Methods are discussed for forming a localized halo structure and a retrograde profile in a substrate of a semiconductor device. The method comprises providing a gate structure over the semiconductor substrate, wherein a dopant material is implanted at an angle around the gate structure to form a halo structure in a source/drain region of the substrate and underlying a portion of the gate structure. A trench is formed in the source/drain region of the semiconductor substrate thereby removing at least a portion of the halo structure in the source/drain region. A silicon material layer is then formed in the trench using an epitaxial deposition.

The present invention relates generally to semiconductor devices and more particularly to methods for forming localized halo structures in a semiconductor substrate in the fabrication of semiconductor devices.
Several trends exist presently in the semiconductor device fabrication industry and the electronics industry. Devices are continually getting smaller, faster and requiring less power. A reason for these trends is that more personal devices are being fabricated which are relatively small and portable, thereby relying on a battery as its primary supply source. For example, cellular phones, personal computing devices, and personal sound systems are devices which are in great demand in the consumer market. In addition to being smaller and more portable, personal devices are requiring more computational power and speed. In light of all these trends, there is a need in the industry to provide smaller and faster MOS transistors used to provide the core functionality of the integrated circuits used in these semiconductor devices.
The phenomenal success of the MOS transistor has been partially due to the capability of the MOS transistor to take advantage of the lateral scaling improvements in the technologies. Lateral scaling results in simultaneous improvements in both the performance and the packing density of the devices. Although generalized scaling has served well for the last few decades, many of the technology advances that allow the devices to continue improving the performance and the packing density are approaching fundamental physical limitations. Future device improvements will require the devices to be either optimized for voltage reduction, high performance, or reliability.
Gate oxide thickness, junction scaling, and well engineering in MOS devices has enabled channel length scaling by improving short channel characteristics. By changing the doping profile in the channel region, the distribution of the electric field and potential contours can be changed. The goal is to optimize the channel profile to minimize the off-state leakage while maximizing the linear and saturation drive currents. Channel doping optimization can improve the circuit gate delay, for example, by about 10% for a given technology. Super Steep Retrograde Wells (SSRW) and halo implants (or pocket implants) have been used as a means to scale the channel length and increase the transistor drive current without causing an increase in the off-state leakage current.
Retrograde well engineering changes the 1-D characteristics of the well profile by creating a retrograde profile (the subsurface concentration is higher than the surface concentration) toward the Si/SiO2 surface of a MOS device. The halo architecture creates a localized 2-D dopant distribution near the S/D regions and extends under the channel. Halos are generally known for their ability to stop unwanted source/drain leakage conduction, or punchthrough current, and as such, are sometimes referred to as a xe2x80x9cpunchthrough stopperxe2x80x9d.
The retrograde well profile has been used to improve device performance and is typically created by using a slow diffusing dopant species such as arsenic or antimony for PMOS devices and indium for NMOS devices. Retrograde wells may only slightly improve saturated drive currents relative to uniform wells, but with today""s deep sub-micron technologies, significantly improve linear drive currents and lead to improved circuit performance.
Additional benefits and improvements attributable to a theoretically ideal halo with optimal retrograde dopant profiles will be discussed in association with FIG. 1. FIG. 1 illustrates a 2-D simulation 1 of a true localized and optimal halo profile together with a potential profile for a MOS transistor. The MOS transistor comprises a gate 2 having a channel length 2a, a gate-oxide 3 having a thickness tox 3a, and a semiconductor substrate 4 with source/drain regions having a depth 4a on either side of a channel region.
Several graded profiles are illustrated within a channel portion of the semiconductor substrate 4, exhibited by a generally vertically retrograde profile 5a, a generally laterally graded profile toward the center of the channel 5b, and a generally diagonally graded profile toward the source/drain regions 5c. Implanted dopant concentrations symbolized by solid lines 6-13, range from a high concentration p-type dopant 6, thru a zero dopant concentration 9, to a high concentration n-type dopant 13 to produce the retrograde profiles 5a, 5b, and 5c. The centers of highest p-type dopant concentration 6, each form the center of the optimal halo.
In the MOS transistor of FIG. 1, a dopant concentration profile below the surface channel is preferably a vertically retrograde profile 5a toward the substrate surface to provide for high carrier mobility close to the surface under the gate. Since dopant impurities scatter mobility carriers and degrade linear drive current, ideally the dopant concentration near the substrate 4 surface is low. At the same time, the vertically retrograde profile 5a provides the highest p-type dopant concentration 6 areas below the surface which advantageously tend to block subsurface currents and further redirect the source/drain current toward the surface.
Profile 5b is laterally graded toward the center of the channel (and across the channel) from the regions of the highest p-type concentration 6 for maintaining and controlling the Vt roll-off. Profile 5c is diagonally graded toward the source/drain regions to minimize tunneling current and body-to-source/drain junction capacitance (Cjbw).
Further, the retrograde profile associated with the lower channel portion would ideally extend under the source/drain regions to minimize the body-to-source/drain junction capacitance (Cjbw), to minimize tunneling current, and to minimize the source-drain resistance Rsd. The Rsd would be minimized because less compensation of the dose to the highly doped source/drain areas would be required. A low Rsd allows less potential (voltage) drop across the highly doped source/drain region, thus more potential will drop across the channel 2a. It is the amount of potential drop across the channel that determines the amount of drive current.
Together, profiles graded in the above manner would provide halos centered around the high p-type concentration 6 areas, and would tend to direct source/drain current toward the substrate surface while blocking subsurface currents, control Vt roll-off, and minimize Cjbw, tunneling current and Rsd.
In addition, as device densities and operational speeds continue to increase, reduction of the delay times in the MOS devices used in integrated circuits is desired. These delays are related to the on-state resistance as well as the junction capacitances of these MOS devices. In order to reduce these delays and increase MOS device speeds, improved halo profiles as indicated are desired. Further, increasing device densities also result in a reduced source to drain distance, which requires that halo dopant concentrations increase and move closer to the surface of the substrate. These changes may result in a disruption to the operation of a MOS transistor. In these and similar circumstances, a vertically retrograde profile may help to avoid or mitigate some of the problems encountered in the scaling of MOS devices.
Several prior art methods have been used to create halo-type structures. One such method is the xe2x80x9csolid source diffusionxe2x80x9d approach, which creates a halo-type structure from a highly doped spacer.
FIGS. 2A-2D illustrate a prior art method of forming a halo-type structure in a MOS transistor 20 according to the xe2x80x9csolid source diffusionxe2x80x9d method. Initially in FIG. 2A, the MOS transistor 20 comprises a gate structure 21 formed over a semiconductor substrate 22. Gate structure 21 comprises a gate-oxide material layer 24 formed over the semiconductor substrate 22, a polysilicon material layer 26 formed over the gate-oxide 24, and an offset spacer 28 comprising a diffusion source material formed surrounding the gate-oxide material layer 24 and the polysilicon material layer 26. Typically, during the deposition formation of the offset spacer 28, a relatively high concentration dopant may be implanted in-situ with the offset spacer material.
In FIG. 2B, during a high temperature direct thermal process DT, dopant diffuses 29 from the spacer 28 into areas of the semiconductor substrate 22 underlying the spacer 28 to form a crude halo-type structure 30. In FIG. 2C, a sidewall spacer 32 is formed over or replaces the offset spacer 28 of the gate structure 21 to provide a larger overall spacer thickness 32xe2x80x2, which will be used to guide a deposition of a source/drain region. In FIG. 2D, source/drain regions 34 are then formed by implanting into the semiconductor substrate 22 to a predetermined depth 34xe2x80x2 of the MOS transistor 20.
Although the xe2x80x9csolid source diffusionxe2x80x9d method described provides a halo-type structure, which may block source/drain leakage currents, the high dopant concentration near the surface of the substrate where the dopant originated, also causes a reduction in carrier mobility and a higher Rsd value. This method is therefore typically unable to produce the desirable retrograde profile toward the surface and toward the source/drain regions. Further, the sharp definition between the halo and the source/drain regions also may cause tunnel diode current problems. From a thermal budget standpoint, the relatively high temperature during the direct thermal process step may also be disadvantageous. The xe2x80x9csolid source diffusionxe2x80x9d method is therefore generally unsuitable for the high device density and high-speed semiconductor applications contemplated.
