The present invention provides for efficient monitoring of operator services calls. A packet gateway is provided in association with a telephony switch, such that circuit-switched connections through a switching fabric of the telephony switch are supported by the packet gateway. The packet gateway provides an interface between the switching fabric and a packet network, which supports operator terminals as well as monitor terminals from which interactions between operators and callers may be monitored. Upon setting up the circuit-switched connection for the operator services call, the gateway will establish voice sessions with both the operator terminal and the monitor terminal. The voice sessions with the operator terminal facilitate bi-directional communications with the caller via the circuit-switched connection over the packet fabric. The voice interaction between the caller and operator is provided to the monitor terminal over another voice session for monitoring by the monitor.

Directory assistance and enhanced operator services systems are capable of providing information in response to a caller's request through automation or via a human operator. In an effort to review operator performance and improve service quality, the interaction between operators and callers is often monitored by a third party. Unfortunately, existing monitoring techniques require a series of connections in a switching fabric of a telephony switch to effectively connect the monitor, caller, and operator to the same call to allow the monitor to listen to the interaction between the caller and the operator. The additional resources required for monitoring generally include additional conference or bridging circuits to effectively connect each party to the call. This use of these additional resources not only imposes expensive inefficiencies in monitoring techniques, but also degrades speech quality due to the need to run the connection through additional resources. There is also excessive control overhead associated with controlling each of the required resources for monitoring. Accordingly, there is a need for a more efficient technique for monitoring operator services.


Provides a semiconductor that enables to suppress deformation of the opening portions due to thermal expansion and contraction and to improve production yield and reliability wiring, and a method of fabricating the same. A first conductive layer and a second conductive layer are formed on a substrate. An insulation film is formed on upper surfaces of the first and second conductive layers and has a plurality of first opening portions to expose either the first or second conductive layer and a plurality of second opening portions to expose neither the first nor the second conductive layer. The second opening portions are formed between the first opening portions. A third conductive layer formed on an upper surface of the insulation film and has an electrical connection between the first and second conductive layers through the first opening portions.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device and a method of fabricating such semiconductor device, and more specifically to a semiconductor device having a multilevel interconnection for electrically connecting a plurality of conduction layers through connection holes formed in an insulation layer and a method of fabricating such a semiconductor device.
2. Description of Related Art
With the development of higher integration density and performance of LSIs (Large Scale Integrated Circuits), device dimensions are increasingly miniaturized and devices are multi-layered. In order to reduce ever increasing wiring delay due to miniature multi-layered wiring, it is necessary to scale with appropriate ratios such parameters, for example, wiring film thickness which affect wiring resistance and capacity, a film thickness between layers and a relative dielectric constant which affect wiring capacitance, and a wiring resistivity which affects wiring resistance and the like.
As for wiring materials, it is preferable to a have a lower resistivity so as to transmit electrical signals without large voltage drop. Metals like gold (Au), copper (Cu) and silver (Ag) exhibit lower resistivity than aluminum (Al) which has been widely used. It is reported that among other metals, copper has a higher melting point than aluminum and higher activation energy to cause the electro-migration phenomenon, thereby improving reliability as compared to aluminum. However, in order to use copper as miniature wiring, since there is no suitable gas to perform dry etching on the insulation film having a copper underlayer with high selectivity ratio, buried wiring is generally formed by utilizing the Damascene technique. In particular, the dual-damascene technique in which both connection holes and wiring are buried is effective from the viewpoints of expanding alignment margin in lithography and shortening fabrication processing.
Also, it is preferable that an insulation layer has a smaller relative dielectric constant in order to reduce wiring capacitance. Materials to be used are shifting to a low relative dielectric constant materials represented by allyl ether resin, SiOC and the like. However, the low relative dielectric constant materials such as allyl ether resin have lower Young's modulus than a SiO2 film or SiO2 film containing fluorine used in the related art, thereby providing relatively less dense films.
FIG. 10 is a diagrammatic cross section view of a part of a semiconductor device in the related art. An insulation film 2 is formed on the upper surface of a semiconductor substrate 1. Formed on a part of the upper surface of the insulation film 2 are wiring grooves in which a first conductive layer 3 and a second conductive layer 4 are formed. A diffusion protection film 5 is formed on the upper surface of the insulation film 2 on which the first conductive layer 3, and the second conductive layer 4 are formed and an insulation film 6 is formed on the upper surface of the diffusion protection film 5. A third conductive layer 8 is formed in a wiring groove which is formed on a part of the upper surface of the insulation film 6. A diffusion protection film 9 is formed on the insulation film 6 on which the third conductive layer 8 is formed. An insulation film 10 is formed on the upper surface of the diffusion protection film 9. Additionally, the first conductive layer 3, the second conductive layer 4 and the third conductive layer 8 are electrically interconnected by way of opening portions 7. It is to be noted here that the same material as the third conductive layer 8 is filled in the opening portions. The diffusion protection films 5, 9 may be eliminated depending on the layer structure and the material of the conductive layers. Device areas and device isolation areas to be formed on the semiconductor substrate 1 are not shown in the drawing.
As a method of fabricating a semiconductor device as described hereinabove, it is known to form an interlayer insulation film on a substrate, to form upper layer wiring and lower layer wiring on the substrate, to form plugs for electrically connecting the upper layer wiring and lower layer wiring, and to form poles in the interlayer insulation film adjacent to the plugs, wherein the poles are not constituting an electrically conductive path {for example, see Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 11-154679 (pages 3-7, FIG. 1-FIG. 10)}.

Semiconductor device and method of fabricating the same


A quick connector with an accessory housing. The accessory housing receives a system sensing device such as an absolute pressure sensor or a differential pressure sensor in fluid tight relation to the housing. A receptacle portion is arranged to connector the sensor to measuring instrumentation.

This invention relates to fluid system quick connectors to connect a rigid tube to a flexible hose or other system component. More particularly, it relates to a quick connector that includes a mechanism for sensing conditions within the system.
Quick connectors are commonly used to provide a permanent but severable connection between a rigid tube and a flexible hose or other component. Such connections are illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,161,832; 5,324,082; 5,423,577; 5,586,792; 5,626,371; 5,628,531; 5,863,077; 6,846,021 and U.S. Publication No. 2005/0218650, each of the subject matters of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein.
Such quick connectors have wide application, but are particularly useful in vehicular fuel systems. Many such connectors are employed in the liquid and/or vapor lines that comprise the fuel system of modern automobile vehicles.
Evolution of modern day engine operation diagnostics and control has presented the need for monitoring operating conditions within the fuel system. Parameters such as fuel or vapor pressure, vacuum, temperature and the like must be sensed to provide inputs necessary to the diagnostic or control function. Introduction of separate sensing elements has multiplied the number of components within a given system and has added to the number of connections or possible leakage paths within a system. Alternatively, addition of sensing elements to components such as the fuel tank flange has complicated design requirements and increased cost.
The present invention provides a quick connector device that permits incorporation of system sensing elements into the connector body. The connector body includes an integrally formed housing defining a cavity or chamber with a removable cover for installation of a variety of mechanisms particularly sensing mechanisms. Within the scope of the invention the housing cavity can contain a wide variety of devices which may or may not be sensing mechanisms.
The connector body defines a portion of the fluid path within the system. A path in the body provides fluid communication from the fluid system to the chamber.
In the embodiments disclosed, a sensor within the housing, integral to the connector body, measures a value of the parameter being sensed and provides a signal indicative of the value. A receptacle receives an electrical plug that connects the sensor to signal receiving and processing circuitry.


A method for controlling the transport of transport bags (20, 22) filled with notes of value, in which in a database of a central control unit (11) data with information of several orders for the transport of transport bags (20, 22) are stored. After a transport case (16) has been removed from the rack (14) of a vehicle (12), data with information about the removed transport case (16) are transmitted to the central control unit (11) which then assigns the transport case (16) to a selected order. After the transport bags (20, 22) were taken from the device (18) for handling notes of value and were inserted into the transport case (16), the device (18) transmits data with information about the inserted transport bags (20, 22) to the central control unit (11) which then assigns the inserted transport bag (20, 22) to the transport case (16) and/or the order.

The devices for handling notes of value are in particular automated teller machines, automatic cash safes or automatic cash systems. For the removal of notes of value contained in such devices, these notes of value can be placed into transport bags, so-called safe bags. A device for the automatic de-stacking of notes of value into a transport bag is known from the document DE 10 2009 015 047 A1. The transport bags with the notes of value contained therein are transported to a cash center by means of a valuable transport company. For protection of the transport bags and for a common handling of several transport bags, these transport bags are placed in transport cases.
In known methods, for this, in order to execute such a pick-up order, a barcode that is applied to the transport case in which the transport bags are to be placed is at first scanned by an employee of the valuable transport company in charge so that it is known which transport case is used for this order. Subsequently, each of the transport bags taken from the device to be emptied is likewise manually scanned by the employee of the valuable transport company before it is inserted into the transport case. What is problematic with this method is that a large number of manual scanning operations are required. This involves considerable effort and time. Further, such manual detection steps are error-prone, and it cannot be guaranteed that the scanned transport bags are actually inserted into the scanned transport case.

