A method for forming an image sensor assembly includes forming a lead frame or Land Grid Array (LGA) integrally into a molded image sensor die package so that the lead frame or LGA is fully supported and structurally fortified by the molded image sensor die package. An image sensor die is then attached to the thus supported lead frame or LGA using a standard flip-chip connection.

The present invention relates generally to the packaging of electronic components. More particularly, the present invention relates to method for forming an image sensor assembly.
Methods for forming image sensors and assemblies are well known to those of skill in the art. Prior art image sensors typically included an active area, which was responsive to electromagnetic radiation. In prior art image sensor assemblies, an image sensor was located within a housing that supported a window. Radiation passed through the window and struck the active area of the image sensor, which responded to the radiation. For the image sensor to function properly, the image sensor had to be positionally aligned with the window to within tight tolerances.
In the prior art, an image sensor assembly was formed by mounting the image sensor to a printed circuit motherboard. After the image sensor was mounted, a housing was mounted around the image sensor and to the printed circuit motherboard. This housing provided a seal around the image sensor, while at the same time, supported a window above the image sensor.
Beaman et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,821,532, hereinafter Beaman, which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety, is one example of a prior art image sensor assembly. Beaman sets forth a printed circuit board that included a pair of apertures used as alignment features for mounting the image sensor and for mounting the optics that included the window. More particularly, the pair of apertures were used as the mounting reference for the image sensor and then were used as the mounting reference for the optics.
As discussed in Beaman, prior art image sensor assemblies used a housing to support the window and to hermetically seal the image sensor (see housing 24 and window 25 of Beaman FIG. 4 for example). This housing was typically formed of ceramic that advantageously had excellent resistance to moisture transmission to protect the image sensor from the ambient environment. However, ceramic is relatively expensive compared to other packaging materials and, in the current market, it is critical to form the image sensor assembly at minimal cost.
In addition to using relatively expensive ceramics, the prior art ceramic image sensor assemblies were also very labor intensive and expensive to produce. For instance, after the prior-art ceramic image sensor assembly was constructed, the lens assembly was placed over the image sensor assembly. Typically, the lens assembly was attached directly to the substrate after the image sensor assembly was attached to the substrate. After attachment, the lens assembly was adjusted, for example with adjustment screws, to move the lens assembly until the proper focus was attained. This rough adjustment was very labor intensive. Further, a large tolerance was associated with this very rough adjustment.
In addition, mounting the housing at the printed circuit board level, as was done in the prior art, was itself inherently labor intensive and made repair or replacement of the image sensor difficult. In particular, removal of the housing exposed the image sensor to the ambient environment. Since the image sensor was sensitive to dust as well as other environmental factors, mounting the housing at the printed circuit board level made it mandatory to make repairs, or to replace, the image sensor in a controlled environment such as a clean room, otherwise there was a risk of damaging or destroying the image sensor. Thus, using the prior art method of mounting the housing at the printed circuit board level often meant transporting the entire motherboard into the clean room.
To overcome the problems with prior art ceramic image sensor assemblies discussed above, image sensor packages have recently been introduced that include a molding with an interior locking feature and an exterior locking feature. One example of a prior art molded image sensor assembly is set forth in the commonly assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/457,505 entitled xe2x80x9cMOLDED IMAGE SENSOR PACKAGExe2x80x9d, listing Steven Webster as inventor, filed on Dec. 8, 1999, hereinafter referred to as the Webster reference, which is incorporated herein for all purposes, and in its entirety, by reference.
The interior locking feature and the exterior locking feature of prior art molded image sensor assemblies allowed the package to be made of a molding, typically plastic, that was a low cost part. The Webster image sensor package further included a window having an interior surface and an exterior surface. The exterior locking feature of the molding contacted a periphery of the exterior surface of the window and the interior locking feature of the molding -contacted a periphery of the interior surface of the window. In this manner, the window was supported by the molding both top and bottom. In addition, the distance which moisture had to travel along the interface between the molding and window to reach the image sensor was maximized, thus essentially eliminating moisture ingress into the image sensor package.
As a result, the prior art molded image sensor assemblies, such as the Webster image sensor package, did not suffer from the high costs associated with ceramic assemblies nor were they labor intensive or require large tolerances. In addition, the prior art molded image sensor assemblies, such as the Webster image sensor package, did not involve mounting the housing at the printed circuit board level. Consequently, these prior art molded image sensor assemblies were a marked improvement over the prior art ceramic image sensor assemblies.
While prior art molded image sensor assemblies represented a significant improvement over the ceramic prior art assemblies, the prior art molded image sensor assemblies were typically relatively large. This was because, in prior art molded image sensor assemblies, the image sensor chip was typically electrically connected to the motherboard using a support substrate and bond wires connecting bond pads on the image sensor chip to bonding locations on the substrate. The substrate was then, in turn, electrically connected to the motherboard. Consequently, extra structure, i.e., an extra substrate, and bond wires, both of which added significantly to the cost and the size of prior art molded image sensor assemblies, were required. In addition, the bond wires themselves were susceptible to breaking and the image sensor assembly therefore suffered from decreased reliability.
As the electronics industry has moved to smaller and lighter weight electronic devices, it has become increasingly important that the size of the image sensor assembly used within these electronic devices be minimized. However, as discussed above, the prior art molded image sensor assemblies used bond wire connections, which were inherently bulky and expensive. As a result, the prior art molded image sensor assemblies were relatively large and expensive to produce.
In the prior art it was well known that, theoretically, a more ideal method of connecting an image sensor assembly to a motherboard would be to connect the image sensor chip to a lead frame or a Land Grid Array (LGA) directly in a flip-chip configuration. Then the lead frame and sensor could be packaged in an assembly and electrically connected to the motherboard. If this structure were possible, then the extra substrate and bond wires of the prior art molded image sensor assemblies could be eliminated while, at the same time, the image sensor assembly cost, image sensor assembly reliability and image sensor assembly size could be improved.
FIG. 1 shows a top plan view of a lead frame 10 including: frame 11; internal connection leads 12; and external connection leads 13. While the flip-chip structure discussed above sounded advantageous in theory, in practice, it was found that connecting an image sensor die to internal connection leads 12 of lead frame 10 in a flip-chip configuration was prohibitively difficult, and often impossible. This was because internal connection leads 12, external connection leads 13 and frame 11 of lead frame 10 were too delicate and would bend, deform and/or break as the image sensor die was being attached. In addition, external connection leads 13 would also bend, deform and/or break as the image sensor assembly was being attached to an external unit such as a circuit board or motherboard.
As a result, proper connections were not made, internal and external connection leads 12 and 13 broke and the resulting structures were often warped and suffered from unacceptably poor reliability. Consequently, in the prior art, molded image sensor assemblies almost exclusively used the bond wire connections and included the standard bond wire connection substrates discussed above. As a result, prior art molded image sensor assemblies were more expensive, less reliable, larger and more delicate than ideal.
What is needed is an image sensor assembly, which is simpler and less expensive to manufacture, easier to service, smaller and more reliable than either prior art ceramic image sensor assemblies or prior art molded image sensor assemblies.
According to the present invention, a method for forming an image sensor assembly includes integrally forming a lead frame or Land Grid Array (LGA) into a molded image sensor die package so that the lead frame or LGA is fully supported and structurally fortified by the molded image sensor die package. An image sensor die is then attached to the thus supported lead frame or LGA using a standard flip-chip connection.
The image sensor assemblies formed by the method of the invention include a molded image sensor package. Consequently, like the Webster image sensor packages of the prior art discussed above, the image sensor assemblies of the invention do not suffer from the high costs associated with ceramic assemblies nor are they labor intensive or require large tolerances. In addition, the image sensor assemblies formed by the methods of the invention, like the Webster image sensor package of the prior art, do not involve mounting the housing at the printed circuit board level. Consequently, the image sensor assemblies of the invention are a significant improvement over the prior art ceramic image sensor assemblies.
In addition, and in contrast to prior art molded image sensor assemblies such as the Webster package, according to methods of the invention, the lead frame or LGA is integrally formed into a molded image sensor die package so that the lead frame or LGA is fully supported and structurally fortified by the molded image sensor die package. Consequently, the problems of bending, deformation and/or breaking of the lead frame or LGA during image sensor die attachment are avoided. As a result, proper connections are made, leads do not break, the connections are not stressed and the resulting structures are not warped nor do they suffer from poor reliability.
Thus, using the method of the invention, molded image sensor assemblies can utilize flip-chip connections and avoid the costly, and bulky, bond wire connections of the prior art that included the standard bond wire connection substrates discussed above. As a result, molded image sensor assemblies of the invention are less expensive, more reliable, smaller and sturdier than prior art molded image sensor assemblies.
In particular, one embodiment of the invention for packaging an image sensor includes forming an image sensor die package that includes: an optical element support, the optical element support defining an aperture with an optical centerline; and an external connection assembly, the external connection assembly being an integral part of the image sensor die package.
The method also includes positioning in the image sensor package optical element support an optical element which includes an optical element first surface and an optical element second surface, opposite the optical element first surface, the optical element being positioned in the image sensor package optical element support such that the optical element first surface and the optical element second surface are approximately perpendicular to the optical centerline.
An image sensor die is then provided that includes an image sensor die first surface and an image sensor die second surface, opposite the image sensor die first surface, the image sensor die first surface having an active region.
The image sensor die first surface is then electrically coupled to a first portion of the external connection assembly in a flip-chip configuration such that the active region of the first surface of the image sensor die is at least partially aligned with the optical element support aperture and the optical centerline so that at least a potion of the active region faces the second surface of the optical element.
In one embodiment of the method of the invention, the image sensor die package is formed such that the external connection assembly is a lead frame including internal connection leads and external connection leads and the image sensor die is electrically coupled to the internal connection leads in a flip-chip configuration.
In one embodiment of the method of the invention, the image sensor die package is formed of molded plastic, the image sensor die package being molded around a portion of the lead frame such that the portion of the lead frame is molded into the image sensor die package.
In one embodiment of the method of the invention, the molded image sensor die package is formed to include a base and an optical element support housing including the optical element support.
In one embodiment of the method of the invention, the image sensor die package is formed such that the external connection assembly is a land grid array that includes internal connection points and external connection points and the image sensor die is electrically coupled to the internal connection points in a flip-chip configuration. In one embodiment of the method of the invention, the image sensor die package is formed of molded plastic package, the image sensor die package being molded over the land grid array such that the land grid array is formed on a first surface of the image sensor die package.
In one embodiment of the method of the invention, the image sensor die package is formed to include a base and an optical element support housing including the optical element support and the land grid array is formed on a first surface of the image sensor die package base.
In one embodiment of the invention, a method for packaging an image sensor includes providing an adjustable focus image sensor die package that includes: an optical element support, the optical element support defining an optical element support aperture with an optical centerline; an optical element support housing, the optical element support housing defining an optical element support housing aperture with the same the optical centerline; and an external connection assembly, the external connection assembly being an integral part of the adjustable focus image sensor die package
An optical element is included with an optical element first surface and an optical element second surface, opposite the optical element first surface, the optical element being positioned in the optical element support such that the optical element first surface and the optical element second surface are approximately perpendicular to the optical centerline.
An image sensor die is provided that includes an image sensor die first surface and an image sensor die second surface, opposite the image sensor die first surface, the image sensor die first surface having an active region.
The image sensor die first surface is then electrically coupled to a first portion of the external connection assembly in a flip-chip configuration such that the active region of the first surface of the image sensor die is at least partially aligned with the optical element support aperture and the optical centerline so that at least a portion of the active region faces the second surface of the optical element.
In one embodiment of the method of the invention, the adjustable focus image sensor die package is formed such that the external connection assembly is a lead frame which includes internal connection leads and external connection leads and the image sensor die is electrically coupled to the internal connection leads in a flip-chip configuration. In one embodiment of the method of the invention, the image sensor die package is formed of molded plastic, the image sensor die package being molded around a portion of the lead frame such that the portion of the lead frame is molded into the image sensor die package.
In one embodiment of the method of the invention, the adjustable focus image sensor die package is formed to further include a base, the optical element support housing being positioned on the base and the optical element support aperture is formed to have a diameter that is smaller than a diameter of the optical element support housing aperture and the optical element support is positioned within the optical element support housing. In one embodiment of the method of the invention, the optical element support is movable with respect to the optical element support housing along the optical centerline, thereby allowing a focal point of the optical element to be adjusted.
In one embodiment of the method of the invention, the optical element support and the optical element support housing are formed with threads such that the optical element support and the optical element support housing are threadably attached, thereby allowing the focal point of the optical element to be adjusted by rotating the optical element support around the optical centerline related to the optical element support housing.
In one embodiment of the method of the invention, the adjustable focus image sensor die package is formed such that the external connection assembly is a land grid array which includes internal connection points and external connection points and the image sensor die is electrically coupled to the internal connection points in a flip-chip configuration.
In one embodiment of the method of the invention, the adjustable focus image sensor die package is formed of molded plastic, the image sensor die package being molded over the land grid array such that the land grid array is formed on a first surface of the image sensor die package.
In one embodiment of the method of the invention, the molded adjustable focus image sensor die package is formed to further include a base and the land grid array is formed on a first surface of the image sensor die package base and the optical element support housing is positioned on a second surface of the base, opposite the first surface of the base.
In one embodiment of the method of the invention, the optical element support is movable with respect to the optical element support housing along the optical centerline, thereby allowing a focal point of the optical element to be adjusted. In one embodiment of the method of the invention, the optical element support and the optical element support housing are formed with threads such that the optical element support and the optical element support housing are threadably attached, thereby allowing the focal point of the optical element to be adjusted by rotating the optical element support around the optical centerline relative to the optical element support housing.
These and other features and advantages of the present invention will be more readily apparent from the detailed description set forth below taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Method for forming an image sensor package with vision die in lens housing