The xe2x80x9creplacement gatexe2x80x9d approach is another method to generate a halo-type structure. The xe2x80x9creplacement gatexe2x80x9d approach (not shown) creates a halo-type structure by first forming a gate structure with a surrounding spacer of oxide material, then masking and removing the gate. A high-angle implant is then performed thru an exposed gate area of the substrate to implant the area underlying the spacer. A gate material is subsequently deposited and the gate is redefined with a mask layer and an etch process, and proceeding with the standard deep S/D implant process.
The xe2x80x9creplacement gatexe2x80x9d approach, however, may also produce a number of negative side-effects. The doping of all the long channel devices will typically be affected by the implant, which may produce a Vt which is too high or has too much Vt roll-off. This approach is unable to produce a laterally graded profile across the channel, for further Vt roll-off control. Finally, the xe2x80x9creplacement gatexe2x80x9d approach is unlikely to achieve a vertically retrograde profile if a channel implant amorphous layer exists, because a very high dose (dopant concentration) is needed for the halo.
A large-tilt-angle implant can be used to fabricate halo-type structures, usually with the use of a side spacer to protect the gate structure from unwanted dopant contamination. Prior art FIG. 3, however, illustrates the non-uniform results of a typical quad high-angle implant in a conventional MOS transistor 40, which may be similar in the initial structure to MOS device 20 of FIG. 2a.
In FIG. 3, the MOS transistor 40 comprises a gate structure 41 formed over a semiconductor substrate 42. Gate structure 41 comprises a gate-oxide material layer 44 formed over the semiconductor substrate 42, a polysilicon material layer 46 formed over the gate-oxide 44, and an offset spacer 48 comprising an oxide material formed surrounding the gate-oxide material layer 44 and the polysilicon material layer 46.
A quad high-angle (QHA) implant 54 is performed on the MOS transistor 40, wherein four separate high angle implants are done on the device wafer, each implant performed on the wafer held in a position, then rotationally indexed by 90 degrees. Although the QHA implant 54 beneficially permits implantation of dopant underlying the gate structure, the gate structure 41, STI 56, and the TAP (photo resist material) 58 structures also shield some areas of the semiconductor substrate 42 from being implanted at one or more of the four implant angles. Thus, not all areas receive the same uniform dopant concentration.
For example, FIG. 3 also illustrates four areas of non-uniform dopant concentration 60a-60d at the general depth of interest for the formation of the halo region. Dopant concentration area 60a underlying the edge of the gate structure 41, for example, receives only one of the four QHA implants 54, for a xc2xc dose. By contrast, dopant concentration areas 60b and 60c, are in open areas midway between the gate structure 41 and the STI 56/TAP 58 structures, which receive generally all four QHA implants 54, for a full 4/4 dose. Finally, dopant concentration area 60d, which is only shielded by the STI 56/TAP 58 structures for one of the four QHA implants 54, will likely receive a xc2xe dose.
Thus, several difficulties are also encounter in the conventional QHA implant 54 formation of a halo of FIG. 3. Areas underlying the edge of the gate structure 41 are implanted to a relatively low dose level with a non-uniform distribution, while the bulk of the implant is received in other unwanted areas (e.g., in the source/drain regions). Dopant received in these unwanted areas increases junction capacitance and may cause body leakage, resulting in reduced switching speeds and higher Rsd. The Rsd is increased for the following reasons: Because the halo implant first enters at the substrate surface, the dopant concentration is also highest at the surface. In a subsequent step, the source/drain region then receives a dose having the opposite dopant polarity, thus the HDD dose requires compensation, which increases the Rsd.
Halo implants have been used as an additional means to scale channel length and increase transistor drive current without causing an increase in the off-state leakage current of high-speed, high-density MOS devices. Several conventional approaches to create a halo-type structure have been discussed such as the xe2x80x9csolid source diffusionxe2x80x9d approach, the more complex xe2x80x9creplacement gatexe2x80x9d approach, and the conventional high-angle implant method. However, several problems encountered with each of these conventional approaches exist. Therefore, it is desirable to provide an improved method of forming a localized halo structure to take advantage of the potential performance benefits in a MOS transistor, and in the manufacture and fabrication of such semiconductor devices.
The following presents a simplified summary in order to provide a basic understanding of one or more aspects of the invention. This summary is not an extensive overview of the invention, and is neither intended to identify key or critical elements of the invention, nor to delineate the scope thereof. Rather, the primary purpose of the summary is to present some concepts of the invention in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later.
The present invention relates to methods for forming a localized halo having a retrograde profile in a semiconductor substrate in the fabrication of semiconductor devices. The invention provides for the formation of the halo structure in an area localized to, and generally underlying the edge of a gate structure. The dopant concentration profiles produced in association with the halo structure, according to the inventive method, yields beneficially ideal retrograde profiles directed toward the surface and the center of the channel and toward the source/drain regions.
In an attempt to approximate and implement the formation of retrograde dopant concentration profiles associated with a halo region in a semiconductor substrate of (e.g., a MOS transistor), several aspects of the present invention are provided. One aspect of the invention provides a method which comprises providing a gate structure overlying a semiconductor substrate, implanting a dopant material at an angle around the gate structure to form a halo structure in a source/drain region of the semiconductor substrate and underlying a portion of the gate structure. A trench is then formed in the source/drain region of the semiconductor substrate, thereby removing at least a portion of the halo structure in the source/drain region. A silicon material is then formed in the trench using, for example, epitaxial deposition.
The trench, in this aspect of the invention, is used to remove unwanted portions of halo dopant from the source/drain regions which do not underlie the gate structure. Removing the unwanted dopant and replacing it with intrinsic silicon, for example, lowers the body-to-source/drain junction capacitance (Cjbw), lowers the tunneling current, and lowers the source/drain on-state resistance Rsd due to less compensation that is later required in the source/drain regions.
In one aspect of the invention, the trench is only partially refilled with an undoped silicon material layer (e.g., Si, or SiGe) in a low temperature selective epitaxial deposition (LT-SEpitaxy, or simply LT-SE), then the remainder of the trench is filled with a doped silicon material layer (e.g., Si/SiGe and Boron, or Si/SiGe and As) in a second LT-SE deposition.
In this way, the depth and concentration of the selectively doped silicon material layer may be controlled, while the underlying intrinsic silicon layer limits source/drain conduction to the substrate surface above the halo. In addition, this also produces an abrupt HDD profile. Alternatively, in contrast with the abrupt dopant change indicated above, a controllably graded profile may be accomplished by slowly ramping-up the dopant concentration during the second LT-SE. Further, by varying the thickness of either layer and controlling the dopant concentration based on, for example, an epitaxial growth rate, a variety of preprogrammed dopant profiles may be obtained.
In a further aspect of the invention, the semiconductor device proceeds to be processed conventionally comprising thermally processing the device, forming a spacer on lateral sidewalls of the gate structure, and performing a source/drain implant into the silicon material layer and the selectively doped silicon material layer to form a source and drain region having a depth that is less than the trench. In another aspect of the invention, the thermal annealing may be a rapid thermal anneal (RTA) used to slightly grade the junction and lower the junction capacitance between the doped and undoped silicon layers.
In another aspect of the invention, the trench is generally filled with an undoped silicon material layer (e.g., Si, or SiGe) using, for example, LT-SE. An HDD implant is then performed into the intrinsic silicon material layer. In this way, the depth and dopant concentration of the implant may be controlled with the time and concentration of the implant, while the underlying intrinsic silicon layer limits source/drain conduction to the substrate surface above the halo. In this method aspect, the dopant implant into the silicon material layer inherently produces a gradation in the dopant concentration without a sharp junction, thereby yielding a lower junction capacitance, if desired.
Again, in a further aspect of the invention, the semiconductor device may be processed conventionally comprising thermally annealing the device, forming a spacer on lateral sidewalls of the gate structure, and performing a source/drain implant into the silicon material layer and the dopant implanted silicon material layer to form a source and drain region having a depth that is less than the trench.
The improved formation method and controllable dopant profiles achievable using the invention may be employed to provide accurate and repeatable formation of localized halo structures to take advantage of some of the potential performance benefits associated therewith.
To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, the following description and annexed drawings set forth in detail certain illustrative aspects and implementations of the invention. These are indicative of but a few of the various ways in which the principles of the invention may be employed. Other aspects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the drawings.