Method for controlling the transport of safe bags


The invention provides a non-contact power supply system which supplies power from a power feeding coil on a ground side to a power receiving coil on a vehicle side, and provides a coil position detecting method of detecting a position of a power receiving coil. An excitation voltage and an excitation frequency for the power feeding coil are changed depending on the position of the power receiving coil relative to the power feeding coil. Then, the position of the power receiving coil is detected based on a received voltage with the power receiving coil when the power feeding coil is excited.

A technique disclosed in Patent Literature 1 has heretofore been known as a system to assist in locating a parking position in a case of non-contact power supply. When a vehicle goes in reverse for parking, the parking assistance system disclosed in Patent Literature 1 guides the vehicle while displaying an image shot with a backup camera. Then, as a power supply unit gets under the vehicle and disappears from the viewfinder, the power supply unit is excited with less power than that applied during usual charge, so as to determine a position of the vehicle by calculating a distance between the power supply unit and a power receiving unit based on the magnitude of the power detected with the power receiving unit.

Coil position detecting method for non-contact power supply system, and non-contact power supply system


The invention provides a stiffening element, in particular for a shell component of an aircraft or spacecraft, which has a stiffening profile part and a foot part. The stiffening profile part is in this case composed of a lightweight metal material, and the foot part is composed of a material which is highly resistant to corrosion. A method is also provided for production of a stiffening element, in particular for a shell component of an aircraft or spacecraft. A stiffening profile semi-finished product is first of all produced from a lightweight metal material, and a foot part is produced from a material which is highly resistant to corrosion. The foot part and the stiffening profile semi-finished product are then integrally connected. The stiffening profile semi-finished product together with the foot part is then subjected to machining to form an intended shape for the stiffening element.

Although applicable to any desired stiffening elements, the present invention and the problems on which it is based will be explained in more detail with reference to frames for stiffening a fuselage shell of an aircraft.
Fuselage shells for aircraft are normally produced using a so-called lightweight structure from an outer skin, which is reinforced on the inside by a two-dimensional structure composed of stringers, which run in the longitudinal direction of the aircraft, and frames, which run transversely with respect to the longitudinal direction of the aircraft, as stiffening elements.
In this case, aluminum and aluminum alloys have been used for decades as the conventional material for the outer skin, stringers and frames. However, these are increasingly being replaced by fiber composite materials, in particular by carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic (CFRP) since they make it possible to reduce the total weight of the aircraft, and therefore to use less energy during flight, with an aircraft fuselage with the same stiffness and strength. Further advantages of fiber composite materials over aluminum materials are little material fatigue and the absence of corrosion.
However, the processing of fiber composite materials requires techniques which often differ fundamentally from the techniques used for processing aluminum materials. By way of example, aluminum frames for fuselage sections of different diameter can be produced by bending an extruded profile to the respective desired curvature, after which it is milled to the precise intended shape. However, a large number of lamination apparatuses, in each case of appropriately different forms, must be provided to produce correspondingly differently shaped frames composed of carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic, in which apparatuses fiber mats can be draped and can be laminated using epoxy resin in the respectively desired intended shape. In addition to increased investments costs, this involves considerable logistic effort, resulting in high production costs.
In order to allow the total weight of the aircraft to be reduced by the large-scale use of carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic, while at the same time restricting the production costs, it is therefore worthwhile to use frames composed of an aluminum material in conjunction with an outer skin and/or stringers composed of carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic. This results in the problem of there being an electrochemical potential between the aluminum and the carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic, leading to corrosion on the aluminum side if the two materials make contact.


A safety razor has a handle formed by a refillable container (8). After filling with water a tablet (20) containing a carbon dioxide gas generating substance is added to the water and the gas pressure is used to deliver liquid from the container to the underside of the razor blade unit (1). The tablet also includes a substance which upon being mixed with water produces a fluid which may have desirable properties for application to the skin during shaving, such as lubrication, moisturizing, applying a fragrance, chemical treatment of hairs, bacterial or medicinal treatment of the skin and/or blood coagulation. The container (8) can be equipped with a dispenser (30) operable to deliver tablets into the water filled container.

This invention relates to the field of preparing fluids for application to the skin such as in connection with shaving and particularly so-called xe2x80x9cwet shavingxe2x80x9d during the process of which a razor with one or more sharpened cutting edges is moved over the skin to sever hairs projecting from the skin. It is usual to apply to the skin a preparation, such as shaving soap, which can be applied by means of a brush, shaving foam, or shaving gel to improve the conditions for actual shaving. The need to prepare the skin in this way as part of the overall shaving procedure is an inconvenience and adds significantly to the time required to complete a satisfactory shave.
With the foregoing drawbacks in mind, in accordance with an aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of preparing a fluid to be applied to the skin, for example in connection with a shaving procedure, comprising filling a refillable reservoir with water and adding to the water a substance which generates gas and which produces said fluid upon mixing with water, sealing the reservoir after addition of the substance whereby the gas generated pressurizes the interior of the reservoir for delivering the fluid from the reservoir for application to the skin.
According to another aspect the invention provides a system for preparing a fluid to be applied to the skin, e.g. in connection with a shaving procedure, comprising a refillable reservoir having at least one inlet and discharge port for filling the reservoir with water, for delivering into the reservoir a dose of a substance for mixture with water in the reservoir, and for discharging the liquid contents by pressure of gas within the reservoir, and a dose of substance for addition to the water and which upon mixing with the water generates gas and produces a prepared fluid for application to the skin, the reservoir being arranged for the gas generated by the dose of substance being mixed with water therein to pressurize the reservoir and to deliver the prepared fluid through the discharge port for application of the skin.
It is possible for a single port to provide the three functions of filling the reservoir with water, introducing the dose of substance and discharging the prepared fluid, or one port can serve for two of these functions while a second port serves for performance of the third. Alternatively, respective ports could be provided for filling with water, adding the substance, and discharging the fluid contents.
A valve means may be provided in a fluid discharge passage in order to control delivery of the prepared fluid from the reservoir. Conveniently prepared fluid is discharged by means of a dip tube extending into the reservoir and the dip tube can be equipped with a valve arrangement permitting discharge of the prepared fluid with the reservoir held either upright or in an inverted orientation.
The method and system for preparing a fluid according to the invention can be utilized advantageously in connection with a shaving procedure for preparing a fluid and delivering the fluid to the skin prior to, during or subsequent to actual shaving. The invention is especially convenient for delivery of a fluid which is applied to the skin by means of the razor itself, and in accordance with a further aspect the invention provides a razor comprising a shaving head including at least one blade, and a reservoir for supplying fluid to be applied to the skin during shaving, and a substance which on mixing with water generates a gas and produces the fluid to be applied to the skin, the reservoir being coupled to the shaving head and comprising a chamber refillable with water and at least one inlet and discharge port for filling the chamber with water, for delivering into the chamber the substance for mixing with water in the chamber to prepare the fluid to be applied to the skin, and for discharging the prepared fluid from the chamber for application to the skin, the fluid being discharged at or adjacent the shaving head under pressure produced in the chamber by the gas generated when the substance is mixed with the water in the chamber.
There have been previous proposals to include a pressurized container in a razor handle structure for dispensing shaving foam, examples of such constructions being those described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,337,478, WO-A-97/18065 and EP-A-0505630. The containers used in these razors are of the type which are pressurized in the factory at the time of manufacture. There have also been proposed razors in which liquid is discharged from a reservoir under gravity during shaving, examples of such razors being those described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,238,882, U.S. Pat No. 4,074,429 and GB-A-2266854. In GB-A-690828 there is disclosed a razor with a refillable reservoir which is pressurized by a piston actuated by a spring or a manually operated air pump and GB-A-2075406 describes a razor in which liquid is dispensed from a refillable container by operation of a fluid pump.
In a razor according to the present invention the fluid is preferably discharged at a position ahead of the blade or blades of the razor as they move across the skin during shaving, such as at the position of the guard of the shaving head which is disposed in advance of the blade or blades.
It is preferable that the substance be introduced into the reservoir as a predetermined dose and according to yet another aspect of the invention there is provided a container for preparing fluid for application to the skin in the course of performing a shaving procedure, comprising a refillable reservoir having an inlet for filling the reservoir with water, and a dispensing device for delivering a predetermined dose of substance into the water-filled reservoir, the dispensing device being arranged to hold a plurality of doses and being operable to deliver the doses into the reservoir in turn.
Such a container provides a very convenient way to prepare fluid for use during shaving, at the beginning of each shave the reservoir simply being refilled with water and the dispensing device being actuated to dispense the appropriate dose of substance into the water.
Most conveniently and preferably the substance is a solid and is supplied in predetermined doses in tablet or capsule form. In this case the container dispensing device may incorporate a magazine which is adapted to hold several tablets and to dispense the tablets one at a time into the reservoir for mixture with liquid therein.
The substance can be chosen so that when mixed with water it will 25 produce a fluid which can have a desired effect when applied to the skin in the course of a shaving procedure or in association with a shaving procedure. Thus, the prepared fluid may for example have one or more of the following effects:
(i) lubrication to help the razor slide over the skin;
(ii) moisturizing and/or otherwise conditioning the skin;
(iii) adding a fragrance;
(iv) chemically treating hairs to facilitate cutting;
(v) bacterial or medicinal treatment of the skin;
(vi) cleansing the skin; and
(vii) blood coagulation and/or other beneficial treatment of minor cuts and abrasions which can be suffered during shaving.
A gas generating substance can be included so that the substance, when mixed with water, will effervesce. The gas which is generated is preferably inert and carbon dioxide is most preferred as it is harmless and can be easily produced. The gas generator could for example be sodium bicarbonate which generates carbon dioxide gas when dissolved in water. The generation of carbon dioxide can, however, be accelerated by a chemical reaction involving neutralization of a carbonate salt by a weak acid, and the preferred gas generating substance is a mixture of dry solids comprising citric and/or tartaric acid with a carbonate salt including one or more selected from sodium carbonate, sodium bicarbonate, sodium hydrogen carbonate, potassium carbonate, potassium bicarbonate and potassium hydrogen carbonate. Other suitable gas generators will occur to those skilled in the art.
The substance which is mixed with water in the reservoir may be a solid substance, in which case it can conveniently be provided in tablet form, or as a powder contained within a soluble capsule. Alternatively, a substance other than a powder can be used and supplied for example, within a soluble capsule or in a sealed sachet from which the substance is discharged into the reservoir.