A method of casting a rotor using a cavity and core mold allows a longitudinal slot oriented transversely to the axis of rotation to be finish ground to high precision and tight tolerances by casting the slot to have a wider section which extends from the axis to a radius greater than the radii of the hubs of the rotor, and a narrower section which extends from the wider section to the outer surface of the rotor. The geometrical relation of the slot sections to the hubs as cast permits the grinding step to be performed without forming a leak path in either of the hubs.

Rotors for devices such as compressors, pumps and rotary engines are finished to precise dimensions and tight tolerances. Rotors are thus among the more expensive and time consuming components in the manufacture of such devices. Rotors are furthermore complex parts because they receive one or more reciprocating vanes in slots that pass through the rotor body. It is a challenge to manufacture rotors economically and rapidly by conventional machining techniques, especially if it is desired that the rotor be formed from a single piece of metal. There is thus an opportunity to improve the design of rotors to promote their more efficient and rapid manufacture.

Rotor with sliding vane has a different width of vane slot extended from the longitudinal axis to the outer surface of the rotor body


The present invention is a catadiopiric system having a reticle optical group, a beam splitter, an aspheric mirror, a baffle plate, a folding mirror and a semiconductor wafer optical group. The reticle optical group, the beam splitter and the semiconductor wafer optical group are placed on the same beam axis, different from aspheric mirror and folding mirror axis. The light passes through an image pattern on the reticle and is reflected by the beam splitter onto the aspheric mirror. The aspheric mirror reflects the light back through the beam splitter onto the folding mirror. The folding mirror reflects the light back to the beam splitter. The beam splitter reflects the light onto the semiconductor wafer optical group. A plurality of quarter wave plates can be placed in optical paths between optical elements of the present invention to change polarization of an incoming light. Before light passes through the semiconductor wafer optical group, it passes through the baffle plate, which prevents any background scattered light caused by internal reflections within the beam splitter from entering the semiconductor wafer optical group. In another embodiment, a spacer plate is inserted into the beam splitter. The spacer plate creates an offset between reticle optical group beam axis and semiconductor wafer optical group beam axis. This reduces direct passage of light from reticle optical group to semiconductor wafer optical group.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an improved lithography system and method. More specifically, this invention relates to a lithography system and method using catadioptric exposure optics that projects high precision images without image flip.
2. Background Art
Lithography is a process used to create features on the surface of substrates. Such substrates can include those used in the manufacture of flat panel displays, circuit boards, various integrated circuits, and the like. A frequently used substrate for such applications is a semiconductor wafer. While this description is written in terms of a semiconductor wafer for illustrative purposes, one skilled in the art would recognize that this description also applies to other types of substrates known to those skilled in the art. During lithography, a wafer, which is disposed on a wafer stage, is exposed to an image projected onto the surface of the wafer by exposure optics located within a lithography apparatus. The image refers to the original, or source, image being exposed. The projected image refers to the image that actually contacts the surface of the wafer. While exposure optics are used in the case of photolithography, a different type of exposure apparatus may be used depending on the particular application. For example, x-ray or photon lithographies each may require a different exposure apparatus, as is known to those skilled in the art. The particular example of photolithography is discussed here for illustrative purposes only.
The projected image produces changes in the characteristics of a layer, for example photoresist, deposited on the surface of the wafer. These changes correspond to the features projected onto the wafer during exposure. Subsequent to exposure, the layer can be etched to produce a patterned layer. The pattern corresponds to those features projected onto the wafer during exposure. This patterned layer is then used to remove exposed portions of underlying structural layers within the wafer, such as conductive, semiconductive, or insulative layers. This process is then repeated, together with other steps, until the desired features have been formed on the surface of the wafer.
Step-and-scan technology works in conjunction with a projection optics system that has a narrow imaging slot. Rather than expose the entire wafer at one time, individual fields are scanned onto the wafer one at a time. This is done by moving the wafer and reticle simultaneously such that the imaging slot is moved across the field during the scan. The wafer stage must then be asynchronously stepped between field exposures to allow multiple copies of the reticle pattern to be exposed over the wafer surface. In this manner, the quality of the image projected onto the wafer is maximized.
Exposure optics comprise refractive and/or reflective elements, i.e., lenses and/or mirrors. Currently, most exposure optics used for commercial manufacturing consist only of lenses. However, the use of catadioptric (i.e., a combination of refractive and reflective elements) exposure optics is increasing. The use of refractive and reflective elements allow for a greater number of lithographic variables to be controlled during manufacturing. The use of mirrors, however, can lead to image flip problems.
There is a need for an optical system design that is capable of producing an unflipped (unmirrored) image on a semiconductor wafer. Furthermore, this optical system should be backward compatible to reticle designs in earlier catadioptric systems. Finally, there is a need for an optical system design capable of uniform and symmetric heat distribution in order to reduce a burden of thermal compensation system.
The present invention relates to a catadioptric lithographic exposure apparatus for forming an image pattern on a semiconductor wafer. Specifically, the present invention is a catadioptric lithographic system including a reticle optical group, a beam splitter, an aspheric mirror optical group, a folding mirror and a semiconductor wafer optical group. The light beam passes through an image pattern formed on the reticle onto the beam-splitter cube, where it is reflected onto the aspheric mirror. The aspheric mirror reflects the light beam back through the beam-splitter cube. A quarter wave plate, placed in an optical path between the aspheric mirror and the beam-splitter cube, changes polarization of the light entering the beam-splitter cube. After passing through the beams-splitter cube, the folding mirror, placed adjacent the beam-splitter cube, reflects the light beam. Another quarter wave plate, placed in an optical path between the fold mirror and the beam-splitter cube, changes polarization of the light entering the beam-splitter cube. Then, the light beam is reflected by the beam-splitter cube onto the wafer optical group. The wafer optical group magnifies, focuses and/or aligns the light beam, which subsequently forms a pattern on the semiconductor wafer. The pattern on the semiconductor wafer corresponds to the image pattern on the reticle.
In an embodiment of the present invention, a baffle plate is inserted between the beam splitter cube and the wafer optical group. The baffle plate serves to absorb a background scattered light generated as a result of internal reflections within the beam-splitter cube. The background scattered light is generated as a result of light beams passing through the beam-splitter cube and reflecting off beam splitter cube surfaces. Furthermore, the baffle plate substantially absorbs the background scattered light and does not reflect it back into the beam-splitter cube.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the beam-splitter cube includes two optical prism halves separated by a spacer plate. The width of the spacer plate is a variable in an offset created between the image axis of the object plane beam and the wafer plane beam. The object plane beam passes from the object plane through the reticle group of optics. The wafer plane beam passes through the wafer group. The width of the spacer plate depends on the amount of desired offset between the image axis of the object plane beam and the wafer plane beam. The width can be zero (in other words, optical surfaces of the two optical prism halves are in optical contact) in one embodiment or can vary in alternative embodiments. The width of the spacer plate determines the amount of background scattered light that is incident on the baffle plate and the wafer group. The spacer plate can be manufactured from a similar optical material as the optical prism halves of the beam-splitter cube. Furthermore, in an alternative embodiment, the beam-splitter cube includes two optical prism halves separated by a plurality of spacer plates. The plurality of spacer plates more effectively correct for bierefringence.
The systems and methods in the present invention provide a relatively uniform heat distribution. By allowing a double pass through the beam-splitter cube, the present invention symmetrically distributes heat generated by the passage of light through the system. This reduces the burden of the thermal compensation system.