Method to produce localized halo for MOS transistor


An apparatus and methods are provided for paging in a HSDPA connected mode CELL_PCH or URA_PCH state. Preferably, a WTRU is configured to select various PICH information that is broadcast by a base station. The WTRU is preferably configured to receive paging messages, based on the selected PICH information. In one embodiment, a preferred WTRU is configured to receive paging messages, based on a PICH, a HS-SCCH, and a HS-PDSCH. In another embodiment, a preferred WTRU is configured to receive paging messages, based on a PICH and a HS-PDSCH. In both embodiments, a time delay parameter is preferably used so that the WTRU may listen for either the HS-SCCH or HS-PDSCH for a period of time and return to a sleep mode if no paging message is received.

High-Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA) was introduced in Release 5 of the Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) standards for wideband code division multiple access (WCDMA) wireless communication networks. A key operating principle of HSDPA is to share a fast downlink (DL) pipe. An example of a fast DL pipe is a high-speed downlink physical shared channel (HS-DPSCH). A universal mobile telecommunication system (UMTS) Terrestrial Radio Access Network (UTRAN) may configure up to 15 HS-DPSCHs. Each HS-DPSCH may be shared by all wireless transmit/receive units (WTRUs) operating within the network on a per transmission time interval (TTI) basis, for example, every 2 millisecond. As a result, information on the downlink channels may be sent to a different WTRU in every 2 millisecond interval.
In order to allow WTRUs to determine ownership of the information on HS-DPSCH shared channels, a base station also sends one or more parallel high-speed shared control channels (HS-SCCHs). Among other things, the HS-SCCHs provide detailed data to enable receiving WTRUs to determine which information transmitted on the HS-DPSCH is addressed to a particular WTRU and to enable the particular WTRU to recover the transmitted information.
In HSDPA, a base station utilizes three key concepts to achieve high-speed data transmission. The three key concepts are: adaptive modulation and coding (AMC), retransmissions using a hybrid-automatic repeat request (HARQ), and base station scheduling.
A base station may take advantage of the changing channel conditions as perceived by a WTRU in communication with the base station. In order to accomplish this, the base station can schedule transmissions to maximize DL throughput, for example, using 16 quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) for a WTRU close to the base station and using quadrature phase shift keying (QPSK) for a WTRU at cell edge. Such fast scheduling is complemented with the use of HARQs, allowing retransmission of transport blocks that are received at a WTRU with errors. The HARQs are implemented at a physical layer and multiple simultaneous HARQ processes are permitted in order to maximize utilization.
An ongoing problem in HSDPA compliant networks is latency within the UTRAN, especially in setup delays for packet switched (PS) and circuit switched (CS) calls. Reducing the delay during WTRU state transitions is one way to improve network performance.
As illustrated in FIG. 1, a WTRU compliant with current standards can be in one of 4 possible states when in a connected mode, CELL_DCH, CELL_FACH, URA_PCH, or CELL_PCH. The WTRU state is based on WTRU traffic volume and mobility. The WTRU may communicate with the UTRAN only when in Cell_FACH or Cell_DCH states. Cell_PCH and URA_PCH states are intended for power saving operation. URA_PCH is used by a highly mobile WTRU that changes cells frequently. In both of these power saving states, the WTRU has no uplink mechanism to send traffic to the UTRAN. However, the WTRU can be paged to notify it to change states to either a Cell_FACH state or Cell_DCH state.
The paging procedure is a two step process. To save battery power, a WTRU is configured with a discontinuous reception (DRX) cycle that shuts off the WTRU's receiver chain periodically. This is known as sleep mode. A WTRU is only awake (the receiver chain is on) for certain frames known as paging occasions. Within each paging occasion, a WTRU listens for a Paging Indicator on a Paging Indicator Channel (PICH). The Paging Indicator instructs a WTRU to monitor the paging channel (PCH) carried in the Secondary Common Control Physical Channel (S-CCPCH). The PCH is a transport channel that is mapped to a logical Paging Control Channel (PCCH).
Multiple S-CCPCHs may be used. The WTRU selects from among the multiple S-CCPCHs based on an Initial WTRU Identity. The selected S-CCPCH is associated with a single PICH. This is the PICH that the WTRU monitors for paging indications. There is a strict delay requirement between the PICH and the associated paging message on the S-CCPCH. This delay offset is defined to allow the WTRU to receive the PICH and then the paging message. 3GPP Release 6 specifies this offset as 7,680 chips, or 2 millisecond. After recovering the PCCH, the WTRU can either enter the Cell_FACH state and perform a CELL UPDATE or return to sleep mode until the next paging occasion.
One technique for reducing this state transition time is to map the PCCH to a high-speed downlink shared channel (HS-DSCH) instead of the PCH. A faster downlink rate results in a shorter transmission time for the paging message and faster state transitions. This protocol stack architecture is shown in FIG. 2. The inventors have recognized several problems that exist when mapping the PCCH to the HS-DSCH.
First, HSDPA is currently only allowed in the Cell_DCH state and is controlled by the WTRU variable HS-DSCH_RECEPTION.
Second, the HS-DSCH must be configured to operate in the downlink. This involves assigning a WTRU an address HS-DSCH Radio Network Temporary Identifier (H-RNTI), configuring a HS-SCCH channelization code, and configuring HARQ information, such as the number of HARQ processes and memory partition. Currently, there is no mechanism defined to allow such a configuration in Cell_PCH and URA_PCH states.
Third, a WTRU in Cell_PCH or URA_PCH state is unable to send channel quality indication (CQI) information to the UTRAN because no uplink communication is possible. Thus, the base station cannot take full advantage of the AMC techniques required by HSDPA.
Fourth, once a WTRU receives a Paging Indicator on the PICH, the WTRU expects a paging message in the associated S-CCPCH. This S-CCPCH occurs 7,680 chips after the PICH. In HSDPA, a base station schedules WTRU traffic. While it is possible to maintain a strict timing relationship between the PICH and the HS-DSCH, maintaining this relationship restricts the base station scheduling flexibility for transmission over HS-DSCH. Limiting the base station scheduling flexibility for HS-DSCH is undesirable since other types of traffic (for example, dedicated traffic channel (DTCH) and dedicated control channel (DCCH) are also carried over HS-DSCH.
Therefore, HSDPA paging of a WTRU in CELL_PCH and URA_PCH states without the above mentioned disadvantages is desired.

Paging over a high-speed downlink shared channel


A method and a software program running on a server computer coupled to a network, such as the internet, includes a three-dimensional (3D) viewing environment generating module. When a resource locator identifying a requested hypermedia resource, probably input by a pc user logged onto the network, is received from the network by a server computer, the 3D viewing environment generating module generates a 3D viewing environment corresponding to and preferably including the requested hypermedia resource. The 3D viewing environment is sent over the network to the user""s pc enabling the user to view the requested hypermedia resource in an overlay 3D viewing environment, probably already running on the user""s pc. A software program also provides instructions for a computer running a 3D browser to provide a viewing environment in a 3D space having one or more displays including a conventional hypermedia resource identifiable by a conventional resource locator. One or more additional displays may also be provided in the same viewing environment, wherein the additional displays each show an auxiliary hypermedia resource fetched from the network. A request may be generated for the 3D viewing environment displaying the conventional hypermedia resource when it is determined that the resource is not pre-designed for viewing with the 3D browser. In this case, the conventional hypermedia resource is fetched from the network and displayed within the 3D viewing environment. The auxiliary hypermedia resources may be commercial advertisements that can be viewed simultaneously with the conventional hypermedia source in the same 3D viewing environment.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to the area of Internet browser applications and more particularly related to a method and system for providing additional displaying spaces while displaying a conventional hypermedia source without affecting contents in the conventional hypermedia source, wherein the conventional hypermedia source is commonly accessible and displayable by a conventional internet browser such as Internet Explorer from Microsoft Corporation and Netscape Communicator from Netscape Communications Corporation.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional internet browsers running on personal computers can only locate and retrieve files from servers having limited types and forms of content and features. Conventional browsers limit users to a basic environment that is only nominally configurable via a small group of xe2x80x9cpreferences.xe2x80x9d A user visually moves a cursor around a graphic display typically by mouse or keypad inputs. The user can hyperlink to other internet locations or web pages by executing specially highlighted texts or two-dimensional metaphors for desired internet locations. The user is typically alone in the browser environment, but may chat with another user by expression-limited text boxes, or through an audio link that functions much like a telephone handset connection.
There are applications that provide realistic rendering spaces for experiencing audio and/or visual content. These applications are typically not configurable and don""t provide means for surfing the internet. Some examples include games applications and audio/video CDs and DVDs that incorporate sophisticated graphics. The games applications allow multiple users to interact, but only under the restrictions of the games programs. These applications programs do not provide a way to leverage rich media or to display HTML objects. The audio/video DVDs typically provide a solitary experience where a user executes an object and views and listens to audio and video files without interaction with other users.
FIG. 1 shows an example of a popular conventional hypermedia resource, i.e., the Yahoo(trademark) homepage. A user of a conventional world wide web browser may pull the Yahoo(trademark) homepage up on his or her personal computer display by entering a resource locator, e.g., www.yahoo.com, corresponding to a Yahoo(trademark) server. If the user is logged onto the internet, then when the user inputs the resource locator, the Yahoo(trademark) homepage is pulled from the Yahoo(trademark) server and displayed on the user""s pc display in the current window. If another hypermedia resource was located in that window before the request for Yahoo(trademark) was sent over the web to the Yahoo(trademark) server, then that other resource will be replaced by the Yahoo(trademark) homepage as the Yahoo(trademark) server responds to the user""s request. It is possible to return to that other resource by xe2x80x9cgoing back.xe2x80x9d However, the other resource will replace the Yahoo(trademark) homepage when the user goes back.
If the user wants to maintain the resource in the current window of the user""s pc display and also retrieve the Yahoo(trademark) homepage for contemporaneous viewing, then the user may first minimize the current window, before sending the request for the Yahoo(trademark) homepage. In this case, the Yahoo(trademark) homepage will come into a new window that can be reduced in size such that the other resource that was minimized can be brought into the display alongside the Yahoo homepage. Of course, only one page, i.e., the user selected active window, will respond to user inputs at any given time. The processor of the user""s pc can, however, execute instructions regarding multiple windows at the same time, although the processing for each window may occur more slowly than it would if the user""s processor, RAM, etc., were only working on one process. It is desired to be able to harmonize multiple hypermedia resources together in a single realistic viewing environment.
Advertisements are often dispersed throughout homepages of various sites. Some of these ads are executable or include a hyperlink to a page wherein more information or an opportunity to buy the product or service being advertised is available. Sometimes a request for a resource will result in an advertisement showing up on the user""s pc display before the resource arrives or before the resource is displayed. The advertisement gets a xe2x80x9chitxe2x80x9d when this happens. Sometimes the user is required to make a decision about the advertisement before it will go away, such as whether to order the product that is displayed or not. In this case, the advertisement not only gets a hit, but the company paying for the ad also gets an opportunity for a sale.
Another advertising method is to provide a xe2x80x9cframexe2x80x9d that remains permanently on the user""s display as the user browses in an otherwise typical way. Many internet service providers today will provide internet access free of charge if the user agrees to carry this frame around as he or she browses. Yet another advertising method involves receiving cyber cash for scrolling through advertisements (see www.cybergold.com and U.S. Pat. No. 5,794,210). It is desired to be able to harmonize one or more hypermedia resources, including one or more xe2x80x9cauxiliaryxe2x80x9d resources such as advertisements, together in a single realistic viewing environment.
A method and a software program running on a server computer connected to a network, such as the internet, including a three-dimensional viewing environment generating module are provided in accordance with the present invention. When a resource locator identifying a requested hypermedia resource, probably input by a pc user logged onto the network, is received from the network by the server computer, the three-dimensional viewing environment generating module generates a three dimensional viewing environment corresponding to and preferably including the requested hypermedia resource. The three-dimensional viewing environment is sent over the network to the user""s pc enabling the user to view the requested hypermedia resource in an overlay three-dimensional viewing environment, probably already running on the user""s pc.
A software program also provides instructions for a computer running a 3D browser to provide a viewing environment in a 3D space having one or more displays including a conventional hypermedia resource identifiable by a conventional resource locator. One or more additional displays may also be provided in the same viewing environment, wherein the additional displays each show an auxiliary hypermedia resource fetched from the network. A request may be generated for the 3D viewing environment displaying the conventional hypermedia resource when it is determined that the resource is not pre-designed for viewing with the 3D browser. In this case, the conventional hypermedia resource is fetched from the network and displayed within the 3D viewing environment. The auxiliary hypermedia resources may be commercial advertisements that can be viewed simultaneously with the conventional hypermedia source in the same 3D viewing environment.
A method is provided wherein a 3D viewing overlay is activated on a client computer, and a resource locator identifying a conventional hypermedia resource is output to a computer network. A 3D viewing environment is received wherein the hypermedia resource is displayed therein, within the overall 3D overlay. The 3D viewing environment preferably also includes one or more displayed auxiliary resources, such as advertisements, that may be viewed along with the conventional resource.
A method for providing the 3D viewing environment for the hypermedia resource by a server computer includes receiving a request including a resource locator identifying the hypermedia resource from the network, and outputting the 3D viewing environment to the network in response to the request. The method preferably includes checking whether a 3D viewing environment already exists for the hypermedia resource, and then if the checking reveals that a 3D viewing environment does not already exist, then one is generated. If the checking reveals that the 3D viewing environment does already exist, then it is retrieved and output to the network.

