A distance measuring system, wherein the distance measuring unit comprises a reflection light beam optical path leading to a photodetection unit, the photodetection unit 7 for receiving a reflection light beam from an object to be measured, an optical member provided on the optical path of the reflection light beam and used for deflecting the reflection light beam toward the photodetection unit, and a deflector 50 arranged on a surface of the optical member and used for deflecting the reflection light beam tilted with respect to the normal optical path toward the photodetection unit.

The present invention relates to a distance measuring system for measuring a distance using light wave, and in particular, to a distance measuring system, by which the distance can be measured both when a reflection prism is mounted on an object to be measured and when it is not mounted.
A distance measuring system using light wave is a system, which can measure a distance from a measuring position to an object to be measured by projecting a range-finding light beam toward the object to be measured and by receiving a reflection light beam reflected by the object to be measured. In general, it is divided to two types: a distance measuring system which requires a reflection prism (a corner cube) on the object to be measured, and a non-prism distance measuring system which can measure the distance without a reflection prism. However, the arrangement and the process from light emission to photodetection is approximately the same in these two types of the system.
Referring to FIG. 6, description will be given below on an essential portion of the distance measuring system.
The distance measuring system comprises an optical unit 1 for projecting and receiving a range-finding light beam and an electrical unit (not shown) for converting the received range-finding light beam to an electric signal and for calculating the distance. The optical unit 1 for projecting and receiving the range-finding light beam comprises a light emitting unit for emitting a range-finding light beam 3' from a light source 2, a projecting optical system 5 for projecting the range-finding light beam 3 from the light emitting unit toward an object to be measured 4, a photodetection optical system 6 for guiding a reflection light beam 3' from the object to be measured 4, and a photodetection unit 7 for receiving the reflection light beam 3' guided by the photodetection optical system 6.
When the range-finding light beam (a pulsed laser beam or a modulated laser beam) 3 is emitted from the light source 2 (such as a semiconductor laser) and it is deflected by a projection side half-mirror 10, a rotary shading disk 11, and a reflection mirror 12, it is directed toward an objective lens 13, which serves as a projection optical system. After being turned to the approximately parallel beam by the objective lens 13, the range-finding light beam 3 is projected toward the object to be measured 4 (the reflection prism) via the objective lens 13. After being reflected by the object to be measured 4, the reflection light beam 3' is directed toward the objective lens 13 again. Being directed toward the objective lens 13, the reflection light beam 3' is focused by the objective lens 13 and is deflected by the reflection mirror 12. After passing through a light quantity attenuation filter 14 and a photodetection side half-mirror 15, the beam forms an image on the photodetection unit 7 and is received. The light quantity attenuation filter 14 has a range-finding laser beam attenuation filter on the outer periphery and a reference laser beam attenuation filter on the inner portion, and the density is gradually changed in the circumferential direction.
After being emitted from the light source 2, the laser beam is divided and reflected by the projection side half-mirror 10, and it is deflected by a reflection mirror 17 as a reference light beam 16. After passing through the rotary shading disk 11, a pair of relay lenses 18 and 19, and the light quantity attenuation filter 14, it is reflected by a deflection mirror 21 and enters the photodetection unit 7.
The rotary shading disk 11 is rotated and driven by a motor 23 and selectively shades the light beam so that the reference light beam 16 and the range-finding light beam 3 as separated by the projection side half-mirror 10 alternately enter the photodetection unit 7. The reference light beam is used to correct an internal error in the distance measuring system.
After being reflected by the object to be measured 4, the reflection light beam 3' reaches and is received by the photodetection unit 7 via the objective lens 13, the reflection mirror 12 and the light quantity attenuation filter 14. In order to avoid the influence of the changes the photodetection light quantity to the photodetection characteristics, the light quantity attenuation filter 14 is rotated by a motor 24, and transmitting positions of the range-finding light beam 3 and the reflection light beam 3' are changed with respect to the light quantity attenuation filter 14. As a result, the light quantity is adjusted so that the reflection light beam 3' entering the photodetection unit 7 has constant photodetection light quantity.
On the photodetection unit 7, the reference light beam 16 with its photodetection light quantity adjusted by the light quantity attenuation filter 14 is received. The electrical unit (not shown) converts the range-finding light beam 3 and the reference light beam 16 to electric signals, and the distance to the object to be measured 4 is calculated from these two electric signals.
FIG. 7(A) shows the condition of optical paths of the range-finding light beam 3 and the reflection light beam 3' when the object to be measured 4 is a prism (or when a prism is mounted on the object to be measured).
The reflection light beam received by the photodetection unit 7 is basically the same as the projected range-finding light beam, and it is separated to the projection optical system 5 and the photodetection optical system 6 by the reflection mirror 12. In case of a type of the system generally used where the single objective lens 13 is commonly used by the projection optical system 5 and the photodetection optical system 6, the objective lens 13 is separated into upper and lower parts or into left and right parts, or into central part and outer peripheral part for the projection optical system and the photodetection optical system. This arrangement is the same in an electronic theodolite with a built-in distance measuring system. When a distance to a corner cube positioned at short distance is measured by the distance measuring system as described above, a deviation occurs between the projected range-finding light beam 3 and the reflection light beam 3' as shown in FIG. 7(A). For this reason, even when the projection optical system 5 including the light source 2 and the photodetection optical system 6 including the photodetection unit 7 may not be positioned on the same axis, the distance can be measured.
On the other hand, FIG. 7(B) shows a case where the object to be measured 4' is a low-retroreflection sheet (made of very small spherical glass pieces) or a natural object (having a certain reflection characteristic).
When the reflection sheet or the natural object is used as the object to be measured 4', the range-finding light beam 3 projected to the object to be measured 4' is turned to the reflection light beam 3', which is diffused around a projected position J1. In this respect, the diffused reflection light beam 3' from the object to be measured 4' entering the photodetection optical system 6 is tilted with respect to the optical axis of the objective lens 13. Thus, it is deviated from the photodetection unit 7, and it is difficult to form an image. When an image is formed at a position away from the photodetection unit 7, the substantial light quantity received on the photodetection unit 7 is extremely decreased, and it is difficult to measure the distance. This causes more problems in case of the non-prism distance measurement, in which the reflection sheet or the natural object is used as the object to be measured 4' and there is no discriminative selection on the object. When the non-prism distance measurement is performed for long distance measurement, no problem occurs because the reflection light beam 3' enters the photodetection optical system 6 almost in parallel. However, the reflection light quantity itself is substantially decreased, and the distance cannot be measured. Therefore, the non-prism distance measurement is adopted for the measurement of the short distance. In case of the short distance measurement, the tilting of the reflection light beam as described above becomes an issue.
For this reason, the countermeasures as shown in FIG. 8(A) and FIG. 8(B) have been taken in the past.
Specifically, a prism 26 for compensation or a compensating lens 27 are provided on the optical paths between the objective lens 13 and the object to be measured 4'. These compensating optical means are added to the optical system in case of the non-prism distance measurement, and a part of the reflection light beam diffused by the object to be measured 4' is directed to the photodetection unit 7 to form an image.
However, the mounting of the above prism 26 or the compensating lens 27 for each short distance measurement means lower working efficiency. Also, the components for compensation must be separately provided, and this leads to the problem of the increased manufacturing cost. Further, there is also a problem in that the image of collimation is turned to dual images.