Moreover, using the systems and methods in the present invention the light, passing from the reticle optical group, is folded an even number of times. This does not yield image mirroring and prevents improper flipped image formation on the semiconductor wafer.

Beam-splitter optics design that maintains an unflipped (unmirrored) image for a catadioptric lithographic system


Absorbent articles which provide superior protection against wet through under impact or sustained pressure, and high convective air flow therethrough for skin health and comfort benefits. An absorbent article comprising an absorbent core and an absorbent barrier structure, wherein the absorbent barrier structure has a hydrohead value of at least about 10 mBars; a convective air permeability of at least about 10 Darcy/mm; and a liquid impact transmission value of less than about 20 g/m2.

Many known absorbent articles such as diapers, incontinence articles, feminine hygiene products, and training pants, typically comprise absorbent core materials located between a liquid pervious body-side liner or topsheet and a vapor permeable, liquid impermeable outer cover or backsheet. The bodyside liner allows bodily liquids to flow through easily and towards the absorbent core. The absorbent core takes up the liquids quickly. Thus, no excessive pooling of liquids occurs on the body-facing surface of the absorbent article. The outer cover is typically liquid impermeable such that there would be no leakage from the absorbent article. However, because the disposable absorbent article may be worn for hours, sometimes after the absorbent article has taken up liquids, perspiration from the wearer's body, and liquid vapors escaped from the absorbent core, can get entrapped in the space between the absorbent article and the wearer's skin, resulting in an increased relative humidity in the occluded area. As is known in the art, the increased relative humidity leads to discomfort and overhydrated skin, which is prone to skin health problems, especially rashes and other contact dermatitis.
Generally, liquid impermeable backsheets are well suited to prevent the leakage of bodily fluids (such as urine, menses or fecal matters) from the absorbent material to the outer garment of a wearer. However, the use of such an impermeable backsheet can result in a high degree of humidity in the absorbent article when the absorbent article is in use such that a relatively elevated skin hydration levels may result.
The problem of high relative humidity near the skin in an absorbent article has been addressed in the art through a number of means. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,137,525 uses mechanical means to increase airflow in the article. Alternatively, breathable outer cover having microporous or monolithic films may be used in an absorbent article to allow air and water vapor diffusion. PCT Publications WO 98/58609 discloses absorbent article using other water vapor permeability, liquid impermeable barrier materials as the backsheet. PCT Publication WO 00/10497, WO 00/10498, WO 00/10499, WO 00/10500, WO 00/10501 relate to breathable absorbent articles exhibiting the several properties of the dry and wet articles. The absorbent articles disclosed in these publications typically have high permeability zones within the absorbent core, for, example, by aperturing the absorbent core or by varying high absorbency material content in portions of the core. However, the absorbent articles include microporous backsheets through which the moisture vapor diffuses from the inside to the outside of the absorbent articles. The diffusion mechanism is not very effective in removing moisture vapor. Thus, when the absorbent article is loaded with large amount of liquids, such as urine, the ineffectiveness of the diffusion through a backsheet may result in significantly increased relative humidity between the skin of the wearer and the article.
Another performance parameter of interest for the loaded/wet absorbent article is its ability to hold the liquid and prevent leakage especially when the article is subjected to pressure or impact force applied by wearer's motion, such as sitting, walking, bending, and falling. The leakage under impact or pressure becomes a serious problem when the absorbent article is loaded with liquids to near its absorbent capacity. Consequently, it is desirable to have an absorbent article which exhibits a balance of properties—on one hand it is desirable to keep the relative humidity in the space between the wearer and the absorbent article (i.e., the "local" environment) in a comfortable range, typically between about 30% to about 70% and more typically between about 30% to about 50% relative humidity. Further, the absorbent article should desirably have the ability to hold liquids without leakage, especially when the article is heavily loaded (i.e., at or near its absorbent capacity). It is also desirable to provide an absorbent article which manages the relative humidity level within the "local" (i.e., the space between the wearer and the absorbent article) environment by a convective transport mechanism. It is further desirable to provide an absorbent article having a carefully designed combination of chassis elements such that the "local" conditions (e.g., relative humidity, skin temperature) are optimized for maintaining or improving skin health.
Typically, to reduce the humidity level within the space between the absorbent article and the wearer's skin, breathable polymer films have been used as the outer cover for the absorbent article. The breathable films are typically constructed with micropores to provide substantial liquid impermeability and some diffusive air/vapor permeability.
Other disposable absorbent articles have been designed to provide breathable regions in the form of breathable panels or perforated openings in the backsheet or in the core to help ventilate the garment. Articles using perforated components or breathable panels often exhibit excessive leakage or wet-through of liquids from the article. Moreover, the wearer's movements (e.g., sitting, falling, walking, lying) may subject the absorbent article to physical forces, such as impact, compression, bending and the like, which may lead to increased leakage and wet-through. The leakage/wet-through problem becomes more severe under higher impact or pressure, heavy discharges and/or extended wear time.
Alternatively, multi-layered backsheets or outer covers have been used to address the wet-through problem. For example, breathable materials such as a fibrous textile or a nonwoven web have been used in the outer cover, either alone or in laminates with the microporous film. The relatively open structures of such materials allow air or vapor to diffuse through easily. The laminates may provide improved liquid impermeability and diffusive air/vapor permeability. The materials may be treated to further improve the liquid impermeability. However, the laminates still do not provide satisfactory protection against wet through under impact and/or sustained pressure. Further, the transport of air or vapor through the laminates via a diffusive mechanism is not as effective as the transport via a convective mechanism.
An alternative approach to the wet-through problem is to improve the absorbent material such that little or no liquid comes into contact with the backsheet, thereby preventing wet-through. This is typically achieved by increasing the amount of absorbent material in the article. However, this approach may lead to an increase in thickness of the article and a decrease in comfort as well as a decrease in vapor/air permeability through the article.
Another approach to the wet-through problem is to place formed films between the core and the backsheet. Formed films having apertures in the shape of slanted cones are disclosed in PCT publications WO 99/39672, WO 99/39673 and WO 99/39674. However, after compaction or sustained pressure, these formed films fail to maintain their formed shape; consequently, they fail to provide the desired balance of properties. The compaction or sustained pressure condition may occur before consumer use (e.g., during packaging, shipping, and storage), or during use (e.g., when the wearer sits or falls on the absorbent article).
Therefore, it is desirable to have absorbent articles that provide consumer comfort, in terms of reduced relative humidity within the absorbent article at a desirable overall thickness, and still achieve satisfactory wet-through protection.
It is also desirable to provide absorbent articles which manage the relative humidity within the space between the article and the wearer's skin to maintain good skin health. Further, it is desirable to manage the relative humidity within the absorbent article by an effective convective transport mechanism, and, optionally some degree of diffusive transport mechanism may be incorporated as well.
Additionally, it is desirable to provide absorbent articles wherein an optimal local i.e., within the space between the article and the wearer's skin) condition for skin health and wearer comfort is achieved by careful designs of components of the article. Specifically, it is desirable to provide an absorbent barrier structure having the desired wet-through protection and air/vapor permeability. Further, the absorbent barrier structure has a desirable thickness for wearer comfort.
It is desirable to provide absorbent articles comprising a barrier absorbent structure that can be exposed to compact and/or sustained pressure conditions for at least 24 hours without substantially degrading its performance, such as air permeability, liquid impermeability and resistance to leakage under impact or sustained pressure.