Method and system for displaying conventional hypermedia files in a 3D viewing environment


Methods of manufacturing a nanoimprint stamp are provided. The method may include forming a pattern on a surface of a master substrate, depositing an etch barrier layer on a surface of a stamp substrate, coating a photoresist on one of the surfaces of the master substrate and the stamp substrate on which an etch barrier layer is formed, forming a photoresist pattern by pressing the master substrate against the stamp substrate, forming a hard mask by etching the etch barrier layer using the photoresist pattern, and etching the stamp substrate using the hard mask as an etch mask.

1. Field
Example embodiments relate to methods of manufacturing nanoimprint stamps, and more particularly, to methods of manufacturing nanoimprint stamps using master stamps.
2. Description of the Related Art
A nanoimprint process is a process of repeatedly copying a pattern by printing the pattern on a surface of an object using a stamp on which the pattern is formed.
In the nanoimprint process that uses ultraviolet rays, the stamp is formed of a transparent material so that ultraviolet rays can pass therethrough, and a reverse image of a pattern to be stamped is formed on a surface of the stamp in a protruded structure. After directly pressing a photoresist coated on a substrate with the stamp, the photoresist is hardened via ultraviolet rays, and afterwards, the pattern on the stamp is transferred onto the photoresist.
Since the stamp must resist to a predetermined pressure and is exposed to a large amount of ultraviolet rays, the stamp is formed of a material having high hardness and small deformation such as quartz or glass.
Conventionally, electron beam lithography is performed to manufacture a stamp. A long electron beam recording time is required for forming a pattern having a few nm to a few tens of nm on a surface of the stamp.
When electron beam recording is performed on a surface of quartz, a patterning process for recording a pattern having less than 20 nm is difficult. Also, when manufacturing multiple numbers of stamps having the same pattern, it is difficult to obtain stamps having the same pattern due to variations of the electron beam recording conditions and etching conditions.

Method of manufacturing nanoimprint stamp


For electrically connecting a pair of circuit members each provided with a plurality of contact pads, an electric connector comprises a unitary insulator having through holes at locations corresponding to the contact pads on the circuit members. Each of the through holes is provided with an internal radial projection and adapted for holding a contact member therein. The contact member is given in the form of a substantially W-shaped leaf spring which has a central palate portion for engagement with the radial projection in the through hole and a pair of free end terminals for contact with the contact pads on the circuit members. Use of the unitary insulator reduces investment on insulator mould and advanced coupling of the contact members to the insulator simplifies assembly operation.

The present invention relates to an electric connector and, more particularly, relates to improvement in construction of an electric connector used for an interface between a pair of circuit members each provided with a plurality of contact pads.
Most typically, such an interface is used for making an electric connection between a first and a second circuit member which are, for example, a printed circuit board and a square LSI (Large Scale Integration). Each of the first and the second circuit members is provided with a plurality of contact pads.
Conventionally, an electric connector of the type includes a large number of contact members held in a pair of superimposed insulators. Each insulator is provided with through holes at locations corresponding to the contact pads arranged on the first and the second circuit member to be connected by the connector. Each contact member is given in the form of a W-shaped leaf spring provided with a pair of terminal portions arranged at opposed free ends. In assembly, the contact members are inserted into the through holes in the superimposed insulators with their terminal portions being exposed on opposite faces of the superimposed insulators. Then, the superimposed insulators are forcedly sandwiched between the first and the second circuit members so that the terminal portions of each contact member are brought into contact with the contact pads on different circuit members.
With this conventional construction, use of two separate insulators for one unit of electric contact necessitates increased investment on metallic moulds for production of the insulators. In addition, the contact members are left in a free state before being superimposed in combination of the separate insulators and this uncontrolled condition of the contact members causes cumbersome work in assembly of the entire construction.

Electric connector in which a plurality of contact members can be readily assembled to an insulator

Japan Aviation Electronics Industry, Limited


A system and methods are disclosed for treating cooling fluid in a continuous metal casting process having a spray chamber. In some embodiments, the system includes a first compartment with an intermittently operable outlet (e.g., valve) with an open state and a closed state, for removing particulate matter, and a second compartment that receives particle-free fluid from the first compartment. The first compartment may be tapered, conical, funnel, pyramidal shape or otherwise narrowed shape to facilitate settling of the particles. One or more sensors measure at least one property of the particle-free fluid to determine the opened or closed state of the outlet and to adjust chemical additives for the cooling fluid. In some embodiments, the system and methods reduce corrosion in spray chambers.

Continuous casting is a method of converting molten metal into semi-finished metal products such as billets, blooms, or slabs, and is useful for high volume and continuous production. The process is commonly used to form steel, but may be used to form other metals, such as aluminum and copper. Typically in continuous casting, molten metal is collected in a trough called a tundish and then passed at a precisely controlled rate into a primary cooling zone. In the primary cooling zone, the molten metal enters a solid mold (frequently made of copper, and often water-cooled). The solid mold draws heat from the molten metal causing a solid "skin" of metal to form around a still liquid core. The solid clad liquid metal is referred to as a strand.
Typically, the strand then passes into a secondary cooling zone and passes through a spray chamber where a cooling medium (e.g., water) is sprayed to further cool the metal. Examples of spraying technology used in spraying chambers are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,699,202, 4,494,594, 4,444,495, 4,235,280, 3,981,347, 6,360,973, 7,905,271, and 8,216,117, which are incorporated herein by reference. After passing through the spray chamber, the metal further solidifies and may be cut into billets, blooms or slabs for shipping.
The environment in a continuous caster, including the spray chamber, can be highly corrosive. Corrosive conditions are associated with poor quality metal production, lost production time, increased maintenance costs and downtime, damage to the caster and pipes, and increased safety risks to operators.
Conditions in the caster may be monitored to determine optimal metal (e.g., steel) manufacture and avoid breaks in production. Monitoring conditions in the upper zone of the spray chamber is complicated, however, by extreme high temperatures (e.g., above 1,500° C.), extreme pH, inaccessibility to this zone during production, and the presence of particulate debris from the metal production that have a high tendency to agglomerate.
There is a need for alternative solutions to reduce corrosion and remove particle debris formed in spray chambers of continuous casters. Additionally, a need exists for improved systems and methods for monitoring spray chambers during operation.
Discussion of any references in this patent application provides context for the present disclosure and is not an admission that any such reference or references constitutes "prior art" to the claimed invention.