A new and distinct Osteospermum plant cultivar is disclosed, characterized by large daisy type inflorescences, freely flowering under outdoor growing conditions with continuous blooming from spring through autumn, pale purple ray florets with a dark violet base, and dark blue disc florets.

The new cultivar 'GG DEL PC06' is a product of open pollination in a heterogeneous population of Osteospermum mass selection. The new cultivar was discovered and selected by Leo Van Zanten in May 2004 in Carpinteria, Calif.
Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar 'GG DEL PC06' by cuttings from adventitious shoots were performed in Oxnard, Calif., and has shown that the unique features of this new cultivar are stable and reproduced true to type on successive generations.


A circuit for transmitting logic signals across a high voltage barrier has a logic signal buffer with true and complement state differential outputs. A binary flip-flop with set and reset inputs is further provided. A first coupling capacitor is coupled to the true buffer output and to the set input of the binary flip-flop. A second coupling capacitor is coupled to the complement buffer output and to the reset input of the binary flip-flop circuit.

A high speed DC coupled logic level translator is particularly useful for high speed, high current CMOS drivers. An example of the use of this type of circuit would be in an ultrasound transducer driver high voltage output stage. In this case, an NMOS high voltage transistor with its source grounded would be arranged with its drain connected to the drain of a PMOS high voltage transistor with its source connected to a supply of high voltage. The high voltage could for example be 200 volts DC, whereas the transistors require only 5 to 12 volts of signal between their gate and source terminals for operation. Designate the high voltage supply as VPP, the grounded low voltage supply as VDX, and a floating low voltage supply as VPX. VPX is typically negative relative to VPP, giving a voltage level below VPP for driving the PMOS output transistor, and the other supplies are positive. Low voltage logic circuits could easily provide the gate drive signal for the NMOS transistor, but the PMOS transistor is more difficult to drive since its source is connected to VPP. An auxiliary floating power supply VPX referenced to the high voltage supply can provide power for floating logic circuitry attached to it, but a means must be provided for transmission of the fast logic signals from near ground level to near VPP. The logic swings in both the grounded logic circuitry and the floating logic circuitry would typically be the same, approximately 12 volts in the present example, but this is not a requirement. Therefore both VDX and (VPP-VPX) would be 12 volts for this example.
Problems with the logic signal transfer can be caused by transient or fast changes in the high voltage interfering with the coupling of the logic signals across the voltage barrier. One means which has been successfully used to overcome this problem is to use large pulsed currents in the transfer circuitry. The current pulses are larger than any capacitive displacement currents caused by expected voltage transients, so the circuit operates without error. Power is minimized by use of very short current pulses to transfer information about logic state changes. However, a simpler solution not requiring large pulsed currents in the transfer circuitry would be desirable.
Therefore, a need exists to provide a device and method to overcome the above problem. The device and method will provide a high speed logic signal level shifter. The high speed logic level shifter must be able to transfer a fast logic signal across a high voltage difference between two circuit sections in an integrated circuit. The high speed logic level shifter must be able to transfer a fast logic signal across a high voltage difference between two circuit sections in an integrated circuit without using large pulsed currents in the transfer circuitry.


A combination spa and video entertainment system is disclosed wherein the video monitor is removably mountable to the spa so that it does not interfere with spa cover removal or replacement. The transportable video monitor is plug connectable to a mounting post attached to a sidewall of the spa which contains power, video and control cables. The video monitor is also plug connectable to a docking station that may be located indoors, which contains power, video and control cables, for viewing the video monitor indoors when the spa is not being used.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to improvements in spas, and more particularly pertains to new and improved video entertainment systems for spas.
2. Description of Related Art
Current spa entertainment systems are concerned with including the entertainment units within the spa housing in a manner that will protect the entertainment units from the corrosive environment, both while a spa is in use and when the spa is not in use. Most such systems contemplate the raising and lowering of video monitors and speakers into the spa housing, the monitor being raised when occupants of the spa want to view the monitor, the monitor being lowered when the spa is not in use. Examples of such prior art systems can be found in Lauter et al (Publication No. US 2004/0068786 A1) published Apr. 15, 2004, for a combination spa entertainment system, and Lauter et al (Publication No. US 2003/0088912 A1) for a combination spa and entertainment system, published May 15, 2003.
This concept of making entertainment units retractable into the housing for the spa has been adopted by much of the prior art. Examples can be found in Cox (U.S. Pat. No. 6,754,916) for spas having a retractable entertainment unit, granted Jun. 29, 2004. Cox (Publication No. US 2004/0205889 A1) for spas having a retractable antennae unit, published Oct. 21, 2004, Lerma (Publication No. US 2005/0091739 A1) for retractable rotating spa speaker system, published May 5, 2005, and Schmidt et al (Publication No. US 2004/0156517A1) for a retractable speaker system, published Aug. 12, 2004.
For those spas that do not retract entertainment units into a spa housing, the entertainment unit is made a permanent fixture on the spa housing. Examples can be found in Japanese Patent JP11099078 published Apr. 13, 1999, Japanese Patent JP4285511 published Oct. 9, 1992, Gardenier et al (Publication No. US 2003/0070218 A1), published Apr. 17, 2003 for a headrest assembly having an illuminated insert for spa, and Artz (Publication No. US 2002/0020797 A1) for a positionable adjustable support arm for items, published Feb. 21, 2002.


