparticles in a liquid medium. A dielectric layer is then formed (305) on the substrate from the suspension through an evaporative process.

In the past, aluminum and its alloys have been the materials of choice for dual damascene interconnect metallurgies and other Back-End-Of-Line (BEOL) metallization structures utilized in semiconductor devices. These interconnects have typically been embedded in dielectric materials (e.g., SiO2) known as interlayer dielectrics (ILD). The delay in the BEOL structure, and hence its performance characteristics, are dictated by the product of the resistance of the interconnect and the capacitance provided by the ILD materials.
The physical limitations of aluminum interconnects, and in particular their relatively high resistivities, have prevented them from accommodating the need for increased circuit densities and speeds in semiconductor devices. Consequently, copper-based metallurgies have evolved as replacements for aluminum metallurgies in dual damascene interconnect metallurgies and other BEOL metallization structures. Copper-based interconnect metallurgies offer lower resistivities and comparatively lower susceptibility to electromigration failure compared to their aluminum counterparts. The use of copper-based metallurgies also allows capacitance to be exploited in the optimization of interconnect performance. To this end, ultra-low dielectric constant materials have begun supplanting SiO2 as the dielectric materials of choice in which metal lines are embedded.
The material properties of the ILD in dual damascene applications are essential for integration of low RC (Resistance/Capacitance) backend solutions. In particular, this dielectric material must be mechanically strong and possess a very low dielectric constant or k-value. In practice, this dielectric constant must be much lower than that of SiO2, which has a dielectric constant of about 4.1.
One of the challenges facing the commercial implementation of dual damascene processes is the lack of an optimal dielectric material for use in the ILD. In particular, most existing dielectric materials, such as silicon dioxide, porous hydrogen and carbon containing glasses (e.g., SiCOH), or dielectrics based on aromatic hydrocarbon thermosetting polymers, are either unsuitable for use in the ILD layer, are fraught with mechanical stability issues or exhibit k-value integrity issues during processing, or simply have too high of a k-value. Air gap ILDs possess potentially the best k-value, but come with significant patterning, processing and mechanical integrity challenges.
Other known low-k materials are unsuitable for use in dual damascene processes because they require that a protective layer be formed on the etched dielectric layer in order to protect the dielectric material during processing. For example, porous low-k materials require pore sealing for all of the processes used to etch them (i.e., for via formation and cleaning), as well as for the metallization processes used to form the metal interconnects. Potentially, each processing step (e.g., etching, post-etch treatment to remove etch residues, the preparation of exposed metal surfaces, and metal deposition) can degrade the BEOL dielectric constant. Silicon and oxygen-based low-k films whose low k-value is enabled by the presence of carbon are particularly prone to k-value degradation in this regard, since the only known processes that can adequately etch them for high performance and high density computing applications will themselves interact with the carbon and hydrogen in the films.
The use of boron-nitride (BN), and in particular, boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs), as ILD materials has also been investigated. These materials have attractive hardness and can theoretically provide dielectric layers with very low K-values. However, BNNT compositions have a number of fundamental flaws that have prevented their successful use in BEOL applications. In particular, the k- values achieved with dielectric layers formed from these materials are found to be significantly higher than the values that are theoretically possible, and the mechanical properties of the resulting layers have been found to be inadequate. Moreover, BNNT layers are typically grown from catalyst layers. The extra steps involved in patterning (masking and etching) the catalyst at all the levels of metal and dielectric make this process prohibitively expensive.
There is thus a need in the art for a low-k dielectric material that is suitable for use in dual damascene processes and that exhibits good mechanical properties. There is also a need in the art for a dielectric material whose use in a damascene process does not require additional processing steps, such as those required to manage the impact of film porosity or to pattern catalyst layers. There is further a need in the art for dielectric materials whose k-values are resistant to change from processes that are commonly used in BEOL processes. These and other needs are met by the processes and materials disclosed herein and hereinafter described.