Device to separate water and solids of spray water in a continuous caster, and method to monitor and control corrosion background


A method includes exciting a work piece, measuring a dynamic response of the work piece with an optical imaging system and calculating a damping factor and a Q factor from said dynamic response. The method links two processes: an optical imaging system to output dynamic motion response data, and using the data to obtain a damping factor and a Q factor.

The following description relates to a method of measuring damping of a work piece, and in particular, a method of measuring damping using a high speed camera or cameras.
Damping generally relates to the ability of a part to absorb energy when excited. Damping may be measured using a factor called a Q factor. A damping measurement may be used to assess vehicle brake noise propensity and provide a useful comparison to determine work piece vibration by capturing the ability of the work piece to absorb unwanted vibration energy. Damping measurements may be referred to using different terminology including, for example, damping factor, damping ratio, quality factor ("Q factor"), loss factor, tan delta, and/or specific damping capacity.
Current methods of damping measurement may involve exciting a part using an excitation device. An excitation device may include, for example, an impulse hammer or a shaker. Damping may be measured after the excitation device, such as the impulse hammer, strikes the work piece or part. A time and/or frequency response is then recorded using a sensor, such as an accelerometer and/or microphone. This data is processed to obtain a Q factor, which may also be referred to as a damping number. Since the damping number (Q factor) is dependent on the location on the work piece where the impulse hammer strikes, location of measurement on a brake rotor, and the frequency of vibration, it takes multiple measurements at different areas on the work piece to arrive at an optimum location to extract the numbers used to determine the Q factor. This type of iterative process of measuring may take an unsuitable period of time to complete. For example, the iterative process may take three or four minutes. In a production or lab environment, the delay due to measuring time may cause other delays. In order to reduce the measurement time, measurements may be made at multiple locations simultaneously. However, this requires a large number of sensors to be placed at or near the rotor. This increases the number of measurement channels needed.
Accordingly, it is desirable to measure damping during a reduced time period while using a limited number of sensors.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Method of measuring damping using optical imaging technique


An object of the present invention is to provide a curable composition that provides high hardness and can be used in adhesives and coating agents. This object can be achieved by a curable composition containing: 100 parts by weight of a reactive silyl group-containing organic polymer (A) that has a number average molecular weight of 2,000 to 6,000 and contains 1.3 to 5 reactive silyl groups per molecule; and 0 to 40 parts by weight of a plasticizer (C). This curable composition is suitable for flooring adhesives and tile adhesives, which require high hardness.

Organic polymers each containing at least one reactive silyl group per molecule are known to have a characteristic that they are cross-linked by siloxane bond formation involving hydrolysis or other reactions of the silyl group due to factors. such as moisture even at room temperature, whereby rubbery cured products are obtained.
Among such reactive silyl group-containing organic polymers, those whose backbone skeleton is a polyoxyalkylene polymer or a polyisobutylene polymer have already been produced industrially and are widely used in applications such as sealing materials, adhesives and paints (Patent Literature 1, Patent Literature 2).
In addition, the reactive silyl group-containing organic polymers with high molecular weights have been used in order to achieve excellent tensile properties. It has been necessary for curable compositions containing a high molecular weight polymer to incorporate a plasticizer in order to ensure workability. Meanwhile, high hardness may also be required depending on the particular application, and improved compositions are thus desired.


Mechanisms are provided for evicting cache lines from an instruction cache of the data processing system. The mechanisms store, for a portion of code in a current cache line, a linked list of call sites that directly or indirectly target the portion of code in the current cache line. A determination is made as to whether the current cache line is to be evicted from the instruction cache. The linked list of call sites is processed to identify one or more rewritten branch instructions having associated branch stubs, that either directly or indirectly target the portion of code in the current cache line. In addition, the one or more rewritten branch instructions are rewritten to restore the one or more rewritten branch instructions to an original state based on information in the associated branch stubs.

The present application relates generally to an improved data processing apparatus and method and more specifically to mechanisms for dynamically rewriting branch instructions in response to cache line eviction.
Many modern computing devices utilize a multiprocessor architecture in which multiple processors are provided to increase the computation power of the computing device. One example of a modern multiprocessor architecture is the Cell Broadband Engine (CBE) available from International Business Machines Corporation or Armonk, N.Y. With the CBE, a primary control processor, referred to as the PPE, is provided along with a plurality of controlled processors, referred to as synergistic processing elements (SPEs). Each SPE has a local memory, or local store, into which instructions and data are copied so that the SPE may execute instructions in the local store on data brought into the location store from main memory. Thus, the local store serves as both an instruction and data cache for the SPE. Other multiprocessor architectures utilize similar configurations in which the processors may have a local instruction cache and data cache into which data and instructions are brought before executing on the processor or having the processor operate on the data.
Typically, the local store, or cache, of a modern day multiprocessor architecture is designed to be much smaller in storage size than the main memory. Thus, executing code larger than the processor's local store or cache size requires a strategy for swapping pieces of code, or code segments, into the local store or cache before use. In some cases, a code segment may include branch instructions whose target instruction is located in a different code segment that may not be currently present in the local store or cache. This would require a strategy for bringing in the code segment corresponding to the target instruction from main memory.

Dynamically rewriting branch instructions in response to cache line eviction


Provided are techniques for increasing transaction processing throughput. A transaction item with a message identifier and a session identifier is obtained. The transaction item is added to an earliest aggregated transaction in a list of aggregated transactions in which no other transaction item as the same session identifier. A first aggregated transaction in the list of aggregated transactions that has met execution criteria is executed. In response to determining that the aggregated transaction is not committing, the aggregated transaction is broken up into multiple smaller aggregated transactions and a target size of each aggregated transaction is adjusted based on measurements of system throughput.

1. Field
Embodiments of the invention relate to automated transaction aggregation to increase transaction processing throughput.
2. Description of the Related Art
Dataflow programming, also called Flow-based Programming (FBP), is a technique that has been used to make the expression of high-volume batch data processing both easy and effective: easy because the logic is naturally captured. Effective because both parallel and pipelined parallel processing can be used to increase throughput. However, these same flow-based programming techniques are less well recognized as means for expression of online and transaction processing applications.
Flow-Based Transaction Processing (FBTP) describes flow-based application development techniques that are used to create high-performance transaction processing systems. Customers desire to stretch the functionality of FBP systems (e.g., a DataStage product from International Business Machines Corporation) to encompass transaction processing. Customers derive value from both the high performance of the resulting systems, and the ability to share business logic between transactional processing and high-volume batch data processing using common graphical development tooling. There are existing systems which perform composition of transactions. Microsoft Transaction Server (MTS) and J2EE™ application servers both feature declarative transaction composition. (J2EE is a trademark of Sun Microsystems, Inc. in the United States, other countries, or both). However, since these systems are not expressed as dataflow networks they do not benefit from the attendant data separation properties; hence, the scale of transaction aggregation they can achieve is lower, thereby limiting their ability to increase throughput.

Transaction aggregation to increase transaction processing throughput


In various embodiments, virtual universe regions are dynamically generated within a virtual universe based on user requests. Dynamic generation allows virtual universe users or “residents” to create virtual universe regions that are tailored to their desired specifications. Additionally, in some implementations, virtual universe users may have the option to instantly discard or retain a created region after evaluation based on whether the region meets the user's expectations. Furthermore, dynamic generation of regions may increase user satisfaction and provide additional means for revenue generation for the virtual universe administrator and for virtual universe businesses and entrepreneurs.

Embodiments of the inventive subject matter generally relate to the field of virtual universe systems, and, more particularly, to dynamic creation of virtual universe regions.
Virtual universe applications allow people to socialize and interact in a virtual universe. A virtual universe ("VU") is a computer-based simulated environment intended for its residents to traverse, inhabit, and interact through the use of avatars. Many VUs are represented using 3-D graphics and landscapes, and are populated by many thousands of users, known as "residents." Other terms for VUs include metaverses and "3D Internet."


A nondestructive identification device includes: a radiation source 1 irradiating an x-ray 2 to a standard sample 5 made of a known material and a sample 3; a sensor 4 detecting a radiation ray having transmitted the standard sample 5 and the sample 3; a signal processing device 7 converting a signal of the sensor 4 into an image; an image processing device 8 which performs adjustment on an entire second image to make a luminance value of a part of the standard sample 5 in the obtained image or a relation between the luminance value and a thickness of the standard sample 5 in a first image where the energy of the radiation source 1 is first energy be the same as that in the second image where the energy of the radiation source 1 is second energy, and which performs a computation processing to take a difference or a ratio between the adjusted second image and the first image; and a display device 9 displaying an image.