A system and method are provided for sensing occasions of operations in image forming devices that result in larger than normal volumes of residual toner needing to be removed from an intermediate transfer element by an intermediate transfer element toner cleaning system. Based on this sensing, an operating speed for an auger component in the intermediate transfer element toner cleaning system may be temporarily increased. This temporary increase in operating speed may address the intermittent increased toner volume conditions without introducing unacceptable physical configuration changes, or undesirable operating characteristic modifications, for the intermediate transfer element toner cleaning system. Upon sensing an actual or anticipated higher-than-normal amount of toner to be removed, a signal is sent to temporarily increase a speed of operation of toner removal components in the intermediate transfer element toner cleaning system to account for the temporary increase.

1. Field of Disclosed Subject Matter
This disclosure relates to systems and methods for implementing intelligent variable speed operations in toner cleaning components, including an intermediate transfer element toner cleaning device, in an image forming device.
2. Related Art
The principles of operations in xerographic image forming devices are well known. Xerographic, and other toner-based, image marking units are generally used to transfer toner as the image marking medium onto an image receiving medium substrate in copiers, printers, facsimile machines and other like devices. FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic representation 100 of components that support a basic operation of a xerographic image-on-image toner-based transfer in an image forming device, including an intermediate transfer component.
As shown in FIG. 1, and as is generally understood in xerography, for example, a photoconductive transfer element may be presented in the form of photoconductor belt 110. The photoconductor belt 110 is mounted on, and driven by, a plurality of powered and follower photoconductor belt rollers 112,114. In operation, a photoconductive surface of the photoconductor belt 110 is exposed to light images emitted from a light source 120 as an imaging unit that optically exposes and selectively charges the photoconductive surface of the photoconductor belt 110 to form an electrostatic latent image on the photoconductive surface. The selectively-charged surface of the photoconductor belt 110 then passes a plurality of individual reservoirs 122-128, each supplying a different color of individually-charged toner particles. Multiple colors of charged toner particles from the plurality of individual reservoirs 122-128 are deposited onto the charged surface of the photoconductor belt 110. Each color of toner supplied from the individual reservoirs 122-128 has a charge, and will thus adhere to a particular area on the charged surface of the photoconductor belt 110 in a manner to correspondingly color the electrostatic latent image to form a multi-color toner image.
The multi-color toner image is then, in exemplary systems such as those shown in FIG. 1, transferred to an intermediate transfer element 130 at an intermediate transfer nip formed between the photoconductor belt 110 and the intermediate transfer element 130. As shown, the intermediate transfer element 130 may comprise an intermediate transfer belt, which like the photoconductor belt 110, may be mounted on, and driven by, a plurality of powered and follower intermediate transfer element rollers 132-138. Other configurations for the intermediate transfer element 13 are possible to include the intermediate transfer element 130 being in a form of a drum or a roller.
The toner image is then transferred from an intermediate transfer element 130 to an image receiving medium substrate at an image transfer nip formed between image transfer element 130 and a substrate carrying component 140 that itself rides along a series of substrate carrying component rollers 142-146.
The image transfer process is generally completed by passing the image receiving medium substrate, with the toner image formed thereon, to a fuser unit (not shown). The fuser unit is used to fuse and fix the toner image on the image receiving medium substrate through an application of heat and/or pressure in the fuser unit to the transferred toner image on image receiving medium substrate. The image receiving medium substrate, with the toner image fused and fixed thereon, is then passed to an image receiving medium substrate output collection area or tray where the user collects the finished, permanently imaged documents in the image forming device.
Between imaging operations, the photoconductive surface of the photoconductor belt 110 is refreshed by removing residual charge and toner from the photoconductive surface to make the photoconductor belt ready to repeat the process, e.g., ready to be charged, to receive toner0 and to transfer a toner image to an image receiving medium substrate.
In order to preserve image quality in the image forming device, residual toner must be cleaned and collecte from the various elements. The intermediate transfer element 130 is often subjected to a cleaning process using an intermediate transfer element toner cleaning device 150. Residual toner is removed from the intermediate transfer element 130 by the intermediate transfer element toner cleaning device 150 and is then transferred from a limited volume toner collection reservoir in the intermediate transfer element toner cleaning device 150, via a transfer passage 155, to a waste toner recovery receptacle 160.

Systems and methods for implementing variable speed toner removal in an intermediate transfer element cleaning device


Autofocusing of a lens (18) on a television camera (12) is achieved by first processing the image captured by the camera to establish a histogram of the intensity gradients for each of a plurality of small areas (pixels) in the captured image. From the histogram of the pixel intensity gradients, a focus index value, indicative of the sharpness of focus of the captured image, is established. The just-computed focus index value is then compared to the previously established value which is initially set to zero. The difference between the just- established and previously established focus index values establishes the direction in which the lens is incrementally stepped to more sharply focus the image. The steps of (a) capturing the image, (b) establishing the intensity gradient histogram, (c) comparing focus index value to the previously established value, and (d) incrementally stepping the lens are repeated as long as the just-established focus index values exceeds the previous value. Once the focus index value no longer exceeds the previously established value, the lens is stepped by an amount dependent on the just-established and previously established focus index values to sharply focus the image.