Deposition and patterning of boron nitride nanotube ILD


An amplifier is provided that includes a current amplifying and current/voltage converting part that performs current amplification with respect to signals received from a first data bus and a second data bus. The current amplifying and current/voltage converting part further converts the amplified signal currents into a voltage. The amplifier further includes a voltage amplifying part that amplifies the voltage from the current amplifying part and current/voltage converting part to produce an amplified output.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device, and in particular, to a sense amplifier.
2. Background of Related Art
A main amplifier generally uses a voltage sensing method or a current sensing one. The voltage sensing method will now be described.
A signal, amplified by a sense amplifier, is transmitted from a bit line to a data sense amplifier by column selection. Since the sense amplifier is connected in common in a single cell array block, a long wiring length is needed, which makes it difficult to transmit signals at high speed. There is a need to develop a high-sensitivity data sense amplifier that reduces the parasitic capacitance and resistance through such wiring.
FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram of a related art main amplifier using a voltage sensing method. As shown in FIG. 1, a main amplifier using the voltage sensing method includes a first-stage amplifying part 11, a first enabling part 13 that drives the first-stage amplifying part 11, a second-stage amplifying part 15 and a second enabling part 17 that drives second-stage amplifying part 15.
The first-stage amplifying part 11 has first and second differential amplifiers 11a and 11b, and the second amplifying part 15 has third and fourth differential amplifiers 15a and 15b. The first and second enabling parts 13 and 17 each are a metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) transistor. In the related art main amplifier using the voltage sensing method, the first-stage amplifying part 11 is driven by the first enabling part 13 to amplify an applied signal. The amplified signal is transmitted to second-stage amplifying part 15 to be amplified a second time. The differential amplifier is also called a data bus sense amplifier, and consists of a current mirror with four transistors.
Transistors Q1, Q2, Q3 and Q4 constitute the first differential amplifier 11a, and transistors Q5, Q6, Q7 and Q8 form the second differential amplifier 11b. Transistors Q9, Q10, Q11, and Q12 and transistors Q13, Q14, Q15, and Q16 respectively constitute the third differential amplifier 15a and the fourth differential amplifier 15b. One of a data bus DB and a data bus DB, which are precharged "high" during a data read, transitions "low" from output data of a bit-line sense amplifier (not shown), and the other one maintains a "high" level. A low-level signal is applied to an input terminal of the transistor Q1, and a high-level signal is input to an input terminal of the transistor Q2. A low-level signal is applied to an input terminal of the transistor Q5, and a high-level signal is input to the transistor Q6. If a driving signal is input to first enabling part 13, the MOS transistor is turned on. The signal, amplified once by the first differential amplifier 11a, is transmitted to the third and fourth differential amplifiers 15a and 15b of the second-stage amplifying part 15. Similarly, the signal, amplified once by the second differential amplifier 11b, is sent to the third and fourth differential amplifiers 15a and 15b of the second-stage amplifying part 15.
As shown in FIG. 1, the signal, amplified by the first differential amplifier 11a, is simultaneously applied to a gate of the transistor Q9 of the second-stage amplifying part 15 and a gate of the transistor Q13. The signal, amplified by the second differential amplifier 11b, is concurrently applied to a gate of the transistors Q10 and Q14 of the second-stage amplifying part 15. The third and fourth differential amplifiers 15a and 15b amplify the first amplified signal and produce the same through an output buffer (not shown).
FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram of a related art main amplifier using the current sensing method. The related art main amplifier using the current sensing method includes a current/voltage converter 21 and a differential amplifying part 23 amplifying a signal converted into a voltage.
The current/voltage converter 21 converts a current into a voltage and is constituted by a current mirror having four transistors M1, M2, M3 and M4. A signal, output from a bit-line amplifier (not shown), is input to a source of the transistor M2 and a drain of the transistor M4. Biases 1, 2 and 3 are applied to the transistors M1, M2 and M3 so that each transistor is actuated in the saturation region.
In the related art current amplifier using the current sensing method, the applied current signal is applied not to the gate of one of the transistors M1, M2 and M3 but to the transistor M4 actuated in the linear region. Therefore, the voltage equivalent to the current is produced from a gate of the transistor M4. The voltage, output from the gate of the transistor M4, is transmitted to differential amplifying part 23 and then amplified, before being output through the output buffer (not shown).
FIG. 3 graphically shows the result of simulation of the related art main amplifier of the voltage sensing method. As shown in FIG. 3, as an input signal and an enabling signal are applied to the main amplifier, the main amplifier is enabled to amplify the signal. It takes about 2.7 nanoseconds (ns) until the main amplifier produces an output signal.
As described above, the related art main amplifiers have various problems. In the main amplifier using the voltage sensing method, the signal produced from the bit-line amplifier (the input signal of the main amplifier) is applied to each gate of the transistors of the differential amplifying parts, which causes a transmission delay. The transmission delay is a severe problem for a highly-integrated semiconductor device because of the large parasitic capacitance. The amplification speed of the related art main amplifier of voltage sensing method is lower than that of current sensing method. In the related art current main amplifier, since biases 1, 2 and 3 are applied so that each transistor is actuated in the saturation region, the main amplifier of the current sensing method varies with a power supply voltage level. When the power supply voltage is low and a transmission line is long, significant time can be required to convert the current into a voltage. Such delay can be a problem for a highly-integrated semiconductor device.

Hyundai Electronics Industries Co., Ltd.


A semiconductor device in which a main current flows in a direction of the thickness of a semiconductor substrate, to attain desirable electric characteristics. P type semiconductor regions and N type semiconductor regions are alternately provided with an interval therebetween, both regions in a surface of a second main surface of a semiconductor substrate. Between the P type semiconductor regions and the N type semiconductor regions, trenches formed in the surface of the semiconductor substrate are filled with insulators, thereby forming trench isolation structures. Moreover, a second main electrode is formed in contact with both the P type semiconductor regions and the N type semiconductor regions.

As an example of a semiconductor device in which a main current flows in a direction of the thickness of a semiconductor substrate, a structure is suggested where an IGBT (insulated gate bipolar transistor) element and a diode element in parallel connection with the IGBT element are adjacently formed.
For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-097715 discloses an example where gate electrode structures are formed on a first main surface side of a semiconductor substrate, P type impurity regions and N type impurity regions are alternately and adjacently formed in a surface of a second main surface, the P type impurity regions and the gate electrode structures constitute an IGBT region, and the N type impurity regions and the gate electrode structures constitute a diode region.
In such a structure, since the P type impurity regions and the N type impurity regions on the second main surface side are in contact with each other, for example, a phenomenon called snapback occurs, resulting in a loss of energy in a switching operation of an IGBT element, thereby leading to an inability to obtain desirable electric characteristics.

Semiconductor device and manufacturing method thereof


A method for fabricating a semiconductor device including: forming a block layer above a well region of a first doping type in a semiconductor substrate, wherein the block layer has an opening for defining a first region in an upper part of the well region and has sidewalls at sides of the opening; implanting dopants of a second doping type into the well region through the opening of the block layer to form the first region; implanting dopants of the first doping type into the first region in the manner of large-angle-tilt dopants implantation to form a second region for a first transistor, and to form a third region for a second transistor; and forming, for both of the first transistor and the second transistor, a fourth region between the second region and the third region.

LDMOS (Lateral Diffused Metal Oxide Semiconductor) devices are widely used for high breakdown voltage, high current and good thermal performance in many applications including laptop, server and DC/DC converter.
A LDMOS device commonly comprises a number of transistors which are formed in pairs. FIG. 1 shows cross-sectional view of a LDMOS device comprising a pair of transistors T1 and T2 formed in an N well 16. Each transistor comprises a drain pickup region 11, a source region 12, a gate 13, while the two transistors share a common body region 14 and a body pickup region 15. For performance and cost reasons, many modern applications require smaller power devices in a smaller package. Much focus has been placed on drain region engineering that includes RESURF (Reduced Surface Field), graded doped drain. Another area of focus is on making the source region smaller. As shown in FIG. 1, a source/body region consists of the body pickup region 15 in the center and the source regions 12 located on both sides of the body pickup region 15, which form an N+/P+/N+ region. Reducing the N+/P+/N+ region would result in a smaller source region. But usually the minimum area of the N+/P+/N+ region is limited by the photo-masking equipment's capability.