When an x-ray or a γ-ray penetrates a substance, absorption and scattering differ depending on a type and a shape of a constituent substance. Recording the above as a picture such as a photo, a video, and a digital file enables obtaining a broken state, change, a packing condition or the like of the substance. This method is generally used as a method for examining a state of the inside of a human body by an x-ray picture. The above method for measuring a state of the inside without destructing a substance or a sample which is desired to be measured is called radiography or a nondestructive radiation imaging method.
In x-ray photographing used for medical diagnosis or industrial nondestructive inspection, usually an x-ray film is combinedly used with a radiation intensifying screen in order to improve sensitivity of photographing system. In x-ray photographing, silver particles on the film are directly blackened by an x-ray transmitting a sample, and besides, the x-ray is converted into a visible light in the intensifying screen and the light blackens silver particles on the x-ray film, whereby a transmission image of the sample is obtained.
There is a method in which a line sensor is used as a sensor and a subject is scanned by the line sensor when the subject passes, so that a transmission image is measured nondestructively, as in baggage inspection at an airport. In such nondestructive inspection methods using an x-ray, in a case of a composite material or in a case that thicknesses of samples to be transmitted are quite different, a transmitted radiation dosage becomes extremely large or small depending on parts, so that a larger radiation dosage flows to a smaller radiation dosage part, causing a phenomenon called fog or halation and making a result of photographing hard to view. As a method for solving such a phenomenon, there are suggested methods in which a sensitivity region of a sensor is enlarged by color information and so on.
In an atomic power plant or the like, radioactive waste is filled and stored in a sealed vessel such as a drum and a container. A stored amount thereof is increasing recently and volume reduction is required. Since a processing method for volume reduction differs depending on a material, it is necessary to sort contents by material, but there is a risk in a sorting operation. When the radioactive waste and the drum as a whole undergo a melting process, for example, a plasma melting process, an operator opens the drum and takes out the radioactive waste in the drum to sort. Since aluminum and lead in particular are not suitable for the melting process, it is necessary that aluminum and lead are stored without undergoing the melting process. It is because if aluminum undergoes the melting process and is solidified with concrete, there is a possibility that moisture in the concrete and aluminum react to generate hydrogen and damages a melting furnace. Further, if lead is molten, toxic gas is generated unpreferably in terms of pollution prevention. Therefore, when the melting process in particular is performed, a method and a device which can easily judge that aluminum or lead does not exist in the drum nondestructively are desired.
As an example of a conventional sorting process of waste as described above, there is a method in which whether or not a metal exists in the waste is sorted by a metal detector and further whether a shape of the metal is indefinite or definite is sorted by an x-ray inspection device (for example, see Reference 1). In addition, there is a method in which a component of radioactive waste moving on a roller conveyer is found out by combination of a capture γ-ray analyzing device and a fluorescent x-ray analyzing device (for example, see Reference 2). The former technique of the above conventional techniques cannot identify types of the metals, while the latter technique can identify a material but opening is required. On the other hand, as a method for judging materials of contents nondestructively, there is an x-ray CT method. In the x-ray CT method, an x-ray absorption rate, that is, an x-ray absorption coefficient of each waste is obtained and a thickness of each waste is obtained, whereby the material of each waste can be judged. However, in this method, a device constitution becomes complicated for the sake of data collection, image reconstruction computation, displaying, or the like, thus leading to a high cost.
As a method for solving the above, there is a following method. In this method, by using an n x-ray tube voltage as a parameter, an x-ray transmission image tone value or a function thereof is detected to be a reference tone for every material. The reference tone can be also obtained by calculation and is registered as a data table. A sample is measured and compared with the reference tone registered as a database in advance, whereby a material is specified. In this method, identification of lead and aluminum in particular can be performed more easily than in an x-ray CT (for example, see Reference 3). However, in this method, there are problems that when different materials overlap with each other in a perspective direction, it is difficult to judge from a reference function for every material, and when a thickness is different from that in the reference function, judgment is also difficult, and so on. Further, in this method, by using thickness dependence of x-ray transmission by material by an x-ray tube voltage (same as energy, but strictly, not equal because it has a distribution) as a parameter, judgment is done based on an obtained luminance value. However, in a case that the tube voltage is used as the parameter, discriminable luminance data cannot be obtained unless a tube current is simultaneously used as a parameter. For example, in a case of a tube current of data of 300 kV and a tube current of data of 100 kV, similar luminance cannot be obtained unless the tube current of 100 kV is increased. Therefore, it is necessary to have large data for every material as a table, and in order to perform accurate judgment, a measurement condition of a sample must be the same as a condition under which a database is obtained. However, in a case of waste, materials and sizes of contents vary, and photographing cannot be always done under the same condition. Therefore, there is a problem that the database is required to be remeasured every time the measuring condition is altered.
Reference 1: JP-A 6-273588 (KOKAI)
Reference 2: JP-A 7-209493 (KOKAI)
Reference 3: Japanese Patent JP-B2 3193665

Nondestructive identification method and nondestructive identification device


A system, method, and apparatus for coordinating tasks in a control system for an optical disc drive for optical media with a pitted premastered area that cannot be overwritten and a grooved user-writeable area that can be overwritten. The optical disc drive includes a first processor operable to communicate with a second processor, wherein the first processor includes instructions for performing non-time-critical tasks, and the second processor includes instructions for performing time-critical tasks, such as reading from and writing to optical media in the disc drive. The first processor monitors the status of the time critical tasks in the second processor and transmits commands to perform operations in the second processor. The first processor also controls power mode, manages recovery from errors, controls focus, tracking/seeking, spin, physical sector address (PSA), a laser, adjusts gains, and monitor cartridge load/eject. The first processor can be used to perform other tasks while it is waiting to receive a notice of a new command, a notify event, or a performance event.