Applying fluid preparations to the skin, e.g. in connection with shaving


Methods, compositions and kits based on TAM receptors, or TAM receptor ligands or agonists are for detection of neuropathological diseases or determination of their progression. The neural diseases include multiple sclerosis or other inflammatory neural disorders that are characterized by demyelination, oligodendrocyte cytotoxicity and microglial activation. These methods include screening cells of a subject where identification of an elevation of expression of a TAM receptor or a change in expression of a TAM receptor ligand indicates the presence of the disease presence or progression. In addition, subjects with such neuropathological diseases can be treated by administering TAM receptor ligands (such as GAS 6 or Protein S) or by administering agonists such as antibodies specific for the TAM receptors; Axl, Mer or Tyro3.

Bibliographic details of the publications referred to by author in this specification are collected alphabetically at the end of the description.
Reference to any prior art in this specification is not, and should not be taken as, an acknowledgment or any form of suggestion that this prior art forms part of the common general knowledge in any country.
Receptor protein tyrosine kinases (PTKs) are cell surface transmembrane receptors which, upon binding of an extracellular ligand, triggers receptor dimerization and kinase activity. Signal transduction cascades initiated by PTK activation control a range of cellular processes including cell differentiation and apoptosis. One particular group of PTK receptors is the TAM family of receptors (Lai and Lemke, Neuron 6:691-704, 1991). Three members of this family have been identified to date designated Axl, Mer and Tyro3 (reviewed by Lemke and Rothlin, Nature Reviews (Immunology) 8:327-336, 2008). TAM receptor-mediated signaling is associated with tissue homeostasis in the nervous, reproductive and vascular systems. TAM signaling is also important in regulating innate immune systems including inhibiting the inflammatory response to pathogens and apoptotic cells by dendritic cells and macrophages and maturation of natural killer cells.
TAM receptors and their ligands crystallise as homo- and hetero-dimers. Each monomeric form of the receptor comprises an N-terminal region, a Gla-domain, a EGF-like domain, an immunoglobulin-like domain, a transmembrane domain and a PTK domain (Lemke and Rothlin, 2008 supra).
Demyelinating disease is a nervous system disorder in which the myelin sheath of neurons is damaged. This reduces signal transmission in affected nerves causing inter alia impairment of sensation, movement and cognition. Demyelinating disease encompasses multiple sclerosis (MS) and other idiopathic inflammatory demyelinating diseases. A proportion of patients which present with a first demyelinating event (FDE), also known as a clinically isolated syndrome (CIS) go onto develop MS. The early course of MS including the number of relapses in the first two years, is predictive of early development of permanent disease. One form of predictor of disease activity and the likelihood of progression from an FDE to MS is with an MRI (Brex et al., N. Engl. J. Med 346(3):158-164, 2002). The MRI detects lesions. Patients with no lesions have an 11% chance of MS and patients with two or more lesions have an 83-88% of MS, all within a 10 year period (Barkinof et al., Brain 120:2059-2069, 1997; O'Riorden et al., Brain 121:495-503, 1998). Whilst MRI is a useful tool, it is expensive and requires specialist equipment and training.
Oligodendrocytes are a major cell type damaged in these MS and other idiopathic inflammatory demyelinating diseases. Hence, the term "oligodendrocyte disease" is used to define demyelinating diseases which affect the oligodendrocytes and their ability to interact with various cell types in the demyelinating area. The TAM family of receptors has been found to be expressed in the nervous system including oligodendrocytes (Binder et al., The Journal of Neuroscience 28(2):5195-5206, 2008). Oligodendrocyte death is an early event in demyelinating disease (Barnett and Prineas, Ann. Neurol 55:459-468, 2004).
In accordance with the present disclosure, it has been determined that TAM receptors are a useful bio-indicator of demyelination and of oligodendrocyte survival and microglial modulation. The development of a molecular determinant of MS and other idiopathic inflammatory demyelinating disease enables early diagnosis and intervention and improve clinical outcomes for patients.

TAM receptors and TAM receptor ligands in detection and modulation of neuropathological disease


A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes: (A) forming a gate electrode of a transistor on a substrate, a top layer of the gate electrode being a first metal film; (B) blanket depositing an interlayer insulating film; and (C) forming a first contact hole contacting the gate electrode and a second contact hole contacting a surface of the substrate. The method further includes: (D) siliciding an exposed surface of the first metal film to form a first silicide at a bottom of the first contact hole; (E) after the (D) process, blanket depositing a second metal film; and (F) after the (E) process, forming a second silicide at a bottom of the second contact hole through a silicide reaction between the second metal film and the surface of the substrate.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device and a semiconductor memory device. In particular, the present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device and a semiconductor memory device to which a silicide technique is applied.
2. Description of the Related Art
Silicide with low resistivity, high heat resistance and high oxidataion resistance is produced by reacting silicon and metal at high temperature. In a field of a semiconductor device such as a DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory) and the like, a silicide technique in which the silicide is formed at a bottom of a contact hole is often employed for the purpose of suppressing a contact resistance. Such a silicide technique is described in, for example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application JP-P2000-223568, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application JP-P2004-79888, and Japanese Patent No. 3626058. With reference to FIGS. 1A to 1D, manufacturing processes of a conventional DRAM having a silicide layer will be described below.
Referring to FIG. 1A, an isolation structure 102 such as an STI (Shallow Trench Isolation) and the like is formed in a silicon substrate 101. After that, gate electrodes 103 are formed on the silicon substrate 101 through gate insulating films. The gate electrodes 103 include a gate electrode of a select transistor included in a DRAM cell and a gate electrode of a peripheral transistor included in a logic circuit. The gate electrode 103 has a lamination structure in which a gate polysilicon film 103a and a tungsten film (metal film) 103b are stacked in this order, and the gate electrode 103 thus constructed is referred to as a "poly-metal gate electrode". A process of manufacturing such a poly-metal gate electrode is referred to as a "ploy-metal gate process".
Next, diffusion layers are formed in the silicon substrate 101 by an ion implantation using the gate electrode 103 as a mask. More specifically, a source/drain diffusion layer 104 of the select transistor and a source/drain diffusion layer 105 of the peripheral transistor are formed at a surface of the silicon substrate 101. Then, a cell contact plug 106 is formed on the source/drain diffusion layer 104 of the select transistor in the DRAM cell. The cell contact plug 106 is made of doped polysilicon or doped amorphous silicon. The cell contact plug 106 is a part of a plug for connecting between the source/drain diffusion layer 104 and a capacitor of the DRAM cell.
Next, an interlayer insulating film 107 is blanket deposited so as to cover the cell contact plug 106. After that, contact holes C1 and C2 are formed by using the photolithography technique. More specifically, after a resist mask having a predetermined pattern is formed on the interlayer insulating film 107, the interlayer insulating film 107 in a predetermined region is removed by dry etching. As a result, the contact hole C1 contacting the cell contact plug 106 is formed in a region where the DRAM cell is formed. Moreover, the contact hole C2 contacting the source/drain diffusion layer 105 is formed in a region where the peripheral transistor is formed. At this time, a contact hole that contacts the gate electrode 103 is not formed, the reason of which will be explained later.
Next, the silicide technique is applied for the purpose of suppressing the contact resistance (hereinafter referred to as "contact resistance reducing process"). More specifically, as shown in FIG. 1B, a cobalt film 120 is blanket deposited by a sputtering method. Subsequently, a heat treatment is performed, and thereby silicide reactions occur between the cobalt film 120 and the silicon substrate 101 and between the cobalt film 120 and the cell contact plug 106. Then, the unreacted cobalt film 120 is removed by using mixed solution of acid and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), and a structure shown in FIG. 1C is obtained. In FIG. 1C, cobalt silicide 121 and 122 are formed at the bottoms of the contact holes C1 and C2, respectively.
Next, as shown in FIG. 1D, a contact hole C3 contacting the gate electrode 103 is formed by using the photolithography technique. After that, the contact hole C1 on the cell contact plug 106 is filled with a contact plug connected to the capacitor of the DRAM cell. Also, the contact holes C2 and C3 are filled with contact plugs connected to upper layer interconnections, respectively.
According to the above-described conventional technique, the contact holes C1, C2 and the contact hole C3 are formed in separate processes. The reason is as follows.
If the contact holes C1 to C3 are formed in the same process, the tungsten film 103b of the poly-metal gate electrode 103 is exposed in the stage shown in FIG. 1A. After that, the cobalt silicide 121 and 122 are formed as shown in FIGS. 1B and 1C. Here, the unreacted cobalt film 120 that is not silicided is removed by using the mixed solution of acid and H2O2 (etching solution). At this time, the tungsten film 103b of the gate electrode 103 is also dissolved into the etching solution for the cobalt removal. Therefore, it is not possible to open a contact hole that reaches the poly-metal gate electrode in the stages shown in FIGS. 1B and 1C.
As described above, the contact holes C1 to C3 are not formed simultaneously according to the conventional technique. Two processes of the first photolithography process (forming the contact holes C1, C2) and the second photolithography process (forming the contact hole C3) are necessary for forming the contact holes. Therefore, the manufacturing process is complicated. Moreover, it is necessary to prepare two different masks for the respective photolithography processes. As a result, the production cost is increased.