Method for fabricating LDMOS with reduced source region


A quantitative phase microscopy (QPM) system and methods are provided for sample imaging and metrology in both transmissive and reflective modes. The QPM system includes a first illuminating beam propagating along a transmission-mode path and a second illuminating beam propagating along a reflection-mode path, a microscope objective lens disposed in the reflection-mode path, and a common-path interferometer comprising a diffraction grating, a Fourier lens, a pinhole, and a 2f system lens to collimate the reference beam and the imaging beam such that the collimated reference beam and imaging beam interfere with each other to form an interferogram at a final image plane.

Due to its noninvasive and label-free nature, quantitative phase microscopy (QPM) has emerged as an important tool for material metrology and biomedical imaging, such as quantifying morphology and dynamics within cells and materials, cancer diagnostics, and profiling and inspecting material structures. However, due to its relatively high complexity and cost, QPM has not yet gained the critical mass to become a standard imaging instrument in research laboratories and industry. For a broader adoption, recently several compact and low-cost QPM methods have been developed for potentially imaging in extreme environments, resource limited clinical settings, and factories in industry. In most cases, those QPM systems still require an external microscope body and only work in one imaging mode, i.e., mostly in transmission mode for imaging transparent samples. On the other hand, less-free holography techniques have allowed for extreme portability on cell phone platforms, but complicated and time-consuming computation is required, while often quantitative phase values were not obtained.

Portable quantitative phase microscope for material metrology and biological imaging


The invention relates to a locking device (9) designed to be arranged in a junction region of a nacelle, comprising a locking system (10), intended to be mounted on a first half-shell of the nacelle, engaging with a retention member (11) intended to be mounted on a second half-shell, the locking system (10) being actuable between a locked state and an unlocked state with respect to the retention number (11), the locking system (10) and the retention member (11) being movable with respect to one another between a drawn-together position in which they can be locked with respect to one another and a spaced-apart position. The locking system (10) and/or the retention member (11) comprise locking means (25) designed to allow the locking system (10) to be locked with respect to the retention member (11) when they are in the drawn-together position and to prevent them from being locked when they are in the spaced-apart position.

A nacelle is a streamlining element making it possible to protect a jet of an aircraft. A nacelle usually comprises a forward air-intake section, a middle section designed to surround a fan of the turbojet, and an aft section formed from at least a first and a second half-shells mounted rotatably on a pylon so as to be able to be deployed each between a working position and a maintenance position.
The two half-shells are linked together at top and bottom junction zones by means of locking devices.
A conventional locking device placed in the junction zone of the nacelle comprises a locking system designed to be mounted on a first half-shell of the nacelle, interacting with a retention member designed to be mounted on a second half-shell, the locking system being able to be actuated between a locked state and an unlocked state relative to the retention member, the locking system and the retention member being able to be moved relative to one another between a drawn-together position of the latter in which they can be locked relative to one another and a separated position of the latter.
Conventionally, the locking system is fitted with a handle which the maintenance operators tend to fold down for reasons of convenience so that this handle does not protrude from the wall of the nacelle in its bottom portion so as not to hamper the operator.
When the operator folds the handle down and the half-shells are in a position separated from one another, this may cause the locking of the locking system depending on the position of the latter.
The operator, seeing the two half-shells separated from one another, risks considering that the half-shells are correctly unlocked from one another although this is not the case. Therefore, this situation may at the least lead to harmful damage to the equipment when the two half-shells are separated.

Locking device designed to be arranged in a junction region of a nacelle


A novel method of geophysical exploration is provided whereby shot points and receiver locations are positioned such that seismic data resulting therefrom can advantageously be processed employing 3-D processing techniques to obtain a better image of the earth's subsurface structure. In one embodiment, shot points, or alternatively, receiver locations are arranged along generally sawtooth or zig zag lines so that common midpoint bins of seismic signals include a generally uniform distribution of source-receiver pair azimuths. In another embodiment, both the shot points and receiver locations are arrayed along generally alternating, sawtooth or zig zag lines.

The present invention relates generally to geophysical exploration and more particularly to methods of acquiring and processing seismic data to obtain improved structural images of the earth's subsurface formations.
Seismic exploration techniques generally involve imparting seismic energy into the earth and recording the earth's response thereto. Typically, seismic energy can be imparted into the earth using seismic sources or explosive charges. The seismic energy refracted, reflected and scattered by the earth can be detected by seismic receivers to produce seismic signals or traces which explorationists can use to evaluate the earth's subsurface formations.
Most seismic exploration techniques employ colinear arrays of shot points and receiver locations for imparting seismic energy into the earth and recording the earth's response thereto. Such seismic exploration techniques are conventionally referred to as two-dimensional (2-D) methods since they assume that all of the events in the recorded seismic signal come from a vertical plane defined by a seismic line of profile (A) containing the linear arrays of shot points (S) and receiver locations (R) as shown in FIG. 1. Since the earth's subsurface structure is generally not two-dimensional, but rather three-dimensional, the recorded seismic signals can contain reflection events from all directions, including those in the vertical plane defined by the seismic line of profile A. Although out-of-the-plane events can oftentimes be recognized by experienced seismic interpreters, these out-of-the-plane events can cause the seismic data to be misinterpreted.
FIG. 1 also depicts a dipping plane interface P in the earth. Line of profile A coincides with the strike direction, line of profile B coincides with the dip direction of the plane, and line of profile C is an arbitrarily oriented seismic line of profile. Conventional 2-D seismic processing of data along each line includes normal move-out correction using only estimates of seismic velocities. However, the normal moveout correction is also dependent upon the dip and azimuthal orientation of the dip for the dipping plane P. Consequently, for an arbitrarily oriented dipping surface, 2-D data and 2-D normal moveout corrections can at best only compensate for apparent dip in the inline direction, (i.e., parallel to the line of profile.) As such, an incorrect estimate of the subsurface velocities is obtained, as well as an incorrect structural image of the earth's subsurface.
A first approach to ameliorating the effect of dipping interfaces is to orient the seismic line of profile so as to coincide with the dip direction. Aligning the seismic line of profile along the dip direction can eliminate recording out-of-the-plane reflection events. However, aligning the seismic line of profile in the dip direction is not always possible because of the generally complex and varying geological structure found in certain locations. Alternatively, three-dimensional (3-D) seismic acquisition and processing techniques have been developed to overcome some of the shortcomings of the 2-D seismic acquisition techniques. Rather than employing a colinear array of shot points and receiver locations, as in the 2-D technique, 3-D seismic acquisition techniques employ areal arrays of shot points and receiver locations as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,001,770 by Hofer and in U.S. Pat. No. 4,403,312 by Thomson. Additionally, 3-D processing techniques employing a three parameter normal moveout correction which advantageously integrates the variations of dip angle, velocity and azimuthal orientation of each source receiver pair with respect to the dip direction can be applied to 3-D seismic data to obtain better structural images of the earth's subsurface. Additional 3-D processing techniques can be employed to estimate both dip and dip azimuth of reflecting interfaces in the earth's subsurface. Because of the areal extent of 3-D seismic surveying techniques, the 3-D seismic acquisition techniques tend to be much more expensive than 2-D seismic acquisition techniques.
As a compromise between the inexpensive nature of 2-D seismic surveys and the more costly 3-D seismic surveying techniques, an alternative seismic acquisition and processing technique has evolved employing either a linear array of shot points and a limited two-dimensional array of receiver locations typically comprising several parallel, linear receiver arrays or a linear array of receiver locations and a limited two-dimensional array of source locations. Such techniques are generally referred to as wideline profiling. Exemplary of which, is the seismic exploration technique described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,838,390 by Michon. However, seismic data acquired using wideline profiling techniques are processed as conventional 2-D seismic data. Two-dimensional processing techniques are used with such wideline seismic data because the wideline profiling techniques simply do not obtain seismic signals for a broad enough range of source receiver pair azimuthal orientations to be effective with 3-D processing techniques. Moreover, wideline seismic data cannot be employed to estimate either dip or dip azimuth so as to obtain true dip corrected move-out corrections. Consequently, wideline profiling techniques can still yield seismic data which can be difficult to properly interpret in areas having complex 3-D geological features.
In order to overcome these limitations, the present invention describes a novel scheme for collecting seismic data by positioning shot points and receiver locations whereby the collected seismic data resulting therefrom provides a broad range of source-receiver pair azimuths which can effectively be processed employing 3-D processing techniques. This enables direct measurement and correction for dip and dip azimuth to be made in the normal moveout correction. These and other benefits of the present invention will be apparent from the discussion below with reference to figures in the included drawings.