Machine vision systems are used widely in industry for accomplishing automated visual inspection of many different types of articles. A typical machine vision system comprises a television camera, which carries a lens or a similar optical system, and a machine vision processor, (e.g., a microprocessor) for processing the output signal of the camera. In practice, the vision processor is programmed to examine certain attributes of the image of the article captured by the camera in order to detect a defect, such as the presence or absence of a particular feature.
To achieve high accuracy with present day machine vision systems, it is important that the image of the article captured by the camera be in sharp focus. The more sharply focused the image of the article, the higher the degree of contrast and the greater the accuracy of inspection. For those applications where the articles undergoing inspection are all the same type, it is usually only necessary to manually adjust the focus of the camera at the outset of inspection, either by adjusting the lens or the spacing between the camera and the article, in order to assure that the image of each article is sharply focused. However, if different articles are being inspected by the same machine vision system, it is often necessary to adjust the focus of the camera each time an article different from the previous one is undergoing inspection. To avoid the need for an operator to manually adjust the camera focus, autofocusing systems have been developed.
Present day autofocusing systems typically include a motor which drives either a focusing element on the lens of the camera or which drives a platform carrying the article to adjust spacing of the article from the camera. The focusing motor is controlled by the machine vision processor in accordance with a focus index value, typically obtained by the summing the intensity gradients of each of a plurality of small areas (pixels) comprising the entire image of the article. This approach generally yields relatively poor sensitivity because the focus index value is dependent on the complete range of intensity gradients.
Rather than establish the focus index value by summing all the pixel intensity gradients, another technique may be used. Those of the intensity gradients which are above a threshold value can be summed to obtain a measure of the sharpness of focus. This approach requires an a priori knowledge of the intensity gradients within the captured image, which is not often possible.
Thus, there exists a need for an autofocusing technique which is not subject to the foregoing shortcomings.

Method and apparatus for automatically focusing an image-acquisition device


A hinge device has a first part and a second part, which are intended to be attached to a door frame and a door, respectively. The first part and the second part are rigidly connected to each other and have each a tubular housing, whose center axis defines a first hinge axis and which accommodates two balls, an axially displaceable locking member arranged axially inwardly of each ball, a compression spring arranged between and cooperating with each ball and the associated locking member, and an eccentric located between the two locking members and cooperating therewith. Each eccentric is rotatably carried about a transverse axis in the respective housing and rotatable between an initial position, in which the two associated locking members are located in an axially inner position and the two associated balls are located in a position slightly projecting from the housing, in which position they are held biased by the respective compression spring, and an active position, in which the two associated locking members are located in an axially outer position, in which they abut against the respective ball axially locking it in the projecting position.

Various designs of hinge devices of this kind are known in the art. In prior-art hinge devices, the two parts are generally provided in the form of separate parts, which upon use of the hinge device become articulatedly interconnected or which have previously been articulatedly interconnected by means of a hinge pin and a hinge sleeve, which form a pivot located between the mutually pivotable elements, such as a door panel and a door frame, about which said elements are pivotable.

Hinge device having connected tubular housings


The present invention provides a system and method for neurological treatment. The system of the invention includes a neurological stimulation (NS) modality that delivers neurological stimulation to a first brain region and a cognitive training (CT) that delivers CT to a second brain region, where activation of the CT modality occurs at a predetermined time relative to the activation period of the NS modality. In one embodiment, the NS and CT are interlaced. The first and second brain regions may be the same brain regions or different brain regions. The invention may be used, for example, in the treatment of dementia, neurological conditions or psychiatric conditions.