CD-ROM Appendix A, which is a part of the present disclosure, is a CD-ROM appendix consisting of 22 text files. CD-ROM Appendix A includes a software program executable on a controller as described below. The total number of compact disks including duplicates is two. Appendix B, which is part of the present specification, contains a list of the files contained on the compact disk. The attached CD-ROM Appendix A is formatted for an IBM-PC operating a Windows operating system.
A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material which is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent files or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever.
These and other embodiments are further discussed below.
The present disclosure was co-filed with the following sets of disclosures: the xe2x80x9cTracking and Focus Servo Systemxe2x80x9d disclosures, the xe2x80x9cServo System Calibrationxe2x80x9d disclosures, the xe2x80x9cSpin Motor Servo Systemxe2x80x9d disclosures, and the xe2x80x9cSystem Architecturexe2x80x9d disclosures; each of which was filed on the same date and assigned to the same assignee as the present disclosure, and are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety. The Tracking and Focus Servo System disclosures include U.S. Disclosure Ser. Nos. 09/950,329, 09/950,408, 09/950,444, 09/950,394, 09/950,413, 09/950,397, 09/950,914, 09/950,410, 09/950,441, 09/950,373, 09/950,425, 09/950,414, 09/950,378, 09/950,513, 09/950,331, 09/950,395, 09/950,376, 09/950,393, 09/950,432, 09/950,379, 09/950,515, 09/950,411, 09/950,412, 09/950,361, 09/950,540, and 09/950,519. The Servo System Calibration disclosures include U.S. Disclosure Ser. Nos. 09/950,398, 09/950,396, 09/950,360, 09/950,372, 09/950,541, 09/950,409, 09/950,520, 09/950,377, 09/950,367, 09/950,512, 09/950,415, 09/950,548, 09/950,392, and 09/950,514. The Spin Motor Servo System disclosures include U.S. Disclosure Ser. Nos. 09/951,108, 09/951,869, 09/951,330, 09/951,930, 09/951,328, 09/951,325 and 09/951,475. The System Architecture disclosures include U.S. Disclosure Ser. Nos. 09/951,947, 09/951,339, 09/951,469, 09/951,337, 09/951,329, 09/951,332, 09/951,931, 09/951,850, 09/951,333, 09/951,331, 09/951,156, 09/951,340 and 09/951,940.
The present application was also co-filed with the following applications U.S. application Ser. Nos. 09/950,516 and 09/950,365 each of which was filed on the same date and assigned to the same assignee as the present application, and are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety.
There is an ever increasing need for data storage devices having greater storage capacity with smaller form factors for multimedia systems utilizing text, video, and audio information. Further, there is a large demand for highly portable, rugged, and robust systems for use as multimedia entertainment, storage systems for PDAs, cell phones, electronic books, and other systems. One of the more promising technologies for rugged, removable, and portable data storage is WORM (write once read many) optical disk drives.
One of the important factors affecting design of an optical system (such as that utilized in a WORM drive) is the optical components utilized in the system and the control of actuators utilized to control the optical system on the disk. The optical system typically includes a laser or other optical source, focusing lenses, reflectors, optical detectors, and other components. Although a wide variety of systems have been used or proposed, typical previous systems have used optical components that were sufficiently large and/or massive that functions such as focus and/or tracking were performed by moving components of the optical system.
Many early optical disks and other optical storage systems provided relatively large format read/write devices including, for example, devices for use in connection with 12 inch (or larger) diameter disks. As optical storage technologies have developed, however, there has been increasing attention toward providing feasible and practical systems which are relatively smaller in size. Generally, a practical read/write device must accommodate numerous items within its form factor, including the media, media cartridge (if any), media spin motor, power supply and/or conditioning, signal processing, focus, tracking or other servo electronics, and components associated or affecting the laser or light beam optics. Accordingly, in order to facilitate a relatively small form-factor, an optical head occupying small volume is desirable. In particular, it is desirable for a small optical head in the direction perpendicular to the surface of the spinning media.
Additionally, a smaller, more compact, optical head provides numerous specific problems for electronics designed to control the position and focus of the optical head including: the need for extensive drive calibration and periodic drive recalibration, time critical servo state machines to compensate for the flexible focus and tracking actuators, nonlinear and cross-coupled tracking and focus position sensors, dynamic crosscoupling between the multiple servo loops, need for low power consumption to conserve battery life, removable and interchangeable media, robust handling of media defects, presence of both pre-mastered and user writeable areas on the same disk, need to operate in wide range of conditions including various physical orientations, wide range of ambient temperatures and humidity levels, and the presence of shock and vibration.
Therefore, there is a need for an optical head with a small form factor and, in addition, a servo system for controlling the head so that data can be reliably read from and written to the optical media.
A system, method, and apparatus in accordance with the present invention includes a code architecture that addresses the design challenges for the small form factor optical head. Embodiments of a system and device in accordance with the present invention utilize several unique methods including sharing a general purpose processor between the servo system and other drive systems in the device, using a dedicated high speed processor for time critical servo functions, communicating between the dedicated servo processor and the shared general purpose processor, distributing the servo processing between the general purpose processor and the dedicated servo processor, and distributing the servo processing within the general purpose processor between a main loop process and a background periodic interrupt process.
In one embodiment, a system for coordinating tasks in a control system for an optical disc drive for optical media with a pitted premastered area that cannot be overwritten and a grooved user-writeable area that can be overwritten comprises a first processor operable to communicate with a second processor, wherein the first processor includes instructions for performing non-time-critical tasks, and the second processor includes instructions for performing time-critical tasks. The first processor monitors the status of the time critical tasks, such as reading from and writing to the media, performed in the second processor.
In one aspect of this embodiment, the first processor receives messages regarding the status of the time-critical tasks in the second processor via a mailbox, and transmits commands to perform operations in the second processor via the mailbox.
In another aspect of this embodiment, the status indicates at least one of: a good jump, a bad jump, tracking OK, tracking bad, focus OK, focus bad, focus closed, tracking bad from focus error, seek complete, seek acceleration, seeking flag, and seek direction.
In another aspect of this embodiment, the instructions for performing non-time-critical tasks include generating commands, such as commands to read from or write to optical media in the disc drive, control rotational speed of the optical media, close focus, open focus, turn tracking on or off, and turn a laser on or off. Other commands can also be generated
In another aspect of this embodiment, the mailbox includes messages from the first processor to the second processor including parameters for at least one of: controlling jump acceleration, jump deceleration, oscillator amplitude, TES Gain Offset, Track Loop Gain, Track Gain Shift, FES Gain Offset, Focus DAC Offset, Focus Loop Gain, Focus Gain Shift, Crosstalk Compensation, Sensor Thresholds, and Sample Integrity Win.
In another aspect of this embodiment, the messages from the first processor to the second processor can include messages such as Focus On/Off, Track Integrator On, Track Integrator Reset, TES Sample Integrity On, FES Sample Integrity On, Jump ahead one Track, Jump back one Track, Track Bad Reset, Reset Jump Status, Focus Bad Reset, Reset Sat Detect Flags, Focus On during Jumps, Tracking Oscillator On, Focus Oscillator On, Tracking On/Off, Lock Mailboxes, Min/Max Signal Addresses, Min/Max Reset, Trace On/Off, Trace Addresses, Trace Rates, Clear Write Abort, Power On, Seek Reset, Oscillator Select, Seek On, TF On/Off, Block Write Gate, Focus Interrupt Enable, General Purpose Out addresses, and Writeable Media.
In another aspect of this embodiment, the mailbox includes messages from the second processor to the first processor including at least one of: DSP Status Register, DSP Control Register Echo, Signal Maximum, Signal Minimum, Tracking Control Effort (TCE), FES, Focus DAC, TES, Tracking DAC, Trace1, Trace2, Sample Count, and Second processor Code Version.
In another aspect of this embodiment, the first processor includes a set of heartbeat interrupt instructions comprising at least one of:
power mode state machine instructions;
recovery manager instructions;
focus control state machine instructions;
tracking/seeking control state machine instructions;
spin control state machine instructions;
physical sector address (PSA) state machine instructions;
laser control state machine instructions;
adjust gains state machine instructions;
performance monitor state machine instructions operable to monitor the status of the time critical tasks in the second processor; and
monitor load/eject state machine instructions.
In another aspect of this embodiment, the instructions in the first processor are operable to perform at least one of the following:
initialize calibration values;
initialize values for performing the non-time-critical tasks;
load the instructions for performing time-critical tasks in the second processor;
enable a high power mode in the disc drive;
bias a tracking actuator to a predetermined position;
ramp a focus actuator in a predetermined direction;
enable a low power mode in the disc drive;
wait to receive a notice of a new command being issued, a notify event, or a performance event;
increase the rate at which the first processor monitors the status of the time critical tasks in the second processor;
handle the new command, the notify event, or the performance event; and
decrease the rate at which the first processor monitors the status of the time critical tasks in the second processor.
In another embodiment, a method for coordinating tasks in a control system for an optical disc drive for optical media with a pitted premastered area that cannot be overwritten and a grooved user-writeable area that can be overwritten comprises:
performing non-time-critical tasks in a first processor;
performing time-critical tasks in a second processor;
monitoring the status of the time critical tasks in the second processor from the first processor;
waiting for a notice of a new command, a notify event, or a performance event in the first processor; and
issuing one or more control commands from the first processor to the second processor.
In one aspect of this embodiment, the method includes communicating between the first processor and the second processor via a set of mailbox registers.
In another aspect of this embodiment, the status indicates at least one of: a good jump, a bad jump, tracking OK, tracking bad, focus OK, focus bad, focus closed, tracking bad from focus error, seek complete, seek acceleration, seeking flag, and seek direction.
In another aspect of this embodiment, the method includes generating commands, such as commands to read from or write to optical media in the disc drive, control rotational speed of the optical media, close focus, open focus, turn tracking on or off, and turn a laser on or off. Other commands can also be generated
In another aspect of this embodiment, the method includes transmitting parameters for at least one of: jump acceleration, jump deceleration, oscillator amplitude, TES Gain Offset, Track Loop Gain, Track Gain Shift, FES Gain Offset, Focus DAC Offset, Focus Loop Gain, Focus Gain Shift, Crosstalk Compensation, Sensor Thresholds, and Sample Integrity Win from the first processor to the second processor.
In another aspect of this embodiment, the method further comprises transmitting messages such as Focus On/Off, Track Integrator On, Track Integrator Reset, TES Sample Integrity On, FES Sample Integrity On, Jump ahead one Track, Jump back one Track, Track Bad Reset, Reset Jump Status, Focus Bad Reset, Reset Sat Detect Flags, Focus On during Jumps, Tracking Oscillator On, Focus Oscillator On, Tracking On/Off, Lock Mailboxes, Min/Max Signal Addresses, Min/Max Reset, Trace On/Off, Trace Addresses, Trace Rates, Clear Write Abort, Power On, Seek Reset, Oscillator Select, Seek On, TF On/Off, Block Write Gate, Focus Interrupt Enable, General Purpose Out addresses, and Writeable Media.
In another aspect of this embodiment, transmitting messages from the second processor to the first processor include at least one of the following messages: DSP Status Register, DSP Control Register Echo, Signal Maximum, Signal Minimum, Tracking Control Effort (TCE), FES, Focus DAC, TES, Tracking DAC, Trace1, Trace2, Sample Count, and Second processor Code Version.
In another aspect of this embodiment, the method includes performing non-realtime-critical tasks in a first processor including at least one of:
controlling power mode;
managing recovery from the performance event;
controlling focus;
controlling tracking/seeking;
controlling spin;
controlling physical sector addresses (PSA);
controlling a laser; and
adjusting gains.
In another aspect of this embodiment, the method includes at least one of:
initializing calibration values;
initializing values for performing the non-time-critical tasks;
loading the instructions for performing time-critical tasks in the second processor;
enabling a high power mode in the disc drive;
biasing a tracking actuator to a predetermined position;
ramping a focus actuator in a predetermined direction;
enabling a low power mode in the disc drive;
waiting to receive a notice of a new command being issued, a notify event, or a performance event;
increasing the rate at which the first processor monitors the status of the time critical tasks in the second processor;
handling the new command, the notify event, or the performance event; and
decreasing the rate at which the first processor monitors the status of the time critical tasks in the second processor.
In another aspect of this embodiment, the method includes performing other tasks in the first processor while waiting to receive a notice of at least one of: a new command being issued, a notify event, or a performance event.
The methods in accordance with the present invention can be embodied in the form of computer-implemented processes and apparatuses for practicing those processes. The methods can also be embodied in the form of computer program code embodied in tangible media, such as floppy diskettes, CD-ROMS, hard drives, or any other computer-readable storage medium where, when the computer program code is loaded into and executed by a computer, the computer becomes an apparatus for practicing the invention. The method can also be embodied in the form of computer program code, for example, whether stored in a storage medium, loaded into and/or executed by a computer, or transmitted over some transmission medium, such as over electrical wiring or cabling, through fiber optics, or via electromagnetic radiation, wherein, when the computer program code is loaded into and executed by a computer, the computer becomes an apparatus for practicing the invention. When implemented on a general-purpose microprocessor, the computer program code segments configure the microprocessor to create specific logic circuits.
The above as well as additional objectives, features, and advantages of embodiments of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed written description.