Sandwich panels, i.e., laminates which comprise two metal sheets with a filled, reinforced resin core between and bonded to the metal sheets, are useful for structural and other uses. Combinations of metal sheets, resins, fillers, and reinforcement bonded together in the sandwich structure provided a laminate having a flexural modulus of at least 2.5 million psi, a rigidity index of at least about 2,000 and other unique properties which enable the laminates to be particularly useful for thin wall truck trailer body construction, as well as other uses. A rigidity index and a falling ball impact test for sandwich structures and panels are used to characterize the properties of these sandwich laminates. Methods of making the above sandwich laminates and means for joining the sandwich laminates and panels are disclosed, which provide for their particular usefulness in truck trailer body construction, as well as other structural and non-structural uses.

This invention relates to structural laminates which comprise two metal sheets or two metal skin layers with a polymer core disposed between and attached to each of the inside surfaces of the metal sheets. The laminates of this invention have improved structural strength compared to prior laminates of this type. The laminates of this invention are also useful in decorative and protective applications as well as structural applications.
In the field of laminates, metal-resin-metal laminates are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,313,996 to Newman, et al. and 4,601,941 to Lutz, et al. Additional laminates are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,382,136 to Bugel, et al., 3,392,045 to Holub, 3,455,775 to Pohl, et al., 3,594,249 to Mueller-Tamm, et al., 3,623,943 to Altenpohl, et al., 3,655,504 to Mueller-Tamm, et al., 3,952,136 to Yoshikawa, et al., 4,330,587 to Woodbrey, 4,416,949 to Gabellieri, et al., 4,477,513 to Koga, and 4,594,292 to Nagai, et al. In these references, a property which is generally important is that the laminates be formable, particularly thermoformable. Other properties which have been important for metal-resin-metal laminates have been the resistance of the metal skin to heat, weather, chemicals and impact, as well as the metal skin's hardness, impermeability and strength. Multi-layer laminates have been made with multiple, alternating layers of resin and metal. Laminates in this field have been used also for heat insulation and vibration damping.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,499,819 to Lewis, the resin core is a polypropylene which contains a foaming agent additive to cause the polypropylene to form a foam between the metal layers. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,560,285 to Schroter, et al. a mixture of polyether polyols is foamed with polyisocyanates to form foamed urethane cores between metal layers. U.S. Pat. No. 4,421,827 to Phillips discloses metal-clad articles which use a combination of thermosetting resins and particular adhesives to bond a resin layer to a metal facing.
As disclosed by Vogelesang (Ind. Eng. Chem. Prod. Res. Dev. 1983, 22, 492-496) aluminum laminates with high tensile strength and fatigue resistance have also been made with multiple core layers of aramid fiber-reinforced epoxy resins. These aluminum laminates, known as "ARALL" laminates, have been developed for use as aircraft skins. See also U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,489,123 and 4,500,589 to Schijve, et al.
While metal-resin-metal laminates have been used in trailer bodies, such laminates have not been used for structural members. Examples of such non-structural laminates are sandwich structures which have been used for thermal insulation in trailer bodies, as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,363,231 to Grosgebauer, et al., and 4,482,589 to Widman. In U.S. Pat. 2,730,722 to Jones, a metal-resin-plywood laminate is disclosed that is both insulative and structural, but is over 2 inches (5 cm) thick. Thermal insulation panels usually have very low density cores, i.e., specific gravities in the range of 0.10 or less, and thus a low shear modulus and low impact resistance.
For trucks operated on public highways, U.S. federal law now limits the exterior width of trailers to 102.38 inches (260 cm). Therefore, interior space can be increased if the thickness of the walls of the trailer body can be decreased. This is particularly important in industries transporting light, bulky loads, such as empty beverage cans, where the volume of the trailer is often more limiting than the weight of the load. Thus, emphasis in this field is on designing trailers for maximum interior usable width. Also, because of the dimensions of standard pallets, it is desirable that the interior width of the trailer be at least 101 inches (256.5 cm). The advantages of having thin walls and the additional interior space provided by a thin-wall trailer construction are discussed by Pennington, Modern Metals, Nov., 1986, pp. 20-25.
In order to achieve the desired interior width dimension of at least 101 inches (256.5 cm), each sidewall of the trailer body can be no thicker than 0.69 inches (1.75 cm). The sheet and post trailers, the most common type, follow a truss design which generally uses about 0.045 inch (0.114 cm) or 0.050 inch (0.127 cm) aluminum sheet riveted to steel or aluminum frame and posts. The sheet and post trailer has an overall wall thickness of 1.4 inches (3.56 cm) to 1.7 inches (4.32 cm) and a maximum interior width of 99.58 inches (252.9 cm) to 99 inches (251.4 cm). Conventional trailer bodies made with resin-fiberglass-plywood laminates use either 0.625 inch (1.6 cm) or 0.75 inch (1.9 cm) plywood as the core, resulting in an overall thickness of up to 0.86 inches (2.18 cm) even in a post-free design using that type of panel.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,212,405 to Schmidt there is disclosed a trailer having a "box" type of design using unitary aluminum alloy plates as the walls and supporting structure in a frameless trailer body. This structure is intended to provide an interior trailer dimension of at least 101.5 inches (257.8 cm). While this configuration provides the desired wall thickness of down to about 0.156 inch (0.4 cm), but usually about 0.25 inch (0.6 cm), a trailer made of the aluminum alloy plate is much heavier than desired. There are other disadvantages, as well, in having a trailer wall made of a unitary aluminum alloy plate. Since these plates are typically a single 9 ft. (2.74 m) by 44 ft. (13.41 m) rigid plate, there are associated problems in manufacturing, shipping and handling of the plates, as well as in assembling and repairing the trailer. It is particularly difficult to repair these trailers without losing interior space and without either decreasing wall thickness or, if the damage is repaired by welding, without loss of strength.
In order to overcome these disadvantages, Banerjea discloses an alternative trailer construction having a box type design in U.S. Pat. No. 4,685,721. This trailer body construction uses smaller sized individual plates spliced together with joining panels and stiffener panels designed to be riveted with the aluminum sheets to keep the wall thickness to a minimum. Since the additional splices add undesired weight, some of the panels or sheets are thinner in lower stress areas than in higher stress areas in order to partially compensate for the added weight from the splices and joining panels. The overall result, however, is a trailer that is still heavier than desired and the interior width of which is less than desired because of the splices and rivets.
The disclosures of the above references are incorporated herein by reference.