The following prior art documents are considered to be relevant for an understanding of the invention.
Cotelli et al. Archives of Neurology 2006; 63: 1602-1604.
Cotelli et al. European Journal of Neurology 2008, 15: 1286-1292).
Hallett, Nature 2000; 406: 147-50.
Maeda et al., Exp Brain Res 2000; 133: 425-30.
Mottaghy et. al, Behavioral Neurology 17 (2006), 177-186.
Mottaghy et. al; Neurology 53(8) (10 Nov. 1999), 1806-1812.
Oder et al., The British Journal of Psychiatry (2005) 187: 450-455.
Orrelli et al., Int J Geriatr Psychiatry 2005; 20: 446-451.
Spector et al., The British Journal of Psychiatry (2003) 183: 248-254.
WO 2009/044271
Dementia is a serious loss of cognitive ability in a previously-unimpaired person, beyond what might be expected from normal aging. It may be static, the result of a unique global brain injury, or progressive, resulting in long-term decline due to damage or disease in the body. Although dementia is far more common in the geriatric population, it may occur in any stage of adulthood. Dementia which begins gradually and worsens progressively over several years is usually caused by neurodegenerative disease, that is, by conditions affecting only or primarily the neurons of the brain and causing gradual but irreversible loss of function of these cells.
Dementia is a non-specific illness syndrome in which affected areas of cognition may be memory, attention, language, and problem solving, as well as basic and instrumental activities of daily living (ADLs), social skills, and behavioral disturbances.
Especially in the later stages of the condition, affected persons may be disoriented in time (not knowing what day of the week, day of the month, or even what year it is), in place (not knowing where they are), and in person (not knowing who they are or others around them).
The causes of dementia depend on the age at which symptoms begin. In the elderly population (usually defined in this context as over 65 years of age), a large majority of cases of dementia are caused by Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia. Dementia with Lewy bodies is another fairly common cause, which again may occur alongside either or both of the other causes. Hypothyroidism sometimes causes slowly progressive cognitive impairment as the main symptom, and this may be fully reversible with treatment. Normal pressure hydrocephalus, though relatively rare, is important to recognize since treatment may prevent progression and improve other symptoms of the condition. However, significant cognitive improvement is unusual.
Various types of brain injury, occurring as a single event, may cause irreversible but fixed cognitive impairment. Traumatic brain injury may cause generalized damage to the white matter of the brain, or more localized damage. A temporary reduction in the brain's supply of blood or oxygen may lead to hypoxic-ischemic injury. Strokes (ischemic stroke, or intracerebral, subarachnoid, subdural or extradural hemorrhage) or infections (meningitis and/or encephalitis) affecting the brain, prolonged epileptic seizures and acute hydrocephalus may also have long-term effects on cognition. Excessive alcohol use may cause either alcohol dementia or Korsakoffs psychosis (and certain other recreational drugs may cause substance-induced persisting dementia); once overuse ceases, the cognitive impairment is persistent but non-progressive.
Alzheimer's disease (AD), also called Alzheimer disease, senile dementia of the Alzheimer Type (SDAT) or simply Alzheimer's, is the most common form of dementia. It is an incurable, degenerative, and terminal disease and is generally diagnosed in people over 65 years of age, although the less-prevalent early-onset Alzheimer's can occur much earlier. In 2006, there were 26.6 million sufferers worldwide, with about ⅓ of people over the age of 80 suffering from it. Alzheimers is predicted to affect 1 in 85 people globally by 2050. Public expenditure on AD is overwhelming, reaches nearly 100 B$ per annum in the United States alone, and over 250 B$ per annum in the largest seven western countries.
Although the course of Alzheimer's disease is unique for every individual, there are many common symptoms. In the early stages, the most commonly recognised symptom is memory loss, such as difficulty in remembering recently learned facts. Diagnosis is usually confirmed with behavioural assessments and cognitive tests. sometimes followed by a brain scan. As the disease advances, symptoms include confusion, irritability and aggression, mood swings, language breakdown, long-term memory loss, and the general withdrawal of the sufferer as their senses decline. Gradually, bodily functions are lost, ultimately leading to death.
Currently used treatments offer only a minor symptomatic benefit; no treatments significantly delay (beyond 3-6 months) or halt the progression of the disease are as yet available. Mental stimulation, exercise, and a balanced diet have been suggested, as both a possible prevention and a sensible way of managing the disease. Most patients today receive drugs of the family choline-esterase-inhibitors (ChEI), which increase the concentration in the brain of acetyl-choline. However, any improvement caused by the drug lasts for no more than 3 months, and then the normal degradation of the patient resumes.
Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is a noninvasive method to excite neurons in the brain in which weak electric currents are induced in brain tissue by rapidly changing magnetic fields. With MRI-based neuro-navigation control, the precision of targeting the TMS can be determined to an accuracy of about a few millimeters. Typical treatment parameters are a magnetic field strength of about 2 teslas on the coil surface and 0.5 T in the cortex, and a current rise time (zero to peak) of about 50-150 microseconds. The wave form may be monophasic or biphasic. Brain activity is triggered with minimal discomfort, and the functionality of the circuitry and connectivity of the brain can be studied. Both high- (>5 Hz) and low- (≦1 Hz) frequency rTMS have been employed, with the former being believed to have mainly an excitatory net effect and the latter having mainly an inhibitory net effect.
In single or paired pulse TMS, the pulses causes neurons in the neocortex under the site of stimulation to depolarise and discharge an action potential. When used in the primary motor cortex of the brain, it may produce muscle activity referred to as a motor-evoked potential (MEP) which can be recorded by electromyography (EMG). When used on the occipital cortex, "phosphenes" (flashes of light) might be detected by the subject. In most other areas of the cortex, the participant does not consciously experience any effect, but his or her behaviour may be slightly altered (e.g. a slower or faster reaction time in a cognitive task), or changes in brain activity may be detected using positron emission tomography (PET), electroencephalogram (EEG), or MRI.
Effects resulting from a single pule or paired pulses do not outlast the period of stimulation. In repetitive TMS (rTMS), effects which last longer than the period of stimulation are produced. The repetition rate for rTMS may be below 1 Hz ("slow TMS") to above 1 Hz ("rapid-rate TMS"). rTMS can increase or decrease the excitability of corticospinal or corticocortical pathways depending on the intensity of stimulation, coil orientation and frequency of stimulation. The effects of rTMS on cognitive processing in conjunction with a specific brain region has been observed to persist about 30 seconds after termination of the rTMS in a study that tested TMS effects on picture naming. (Mottaghy et. al (2006), 1999), General effects of rTMS, however, can outlast the stimulation period for up to 1-2 h (Hallett, Maeda).
TMS has been used in cognitive psychology/neuroscience to demonstrate causality. A noninvasive mapping technique such as fMRI is used to determine what regions of the brain are activated when a subject performs a particular task. If activity in the associated region is suppressed ("knocked out") with TMS stimulation, and the subject then performs the task worse than before, this would indicated that the region is used in performing the task.
For example, a subject asked to memorize and repeat a stream of numbers would typically show activation in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) via fMRI, indicating the association of this brain region in short-term memory. If the PFC is interfered with TMS, the subject's ability to remember numbers typically declines indicating that the PFC is involved short-term memory.
rTMS is an established method for the treatment of depression. In addition, TMS and rTMS have been studied in the treatment of various conditions, such as amblyopia, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, auditory hallucinations associated with schizoaffective disorders, chronic pain, dysphasia, dystonia, epilepsy, fibromyalgia, hemispatial neglect, major depression migraine, obsessive-compulsive disorder, parkinson's disease, phantom limb, stroke, nonfluent aphasia, and tinnitus. However, results, to-date, remain inconclusive.
In recent studies, Cotelli et al stimulated left or right dlPFCs during object and action naming in a group of Alzheimer's dementia (AD) patients. Action naming performance immediately following rTMS was temporarily improved in all subjects during high-frequency stimulation of both left and right dlPFC compared with sham stimulation (Cotelli et al. 2006; 2008). However, it should be noted that these results represent only an immediate and temporary improvement in a specific cognitive test, measured during the application of the stimulus.
Cognitive training refers to any nonpharmacological intervention designed to improve cognition, regardless of mechanism of action. Typically, cognitive training focuses on specific cognitive domains or cognitively mediated domains of functioning, such as basic and instrumental activities of daily living (ADLs), social skills, and behavioral disturbances. Cognitive training includes cognitive stimulation, memory rehabilitation, reality orientation, and neuropyschological rehabilitation. A recent meta-analysis of studies testing cognitive training for early-stage AD between 1980 and 2004 supports that cognitive training is effective. Specifically, medium effect sizes were observed for learning, memory, executive functioning, ADLs, general cognitive problems, depression, and self-rated general functioning (Sitzer, D. I. et al.).
International patent publication WO 2009/044271 discloses a system and method for treatment of medical conditions related to the central nervous system. A brain region is stimulated with electric or magnetic fields. A cognitive feature of the brain region is also stimulated.