Method of manufacturing semiconductor device and semiconductor memory device


A method of treating a fungal infection in a subject includes topically administering to the subject a therapeutically effective amount of a fungal iron acquisition inhibitor to treat fungal infection in the subject.

Filamentous fungi including Aspergillus and Fusarium species can cause lethal infections in immune suppressed individuals. Additionally, they infect the corneas of immunocompetent individuals and are a major cause of infectious blindness. In tropical regions of developed nations, fungal keratitis accounts for up to 35% of all corneal ulcers and is associated with contaminated contact lenses and traumatic injury with fungal-laden vegetative matter. Globally, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 90% of the 1.5 to 2 million people blinded annually from corneal ulcers live in developing nations with reports of up to 65% of total corneal ulcers attributable to fungal infection. These estimates suggest a global annual incidence of fungal keratitis leading to blindness in developing nations of up to 1.2 million. In agreement with this estimate, the Fungal Research Trust, a United Kingdom-based non-profit charity estimates that in Asia and Africa alone there are approximately 1 million cases of fungal keratitis annually.
Treatment regimens for fungal keratitis are often ineffective with up to 60% of fungal keratitis cases requiring corneal transplantation. In India alone, where the incidence and prevalence of fungal keratitis are high, approximately 10,000 fungal keratitis patients annually fail medical therapy and require cornea transplants. Given the limited treatment options, there is a pressing need to develop new treatment strategies that minimize both fungal growth and host-mediated tissue damage.

Fungal iron acquisition inhibitors and uses thereof


A power supply system 90 includes high frequency power supplies 92 and 93 that supply a high frequency power for plasma generation; a DC power supply 91 that supplies a DC voltage to be applied to an electrode; and control unit 94 that controls the high frequency power supplies 92 and 93 and the DC power supply 91 including a first DC power supply unit 101 that supplies a first negative DC voltage V1, a second DC power supply unit 102 that supplies a second negative DC voltage V2 having a higher absolute value than the first negative DC voltage V1, and a selecting circuit 103 that selectively connects the first DC power supply unit 101 and the second DC power supply unit 102 to the electrode; and a discharging circuit 104 connected with a node 109 between the first DC power supply unit 101 and the selecting circuit 103.

In a semiconductor device manufacturing process, a plasma etching process has been used to form a pattern on a layer formed on a semiconductor wafer serving as a target substrate. In the plasma etching process, the layer on the semiconductor wafer is etched by plasma with a resist as a mask.
Various plasma etching apparatuses have been used to perform such a plasma etching process. Currently, a capacitively coupled parallel plate type plasma etching apparatus is mainly used as a plasma etching apparatus.
In the capacitively coupled parallel plate type plasma etching apparatus, a pair of parallel plate electrodes, i.e., an upper electrode and a lower electrode, are provided within a processing chamber. A processing gas is supplied into the processing chamber, and a high frequency (RF) power is applied to at least one of the upper electrode and the lower electrode, so that a high frequency electric field is formed between these electrodes. The processing gas is excited into plasma by this high frequency electric field, and the layer on the semiconductor wafer is etched by the plasma.
As a capacitively coupled parallel plate type plasma etching apparatus, for example, a plasma etching apparatus described in Patent Document 1 has been known. This plasma etching apparatus applies a high frequency power for plasma generation having a frequency in a range of 50 MHz to 500 MHz and a high frequency power for ion attraction having a frequency in a range of 1 MHz to 4 MHz to a mounting electrode. Thus, an etching process can be carried out with high selectivity and high reproducibility. In this kind of an etching process, the etching process is carried out by using a processing gas in which positive ions predominate in the plasma.
In an etching process used in the semiconductor device manufacturing process, there has been a demand for improvement in aspect ratio to perform a process in a deeper and narrower pattern. Recently, there has been a demand for an etching process having a high aspect ratio such as HARC (High Aspect Ratio Contact) etching process which has an aspect ratio of 20 or more or a next-generation HARC etching process in which a deep trench having an aspect ratio of 40 or more can be formed.
In such a HARC etching process, if the aspect ratio is increased as the etching process progresses, positive ions are accumulated at the bottom of a hole, and, thus, an etching surface becomes positively charged. When the etching surface is positively charged, the positive ions important in accelerating the etching process cannot move straight within the hole. As a result, an etching profile may be curved or deformed. Further, as the bottom of the hole is positively charged, shading damage may be caused. Furthermore, since it becomes difficult for the positive ions to reach the bottom of the hole, an etching rate may be deteriorated. Therefore, in order to form a hole having a high aspect ratio, there has been a need for improving the conventional plasma etching apparatus.
A plasma etching apparatus satisfying the need for improvement is described in Patent Document 2. In the plasma etching apparatus described in Patent Document 2, a high frequency power supply configured to generate high frequency power for plasma generation is turned on and off on a certain cycle. Further, this plasma etching apparatus applies a negative DC voltage to an upper electrode during the on/off-period of the high frequency power supply. During the off-period of the high frequency power supply, plasma is reduced, and, thus, negative ions accelerated by the DC voltage applied to the upper electrode are introduced into the bottom of the hole, and positive charges within the hole are neutralized. After the positive charges within the hole are neutralized, if the high frequency power supply is turned on and plasma is generated, positive ions can move straight within the hole. Therefore, according to this plasma etching apparatus, a desirable etching profile can be obtained.
Further, in an etching process used in the semiconductor device manufacturing process, there has been a demand for fine pattern. In order to satisfy such a demand, an ArF photoresist, which is exposed by a laser beam with a short-wavelength ArF gas as a light emitting source, has been used as an etching mask. In the etching mask using the ArF photoresist, an opening pattern of, for example, about 0.13 μm or less may be formed.
However, since the ArF photoresist has a low plasma resistance, a surface may become rough during the etching process. Thus, vertical lines (striation) may be formed on an inner wall surface of the opening pattern, or the opening pattern may be expanded (expansion in CD). Therefore, there has been a need for improving the etching selectivity.
A plasma etching apparatus satisfying the need for improvement is described in Patent Document 3. In the plasma etching apparatus described in Patent Document 3, a negative DC voltage is applied to an upper electrode. If the negative DC voltage is applied to the upper electrode, when plasma is generated, electrons are generated around the upper electrode. These electrons are accelerated in a direction toward a target substrate on which an ArF photoresist is formed by a potential difference between a potential of the upper electrode and a potential of the plasma. If the electrons are irradiated to the ArF photoresist, a polymer structure of the ArF photoresist is changed and an etching resistance is increased, so that the etching selectivity is increased.
However, a modification (reforming) effect on an organic mask caused by irradiating the electrons depends on a thickness of a plasma sheath on the target substrate. That is, if a thick plasma sheath is formed on the target substrate, the electrons are reflected from the plasma sheath and an electron irradiation amount is decreased. Therefore, in order to modify an organic mask, there has been a need for increasing electrons to be irradiated to the organic mask.
A plasma etching apparatus satisfying the need for the increasing is described in Patent Document 4. In the plasma etching apparatus described in Patent Document 4, a high frequency power supply is turned on and off on a certain cycle. Further, this plasma etching apparatus includes a DC power supply unit including a first DC power supply unit configured to generate a first negative DC voltage and a second DC power supply unit configured to generate a second negative DC voltage having a higher absolute value than that of the first DC voltage. Further, during the on-period of the high frequency power supply, the first DC power supply unit is connected to an upper electrode. Furthermore, in this plasma etching apparatus, during the off-period of the high frequency power supply, plasma is reduced and a plasma sheath becomes thin. During this period, a negative DC voltage having a relatively high absolute value is applied to the upper electrode, so that more electrons are irradiated to an organic mask. Therefore, according to the plasma etching apparatus described in Patent Document 4, a modification effect on the organic mask can be further improved.