Absorbent barrier structures having a high convective air flow rate and articles made therefrom


A modem device includes a modulation unit 12 that generates a modulated signal, a frequency conversion unit 15 that generates an intermediate frequency signal from an external input signal, and a demodulation unit 14 that demodulates the modulated or intermediate frequency signal and generates a reception signal. In a communication mode, the modulation unit 12 outputs the modulated signal to a external device 50, the frequency conversion unit 15 generates the intermediate frequency signal, and the demodulation unit 14 demodulates the intermediate frequency signal and generates the reception signal. In an adjustment mode, the modulation unit 12 outputs the modulated signal to the demodulation unit 14, and the demodulation unit 14 generates the reception signal from the modulated signal and adjusts an amplitude of the transmission signal based on the reception signal.

In wireless communication using mobile phones for example, a transmitter for transmitting data may modulate transmission data by quadrature modulation system such as QPSK, QAM, and the like to be transmitted to a receiver. In this case, fluctuation in the amplitude value (amplitude shift) and the like is generated in the data received by the receiver at the time of modulation by the transmitter. There is a problem that when the receiver demodulates a modulated signal with amplitude shift and the like being generated, characteristics of the reception signal deteriorate.
In order to solve such a problem, Patent Literature 1 discloses a quadrature modulation device that demodulates a signal generated by a quadrature modulator using a quadrature demodulator in the same device, and corrects the gain and the like of a signal to be quadrature modulated by the quadrature modulator using the demodulated signal. The quadrature modulation device disclosed in Patent Literature 1 is explained using FIG. 5.
The quadrature modulation device includes a signal for modulation generator 101, a correction unit 102, a digital-to-analog (D/A) converter 103, a quadrature modulator 104, a switch 105, a first local signal generator 106, a second local signal generator 107, a control unit 108, a frequency converter 109, an analog-to-digital (A/D) converter 110, a quadrature modulator 111, an error calculation unit 112, and an output terminal 113.
The quadrature modulator 104 generates a quadrature modulated signal X with a carrier frequency fc using an in-phase component signal I, a quadrature component signal Q, and a first local signal La that is output from the first local signal generator 106. The quadrature modulated signal X is output to the output terminal 113 through the switch 105 in a normal mode. Moreover, the quadrature modulated signal X is output to the frequency converter 109 through the switch 105 in a calibration mode.
The frequency converter 109 mixes the input quadrature modulated signal X and a second local signal with a frequency (fc-fi) that is output from the second local signal generator 107, and extracts only a signal Y in an intermediate frequency band centered on the frequency fi. The A/D converter 110 converts the signal Y output from the frequency converter 109 into a digital signal and outputs it to the quadrature demodulator 111.
The quadrature demodulator 111 multiplies a local signal with phases in quadrature and the frequency fi by the signal Y so as to demodulate the in-phase component signal I and the quadrature component signal Q in a modulation frequency band that is sufficiently lower than the intermediate frequency. The error calculation unit 112 calculates an amplitude error, a phase error, and the like in the quadrature modulator 104 based on the in-phase component signal I and the quadrature component signal Q. The control unit 108 notifies the correction unit 102 of a correction value that offsets the amplitude error, phase error, and the like that are calculated by the error calculation unit 112. The correction unit 102 executes correction on the in-phase component signal I and the quadrature component signal Q output from the signal for modulation generator 101 using the correction value notified by the control unit 108, and outputs them to the D/A converter 103.
Then, the quadrature modulation device can output a signal with corrected amplitude error, phase error, and the like that are generated in the quadrature modulator 104.

Modem device and amplitude adjustment method


Implementations of this specification provide a system and method for performing transfer operations based on a blockchain smart contract. An example method includes: determining, by a transferor client device, a transferee account, a transfer amount, and at least one expense asset, and constructing and submitting a transfer transaction to a blockchain network. The transfer transaction is verified by the blockchain network through a smart contract, using a homomorphic encryption algorithm to determine that a sum of a transfer amount included in a transfer asset and a change amount included in a change asset is equal to a total expense amount corresponding to the at least one expense asset. Using the smart contract, the expense asset is deducted from a transferor account associated with the transferor client device, the change asset is added to the transferor account, and the transfer asset is added to the transferee account.

It is well known that at present, users can register accounts on a blockchain network, and users can transfer between their accounts.
In some instances, to perform a transfer from account A (a transferor) to account B (the transferee), account A first constructs a transfer transaction containing a transfer amount and an account identifier of account B. Then, the transfer transaction is broadcast to each node in a blockchain network. After each node has verified the transfer transaction, each node executes the transfer transaction and writes the transfer amount into account B.
However, under conventional blockchain-based transfer schemes, the account balance and transfer amount of the user may be exposed to each node in the blockchain network, which may not protect the privacy of the user.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Transferring operations based on blockchain smart contract


A data replication system and method. The method and apparatus provides for an efficient means of replicating data over a network in the form of a file between two individuals, or within defined groups of individuals, using a variety of devices to access the Internet, including computers, personal data assistants (“PDA”s) and wireless devices. A group is formed through an exchange of invitation, acceptance, and welcome messages. A group member designates a replication directory on the group member's computer. Files placed in the directory are replicated and stored in the replication directory of each of the other members of the group. Any change to a replicated file causes a message by one member to be sent to all other members. Changes are conveyed via patches that represent the changes made to a replicated file. Replicated files are saved without replacing previous versions of the replicated file. The group formation and file replication processes are accomplished using existing network protocols.