Laminates, panels and means for joining them


A method for processing a silver halide photographic element comprising carrying out developement processing, including a washing step, of an imagewise exposed silver halide photographic element, wherein the washing step is carried out at 45.degree. C. or less for 90 sec. or less, and wherein the silver halide color photographic element comprises a support having provided thereon at least one silver halide emulsion layer, wherein the silver halide photographic element contains in a hydrophilic colloid layer, from 2 mg/m.sup.2 to 40 mg/n.sup.2 of at least one dye represented by the following general formula (I): ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 and R.sub.2, which can be the same or different, can each represents --COOR.sub.5, or ##STR2## R.sub.3 and R.sub.4, which can be the same or different, each represents a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group, R.sub.5 and R.sub.6, which can be the same or different, each represents a hydrogen atom, a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group, and R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 represent --COOR.sub.5 and R.sub.5 represents a hydrogen atom, R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 represent a carboxyl group which can form a salt, R.sub.5 and R.sub.6 can combine together to form a 5- or 6-membered ring, Q.sub.1 and Q.sub.2, which can be the same or different, each represents a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group, X.sub.1 and X.sub.2, which can be the same or different, each represents a divalent linking group or a bond, Y.sub.1 and Y.sub.2, which can be the same or different, each represents a sulfo group or a carboxyl group which can form a salt, L.sub.1, L.sub.2 and L.sub.3, which can be the same or different, each represents a substituted or unsubstituted methine group, m.sub.1 and m.sub.2 each is 1 or 2, n is 0, 1 or 2, p.sub.1 and p.sub.2 each is 0, 1, 2, 3, or 4, and s.sub.1 and s.sub.2 each is 1 or 2.