Time critical and non-time critical tasks control system for an optical disk using first and second processors


A continuous hot bonding method for producing a bi-material strip with a strong bond therebetween is provided. The method comprises sanding a first strip formed of steel; and applying a layer of first particles, typically formed of copper, to the sanded first strip. The method next includes heating the first strip and the layer of the first particles, followed by pressing a second strip formed of an aluminum alloy onto the heated layer of the first particles. The aluminum alloy of the second strip includes tin particles, and the heat causes the second particles to liquefy and dissolve into the melted first particles. The first particles and the second particles bond together to form bond enhancing metal particles, which typically comprise bronze.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to a bi-material strip including a strip of steel bonded to a strip of an aluminum alloy, and a method of forming such a bi-material strip.
2. Related Art
Bi-material strips including both a strip of an aluminum alloy and a strip of steel are typically used in, among other things, bearings, bushings and washers for various automotive and non-automotive applications. One method to form such bi-material strips is by heating the steel strip to a predetermined temperature, feeding both strips through a high-pressure roller which presses them against one another and finally by quenching the resulting bi-material strip.

Bi-material strip and a method of bonding strips of different materials together


An image forming apparatus, an information processing apparatus, a printing system, a method of controlling the same, and a storage medium. An image forming apparatus authenticates a user, transmits a request for a list of print jobs, and receives a list of print jobs transmitted in response to the request. The image forming apparatus displays on a display unit the list of print jobs received in the receiving, and in the displaying, a list of the print jobs, for which a user name of the user authenticated in the authenticating and a job owner name of the print job match, and a list of print jobs for which a job owner name is unknown is displayed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, an information processing apparatus, a printing system, a method of controlling the same, and a storage medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, demand has been growing for authenticated printing in which a user transmits a print job to a print server, and printing is performed whenever the user likes on a desired printer, and also with guaranteed security (for example, Japanese Patent No. 4033857). By Japanese Patent No. 4033857, a user generates a print job and transmits it to a print server by a printer driver, and also transmits bibliographic information to a bibliography server. Then, upon printing by the printer, the printer obtains, and displays, a list of print jobs from the bibliography server, and the user makes an instruction for printing by selecting his or her own print job from the list. With this, the print instruction is dispatched from the bibliography server to the print server, and the print job is transmitted from the print server to the printer and printed by the printer.
However, in the printing system of Japanese Patent No. 4033857, the transmission of the print job by a printer driver is assumed. Also, in order to obtain, from the server, a print job list corresponding to a user, who succeeded in authentication, it is necessary that information for identifying the owner of a print job be included in the print jobs registered in the server. This was normally not a problem since the owner name of the print job was included in print jobs generated by a printer driver.
However, with print jobs that are generated without using a printer driver (a printing system which independently generates print data, or a direct printing system which directly interprets an application file and prints), there are cases in which the owner name of the print job is not included. In such a case, because the print job does not match an authenticated user name, it is not included in the list of print jobs acquired from the server. For this reason, a problem existed in that this kind of print job was left on the print server, and executed as a print job, or that its deletion could not be performed.

Image forming apparatus, information processing apparatus, printing system, method of controlling the same, and storage medium for managing print jobs


A system and method provide automated discovery of devices on a network. The system may include specialized communications between devices for monitoring and tracking the devices. In particular, devices may transmit and/or receive messages over the network that includes information for discovering, identifying, and/or managing each of the devices on the network.

Power measurement systems may include a plurality of devices, such as sensors, meters, and other associated devices connected in one or more networks. The addition or subtraction of devices from a network may require a manual configuration to update the system and its devices. For example, the addition of power meters to a power measurement system network may be both time-consuming and difficult to monitor locations of and communications between power meters.
Updating and configuring the devices when there are any changes to the network may also slow down the network with traffic. Additional network traffic may be required for discovering, managing, and configuring the devices on the network. It may be beneficial to improve the monitoring and discovery of devices in a network by providing an automated device discovery process that provides for efficient network communications.


In a transmission device: a controller performs a control of reading, from information regarding video specification, first information indicating whether a reception device is capable of intermittent reception of receiving a video signal at a timing that causes certain number of frames to be intermittent, and, when the reception device can perform intermittent reception, multiplexing, to the video signal during a blanking period of the video signal to be updated, an enable signal indicating the present video signal is to be enabled and second information indicating that transmission of the video signal will not resume unless the video signal is updated; and a transmitter transmits the video signal that is to be updated and then does not resume transmission of the video signal unless the video signal is updated.

In recent years, HDMI standard has been known as a standard for baseband video/audio data transmission/reception systems. Baseband refers to be being uncompressed.
Video data is transmitted using three channels in HDMI standard. In addition, audio data or data used for control is time multiplexed to each video data and transmitted (e.g., cf. Non-Patent Literature 1 and Non-Patent Literature 2).
FIG. 9 shows the configuration of a transmission/reception system 101 having a configuration compliant with HDMI standard. The transmission/reception system 101 includes a transmission device 102 and a reception device 103. Digital cameras, video cameras, and DVD players etc., correspond to the transmission device 102, and television receivers and monitors etc., correspond to the reception device 103.
The transmission device 102 is a source device, and includes a microcomputer 102a, a video output circuit 102b, a TMDS output circuit 102c, and a transmitter 102d. The reception device 103 is a sink device, and includes an information storage 103a, a TMDS input circuit 103b, a frame memory 103c, and a synchronization signal generation circuit 103d.
In the transmission device 102, the microcomputer 102a reads, through a DDC (Display Data Channel), EDID (Extended Display Identification Data) stored in the information storage 103a formed with a ROM of the reception device 103, and examines which specification of HDMI standard that can be handled by the reception device 103. In the EDID, for example, video format in which the reception device 103 can display is described. The video format is specified by a VIC (Video Identification Code) (cf. Non-Patent Literature 2 for detail). The video format includes a resolution and a field rate.
In addition, the microcomputer 102a performs signal-processing control in the device, and, for example, performs a control of reading out recorded data from a recording medium included in the video output circuit 102b in the device and loading video data and audio data on a memory. The microcomputer 102a generates a digital video signal after receiving the EDID from the reception device 103, and generates a VIC specifying the video format of the digital video signal. The VIC is transmitted in a packet named AVI InfoFrame.
The TMDS output circuit 102c performs, for data of each transmission channel, rearranging, encoding, and parallel serial conversion of uncompressed data outputted from the video output circuit 102b. The transmitter 102d outputs serial data to a transmission path with TMDS (Transition Minimized Differential Signaling) method.
In the TMDS transmission path, three data channels (DATA0, DATA1, and DATA2) and one clock channel are used. In each data channel, video data of one of R-data, G-data, or B-data, or one Y-data, Cb-data, or Cr-data, audio data, and control data are converted to differential signals and transmitted by the transmitter 102d. The differential signal is a signal that represents Hi/Lo in a single signal as voltage difference of two signals. The video data is assigned to a display period and is transmitted as raster scan data. The audio data and the control data are assigned to a blanking period that is vertical blanking period and horizontal blanking period, and are transmitted as packet data. The control data is transmitted as an AVI InfoFrame packet.
In the reception device 103, the TMDS input circuit 103b receives TMDS data and clock from a receiver that is not shown, performs serial parallel conversion thereon, and then decodes each data. The decoded video data is outputted together with H-sync and V-sync signals and pixel clock generated by the synchronization signal generation circuit 103d, based on an analysis result of the transmitted clock and AVI InfoFrame packet. The audio data decoded by the TMDS input circuit 103b is used for outputting audio.
CITATION LIST

Baseband video data transmission device and reception device, and transceiver system with reduced power consumption by intermittent transmission reception of a video signal