Method and system for neurological treatment


A box includes an elongated surrounding wall and a plurality of trays. The surrounding wall has a plurality of interconnected vertical wall sections and two distal ends. Each of the vertical wall sections has an inner wall surface. Every two adjacent vertical wall sections are pivotally interconnected along a vertically extending fold line. The surrounding wall is movable between a folded position, wherein the vertical wall sections cooperatively confine an enclosure, and an unfolded position, wherein the distal ends are spaced apart from each other. Each of the trays has a periphery secured to the inner wall surface of a respective one of the vertical wall sections. The trays are superimposed and are disposed in the enclosure when the surrounding wall is in the folded position.

1. Field Of The Invention
This invention relates to a box, more particularly to a box which facilitates the storage of articles therein and the retrieval of articles therefrom.
2. Description Of The Related Art
Presently, a conventional box is constructed to store articles of one kind therein. Therefore, a plurality of boxes are required for storing different kinds of articles. The boxes are usually stacked in order to reduce the required storage space, thereby inconveniencing the storage of articles therein and the retrieval of articles therefrom. Another kind of a conventional box is divided into many compartments in order to permit sorting of the different kinds of articles that are to be stored therein. However, the capacity of the compartments is limited. To increase the capacity of the compartments of the box, the size of the box should be increased.

No. 31, Alley 12, Lane 261, Sec. 2, Hsi-Yuan Rd.


In a silent chain, wear of the connecting pins and bushings, and wear elongation of the chain itself, are suppressed by the formation of through holes in the approximate centers of the teeth of toothed link elements for relieving strains in the inner peripheries of the bushings due to press-fitting of the bushings into the toothed link elements. The shortest distances between the bushing hole on the one hand, and the through-hole, the outside tooth surface and the inside tooth surface, on the other hand, are made substantially equal to one another. The through holes also reduce the weights of the individual link elements and contribute to a reduction in overall weight of the chain.