In silver halide photographic materials, it has often been the practice to color a photographic emulsion layer or other layers to allow light having wavelengths in a specified range to be absorbed.
When it is required to control the spectral composition of light that will be incident upon a photographic emulsion layer, a colored layer is usually positioned farther from the support than the photographic emulsion layer on the photographic material. Such a colored layer is called a filter layer. If there are a plurality of photographic emulsion layers such as in multi-layer color photographic materials, a filter layer is usually positioned therebetween.
In order to prevent a smeared image, that is, in order to prevent halation which is often caused when light that has been scattered when the light passes through a photographic emulsion layer or after the light has passed through a photographic emulsion layer is reflected at the interface between the emulsion layer and the support or at the surface of the photographic material opposite to the emulsion layer and thus is again incident upon the photographic emulsion layer, it has been common practice to provide a colored layer between an emulsion layer and a support or on the surface of a support opposite to the photographic emulsion layer. Such a colored layer in this position is called an antihalation layer In the case of a multi-layer color photographic material, sometimes an antihalation layer is placed between layers also.
To prevent the lowering of sharpness of an image due to scattering of light in a photographic emulsion layer (this phenomenon is generally called irradiation), it has also been the practice to color the photographic emulsion layer.
Since, in most cases, the layers to be colored comprise hydrophilic colloids, generally in order to color them, water-soluble dyes are contained therein. It is necessary, however, that these dyes satisfy the following conditions:
(1) the dyes have suitable spectral absorption properties in conformity with the purpose of the application of the material;
(2) the dyes are photochemically inactive; in other words, the dyes do not give an adverse effect on the performance of silver halide photographic emulsion layers chemically (that is, for instance, the dyes do not lower the sensitivity, latent image fading or fog);
(3) the dyes are to be decolored or dissolved and removed during photographic processing thereby leaving no harmful coloring on the photographic material after processing.
To find dyes that satisfy the above conditions, those skilled in the art have given great effort, and the following known dyes are useful in this respect: for instance, oxonol dyes having a pyrazolone nucleus or a barbituric acid nucleus described, for example, in British Patent Nos. 506,385, 1,177,429, 1,311,884, 1,338,799, 1,385,371, 1,467,214, 1,433,102, and 1,553,516, Japanese patent Application (OPI) Nos. 85130/73, 114420/74, 161233/80, and 111640/84 (the term "OPI" as used herein refers to a "published unexamined Japanese patent application"), and U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,247,127, 3,469,985, and 4,078,933, other oxonol dyes described, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,533,472 and 3,379,533 and British Patent No. 1,278,621, azo dyes described, for example, in British Patent Nos. 575,691, 680,631, 599,623, 786,907, 907,125, and 1,045,609, U.S. Pat. No. 4,255,326 and Japanese Patent Application (OPI) No. 211043/84, azomethine dyes described, for example, in Japanese Patent Application (OPI) Nos. 100116/75, and 118247/79, and British Patent Nos. 2,014,598 and 750,031, anthraquinone dyes described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,865,752, arylidene dyes described, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,538,009, 2,688,541, and 2,538,008, British patent Nos. 584,609, and 1,210,252, Japanese Patent Application (OPI) Nos. 40625/75, 3623/76, 10927/76 and 118247/79, Japanese Patent Publication Nos. 3286/73, and 37303/84, styryl dyes described, for example, in Japanese Patent Publication Nos. 3082/53, 16594/69 and 28898/84, triarylmethane dyes described, for example, in British Patent Nos. 446,583, and 1,335,422 and Japanese Patent Application (OPI) No. 228250/84, merocyanine dyes described, for example, in British Patent Nos. 1,075,653, 1,153,341, 1,284,730, 1,475,228, and 1,542,807 and cyanine dyes described, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,843,486 and 3,294,539.
Of these, oxonol dyes having two pyrazolone nuclei have such a nature that they are decolored in a developing solution containing a sulfite and have less adverse effect on photographic emulsions, and they have been used in practice in photographic materials.
However, some dyes belonging to this group have such a defect that even though the dye exhibits less adverse affects on the photographic emulsion itself, the dye spectrally sensitizes a spectrally sensitized emulsion in an undesired spectral wavelength range, or that lowering of sensitivity presumably caused by dislodging a sensitizing dye may take place.
Some dyes belonging to this group remain after processing if the development processing is quickened, and such rapid development processing has been used more and more in practice recently. To obviate this, it has been suggested to use dyes high in reactivity with a sulfite ion, but in such a case, the stability in the photographic film is disadvantageously insufficient, the density lowers with the lapse of time, and the desired photographic effects cannot be obtained.
For example, the dyes described in British Patent 1,466,836 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,587,195 cannot solve the above problems. British Patent 1,466,836 describes oxonol dyes having an aralkyl group, wherein a sulfonic acid group is bonded to the 1-position of the pyrazolone nucleus. These dyes are disadvantageous in that a stain occurs in many cases after processing.
Further, although the dyes of the present invention may be covered by general formula (IV) in U.S. Pat. NO. 4,587,195, wherein m=m=1, U.S. Pat. NO. 4,587,195 neither describes a concrete example of m=m=1 nor describes a difference in effect between m=m=1 and m=m=0. the present inventors have found a difference in effect, that is, although the effect in U.S. Pat. No. 4,587,195 is that a stain can be prevented when the specific processing, the specific sensitizing dye and the irradiation-preventing dye are combined, the present inventors have found that the stain is prevented even without combining the specific processing with the specific sensitizing dye in the case of m=m=1 or 2. Furthermore, it is necessary that the irradiation-preventing dye does not have a bad effect on the photographic properties of the silver halide emulsion layers. The present inventors have also found that such a bad effect is extremely small in the case of m=m=1 or 2, as compared with the case of m=m= 0.

Silver halide photographic development and washing process of the containing element


A system and method for language instruction is provided. In an embodiment, a method of language instruction is provided which comprises presenting a first description of an event responsive to a first perspective and presenting a second description of the event responsive to a second perspective, wherein the first description of the event and the second description of the event are in a common language. The first and second descriptions of the event can be provided in a variety of formats, such as in audio format or as text.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to foreign language instruction, and more particularly to systems and methods for teaching foreign language by using immersion techniques.
2. Related Art
An increasingly important aspect of a person's education is the learning of foreign languages. Various methodologies exist for teaching foreign languages. Common classroom techniques include the memorization of vocabulary words and grammatical rules, and the translation of common phrases from the learner's native language to the foreign language and vice versa. For example, a student may be provided with a series of words or phrases in the foreign language and be required to memorize those words and phrases, and their equivalents in the student's native language. Moreover, a student may be presented with a variety of grammatical rules and be tested on the application of those rules in various contexts.
Although a foreign language may be learned in this way, it is often very difficult and time-consuming, and requires significant commitment on behalf of the student. Even if a student learns a foreign language in this way, he or she may have a limited grasp of the language, and may have difficultly communicating with native speakers of the language in common situations.
Immersion techniques have been developed to improve the teaching and learning of foreign languages. Simply stated, immersion techniques involve "immersing" students in the foreign language, thereby attempting to replicate the process by which students learned their native language, but in a systematic way. Thus, students learn a language by listening to speakers of the language associate words with objects, concepts and actions. Immersion techniques recognize that most people learned their native language by observing those speaking the language, and that the learning of grammatical rules and the like came much later than fluency in the language. Thus, in language immersion techniques, memorization and the learning of grammatical rules are typically de-emphasized.
In most language immersion techniques, the student's native language is essentially removed from the equation. The speaker does not learn, for example, that "der Hund" in German means "the dog" in English. Rather, the student hears that "der Hund" is associated with a particular animal and learns the connection between that word and the object with which it is associated. This is considered to be a far more natural way to learn a language and it is believed to be more effective than traditional classroom techniques.
Computer software programs have been developed which employ, at least to some extent, language immersion techniques. These programs can be utilized with conventional personal computers having both a visual display (such as a computer screen) and an audio component (such as a speaker). These programs conventionally employ some degree of multi-media presentation, with at least some interactivity with the user. For example, such programs may provide a still picture or video component in which an object is displayed or video footage of a certain event is presented on the computer screen. In conjunction with the visual display, the foreign language may be audibly presented. For example, when a picture of a dog is presented on the screen, the audio component of a German language instruction program may present the user with a recorded native speaker saying "der Hund." In addition, the "script" of the recorded audio message may be presented on the screen. Thus, in a text box on the computer screen, the words "der Hund" may be presented.
Conventionally in such systems, only a single a foreign word is presented for each concept or idea. Thus, for example, German synonyms of the word "der Hund" would not be presented. Additionally, when a more complicated situation is presented, that situation is described from only a single perspective. For example, a video component may be presented of an individual asking for directions to the airport, and another individual responding with the appropriate directions. This interaction will be described from a single perspective, either from the perspective of the first or second individual, or from the perspective of a third party narrator describing the interaction. Additionally, the program may simply present the actual dialogue of the two individuals, similar to the script from a play. However, such programs do not present foreign language descriptions of the event from more than one perspective.
Also, in many such programs, a translation of the foreign word(s) to the student's native language are often presented on the screen. Thus, the English words "the dog" may be provided in another text box on the computer screen when the German words "der Hund" are presented.
Many language instruction programs provide some interactivity with the user to assist the user in learning the foreign language. One common technique is providing certain questions about the object or event depicted and the corresponding foreign language description. Thus, a video component may be presented showing an interaction involving asking for directions to the airport. A question may be presented to the user to assess the user's understanding of the foreign language—for example, "Is the airport on the left or right?" The user may be rewarded with points for correctly answering the question.
While the above-described programs may provide a student with some of the benefits of language immersion, because the native language translation is readily available, and any foreign language descriptions of the object or event are not depicted from additional perspectives, many students use the native language translation as a "crutch" and fail to get the full benefits of the immersion technique.
Thus, a need exists for an immersion-based language instruction system and method in which an event or object is described from a variety of perspectives in order to facilitate the comprehension of a foreign language.