The Internet was launched over thirty years ago. Many advances in technology have ensued and many applications have evolved, and yet some technologies have change very little over the years. Today, e-mail is the primary means of communication between users of the Internet. While augmented by instant messaging, the fundamental technologies have changed little. Moreover, files are stilled shared using the file transfer protocol ("FTP") or as attachments to electronic mail. Users receive little information about the files that are sent to them or which they download. Where file sharing is part of a collaborative effort among a number of authors, it is important that participants in that effort know the file "status", which includes when the file was last changed, what was changed, who made the changes, and who has knowledge of the changes. Additional information useful to participants in the collaborative effort includes the evolution of the file and statistics on resources used to create the file at each point in its evolution. The file transfer systems currently in use today either do not provide the file status or file history in any meaningful detail or require that file transfer functions utilize a central server accessible by all participants in the collaborative effort.
One approach to collaboration is by using an Internet-based web server. Various server-based offerings were implemented in the early days of the Internet. Some of these programs combined address books, bulletin board, file sharing, discussions, project management, and other typical collaboration tools together into a hosted solution.
Hosted solutions were viewed has having the great advantage of not requiring IT installation and support while easily supporting communications between people at different companies behind firewalls. However, hosted solutions never became prevalent for a variety of reasons. One of the problems was that of scale. Since all of the users were required to connect to the same servers, the maximum number of users that service could handle was limited by the computing power of the servers used. Yahoo serves as a case in point. During the growth of the Internet in the 1990s, it spent virtually all of its computing resources ensuring that response time was acceptable for the growing number of users of the Internet.
Another problem with the hosted solutions is the location of the intellectual property. The hosted systems require that a participant's documents (intellectual property) be placed on a third party's server, thus raising significant policy questions for participants. Similarly, that intellectual capital may not really be preserved in the long run because it cannot be moved inside the organization.
Some of the hosted solutions offer sales of their servers to enterprises. While that sometimes provides a good Intranet solution, it places the organization in the same business as the hosted provider and requires that they make their collaborative servers accessible on the Internet for any work between organizations. It also creates a single point of failure—if the collaboration server fails, all of the data is inaccessible until the server is restored from backup.
A second approach based on peer-to peer (P2P) technology emerged in 2000. Groove Networks, Endeavors Technology, Roku, and others created a means for sharing information without requiring that all information be saved on a central, hosted server. These companies focused on direct connections between individual client systems and offered either access to files or replication of files. Each of these companies created a switch of sorts—a system that clients could connect to using an outbound connection and then routed requests between connected systems. This is virtually identical to the way that Instant Messaging services provided by Yahoo and AOL work.
While these solutions resolved many of the problems caused by firewalls, the solutions had problems of their own. First, scale again is an issue—none of the solutions focus on scale—their primary concern is functionality rather than building huge switches. In contrast, the reason that AOL Instant Messenger and Yahoo Instant Messenger work is because their functionality is trivial and the bulk of the computing resources are applied to providing enough computer power to move messages between users with a minimum of latency. In order to make a technology like Groove or Endeavors work, the company would have to virtually dedicate itself to making fast switches.
Further, client computers systems do not have the same operational characteristics that servers do. They are often turned off on a regular basis. They may not ever have the same IP address or may shift from network to network. They will also have varying bandwidth. Mobile users may have high speed Internet at the office but dial-up from the road. The performance of direct connections between systems, then, is often problematic.
There have been several efforts relating to data synchronization and transport between systems, including efforts that deal with high latency connections. A UCLA project called Ficus involved file replication within a LAN environment. This was implemented through a file system layer within Unix, requiring kernel modifications, and thus being dependent on the specific version of Unix. Trusted Information Systems and UCLA married the security aspects with the file sharing of Ficus into a later project called Truffles. This eventually evolved from its kernel level implementation to a user level, background process implementation, initially called Rumor and ultimately (with the security pieces) called User Level Truffles (ULT). Truffles/Ficus used a connection-oriented protocol to move information instead of the store and forward messaging infrastructure. Several other replication projects exist, including rsync, which focus on replication in both high and low bandwidth environments. None use the messaging infrastructure as a channel for data transmission, but some of these systems offer techniques for synchronization.
Another approach is taught by PCT Application WO 01/16804 filed by Chandhock et al. entitled "Maintaining Synchronization in a Virtual Workspace" (herein, Chandhock). Chandhock teaches the sharing of files among members of a workgroup via email messages that include a synchronization command in the embedded in the multipurpose Internet mail extension (MIME) of the email header and a MIME file attachment. Upon detection of an add or update synchronization command in a message from a group member, a user agent will determine whether a local copy the MIME file attachment resides on the recipient's computer. If a local copy of the attached file exists, the user agent makes a backup copy of the local file and saves it to a specified directory, then replaces the recipient's copy of the attached file with the sender's copy. According to Chandhock, files may be shared and synchronized in this way among group members.
Implicit in the approach taken by Chandhock and other is that synchronization of shared files among members of a group is achievable. In this context, "synchronization" means the sharing of a file that is believed by members of the group to be the same file. When a member of the group makes a change to the file, the changed file is conveyed to all other members and the changed file replaces previous versions of the file as stored by the other group members. In a "synchronized" environment, there is only one file,and all members are believed to possess it.
If this definition is what is meant by synchronization, then true synchronization may be unattainable. In a group of three or more members, it becomes increasingly difficult to be confident that a file possessed by one member is the latest version. Members may make changes and exchange files at approximately the same time resulting in multiple versions of the file to exist at the same time. This is not synchronicity.
Applicant, in previous writings it used the term "synchronizing" to describe the behavior of Applicant's system, which was not really a synchronizing files at all. In fact, Applicant's system was in reality a data "replication" system and method. "Replication" in this context refers to the copying of a version of a file from one member's system to the system of all other members of a group without requiring that existing versions of that file be replaced. Accordingly, in this application Applicant has adopted a lexicon that describes a process of file exchange in terms of "replicating" files among group members.
What would be particularly useful is a system and method for the formation of groups, each member of which is trustworthy, and for the secure replication of information among members of the group without the need for a central server. The system and method would additionally permit participating members to determine the most current information in the possession of that member.


A cleansing article and process for manufacture is provided, the article being a solid or semi-solid foamable composition joinably penetrating a fibrous web, the combination being molded and held for sale to consumers in a single use disposable sealed plastic receptacle. The receptacle includes indicia printed onto or associated with the plastic receptacle.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention concerns a personal care cleansing article in packaged form and process for manufacture, the article particularly being a toilette bar integrated with a non-woven fibrous web.
2. The Related Art
Toilette bars are amongst the oldest forms of personal cleansing articles. Research continues to provide improved bar technology. Many problems exist requiring further solutions. Bars are slippery when wet. Better grabability is needed. Some bars require a long time to generate sufficiently luxurious lather. Quicker foaming bars are necessary. Other types of bars form mush from placement in a wet dish awaiting further use. Mush is aesthetically displeasing both visually and by handling.
Some of the aforementioned problems have sought to be overcome through the use of water-insoluble structural composites combined with soap. A first variety encompasses surrounding a soap bar with a textile or fibrous sheath. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 4,190,550 (Campbell) describes a seamless envelope of crimped, resilient, stretchy synthetic organic fibers surrounding a core of solid soap or other suitable surfactant material. The envelope is held in integral form solely by the entanglement of the fibers.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,969,225 (Schubert) discloses a scrub brush. This article is formed from an elastic, resilient, synthetic fibrous bat or open-cell chemical foam (preferably polyurethane) having an internal cavity or tunnel containing a bar of soap.
EP 1 266 599 A1 (Duden et al.) reports a solid cleanser holder. The holder is formed of a textured film having texture variations with at least one aperture, the film surrounding a solid cleanser.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 2004/0033915 A1 (Aleles et al.) reports a cleansing bar which includes a cleansing composition and a plurality of discrete elements, particularly fibers. These discrete elements appear not to be formed into any extended bonded web.
Another body of technical art focuses upon structuring cores surrounded by soap. Apparently in this grouping, the core serves as a scaffold to support the cleansing composition. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 5,221,506 (Dulin) discloses bar soaps for personal use having a structural center. Illustrative centers include open-celled sponges and woven or non-woven organic filamentary materials. In a FIG. 2 embodiment, a small portion of the structural core protrudes through the surface for reasons of providing a hanger support (e.g. a hole).
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 2003/0220212 A1 (DeVitis) describes a reinforced bar soap. The reinforcement member Is provided to prolong usage of a conventional soap composition and to serve as structural reinforcement eliminating soap breakage problems.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,190,079 B1 (Ruff) discloses a scrubbing soap bar composed of vegetable oil/glycerine imbedded with a length of a thin, fine mesh netting. A portion of the netting extends exteriorly of the soap to form a pocket intended for insertion of a human user's fingers to facilitate grasp of the bar.
Although there have been significant advances through the combination of soap compositions with reinforcement and/or textile webs, more discoveries are necessary to improve rate of lather volume generation, minimization of mush and/or degradation of the web structure itself.
Besides necessity for improving functionality, there has been scant disclosure with respect to production methods for composite toilette bars. Invariably, any disclosure regarding production involves necessarily use of a production mold from which the resultant composite bar must be ejected prior to packaging. Production improvements are necessary before these composite toilette bars can become available at affordable prices.

Packaged fibrous toilette article and process

Unilever Home & Personal Care USA, division of Conopco, Inc.