Power supply system, plasma etching apparatus, and plasma etching method


A ceramic filter comprising a support layer having an inner surface for forming at least one filter passage, and a filter layer coated on the inner surface of the support layer and having an inner surface functioning as a filter surface, the filter layer having a thickness of 10 to 40 microns from the filter surface, a cumulative intrusion volume of all pores in the filter layer being 0.2 cc/g or less, a cumulative intrusion volume of pores having pore diameters of 0.1 to 3.0 microns being 0.1 cc/g or more, and a cumulative intrusion volume (H) of the pores ranging within a pore diameter width (W) of 0.1 microns around a center pore diameter (PD) which is a pore diameter in case of a half of a cumulative intrusion volume (IV) at a pore diameter of 0.1 microns being 50% or more of a cumulative intrusion volume of all pores in the filter layer.

This invention relates to an improved ceramic filter for use in ultrafiltration or precision-filtration.
A conventional filter for ultrafiltration or precision-filtration has a separation layer such as a synthetic organic film such as cellulose acetate, PVA and nylon; or a filter cloth coated with a filtration auxiliary such as diatomaceous earth. Such a separation layer is used as a full forced-flow filter.
The synthetic film has a poor strength so that the pressure difference must be 20 kgf or less. It cannot be used for a long time at a temperature of 50.degree. C. or more. It cannot be used for the purpose of filtering an acid solution. Back washing is not effective in case of the conventional forced filtering.
Recently, ceramic filters have been proposed because they have a good strength, heat resistance or chemical resistance and can be easily formed in a pipe shape. Also, as cross-flow filtration is possible, back washing is effective. However the conventional ceramic filters do not have all of the desired strength, filtration rate and accuracy characteristics.


An electric actuator having an in-line rotation shaft, electric motor and encoder in which the encoder shaft, the motor shaft and the rotation shaft is concentric and integrally formed.

1. Field of the Art
The present invention relates generally to an electrically powered linear actuator and more particularly to an electrically powered actuator having an inline, direct motor mount and adapted for a variety of robotic or other applications. The invention has particular application to the control of robotic, pedestal or fixture welding guns and specifically, welding guns utilized in the automotive industry. The invention also has application to the actuation of clamping fixtures and the like in various industries such as the automotive industry.
2. The Prior Art
Various industries, and particularly the manufacturing industry, have utilized linear actuators to control the movements of automated welding guns, automated clamping fixtures, and the like. Specifically, in the automotive industry, actuation and control of welding guns and clamping fixtures has been accomplished using fluid actuators such as pneumatic or hydraulic actuators. While fluid actuators have functioned reasonably well for this purpose, they inherently embody various limitations. One, because of the possibility of leaks and failure of seals, etc. in the fluid actuators, there is always the concern of contamination of the worksite by a leaking fluid. Second, fluid actuators necessarily require a source of pressurized fluid and a fluid supply system. This leads to significant maintenance and other costs.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for an improved actuator which overcomes the deficiencies and limitations of the prior art, and in particular, an improved actuator which is designed for use in controlling the movement of, and accommodating the loads associated with, welding guns, clamping fixtures and the like, such as those used in the automotive industry.
In contrast to the prior art, the present invention relates to an electric actuator having particular application to the actuation of welding guns, clamping fixtures or the like, and more particularly to the actuation of welding guns and clamping fixtures for use in the automotive manufacturing industry. In contrast to the fluid actuators of the prior art, the present invention provides an electrically powered in-line actuator which overcomes the limitations of the prior fluid actuators.
To minimize downtime and infra structure changes and the like during a changeover from existing fluid actuators to the electrically powered actuator of the present invention, the actuator of the present invention has been designed to fit within the same space or package and to be no heavier than existing fluid actuators, while at the same time providing at least comparable speed, thrust and range of movement. This is accomplished by utilizing a ball or roller screw electric actuator concept and by mounting the actuating motor in-line and directly to the actuator drive shaft. To provide additional advantages for maintenance or repair, the electric actuator of the present invention has also been designed to be comprised of a modular construction, thereby facilitating easy disassembly and substitution or repair of modular components.
To provide positioning accuracy to the actuator, a rotary or other similar encoder is provided. Like the motor, this encoder is provided in-line and in direct connection with the actuator drive shaft.
The actuator of the present invention also includes a means and mechanism for manually overriding the electrically powered actuator in the event of a loss of electrical power, actuator jamming or other actuator malfunction and a mechanism for enabling the actuator head and/or end cap to be rotated or mounted in a variety of different positions and/or configurations to accommodate different welding, clamping or actuation environments. In a preferred embodiment, a lubrication assembly is provided for insuring sufficient actuator lubrication and thus a reduction in maintenance. Means are also provided for accommodating the various loads (such as side loads) which are common with the actuation for welding guns and the like.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved actuator for welding guns, clamping fixtures and the like and more particularly for welding guns and clamping fixtures utilized in the automotive manufacturing industry.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved electrical actuator which can replace the conventional fluid actuators of the automotive manufacturing industry without sacrificing size or weight restrictions, while still maintaining comparable thrust, speed, range of movement and load accommodation.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an electric actuator having an in-line, direct motor mount and a manual override.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an electric actuator that eliminates or minimizes impact loading as the thrust tube reaches its innermost travel position.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an in-line electrical actuator in combination with an improved axial bearing retaining means.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an electric actuator with a thrust assembly bearing combination to resist side loads and to isolate the roller screw from any such side loads.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide an electrical actuator for use in the automotive manufacturing industry which provides for universal mounting arrangements.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a lubrication system for the actuator.
These and other objects of the present invention will become apparent with reference to the drawings, the description of the preferred embodiment and the appended claims.


A method of driving an image display device comprises inserting a reset frame displaying black data between neighboring data frames alternately displaying left-eye data and right-eye data; reflecting gray-scale information of an (n−2)th data frame in a reset frame corresponding to an (n−1)th frame through a predetermined data calculating operation; detecting a data variation between the (n−1)th reset frame and an nth data frame, reading a compensation value corresponding to the detection result from a lookup table, and modulating input data of the nth data frame using the read compensation value; and inverting the polarity of the modulated data according to N frame inversion (N is a multiple of 4) and applying the data having the inverted polarity to a display panel.