This invention relates to a silent chain used for power transmission, in applications such as the timing drive of automobiles or motorcycles, or as a chain drive in a general purpose engine, a diesel engine or an industrial machine or the like. More specifically, the invention relates to a silent chain used as a timing chain in an engine.
An example of a conventional silent chain a bush-type silent chain 1 is shown in FIGS. 3(A) and 3(B). In this silent chain 1, guide plates 2, link assemblies 3 and intermediate link plates 6 are disposed adjacent one another in the direction of the width of the chain, but shifted longitudinally so that they are interleaved. The interleaved members are articulably connected with one another by connecting pins 7.
The guide plates 2 do not have teeth, but each guide plate has a pair of pin holes 2a as shown in FIG. 4. Each link assembly 3 comprises two inner link plates 4 each having a pair of teeth 4a, which mesh with the teeth of a sprocket, a pair of bushing holes 4b, and a pair of bushings 5, each press-fit into a bushing hole 4b, as shown in FIGS. 5(A) and 5(B). In the link assembly 3, the two inner link plates 4 are integrally connected and fixed to each other by two bushings 5. Further, each intermediate link plate 6 includes a pair of teeth 6a, which mesh with the teeth of a sprocket, and a pair of pin holes 6b, as shown in FIG. 6.
In the inner link plate 4, as shown in FIG. 5(A) and FIG. 7, a pair of teeth 4a are formed, each having an outside surface portion 4c and an inside surface portion 4d, a pair of bushing holes 4b, into each of which a bushing 5 is press-fit and fixed, a back surface portion 4e formed on the side opposite to the side where the pair of teeth 4a is formed, and a pair of shoulder portions 4f, each of which connects an outside surface portion 4c to the back surface portion 4e. The broken line P in FIG. 7 is a pitch line, which passes through the centers of the bushing holes 4b.
In the particular chain shown in FIG. 3(A), two intermediate link plates 6 are disposed centrally with respect to the width direction of the chain, link assemblies 3 are disposed on both outer sides of the intermediate link plates 6, and the guide plates 2 are disposed on both of the outermost sides of the chain. These elements are longitudinally shifted with respect to one another, and thereby interleaved, and are articulably connected to one another by connecting pins 7. In this case, the connecting pin 7 is press-fit into and fixed to the pin holes 2a of the guide plates 2 on both outermost sides in the chain, and in the intermediate link plates 6, the connecting pin 7 can extend through the pin holes 6b with play, or can be press-fit and fixed into the pin hole 6b.
Since the link assembly 3 is composed of plural link plates 4, the problem arises that, if the inner link plates are not light in weight, the weight of the silent chain becomes excessive. Further, the rigidity of the teeth of the inner link plates is high. Thus, when the chain meshes with the teeth of a sprocket during operation, tooth surfaces of each inner link plate collide with tooth surfaces of the sprocket and the collision shock is dispersed to the entire inner link plate, generating meshing noises of large amplitude.
In the inner link plates 4, which form the link assembly 3, the bushing 5 is press-fit into, and fixed to, the bushing hole 4b. Thus, the bushing hole 4b, formed in the inner link plate 4, is a size larger than the pin hole 6b in the intermediate link plate 6. As a result, the distance between the bushing hole 4b and the adjacent outer side portion of the inner link plate 4 becomes smaller than the corresponding distance in the intermediate link plate 6. In this case, as shown in FIG. 7, the shortest distance kxe2x80x2 between the bushing hole 4b and the outside surface portion 4c, and the shortest distance lxe2x80x2 between the bushing hole 4b and the inside surface portion 4d are comparatively small. However, the shortest distance wxe2x80x2 between the bushing hole 4b and the tip of the tooth of the inner link plate is still relatively large. Accordingly, the distances lxe2x80x2, kxe2x80x2 and wxe2x80x2 become unbalanced.
When the bushing 5 is press-fit into the bushing hole 4b in the inner link plate 4 to form a link assembly, the inner link plate 4 is usually deformed in the areas where the distance between the bushing hole 4b and the outer side portion is small. Accordingly, strain is generated in the inner diameter of the press-fit bushing 5. Since the back surface portion 4e and the shoulder portions 4f of the inner link plate 4 have no direct relationship to the meshing of the link plate teeth with the teeth of a sprocket, it is possible to suppress the strain generated in the inner diameter of the press-fit bushing by increasing the shortest distance mxe2x80x2 between the bushing hole 4b, and the back surface portion 4e and the shortest distance nxe2x80x2 between the bushing hole 4b, and the shoulder portions 4f. However, in the teeth 4a, the distances kxe2x80x2 and lxe2x80x2 cannot be correspondingly increased without affecting the meshing relationship between the teeth 4a and the teeth of the sprocket. Thus, when the distances k and l are small, and the distance wxe2x80x2 is large, the inner diameter of the press-fit bushing 5 has different degrees of deformation in the areas corresponding to the distances kxe2x80x2 and 1xe2x80x2 and the area corresponding to the distance wxe2x80x2. As a result nonuniform strains are generated, and the inside of the bushing deviates from true roundness. This problem arises because the relationships between the shortest distances and the plate thickness of the inner link plate have not been noted. Thus, the distances kxe2x80x2 and lxe2x80x2 may be too small compared to the plate thickness of the inner link plate. However, these problems can arise even when the plate thickness is increased.
When the roundness of the inner diameter of the bushing press-fit into the bushing hole deteriorates, if the link assembly is incorporated into a chain, the interfacial pressure between the surface of the connecting pin and the inner periphery of the bushing becomes nonuniform, or the connecting pin makes contact with the inner periphery of the bushing only on one side. Consequently, wear of the connecting pin and bushing, and resulting wear elongation of the chain are both accelerated.
Accordingly, a general object of this invention is to overcome the problems associated with the above-described conventional silent chain.
A more specific object of the invention is to provide a silent chain in which wear of the connecting pins and bushings, and wear elongation of the chain can be suppressed.
According to one aspect of the invention, the silent chain comprises a link assembly including at least two inner link plates, each link plate having a pair of teeth and a pair of bushing holes, the link plates being connected and fixed to one another by a pair of bushings, each said bushing being press-fit into bushing holes of all of said link plates of the link assembly, wherein each of the teeth of the inner link plates has a through-hole approximately in its center.
According to the invention, the deformation of the inside of a press-fit bushing can be made more uniform compared to the deformation in the case of conventional inner link plate lacking the through-holes. Accordingly, deviation from roundness in the inside of the bushing can be prevented.
Further, the through-holes reduce the weight of the inner link plates, and as a result, a weight reduction of the a reduction in the overall weight of the silent chain can be realized. Because of this weight reduction, when the silent chain meshes with the sprocket teeth the shock energy due to the collision between the tooth faces of the inner link plates and sprocket is reduced, so that the occurrence of high-amplitude meshing noises can be prevented, and wear of the tooth faces can be suppressed.
In the silent chain according to the invention, each tooth of the pair of teeth of an inner link plate is adjacent a bushing hole and includes an outside surface portion and an inside surface portion. The inner link plate is preferably formed so that the shortest distance between the bushing hole and the through-hole, the shortest distance between the bushing hole and the outside surface portion, and the shortest distance between the bushing hole and the inside surface portion, are substantially equal, and the respective shortest distances are equal to, or greater than, the plate thickness of the inner link plate. When the above-mentioned relationships between the shortest distances and the plate thickness are satisfied, deformation of the inner link plate during press-punching can be prevented. Moreover, reduction in vertical accuracy of the bushing hole with respect to the inner link plate, thus the reduction in vertical accuracy of the press-fit bushing therewith can be prevented. Further, in the press-fit bushings, deformation of the inner peripheries of the bushings becomes nearly uniform, so that deviations from roundness of the inner peripheries of the bushings can be prevented. As a result, since biased contact between the connecting pins and the inner peripheries of the bushings can be prevented, and at the same time interfacial pressure between the connecting pins and the inner peripheries of the bushings becomes uniform, wear of the connecting pins and bushings, and wear elongation of the chain, can be suppressed.