The present disclosure provides a hybrid suspension arm for a vehicle, having excellent durability. A hybrid suspension arm for a vehicle according to one embodiment of the present disclosure comprises: a suspension arm body which is made of metal material and comprises a top plate part and two sidewall parts extending downward from the top plate part to be open downward; and an insert molding which is made of plastic material and is formed by being insert-molded in the suspension arm body, wherein a thickness of at least a portion in the portion of the insert molding that comes in contact with the top plate part and the sidewall parts is in the range of 2 mm to 3 mm.

A suspension arm used in a vehicle suspension system is known in the art. The conventional suspension arm is classified into a casting type suspension arm and a press type suspension arm according to a manufacturing method. The casting type suspension arm is manufactured by pouring molten steel into a mold and then solidifying the molten steel, and a press type suspension arm is manufactured by welding two plates formed from a steel plate by press process.
However, a weight of the conventional suspension arm is heavy due to a characteristic of steel material, and thus it is difficult to reduce the weight. Further, deformation may occur due to welding of the steel plates, and thus there is a defect in that strength may be degraded.


An integrated ceiling and light system that incorporates a light module into a ceiling tile. The system may include a grid support system suspended from an overhead support structure that includes at least one grid support element and first and second ceiling tiles supported by the grid support element in an adjacent manner. A nesting cavity may be formed into the first and second ceiling tiles such that a light module may be disposed within the nesting cavity and coupled to the first and second ceiling tiles. The ceiling tiles may be of the type that conceals the grid support element on which it is supported. In one alternative embodiment, the light module and a nesting region of the ceiling tile may include corresponding edge profiles to facilitate mating therebetween to enable coupling of the light source to the ceiling tile.

Installing lighting in rooms, industrial spaces, suspended ceilings, and walls has been problematic due the weight of the light sources and the need to penetrate the barriers creating these enclosed illuminated spaces. This is mainly due to the fact that heat sinks or cooling means are required to be appended to the light sources to prevent overheating. The use of appended heat sinks results in heavy light source fixtures, which limits the options for mounting the light source fixtures particularly when the light source fixture is intended to be mounted to a ceiling structure. There are now light sources in existence that are designed in such a manner that they do not require traditional heavy heat sinks to prevent overheating. Thus, more versatility in the mounting of light sources in a room, and specifically to a ceiling tile in a suspended ceiling system, is now possible. The need exists for lightweight lighting fixtures for suspended ceilings and for integrated ceiling and light systems that enable field installation by end users, simple light fixture relocation and replacement, and that present an aesthetically pleasing and monolithic and uniform appearance.


A fan blade for a fan of a gas turbine engine is described which includes an airfoil having an inner core and an outer shell composed of different metals, and a galvanic separator therebetween. The galvanic separator including an adhesive layer covering said at least a portion of the inner core, and a non-conductive fabric covering the adhesive layer. A plurality of solid metal particles may be disposed on an outer surface of the non-conductive fabric layer, between the non-conductive fabric layer and the outer shell.

The low density of aluminum makes it an attractive material choice for manufacturing lightweight fan blades for a turbofan gas turbine engine. However, aluminum is less well adapted than some other metals to withstand foreign object damage (FOD) and/or erosion over time. In order to reinforce aluminum fan blades, a sheath formed of a stronger and/or more resilient material, such as titanium or another high modulus metal, is sometimes added along a leading edge of the aluminum fan blades. However, such bi-metallic blade constructions can result in galvanic corrosion occurring. While attempts have been made to limit this galvanic corrosion, improvements in this regard are still sought.


The disclosed embodiments relate to the design of a jelly-roll battery comprising an alternating anode and cathode layers coated with intervening separator layers wound into a jelly-roll. The alternating anode and cathode layers are coated with, respectively, an anode active coating and a cathode active coating. A first common notch and a second common notch are formed along at least one side of the jelly-roll. A common cathode tab can be bonded to the cathode tabs within the first common notch, and a common anode tab can be bonded to the anode tabs within the second common notch. The jelly-roll battery also includes a pouch enclosing the jelly-roll. Common anode and cathode tabs can extend through the pouch to provide cathode and anode terminals for the battery cell.

Rechargeable batteries are presently used to provide power to a wide variety of portable electronic devices, including laptop computers, tablet computers, smartphones, and digital music players. Jelly-roll battery designs, also referred to herein as wound battery designs, are used in several such battery designs. Jelly-roll battery cells include alternating anode and cathode layers covered with active material with intervening separator layers. These layers are then wound into a "jelly-roll" configuration.
Jelly-roll battery cells typically include conductive tabs that are coupled to the anodes and cathodes and extend beyond the outer perimeter of the battery cells to provide power to circuitry within the portable electronic device. Unfortunately, connections to these conductive tabs add to the overall profile of a battery cell, which results in wasted space (e.g., space not used by the energy-producing portions of the battery), and thereby decreases the effective energy density of the battery cell.
Hence, what is needed is a jelly-roll battery design that reduces the wasted space caused by connections to conductive tabs that provide power to external circuitry.

Wound battery cells with notches accommodating electrode connections


An exemplary embodiment of the invention is a method for optimizing a product design. The method includes specifying a plurality of application parameters for the product. A plurality of predetermined factors and responses are obtained in response to the plurality of application parameters. A transfer function is obtained which relates at least one factor to at least one response. The transfer function is optimized in response to user-defined optimization criteria to generate an optimized factor and an optimized response. The optimized factor and the optimized response are then displayed.

The invention relates to a method and system for evaluating a product design. The task of generating, evaluating and implementing a product design is a formidable one. Typically, product designs are generated by design personnel and put through a process often referred to as design review. In design review, individuals skilled in design, production, inspection, packaging, etc. evaluate designs. This often leads to re-design and further design review cycles delaying new product introduction. Once a product design is selected, prototypes may be produced using different materials and/or manufacturing processes. Although the selection of materials and manufacturing processes is performed by those skilled in the art, this process is still an iterative trial and error process that often results in changes to the design accompanied by additional prototyping. This cycle delays new product introduction and is often focused on internal metrics rather than customer metrics.
A product design may be represented by product factors (e.g., material, processing parameters, dimensions) that affect product responses (e.g., cost, performance). The factors and responses define a design space. Much of the above-described iterative cycle conventionally performed in the art is an attempt to locate a region in the design space in which product factors and product responses are within desired limits or constraints. While locating a region in a design space where design criteria are met is helpful, there may exist an optimum point in the design space where responses are optimized thus enhancing the product. Thus, there is a need in the art for a system that improves designs by allowing a designer to optimize responses.
An exemplary embodiment of the invention is a method for optimizing a product design. The method includes specifying a plurality of application parameters for the product. A plurality of predetermined factors and responses are obtained in response to the plurality of application parameters. A transfer function is obtained which relates at least one factor to at least one response. The transfer function is optimized in response to user-defined optimization criteria to generate an optimized factor and an optimized response. The optimized factor and the optimized response are then displayed. Also disclosed are a system and storage medium for implementing the method.

Method, system and storage medium for optimizing a product design


An antenna system (205) includes an antenna structure (215), a receiver (220), and an antenna system controller (225). The antenna structure includes an arrangement of antennas (237), a signal combiner (240), and a switching matrix (235). The arrangement of antennas is designed to have a set of antenna element separations that are optimized to provide lowest correlation coefficients of intercepted radio signals for a corresponding set of electromagnetic environment types that vary from a very low density scattering environment to a maximum density scattering environment. The antennas (230), (231), (232), (233), (234) in the antenna arrangement each include at least one element that has a common polarization. There is at least one antenna that is a dual polarized antenna. The antenna system selects an antenna element pair that corresponds to the environment type which it is operating and thereby receives a best combined signal.

It is well known that a radio signal arriving at a receiving antenna location can be scattered by objects in the environment, resulting in a signal at the receiver that is a combination of signals reflected or transmitted by the objects, diffracted by the objects, and/or attenuated through the objects. Such environments are called electromagnetic scattering environments. Conventional radio signal receivers sometimes employ antenna diversity to improve the received signal quality of such scattered signals, typically employing two antennas having different polarizations or two antennas separated, for example, by a wavelength of the carrier frequency. Different methods are used to combine the signals intercepted by the two antennas. A low cost method of switching between them can provide substantial improvement in some situations. A higher cost method of combining the signals that uses a radio frequency combiner will typically provide equal or better results. In conventional diversity antenna systems, a separation between two antennas is typically chosen to minimize the correlation of the signals being received at each antenna. Some cellular systems employ two antenna diversity systems for fixed equipment, in which a separation of two antennas that is determined by the carrier wavelength provide improved performance. Another example of separation diversity is found in wireless routers that operate according to the 802.11 (b) standard promulgated by the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE). In some of these systems, the fixed router unit has two antennas at fixed distances, but the antennas can be rotated, thereby changing their relative polarization. Polarization diversity can be obtained by using dual polarized antennas, which can require less enclosed volume and has provided improved performance in portable radios. Such approaches utilize fixed physical arrangements that are chosen to provide good improvement over non-diversity antennas in many situations. However, as the carrier frequencies that are used for new radio communication systems increase, the scattering of electromagnetic energy by objects in the environment has a more degrading impact on the received radio signal and the electromagnetic scattering environment can differ substantially between fixed locations that are not far apart. In these situations, the improvements afforded by a fixed physical arrangement of two diversity antennas diminished, and a better approach is needed.
Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of embodiments of the present invention.