1. Field
This document relates to an image display device and a driving method thereof for improving picture quality.
2. Related Art
With the advancement of various image processing techniques, image display systems capable of selectively displaying 2D images 3D images are developed.
Methods of generating 3D images are divided into a stereoscopic technique and an autostereoscopic technique.
The stereoscopic technique uses disparity images of left and right eyes, which have high 3D effect, and includes a stereoscopic method and an autostereoscopic method which are practically used. The autostereoscopic method provides an optical plate such as a parallax barrier for separating optical axes of left and right disparity images from each other before or behind a display screen. The stereoscopic method displays left and right disparity images having different polarization directions on a liquid crystal display panel and generates 3D images by using polarizing glasses or liquid crystal shutter glasses.
The stereoscopic method is divided into a first polarizing filter method using a pattern retarder film and polarizing glasses, a second polarizing filter method using a switching liquid crystal layer and polarizing glasses, and a liquid crystal shutter glasses method. In the first and second polarizing filter methods, 3D images have low transmissivity due to the pattern retarder film or the switching liquid crystal layer, which is arranged on a liquid crystal display panel to function as a polarizing filter.
The liquid crystal shutter glasses method alternately displays left-eye and right-eye images on a display frame by frame and opens/closes left-eye and right-eye shutters of liquid crystal shutter glasses in synchronization with the display timing to generate a 3D image. The liquid crystal shutter glasses open only the left-eye shutter for an nth frame period in which a left-eye image is displayed and open only the right-eye shutter for an (n+1)th frame period in which a right-eye image is displayed to generate binocular disparity in a time division manner.
In the above image display systems, a liquid crystal display (LCD) is widely used as an image display device. The LCD, a hold type display device, holds data charged in a previous frame right before new data is written because of maintenance characteristic of liquid crystal. The response of liquid crystal is delayed according to data writing. The response delay of liquid crystal causes motion blurring when a left-eye image is changed to a right-eye image or when a right-eye image is changed to a left-eye image while the LCD generates a 3D image to result in 3D crosstalk in the form of a ghost.
Various methods for improving the response characteristic of liquid crystal for 2D images are known. Over driving control (ODC) compares previous frame data and current frame data to each other, detects a data variation according to the comparison result, reads a compensation value corresponding to the data variation from a memory and modulates input data with the read compensation value. Referring to FIG. 1, the ODC modulates the current frame data into "223" larger than "191" when the previous frame data is "127" and the current frame data is "191" and modulates the current frame data into "31" smaller than "63" when the previous frame data is "191" and the current frame data is "63" so as to improve the response characteristic of liquid crystal. Black data insertion (BDI) inserts a black frame between neighboring frames to improve motion blurring to thereby enhance the response characteristic of liquid crystal.
To improve the 3D crosstalk, it is considered to apply the above-described methods for improving the response characteristic of liquid crystal to image display devices, as shown in FIG. 2. In FIG. 2, "L" represents a left-eye data frame displaying a left-eye image, "R" represents a right-eye data frame displaying a right-eye image, and "B" denotes a black data frame displaying a black image.
However, the black data frame B is located before the left-eye data frame L or right-eye data frame R in FIG. 2, and thus it is difficult to effectively improve the 3D crosstalk using the existing ODC logic and compensation values. For example, when the left-eye data frame L, the black data frame B, and the right-eye data frame R respectively correspond to the (N−2)th frame F(n−2), the (n−1)th frame F(n−1), and the nth frame F(N), a variation in the luminance of the nth frame F(n) to which the ODC is applied is generated between a case (A) where target gray-scale values of the frames are "255", "0" and "175" and a case (B) where the target gray-scale values of the frames are "0", "0" and "175". This is because liquid crystal rises such that the initial luminance Di of the nth frame F(n) in the case (A) is different from the initial luminance Di of the nth frame F(n) in the case (B) due to a response delay of liquid crystal even when the same compensation value (that is, "191") is applied with reference to the target gray-scale value "0" of the (n−1)th frame F(n−1) in order to achieve the target gray-scale value "175" of the nth frame F(n). The response of liquid crystal is proportional to a gray-scale difference between the (n−2)th frame F(n−2) and the (n−1)th frame F(n−1), and thus the initial luminance Di in the case (A) is higher than the initial luminance Di in the case (B).
To effectively remove the 3D crosstalk without causing the aforementioned luminance variation when 3D images are generated, gray-scale information about the (n−2)th frame F(n−2) has to be considered when data of the nth frame F(n) is ODC-modulated in relation to the (n−1)th frame F(−1).

Image display device and driving method thereof


A lottery gaming system utilizes one or more pools of predetermined game play records. In response to a game play request, the gaming system allocates a number or set of game play records. A representation for each allocated game play record is then displayed to the player in some fashion that does not indicate the result of the respective game play record, and the requesting player is allowed to select one or more of the allocated game play records through the respective representations. The selected game play record or records are assigned to the player and the player ultimately sees the result associated with each selected game play record. However, the allocated game play records that are not selected by the player, and thus remain unassigned, are collected or otherwise made available for use in response to another game play request.

Lottery games have become popular in many jurisdictions in the United States and elsewhere. As used in this disclosure, a "lottery game" includes a game that is played with a pool of predefined tickets or game play records that are each associated with a particular result in the game. Some of the predefined tickets or game play records are each associated with a respective winning result and thus represent winning tickets. Other predefined tickets or game play records in the pool are each associated with a respective losing result and thus represent losing tickets or game play records. Since the pool of tickets or game play records has a predefined number of tickets or game play records and a predefined number of winning and losing records, the pool has a predefined payout to players and predefined hold for the game operator. That is, assuming that all tickets or game play records in the pool are sold, the cumulative payout to the players is known as is the cumulative value in from ticket or game play record sales.
Traditional lottery games are played with a paper lottery ticket. These paper lottery tickets are commonly printed with graphics consistent with a theme of the game. The printed graphics for each respective ticket include some result indicator that is correlated to or indicates the result associated with the respective ticket. These result indicators are commonly covered or obscured at the time the ticket is sold. Once the player obtains the ticket, he or she may remove the cover or obscuring material to reveal the result indicator and thus the result associated with the ticket.
The paper tickets in a traditional lottery game are commonly produced at some manufacturing facility in books of tickets, each made up of a continuous roll of individual tickets or a continuous fan fold stack of individual tickets with the individual tickets separated by perforations or break lines. The tickets are randomly ordered in the ticket books or groups and are sold and distributed sequentially from the randomized group of tickets so that the results in the lottery game are distributed to players in a random order unknown to the players or ticket sellers.
Lottery games have been implemented in electronic form in which the tickets or game play records each comprise an electronic data structure rather than a physical paper ticket. An electronic data structure representing a chance in a lottery-type game will be referred to further in this disclosure as a "game play record." These game play records may take on a number of different forms. On one end of the spectrum each game play record includes a result indicator, record identifier, and data that defines graphics that are used to display the result of the game play record to the player. At the other end of the spectrum, each game play record includes only a record identifier, a result indicator, and perhaps a table identifier and prize value. Regardless of the particular form of data structure used for the individual game play records, the game play records are commonly grouped in data files analogous to books of paper tickets and distributed in some random order from the file. Since the game play records are arranged in data files, the random distribution may be performed by randomizing the order of game play records in the respective data file and then distributing the game play records sequentially in that random order, or the game play records can be ordered in the data files and distributed randomly from the files.
The electronic lottery games may be implemented with a gaming system that includes a central processing system for storing a file or different files of game play records and for distributing the game play records to player terminals which are in communication with the central processing system. The player terminals include a display device for displaying information to the player, an arrangement for accepting wagers, and an arrangement for receiving inputs from the player. In this example electronic lottery system, a player enters the lottery game by making a game play request at a player terminal. In response to a game play request entered by the player, the central processing system assigns a particular game play record for the game play request and communicates to the player terminal either the assigned game play record or information regarding the assigned game play record. The player terminal then displays the result associated with the game play record assigned to the player.
Game designers have sought to add excitement to lottery games. One particular method of adding excitement to a lottery game is to give the player the ability to choose from a number of game play records or chances from the pool of records or chances. Traditional paper lottery games have done this by using tickets having multiple chances or result indicators which are initially obscured and allowing the player to select one or more of the chances/result indicators. In this arrangement, each different chance may represent a different game play record, and the player essentially chooses his or her game play record from the group printed on the ticket. U.S. Pat. No. 5,871,398 to Schneier, et al. discloses an electronically implemented system in which players make a selection from among a number of game play outcomes with each outcome representing a distinct chance in the game. In both of these prior art lottery game implementations, the results associated with game play records or the outcomes that are not selected by the player are not available for reuse. Thus, at least some of the game play records or outcomes making up the predetermined pool of records or outcomes are never used in these prior art systems and are essentially wasted.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,241,606 to Riendeau, et al. discloses a lottery-type gaming system in which files of electronic game play records are downloaded to a particular gaming terminal for use in satisfying game play requests. At the end of some gaming period, game play records remaining unused at the gaming terminal are communicated back to a central processing system and collected with other unused game play records and undistributed game play records. These collected game play records are then used to make files of game play records that are downloaded to gaming terminals for use in satisfying later game play requests. U.S. Pat. No. 6,241,606 did not, however, disclose any arrangement for reusing game play records remaining unselected after being assigned to a game play request initiated by a player.