System and method for language instruction


Methods and apparatuses for sending and receiving CSI reports are disclosed. A method, comprising: receiving triggering information for N aperiodic Channel Suite Information (CSI) reports and the CSI reference signal (CSI-RS) resources linked with the N CSI reports, wherein N is an integer greater than 1; determining M CSI reports and calculating M CSIs each indicated by a determined CSI report according to the CSI-RS resources linked with the determined M CSI reports, wherein M is an integer than is less than N; and sending M CSI reports each indicating a calculated CSI.

The following abbreviations are herewith defined, some of which are referred to within the following description: Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI), Frequency Division Duplex (FDD), Frequency Division Multiple Access (FDMA), Long Term Evolution (LTE), New Radio (NR), Very Large Scale Integration (VLSI), Random Access Memory (RAM), Read-Only Memory (ROM), Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory (EPROM or Flash Memory), Compact Disc Read-Only Memory (CD-ROM), Local Area Network (LAN), Wide Area Network (WAN), Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), User Equipment (UE), Uplink (UL), Evolved Node B (eNB), Next Generation Node B (gNB), New Radio (NR), Downlink (DL), Central Processing Unit (CPU), Graphics Processing Unit (GPU), Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), Dynamic RAM (DRAM), Synchronous Dynamic RAM (SDRAM), Static RAM (SRAM), Liquid Crystal Display (LCD), Light Emitting Diode (LED), Organic LED (OLED), Channel State Information (CSI), CSI Reference Signal (CSI-RS), Layer 1 Reference Signal Receiving Power (L-RSRP) Physical Uplink Shared Channel (PUSCH), Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH), Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM).
A UE may perform aperiodic CSI reporting using PUSCH scheduled by a gNB. Upon receiving triggering information from the gNB, the UE shall calculate CSI and send the CSI report to the gNB. A UE that is capable of simultaneously calculating X number of CSIs is said to have X CSI processing units. For aperiodic CSI reports using aperiodic CSI-RS (with a single CSI-RS resource in the resource set for channel measurement), the CSI processing unit remains occupied from the first OFDM symbol after the PDCCH trigger until the last OFDM symbol of the PUSCH carrying the CSI report. In the condition that N (N is an integer greater than 1) CSI reports (each with a single CSI-RS resource in the resource set for channel measurement) are triggered in a slot by the gNB while the UE only has M (M is an integer less than N) unoccupied CSI processing units (which means that the UE can only calculate M CSIs at that time), the UE may only calculate M CSI and send N CSI reports to the gNB. It is yet to be determined how to select M CSIs to be calculated (or M CSI reports to be sent).


A flexible laminate for packaging a polymer electrolytic cell or battery, comprising:. a first metallic foil layer;. a second metallic foil layer;. an intermediate separation layer disposed between the first and second metallic foil layers, the intermediate separation layer establishing a predetermined spacing between the first layer metallic foil and the second metallic foil layer;. a first layer formed of a first self-sealing polymer on the first metallic foil layer.

Improvements in microelectronics have increased the demand for electrolytic cells that can be directly incorporated into electronic devices so as to produce a portable, finished package. As the improvements in microelectronics reduce the size of the electronic device, the space and weight allotted to a power supply within such device have likewise decreased. It is therefore important to maximize the power-per-unit space that a battery can provide, but at the same time, minimize weight and fully utilize the space allotted to a power supply within an electronic device. The use of flexible packaging to enclose an electrolytic battery or cell is one way to reduce the weight of a battery or cell, and such packaging lends itself to unusual shapes. Flexible packaging can still provide hermetic containment of a battery, and in addition, is lighter than traditional packaging, i.e., metal cans or molded plastic cases. Flexible packaging also conforms more easily to the shape of the battery structure.
The flexible packaging may be formed of a single layer of a polymer film or single layer of a metal foil, but is typically comprised of a multi-layer material having a polymer layer for toughness, a metal foil layer to form a hermetic barrier and a third layer of an adhesive or sealant material. This multi-layer material is dimensioned to be tightly wrapped, e.g., to be folded, around a battery or cell. Heat and pressure are typically applied to overlapping edges of the material to form a seal enclosing the cell or battery. Operations such as folding of the material and the tight wrapping necessary for efficient packaging of the battery or cell place considerable stress on the various layers forming the material. Such stresses may lead to cracks forming in the metal foil layer. Such cracks, in addition to "pinhole imperfections" that may exist in the foil, can destroy the hermeticity of the packaging and allow solvents to escape from the battery or water vapor and oxygen to penetrate into the battery. Increasing the thickness of the foil layer sufficiently to avoid hermeticity issues can require undesirable increases in weight, thickness, stiffness and cost.
The present invention overcomes these and other problems and provides a multi-layer, flexible material for forming a package for an electrochemical device such as an electrolytic battery or cell.