A display panel is connected to a wiring-mounted board on which a signal supply wiring that supplies wiring supplies signals for driving the display panel is mounted. The wiring-mounted board has (i) first and second wires extending toward the display panel, and (ii) first and second terminals that are connected to the first and second wires, respectively. The display panel has a first short-circuit wire that is connected to the first and second wires at a connecting part of the display panel and the wiring-mounted board, so as to short-circuit the first and second wires.

A flat type display apparatus such as a liquid crystal display device has become widespread due to its easiness in achievement of reduction in thickness. Such a display apparatus includes a display panel containing a large number of pixels. The display panel receives, from a drive circuit, signals for driving the pixels. This drive circuit is integrated, and is provided as a packaged arrangement such as a COF (Chip On Film). Such drive circuit is provided externally to the display panel. Alternatively, the drive circuit is directly mounted on a glass substrate of the display panel, as a COG (Chip On Glass) form. The signals for driving the pixels are provided to the drive circuit thus mounted on the glass substrate via wiring mounted on an FPC (Flexible Printed Circuit) connected to the display panel.
In order to ensure reliability of signal communication to the display panel, it is required for the COF and the FPC to be securely connected to the display panel. As a technique for improving reliability of such a connection, a technique for structurally reinforcing the FPC is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 183247/1993 (Tokukaihei 5-183247; published on Jul. 23, 1993), for example. In this technique, the FPC is reinforced at both outer side end sections which receive stress, by providing a reinforcement member that has no electrical connection.
Verification of the reliability of the connection is also carried out by a test conducted after the COF or the FPC is connected to the display panel. A mainstream of such a test is an impression test carried out at a connecting part. The impression test examines, through an image, a state of a thermally compressed impression part, by an automated machine incorporating a microscope. More specifically, a state of the impression part such as a depth and a width are analyzed by use of a photographed image.
The flat type display apparatus are becoming used as a display section for various machines, due to its advantage that the display apparatus can be arranged so as to be thin in thickness. For example, use of the flat type display apparatus in machines such as an onboard display apparatus and a display apparatus of a controlling apparatus have been promoted. In such fields of use, the machines which include the flat type display apparatus are often placed under a harsh environment. In a case of a passenger car, the display apparatus is subject to vibration, high and low temperatures, and the like. The controlling apparatus that is used in factories and the like are also often placed in a similar environment as with the passenger car.
Use of the flat type display apparatus under such a harsh environment causes film base material used in the COF and FPC to receive stress. Therefore, as compared to a case where the flat type display apparatus is used under a normal usage environment, there is a high possibility that the film base material (particularly at a connecting part with the display panel) is to break.
As described above, structural reinforcement of the FPC can reduce the occurrence of breakage of the FPC that is caused by stress. However, it can also be fully considered that, under the harsh usage environment, the reinforcement may still not prevent damage to the FPC given due to stress that has been received for a long term. As a result, in a case where the FPC actually breaks, there is a possibility that the display panel cannot be able to carry out a display due to a disconnection thus occurred to the FPC. Such a situation hinders operation of the passenger car and the controlling apparatus.
Moreover, although the impression test can verify the reliability of the connection during a manufacturing step of the display apparatus, verification cannot be made once the display apparatus is marketed as a product. Therefore, even if the COF and the FPC are close to breakage as a result of continuous use of the display apparatus under the foregoing harsh environment, this state cannot be verified. Consequently, further continuous use of the display apparatus in such state results in breakage of the COF and the FPC. As a result, display can no longer be carried out by the display panel.

Display panel, liquid crystal display device and drive-circuit-mounted board


An eyeglass apparatus comprises first and second eyeglass portions, each having a connector portion and a lens portion. The eyeglass apparatus is configured to transition between stowed and extended configurations. When the eyeglass apparatus is in the stowed configuration, the lens portions overlie one another. When the eyeglass apparatus is in the extended configuration the lens portions are in a non-overlying configuration.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains generally to eyeglasses, and more particularly to extendable eyeglasses.
2. General Background
People who use eyeglasses for only certain activities (e.g., reading) often keep their eyeglasses in their pockets, carrying bags or purses. Conventional eyeglasses are relatively bulky and may become damaged.


The present invention provides a non-physical contact (non-PC) visual fault locator (VFL) coupler that functions with fewer components and reduces handling, and without ferrule-to-ferrule contact, thereby reducing endface wear degradation and other problems. Specifically, the non-PC VFL coupler incorporates an alignment sleeve retainer that includes a connector stop, such that, when a field-installable fiber optic connector engages the alignment sleeve retainer of the non-PC VFL coupler, the endfaces of the ferrules of the non-PC VFL coupler and the field-installable fiber optic connector do not physically contact one another. Both 1.25 mm and 2.5 mm versions are contemplated, among others.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to enabling equipment associated with field-installable fiber optic connectors and a related optical continuity test system (CTS). More specifically, the present invention relates to a non-physical contact (non-PC) visual fault locator (VFL) coupler and an associated method of use. The non-PC VFL coupler of the present invention allows an optical CTS to function with fewer components and reduced handling, and without ferrule-to-ferrule contact, thereby reducing endface wear degradation and other problems.
2. Technical Background of the Invention
Current installation techniques associated with field-installable fiber optic connectors involve the verification of optical continuity using an optical CTS, as described in detail in U.S. Pat. No. 6,816,661 (Barnes, et al.), which is incorporated in-full by reference herein. Such techniques use a visual laser source, one or more jumpers coupled to the visual laser source, and one or more couplers coupled to the one or more jumpers to verify optical fiber contact in a mechanical splice joint. These couplers are generally connector-type specific (e.g., single fiber 1.25 mm and 2.5 mm or multi-fiber ferrules, etc.). There are, however, commercially-available universal couplers that adapt 2.5 mm VFL ports to 1.25 mm connectors, for example. For the most part, these techniques work well, but are somewhat cumbersome due to the number of components involved and the need to periodically replace the worn out jumpers. To complete a connector termination using an existing optical CTS, a VFL is attached to a jumper, the jumper is then attached to a coupler, and the coupler then accepts a field-installable fiber optic connector. An installation tool is used to accept/align/secure the field and factory optical fibers in the mechanical splice joint. The existing optical CTS requires that the ferrule endfaces remain in physical contact (PC) for proper operation. This ferrule endface PC requirement dictates that the coupler holds the ferrule endfaces together, in a robust geometry, and makes endface wear degradation an issue.
Specifically, Barnes et al. discloses methods for validating the continuity of one or more optical fibers upon which a fiber optic connector is mounted. Generally, the fiber optic connector is mounted upon an optical field fiber by actuating a cam mechanism to secure the optical field fiber in a position relative to an optical fiber stub. If subsequent testing indicates that the continuity of the optical field fiber and the optical fiber stub is unacceptable, the cam mechanism may be deactuated, the optical field fiber may be repositioned and the cam mechanism may be reactuated without having to remove and replace the fiber optic connector. In order to determine if continuity has been established between the optical field fibers and respective optical fiber stubs, a method is also disclosed that introduces light into at least one of each pair of optical field fibers and optical fiber stubs and that only secures the position of each optical field fiber relative to the respective optical fiber stub once the glow associated with each pair of optical field fibers and optical fiber stubs appreciably dissipates, which dissipation indicates the establishment of acceptable continuity.
Thus, as of yet, there is an unresolved need for a non-PC VFL coupler that functions with fewer components and reduces handling, and without ferrule-to-ferrule contact, thereby reducing endface wear degradation and other problems.

Non-physical contact visual fault locator coupler


A receiver of a serial communication channel including a memory to store an initial channel characteristic of the serial communication channel, a detector to measure a current channel characteristic of the serial communication channel, and a processor to compare the initial channel characteristic to the current channel characteristic, and to provide an indication when the difference between the initial channel characteristic to the current channel characteristic is greater than a threshold.