Gaming apparatus and method for providing enhanced player participation in lottery games


The liquid ejection head has nozzles for ejecting liquid in which a plurality of pressure chambers are arranged in a two-dimensional matrix configuration. The liquid ejection head comprises: pressure generating devices which are disposed so as to correspond to the pressure chambers and generate pressure for ejecting the liquid in the pressure chambers; pressure sensor members formed in at least two layers which determine the pressure inside the pressure chambers generated by the pressure generating devices; and electrodes which are disposed on both surfaces of one of the layers of the pressure sensor members and cause the one of the pressure sensor members to become effective determination sections.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a liquid ejection head and liquid ejection apparatus, and more particularly, to a liquid ejection head and liquid ejection apparatus comprising a pressure sensor which determines an ejection defect by determining the ink pressure inside a pressure chamber.
2. Description of the Related Art
As an image forming apparatus, an inkjet recording apparatus (inkjet printer) has been known, which comprises an inkjet head (liquid ejection head) having an arrangement of a plurality of nozzles (liquid ejection ports) and forms images on a recording medium by ejecting ink (ink droplets) from the nozzles toward the recording medium while the inkjet head and the recording medium are caused to move relatively to each other.
Various methods are known as the ink ejection methods for an inkjet recording apparatus of this kind. For example, a piezoelectric method is known, in which a diaphragm which constitutes a portion of the pressure chamber is deformed by the deformation of a piezoelectric element (piezoelectric ceramic), and thereby the volume of the pressure chamber is changed. Consequently, ink is introduced into the pressure chambers (ink chambers) from an ink supply passage when the volume of the pressure chambers is increased, and the ink inside the pressure chambers is ejected from the nozzles in the form of ink droplets when the volume of the pressure chambers is decreased.
In an image forming apparatus having an inkjet head, such as an inkjet recording apparatus, ink is supplied to the inkjet head via an ink supply channel from an ink tank which stores ink, and this ink is ejected according to one of the various ejection methods described above or another method. In these cases, it is necessary that ink is ejected stably in such a manner that factors such as the ink ejection volume, the ejection velocity, the ejection direction, and the three-dimensional shape of the ejected ink, is adjusted to uniform values at all times.
However, in order that printing can be performed upon issuing a printing instruction, the nozzles of the inkjet head are filled with ink at all times during printing. If the ink in the nozzles is exposed to the air and the ink in nozzles which do not perform ejection for a long period of time dries, then the viscosity of the ink increases. Hence, it may become difficult to eject ink droplets satisfactorily, and nozzle blockages leading to ejection failures may occur. Furthermore, interruption of the ink supply may occur if there is stagnation of air bubbles introduced into the ink supply channels, or the like, and the delay of ink refilling leading to ejection defects may occur if an ejection operation is continued for a long period of time.
For these various reasons, it is necessary to perform maintenance of the ejection head if an ejection failure has occurred or ink is not stably ejected as described above. If maintenance is carried out frequently, then the recording efficiency declines. Therefore, various ways have been proposed for achieving stable ink ejection and stable image recording.
For example, a method is known in which sensors which determine pressure change occurring in the pressure chambers are provided inside the pressure chambers, and the unintentional emission of satellite ink droplets is suppressed by generating a second pressure wave in accordance with the reflected component of the pressure waves determined by the sensors (see, for example, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2000-94675).
Furthermore, for example, a method is also known in which a pressure change determination device for determining the pressure waves inside the pressure chambers is provided, and the intrinsic characteristics of the pressure chambers and a drive voltage waveform for ejecting ink droplets suited to these intrinsic characteristics, are calculated on the basis of the pressure waves determined by the pressure change determination device. By ejecting an ejection liquid on the basis of this drive voltage waveform, a drive waveform which is suited to the characteristics of the pressure waves inside the pressure chambers is always applied to the piezoelectric elements (see, for example, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 7-132592).
Moreover, for example, a method is known in which pressure sensors for determining the pressure inside the pressure chambers are provided between a diaphragm plate and a pressurization mechanism, the pressure applied to the ink inside the pressure chambers is kept uniform at all times in such a manner that the pressure applied by the pressurization mechanism to the diaphragm plate is uniform in accordance with the output determined by the pressure sensors, and hence the quality of the recorded text characters and images is kept uniform at all times (see, for example, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 5-185590).
However, in the methods described in the above-described references, pressure sensors for determining the ink pressure inside the pressure chambers is provided inside the pressure chambers respectively. If the pressure chambers and the pressure sensors are arranged one-dimensionally in a single layer, and the pressure chambers and the pressure sensors having this structure are arranged at high density in a two-dimensional matrix, then it is difficult to arrange the wires from the pressure sensors at a high density, and therefore it is difficult to achieve high density arrangement of the pressure chambers.
Furthermore, if the wires are arranged at high density, then problems, such as cross-talk arising between adjacent wires, could be expected.

Liquid ejection head and liquid ejection apparatus having multiple pressure sensor member layers


A sheet processing apparatus including a sheet supply device, a first cylinder which includes at least one gripper device, a processing device, a sheet discharge device, and conveyance devices. The conveyance devices include a plurality of gripper devices including at least one reversing gripper device. The conveyance devices also include a second cylinder and reversing swing arm shaft pregripper. The second cylinder grips and conveys one edge of the sheet by one gripper device of the plurality of gripper devices. The reversing swing arm shaft pregripper is supported to be swingable between the first cylinder and the second cylinder, receives by the reversing gripper device the other edge of the sheet conveyed by the second cylinder, and transfers the received other edge of the sheet to the gripper device of the first cylinder by a gripping change.

The present invention relates to a sheet processing apparatus including a sheet reversing mechanism which performs a process such as printing on the obverse surface of a sheet, and subsequently performs a process such as printing on the reverse surface of the sheet.
Conventionally, a sheet-fed offset rotary printing press including a sheet reversing mechanism which prints on the obverse surface of a sheet, and subsequently prints on the reverse surface of the sheet upon turning the sheet has been proposed. The conventional sheet-fed offset rotary printing press equipped with a reversing mechanism includes a first printing unit which prints on the obverse surface of a sheet, a second printing unit which is arranged adjacent to the first printing unit and prints on the reverse surface of the sheet, and a sheet reversing unit which turns the sheet in the interval between the first and second printing units. With such an arrangement, one printing press is capable of single- and double-sided printing.
However, the above-mentioned conventional sheet-fed offset rotary printing press equipped with a reversing mechanism is independently provided with a first printing unit which prints on the obverse surface of a sheet, and a second printing unit which prints on the reverse surface of the sheet, so the entire printing press occupies a large space and has a large size.

Sheet processing apparatus having reversing swing arm shaft pregripper


The embodiments disclose a method including processing and treating at least one water source supply for mixing with humic acid and fulvic acid, chopping and pulverizing at least one humate source, mixing the chopped and pulverized at least one humate source with the processed and treated at least one water source supply, processing the chopped and pulverized at least one humate source and the processed and treated at least one water source supply for separating, segregating, and suspending fulvic acid and humic acid molecules from the at least one humate source, storing the fulvic acid and humic acid molecules in a fresh quantity of the treated water source supply, adjusting the pH level of the stored fulvic acid and humic acid, and creating at least one or more beverage product for human consumption using the fulvic acid and humic acid molecule ingredients and other ingredients including vitamins, flavorings and additives.

Humic and fulvic acids are extracted using a number of chemical processes that add chemicals which are not suitable for human consumption. Those extracted humus sourced acids are used in fertilizers for agricultural use and in some cases added to animal feeds. Some of the chemicals used in the processes and some of the processes introduce chemicals borne in water that can produce chemical reactions or leave residual amounts that are known carcinogens. An extraction method to extract both humic and fulvic acids for human consumption should not include the use of those or similar types of chemicals and eliminate any added chemicals that could be present in any mixing water.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Humic and fulvic mineral extraction method and beverage for human consumption


A method and an apparatus for compressing hay such that the hay is suitable for long distance shipping. The hay is texturized by passing the hay through a shredder with an added fog or mist of water. The shredder separates, cuts and bends hay fibers rather than shattering the fibers. Compression of the hay is achieved by feeding the hay through an open ended compression conduit in a peristaltic manner through the use of a hydraulically actuated ram. Increased compression of the hay is achieved by applying transverse pressure to the hay as the hay travels longitudinally through the compression conduit.

A typical harvesting of hay involves cutting the hay and drying it in the field, after which it is typically pressed and bound into bales for easier handling and storage. Although field bales so compressed may be suitable for local handling and shipping, for long distance shipping hay bales of increased density are desirable in order to reduce shipping costs. For long distance shipping, especially to the overseas market for domestically produced hay, the hay must be packaged in high density units or bales capable of efficient packaging into shipping containers in order to provide for economical shipping of the hay. Efficient transportation of the hay also requires that the hay bales be of substantially uniform size and weight.
One method well known in the art for compacting hay to a high density is to create dry pellets or cubes of hay via an extrusion process. Pellets have a relatively high density, and preserve adequately as long as they are kept dry. Pellets, however, are expensive to produce. Additionally, cattle may not be able to chew or digest pellets easily because the pellets are hard and dry. Haylage, which is fermented hay, is more palatable to and digestible by livestock because it is moist and tender. haylage, however, contains a high percentage of water, causing increased shipping costs. Haylage may also spoil rapidly when exposed to air.
In order to economically ship hay long distances it has become common to double compress hay bales. That is, the standard field-baled hay is rebated into a bale of approximately one-half the prior size. Such a double compressed hay bale may often reach a density of 22 lbs/cu. ft. An even greater density is desirable for shipping in standard cargo containers used for overseas shipping.
Standard methods of compacting hay may also lead to decreased leaf retention. A substantial amount of the nutrients in many varieties of hay is found in the leafy matter attached to the stems or stalks of the hay. Forcefully compacting hay by pressing the hay against an unyielding object may result in the severing of the leafy matter from the stem or stalk. Such a result is undesirable because once the hay is placed in a trough for feeding the cattle the leafy matter, and therefore a substantial amount of the nutrients, will tend to locate in the bottom of the trough and not be eaten by the cattle. Accordingly, a means for compacting hay to increased densities while maintaining a greater amount of leaf retention than provided by conventional methods of compacting hay is desirable.