Packaging material for hermetically sealed batteries


An n-ways conferencing system using only the participants' telephony devices and without an external conference server. A plurality of telephony devices dial in to and report their mixing capability to a connection topology manager. The connection topology manager also determines the location of each telephony device and neighboring telephony device pairs in the conference service, as each telephony device is used for mixing voice signals of its closest neighbors, and calculates a minimum conference traffic delay for each telephony device. The connection topology manager then builds a topology for the conference service based on the mixing capability, location, and minimum conference traffic delay, wherein the connection topology manager distributes a mixing computation in a substantially uniform manner across the plurality of telephony devices. When a change in the network condition is detected, the connection topology manager rebuilds the topology to bypass the change in the network condition.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to an improved data processing system. More particularly, the present invention provides a conferencing system using only the participants' telephony devices and without an external conference server.
2. Description of Related Art
Telephone or audio conferencing allows three or more people to participate in a single telephone conversation. Each person is able to hear all the other callers when they speak and the conversation can progress as if all the callers were in the same room. Existing conferencing models include an external conferencing server model, a single end point mixing model, and a full mesh conferencing model.
FIG. 1 illustrates a typical external conferencing server model. The external conference server model is the most common conference model used in the enterprise environment. The external conferencing server model provides a centralized conference server 102, wherein the conference server is an external machine. Each participant (104, 106, 108) in the conference makes use of a well-known center point, e.g., conference server 102, to join the conference. However, a drawback to this centralized approach is that this model is expensive to implement due to its large bandwidth and hardware computing power requirement.
FIG. 2 illustrates a single end point mixing model. In this model, every participant (202, 204, 206) to the conference makes use of a known center point among the conference participants (i.e., conference server 208) to join the conference. The center point may be a phone device (e.g., telephone, personal computer, etc.) that a participant used to join the conference. This central point itself functions as the conference server.
The single end point mixing model is typically found in the current PC gaming environment. As some phone devices support 3-way calling, a player may first download the conference server software into the player's PC. Then, the player offers other players to use the player's PC as a conference server. However, this internal conference server approach suffers from a number of limitations. First, a large amount of bandwidth in both directions (upstream and downstream) is required for the conference server PC network connection. Second, the internal conference server approach demands a large amount of CPU power for the voice mixing operations. Third, the internal conference server approach has a scalability problem due to the current asymmetrical bandwidth ADSL and cable networking environment, wherein the upstream bandwidth is very small compared with the bandwidth in the downstream direction. Moreover, a modem dial up connection will usually not have sufficient bandwidth to support the internal conference server model.
FIG. 3 illustrates a typical full mesh conferencing model. In this model, each participant (302, 304, 306, 308) multicasts their voice stream to all other participants in the conference. Each participant's phone device is used as a mixing device. However, use of this model is limited due to the lack of multicast support across the current Internet. It is currently very difficult to make the multicast generally available across the Internet.
Therefore, it would be advantageous to have a method, apparatus, and computer instructions for providing an improved conferencing system using only the participants' telephony devices and without an external conference server.

N-ways conference system using only participants' telephony devices without external conference server

International Business Machines Corporation


A side feed inlet port for an injector, which makes use of stamped parts to form a compact, high strength three-piece inlet port at a significantly reduced cost. By using an inner sleeve and an outer sleeve, injector sealing is accomplished using the interior sleeve, creating a sealing point, while allowing for inlet conduit attachment to the outer sleeve at, above, or below the sealing point of the DEF injector. The construction of the inlet port is such that there is proper sealing between the inner sleeve and one or more seals, while allowing for the connection between the inlet conduit and the outer sleeve to reduce the overall height of the inlet port, and therefore, the injector. The position of the inlet conduit may be altered without affecting the sealing connection between the inner sleeve and the seal(s), such that the desirable overall height may be achieved.

New emissions legislation in Europe and North America is driving the implementation of new exhaust aftertreatment systems, particularly for lean-burn technologies such as compression-ignition (diesel) engines, and stratified-charge spark-ignited engines (usually with direct injection) that are operating under lean and ultra-lean conditions. Lean-burn engines exhibit high levels of nitrogen oxide emissions (NOx), that are difficult to treat in oxygen-rich exhaust environments, which are characteristic of lean-burn combustion. Exhaust aftertreatment technologies are currently being developed that treat NOx under these conditions.
One of these technologies includes a catalyst that facilitates the reactions of ammonia (NH3) with the exhaust nitrogen oxides (NOx) to produce nitrogen (N2) and water (H2O). This technology is referred to as Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR). Ammonia is difficult to handle in its pure form in the automotive environment, therefore it is customary with these systems to use a liquid aqueous urea solution, typically at a 32% concentration of urea (CO(NH2)2). The solution is referred to as AUS-32, or diesel exhaust fluid (DEF), and is also known under its commercial name of AdBlue. The DEF is delivered to the hot exhaust stream and is transformed into ammonia in the exhaust after undergoing thermolysis, or thermal decomposition, into ammonia and isocyanic acid (HNCO). The isocyanic acid then undergoes a hydrolysis with the water present in the exhaust and is transformed into ammonia and carbon dioxide (CO2), the ammonia resulting from the thermolysis and the hydrolysis then undergoes a catalyzed reaction with the nitrogen oxides as described previously.
The delivery of the DEF solution to the exhaust involves precise metering of the DEF and proper preparation of the DEF to facilitate the later mixing of the ammonia in the exhaust stream. The delivery of the DEF into the exhaust is typically achieved using some type of injector. In a Reductant Delivery Unit (RDU), the injector is surrounded by a metallic housing. The housing is used to protect the injector, and provide a mounting system to an exhaust pipe and to provide a hydraulic connection interface to the injector. With increased desire for vehicles to be more efficient, and to include more features and capabilities, packaging constraints have become increasingly more restricting.
Accordingly, there exists a need for an injector which allows for greater flexibility with regard to packaging, such that the injector may be mounted in various locations, while adhering to more strict packaging requirements.

Reductant dosing unit compact side feed inlet port