As the value and use of information continues to increase, individuals and businesses seek additional ways to process and store information. One option is an information handling system. An information handling system generally processes, compiles, stores, and/or communicates information or data for business, personal, or other purposes. Because technology and information handling needs and requirements may vary between different applications, information handling systems may also vary regarding what information is handled, how the information is handled, how much information is processed, stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the information may be processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in information handling systems allow for information handling systems to be general or configured for a specific user or specific use such as financial transaction processing, reservations, enterprise data storage, or global communications. In addition, information handling systems may include a variety of hardware and software resources that may be configured to process, store, and communicate information and may include one or more computer systems, data storage systems, and networking systems.
As the speed of high speed serial interfaces increases, variations in circuit design, component manufacture, environmental conditions, and other factors make it increasingly difficult to ensure highly reliable data transmission. In particular, transmitter and receiver equalization mechanisms to compensate for channel loss are calibrated on a best-effort basis, where settings that result in a "good enough" compensation solution are quickly obtained, in favor of iterative processes that might yield a more optimal solution, but which require an inordinate amount of time for such link training. However, as speed increases, such best-effort processes are increasingly unable to produce settings that are indeed good enough due to the increased sensitivity to variation and degradation of the channel characteristics.
The use of the same reference symbols in different drawings indicates similar or identical items.

System and method to proactively screen component wear through time domain response profiling


The tufted surface covering includes a base formed from particles of a thermosetting polymer compound mixed with a particle binding agent causing a portion of the particles to bind together to form a self supporting web. The base is tufted with a tufting material. Thermosetting vulcanized natural and/or synthetic rubber compounds are employed. The polymer layer is tufted with a tufting material and heated to a temperature of from about 110xc2x0 C. to about 220xc2x0 C. at an elevated pressure of up to two tons per square inch, to cause the particles to bind together at elevated temperature and pressure to anchor and seal the tufts in place. Cross-linking agents and polar polymer containing compounds may be employed as particle binding agents. In another aspect of the invention, a second layer of particles of a thermosetting polymer mixed with a particle binding agent may be joined together with the particles of the first layer at elevated temperature and pressure. A series of spaced apertures extends through the first and second layers to enable free draining of the surface covering. The lower surface of the covering includes spaced indentations to reduce the weight of the covering.

The present invention relates to an improved tufted surface covering and method.
Tufted surface coverings are employed indoors as floor coverings in the form of carpeting, area rugs, floor, gym, barrier and crash mats, as well as outdoors, in the form of carpeting, artificial turf, cushioned sport and play surfaces and sport mats. Surface coverings for sporting use are generally constructed by stitching into a preformed fabric backing layer to form tufts, and then bonding the primary backing layer to an impact-absorbing resilient lower layer or shock pad, by means of a thin, laminating layer.
Conventional tufting machines employ rows of needles, which are threaded with a suitable yarn fed from a ball or creel through an aperture adjacent the tip of each needle. The tufting machine forces the rows of needles through a backing fabric. The needles pierce the fabric from back to front, pushing the yarn through the backing. Looping tools catch the yarn loops on the face of the backing as the needles are withdrawn. Once tufting of the primary backing is completed, the loops of face yarn are generally cut to form a pile surface or xe2x80x9cfacexe2x80x9d. While the loops may be left uncut for indoor carpet surfaces, the loops of surfaces intended for outdoor usage are generally cut in order to produce a covering more closely resembling grass. The diameter of the yarn, the number of yarn strands in each tuft, and the spacing of the tufts determine the density of the final surface.
A woven or nonwoven fabric web is generally employed as a tufting base or primary backing layer. A laminating layer of glue, rubber or synthetic resin must be applied over the exposed loops to lock the tufts into the fabric interstices or punctured holes and to bond the backing layer to a shock absorbing layer. Alternatively, a secondary layer may be laminated to the primary layer. The tufted loops on the underside of the primary layer may also be melted to form a button, which secures the loops, but does not seal them. Such sealing is necessary in order to retain the tufts in place to withstand the stresses associated with usage as well as to seal in surface coverings intended for outdoor use against the entry of water. Entry of moisture into the needle holes surrounding the tufts, followed by repeated freeze-thaw cycles, would eventually damage the covering.
The use of fabric webs, elastomeric tufting layers and laminating layers all serve to spread the force of any impact to the surface covering. This dissipation of force affects the traction and torque characteristics of the covering. For this reason, although known synthetic turf surfaces may be constructed to visually resemble natural grass turf, they are not functionally equivalent. The characteristics of play associated with a sport differ on synthetic turf from the play on natural turf. For example, the cleats on athletic footwear do not purchase on synthetic surfaces in the same manner as on natural turf. Balls striking synthetic surfaces bounce higher, retain their spin and travel farther than on natural turf.
There are also certain weaknesses of dimensional stability associated with surface coverings constructed by laminating multiple layers. Each layer of the laminate has discrete physical properties which are determined by its composition. For example, each layer expands and contracts at a different rate. Use of hydrophilic or hydroscopic materials may also introduce moisture into one or more lamina of the covering.
In addition, known artificial turf surfaces demonstrate limited ability to withstand the heavy wear and substantial stresses associated with high impact sports over extended periods of time. In sports such as golf, cricket, field hockey, polo and la Crosse, which employ clubs, bats and sticks, force is applied tangentially across the upper layer of a synthetic turf. Because such laminated sport surfaces do not provide significant horizontal movement, these tangential forces can cause the turf to delaminate with wear. In the case of laminated golf mats, lack of horizontal elasticity may actually cause the carpet layer to melt to the club upon striking.
Thus, there is a need for a tufted surface covering which can withstand both the vertical and horizontal forces associated with athletic use, which seals the tufts in place against wear and water damage and which absorbs the forces of play in a manner similar to natural turf.
The present invention provides a greatly improved surface covering having a tufted impact-absorbing layer. This construction provides tufts which are securely anchored against wear and sealed against weather in a covering having efficient impact absorption without the need for a load-spreading laminating layer. The surface covering of the invention includes a layer of particles of a thermosetting polymer compound mixed with a particle binding agent to form a self supporting web. Thermosetting vulcanized natural and/or synthetic rubber compounds are employed. The polymer layer is tufted with a tufting material and heated to a temperature of from about 100xc2x0 C. to about 220xc2x0 C. at an elevated pressure of up to two tons per square inch, the particle binding agent causing the particles to bind together at elevated temperature and pressure to anchor and seal the tufts in place. Cross-linking agents and polar polymer containing compounds may be employed as particle binding agents. In another aspect of the invention, a second layer of particles of a thermosetting polymer mixed with a particle binding agent may be joined with the particles of the first layer at elevated temperature and pressure. A series of spaced apertures extends through the first and second layers to enable free draining of the surface covering. The lower surface of the covering includes spaced indentations to reduce the weight of the covering.
Objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description taken in relation to the accompanying drawings wherein are set forth, by way of illustration and example, certain embodiments of the invention.
The drawings constitute a part of this specification and include exemplary embodiments of the present invention and illustrate various objects and features thereof.


The grouping of objects, for example unit packaging goods, is accomplished by automatically assembling a stepped formation of the goods and subsequently leveling-off the stepped formation. To accomplish the foregoing, a serially increasing number of the goods are delivered in steps to a grouping station until a maximum number is reached and thereafter the number of goods per step is serially decreased. By exercising simultaneous control over the in-feed of goods and the shifting of the goods step-wise in a direction transverse to the in-feed direction after each delivery, finished groups having a predetermined size and configuration are formed at a downstream end of the grouping station and these finished groups are shifted out of the grouping station in the in-feed direction in synchronism with the in-feed of goods as the number of goods per step being fed in decreases.

(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of and apparatus for the progressive step grouping of objects, for example unit packaging goods such as bottles or other containers, and particuarly to the stacking of such objects for their subsequent feed to a collator/packager. More specifically, this invention is directed to a grouping apparatus and technique wherein a stepped grouping of objects is initially automatically formed and the stepped grouping is then leveled-out automatically while sub-groups having the desired size and shape are transferred to downstream apparatus. Accordingly, the general objects of the present invention are to provide novel and improved methods of such character and apparatus for implementing such methods.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
Apparatus for stacking objects, such as unit packaging goods, are known in the art. In the typical prior art apparatus, the goods to be stacked travel on a conveyor in closed rows until reaching a stop and are then moved in rows by a lifting unit. Operation of the prior art apparatus may result in the formation of a partial stack which has a step-like or staggered configuration. In the prior art, in order to "level" the staggered grouping, i.e., to form a symmetrical stack as is customarily required for downstream apparatus such as collators or package fillers, manual labor was required. The need to manually complete the packaging stacks has been an expense which the packaging industry has long desired to eliminate.

Methods and apparatus for forming groups of objects

Leifeld & Lemke Maschinenfabrik GmbH & Co. KG