A solid state light-emitting device comprising: a first electrode coupled to a first charge injecting layer; a second electrode coupled to a second charge injecting layer; an emissive layer comprising a perovskite material, wherein the emissive layer is provided between the first and second charge injecting layers; and wherein the bandgaps of the first and second charge injecting layers are larger than the bandgap of the emissive perovskite layer.

In its most basic form a light emitting diode (LED) comprises a light emitting layer which is positioned between an anode and a cathode. A hole injection layer may be incorporated between the anode and the light emitting layer (also known as the active or emissive layer). It functions to decrease the energy difference between the work function of the anode and the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) of the light emitting layer, thereby increasing the number of holes introduced into the light emitting layer. Broadly speaking, in operation holes are injected through the anode, and if present the hole injection layer, into the active layer, and electrons are injected into the active layer through the cathode. The holes and electrons combine in the light emitting layer to form an exciton which then undergoes radiative decay to provide light. Equivalently, an electron injection layer between cathode and light-emitting layer can play the same role in controlling the injection of electrons into the light-emitting layer. A further role for these injection layers is to confine carriers within the device, so that under forward electric bias, electrons injected from the cathode into the light-emitting layer are significantly prevented from leaving this layer via the hole-injecting layer, and equivalently, holes injected into the light-emitting layer from the anode are significantly prevented from leaving this layer via the electron-injecting layer.
Some devices also incorporate a thin polymer interlayer between the hole injection layer and the light emitting layer. This plays an important role in improving the device efficiency and the lifetime of LEDs. For example, with an interlayer, blue LEP OLEDs with an external quantum efficiency of greater than 5% can be achieved, which is 35% higher than without the interlayer. It is believed that this may be due to the prevention of exciton quenching at the hole injection layer/light emitting layer interface.
Solid state light-emitting devices based on direct bandgap semiconductors have, over the past two decades, been utilized as energy efficient sources of lighting. However, the fabrication of these devices typically relies on expensive high temperature and high vacuum processes, such as molecular beam epitaxy or thermal sublimation, rendering them uneconomical for use in large area displays. Recent reports on earth-abundant organometal halide based materials with perovskite stoichiometries and crystal structures for high efficiency photovoltaics have demonstrated this class of materials to be excellent semiconductors for optoelectronic devices. Background information can be found in: M. M. Lee et al, Science 2012, 338, 643; H.-S. Kim et al, Sci. Rep. 2012, 2; J. Burschka et al, Nature 2013, 499, 316; M. Liu et al, Nature 2013, 501, 395; S. D. Stranks et al, Science 2013, 342, 341; G. Xing et al, Science 2013, 342, 344; J. Heo et al, Nat Photon 2013, 7, 486.
Example advantages of the perovskite class of materials are that they can be very easily solution processed or vacuum deposited under moderate process conditions, require no high temperature heating steps, and they possess an optical bandgap which is tunable in the visible to infrared regions, making them very attractive materials for use in low-cost and large area optoelectronic applications. See for example, C. C. Stoumpos et al, Inorganic Chemistry 2013, 52, 9019 and J. H. Noh et al, Nano Letters 2013, 13, 1764. Organometal halide based perovskites also possess strong photoluminescent properties, hence making them suitable candidates for use in light-emitting devices. However, electroluminescence could only be achieved at liquid nitrogen temperatures, rendering those devices impractical for applications.
The present applicant has identified a need to develop light-emitting devices in which electroluminescence can be achieved at room temperature.


The present invention relates to a process of a surface-mounting three-dimensional package structure electrically connected by a pre-packaged metal, comprising: taking a metal sheet; punching or etching the metal sheet; packaging a conductive metal-pillar frame; performing windowing and slotting; taking a substrate on which a chip is surface-mounted; fitting the conductive metal-pillar frame; performing packaging and grinding; surface-mounting a passive device; performing plastic packaging and ball-mounting; and performing cutting. The process of the present invention can improve the integration level and the reliability.

In order to meet the demand for small and light semiconductor packaging, nowadays, packaging of a metal lead frame or an organic substrate is working in two directions: 1, reduction of the package size; and 2, functional integration. For reduction of the package size, there is a limited space for improvement. Thus, the packaging industry is focused on improvement of functional integration. That is, part of functional components or other electronic devices are integrated inside a substrate by means of embedding to improve the functional integration level of an entire package. However, since the substrate with the components embedded therein has more complicated and diversified interlayer materials and different materials have significantly different thermal expansion coefficients, the whole substrate is serious in warping and aggravated in layering, and even delamination may be caused.

Process of surface-mounting three-dimensional package structure electrically connected by prepackaged metal

JIANGSU CHANGJIANG ELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY CO, LTD.


An infusion pump is configured to provide one or more context cues to a user while the user programs the infusion pump to deliver an infusion therapy. In some embodiments, the infusion pump includes a display configured to display a keypad and to receive input from a user, a processor in communication with the display, and a memory in communication with the processor. The memory stores instructions that cause a keypad sequence monitor to receive context parameters, the context parameters corresponding to a drug selection, a drug concentration selection, or a clinical care area in which the drug is to be infused. The keypad sequence monitor accesses a drug library using the context parameter to determine a valid parameter range corresponding to a range of values between lower and upper soft limit values stored in the drug library. The keypad sequence monitor is further configured to receive an treatment parameter value from the user and display one or more context cues upon determining that the received treatment parameter value is outside of a valid treatment parameter range, but would be within a valid treatment parameter range if one of the context parameters were changed.

Infusion pumps for infusing one or more fluids into a medical patient are commonplace in modern healthcare environments. Such infusion pumps may be programmed by a user to infuse a particular drug according to various treatment parameters, such as dose, rate, volume, and/or duration of time. A drug library accessed by the infusion pump defines safe settings and limits for each treatment parameter. The safe settings and limits may vary depending upon one or more context parameters, such as the clinical care area in which the pump is located, the drug being infused, etc. An incorrectly selected context parameter by the user may cause the pump to utilize an incorrect set of safe settings or limits for the selected drug to be infused. In addition, typical pumps do not indicate to a user whether an entered value is within a valid range until the user completes the entry of the invalid value and confirms the submission to the infusion pump. It would be helpful for the pump to notify the user as soon as possible as to whether the entered value is valid, to guide the user as to keypresses that would result in a valid value, and to guide the user as to whether changing one or more context parameters would results in the out-of-range invalid value becoming an in-range valid value.

Infusion pump with safety sequence keypad


The invention provides specific adsorbents and methods for separating an unsaturated hydrocarbon from a mixture containing such hydrocarbon. The adsorbents and methods are useful for separating dienes from mono-olefins.

In the preparation of commercial hydrocarbon product, it is often necessary to separate the desired product from other hydrocarbons having similar boiling points. For example, butene is synthesized commercially by processes which yield butadiene mixed with 1-butene. Conversely, butadiene product may also be contaminated with butene. Depending on the process used, the mixture may include other C.sub.3 and C.sub.4 hydrocarbon components including but not limited to 2-butene, other n-butenes, n-butane, isobutane, and isobutylene.
Purifying the mono-olefin, 1-butene, is particularly troublesome due to the closeness of its boiling point to that of 1,3-butadiene. In order to increase the purity of 1-butene, it is necessary to separate it from other hydrocarbons. Ordinarily, fractionation alone is incapable of completely separating 1,3-butadiene to achieve the desired purity of 1-butene in these mixtures. Presently, butadiene is separated from olefins and paraffins primarily by distillation with selective solvents and by absorption using solutions of absorbents. Extractive distillation is relatively energy-intensive, complex and not economical. Selective absorption with metal salt solution involves a significant number of stages with recycling of streams between stages. This method has the disadvantage of being energy-intensive and requiring handling and recirculating of solvent streams which themselves contain contaminants or are subject to degradation. Current processes for olefin/paraffin separation have not been sufficiently selective to economically achieve the desired result for purifying mixtures of unsaturated hydrocarbons. Therefore, there remains the need for an improved method and improved adsorbents for use in methods to effectively and economically purify unsaturated hydrocarbons.

Method for selective adsorption of dienes

The Regents of the University of Michigan