The present invention relates to a bio-silica chip comprising a silica-binding protein and a fabrication method thereof, and more particularly to a bio-silica chip in which a fusion protein of a silica-binding protein and a probe protein is immobilized on a chip comprising a silica layer, a fabrication method thereof and a method of using the bio-silica chip to detect interactions with biomaterials. The bio-silica chip will be very useful in biosensors, etc., because the bio-silica chip is advantageous in that it does not cause non-specific protein binding in the detection of protein-DNA, protein-ligand, protein-antibody, protein-peptide, protein-carbohydrate, protein-protein and cell-biomaterial interactions. Also, in the method for fabricating the bio-silica chip, a probe chip can be selectively immobilized on a silica device chip, which is widely used in biosensors, without a chemical surface treatment process. Thus, a chip fabricating process is simplified and a complicated process for purifying the probe protein becomes unnecessary, thus providing great improvements in productivity and economic efficiency.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a bio-silica chip comprising a silica-binding protein and a fabrication method thereof, and more particularly to a bio-silica chip in which a fusion protein of a silica-binding protein and a probe protein is immobilized on a chip comprising a silica layer, a fabrication method thereof, and a method for detecting interactions between biomaterials using the bio-silica chip.
2. Background of the Related Art
Recently, the functions of 10,000 genes among 100,000 predicted human genes were identified by the human genome project, and most of such genes are known to have direct connections to diseases. Also, because most diseases occur at the protein level rather than at the gene level, more than 95% of drugs, which have been developed to date or are being developed, target proteins. Thus, a protein sensor chip is a core technology in researches to find out the functions of biomolecules interacting specifically with a certain protein and to develop a method for treating and preventing diseases which was impossible to treat using classic methods, on the basis of the data obtained from protein function analysis and network analysis. Also, the protein sensor chip can selectively analyze small amounts of materials and can perform real-time measurement of the materials, and thus is widely used not only for the research of basic science, but also for the measurement of pollutants and the diagnosis of drugs or viruses.
A typical chip among biosensors including protein sensor chips is silica chips. In technologies on the analysis of protein-protein, DNA-RNA or carbohydrate-protein interactions using silica chips, which have been performed to date, a probe protein is immobilized on an affinity tag (Ni-NTA, Streptavidin, GST, etc.) or a silica chip surface after chemically modifying the silica chip surface with, for example, amine, ligand thiol or aldehyde, or by forming a self-assembly monolayer of a ligand having functional groups attached thereto. Alternatively, a probe protein is site-specifically immobilized using a technology of forming a uniform and stable monolayer of a biomolecule to control the orientation of the biomolecule at the molecular level. Using the immobilized probe protein, protein-protein interactions are analyzed using surface plasmon resonance (SPR) or the like (Hentz et al., Anal. Chem., 68:3939, 1996; Kukar et al, Anal. Biochem., 306:50, 2002; Hall D., Anal Biochem., 288:109, 2001; Canziani, G. et al, Methods, 19:253, 1999; Brockman, J. M. et al, JACS, 121:8044, 1999; Nelson, B. P. et al, Anal Chem., 73:1, 2001; Jordan, C. E. et al, Anal Chem., 69:4939, 1997; Goodrich, T. T. et al, JACS, 126:4086, 2004).
However, although various biosensor technologies using silica chips as described above were developed, the technology for treating the surface of silica chips has great disadvantages in which a method for chemically treating the chip surface is complicated, and non-specific protein binding occurs. Also, it is difficult for this technology to be practically used, because proteins have weak binding ability and can be influenced by many chemical substances, thus causing many limitations in detecting protein-protein interactions. Furthermore, because high purity is required to immobilize the protein on the silica chip, a complicated purification process must be included, thus reducing economic efficiency Accordingly, there has been a need to develop a novel chip overcoming such shortcomings.
Moreover, the development of technology capable of selectively and stably immobilizing biomaterials on biosensor chips is required for the development of biosensors. Conventional methods for immobilizing biomaterials on biosensor chips are broadly classified into the following four methods: a method of physically or chemically adsorbing biomaterials onto the surface of the sensor chip, a method of covalently bonding biomaterials to the senor chip surface, a method of capturing biomaterials onto membranes, matrices, polymers, etc., and a method of immobilizing biomaterials on the sensor chip surface by inducing crosslinking between the biomaterials. Thus, there has been a need to develop a novel immobilization method different from such methods, which can selectively and stably immobilize biomaterials to the sensor chip surface.
Meanwhile, since it was known that, among silica-binding proteins (SBPs), a silica-binding protein consisting of 12 amino acids binds selectively to the surface of silica (Brown, S., Nature Biotechnol., 15:269, 1997; Naik, R. R. et al., J. Nanosci. Nanotechnol., 2:1, 2002), studies on SBP have been conducted. However, the exact mechanism by which on how SBP recognizes and binds to the silica surface is not yet found. It is predicted that the hydrophobic portion of the silica surface has a specific interaction with the hydrophobic region of the SBP sequence on the basis of molecular recognition (Braun, R., et al, J. Biomater. Sci., 13:747, 2002).
Accordingly, the present inventors have made many efforts to provide a novel bio-silica chip overcoming the problems of the conventional silica chips, which can specifically and stably immobilize a probe protein, and is economical. As a result, the present inventors have isolated a novel silica-binding protein and found that a fusion protein of the isolated silica-binding protein and a probe protein is position-specifically immobilized on a silica chip, and the immobilized fusion protein can bind specifically to a target, thus making it possible to efficiently analyze the interaction, thereby completing the present invention.

Bio-silica chip comprising silica binding protein and method for fabricating the same

Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology


A sustained release capsule or tablet formulation suitable for once-daily administration comprises an adsorbate of a mixture of a pharmaceutically useful dihydropyridine and a polyvinylpyrrolidone having an average-molecular weight greater than 55,000 adsorbed on a cross-linked polyvinylpyrrolidone and blended with a polymer or mixture of polymers which gel in the presence of water, the amount of said polymer or polymers being effective to produce the desired sustained release effect.

This invention relates to a method for the manufacture of adsorbates for use in drug delivery systems and to the adsorbates and drug formulations thereby obtained.
It is frequently desirable to delay the release of an active substance from a pharmaceutical formulation in vivo. For example, it may be desirable to delay release of the active substance within the body so that the active substance is released at a particular target site. Various coated tablets are available which are resistant to gastric juices but which are readily soluble in the higher pH environment of the small intestine. Various controlled absorption pharmaceutical formulations are also available which have a particular dissolution pattern, resulting in a controlled absorption of the active substance and, therefore, more effective medication.
The use of many active substances in therapy is complicated by solubility problems and this is especially the case with the dihydropyridine group of drugs. Drugs of the latter type such as nifedipine are very poorly soluble in aqueous media and, whilst co-precipitates thereof with certain polymers are known to improve solubility, said co-precipitates normally require a polymer to active drug ratio exceeding 3:1 in order to be effective in producing products characterised by high bioavailability with prompt peak blood levels.
Pharmaceutical formulations based on an adsorbate of a drug within a cross-linked polymer, such as cross-povidone, are also known. Furthermore, solid, rapidly absorbable medicament formulations comprising a dihydropyridine, polyvinylpyrrolidone with an average molecular weight of 15,000 to 50,000 and cross-linked insoluble polyvinylpyrrolidone are known from EP-A-0 167 09. Such formulations are rapidly absorbable and as such must be administered three or four times daily to achieve effective therapeutic levels of the active ingredient.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a sustained release capsule or tablet formulation for once daily administration wherein the bioavailability of an otherwise poorly bioavailable active substance is enhanced and effective controlled release formulations thereof can be produced.

Sustained release capsule or tablet formulation comprising a pharmaceutically acceptable dihydropyridine


Disclosed is a method for fabricating a transistor of a semiconductor device, the method comprising the steps of: providing a semiconductor; forming a gate electrode; performing a low-density ion implantation process with respect to the substrate, thereby forming an LDD ion implantation layer; forming an insulation spacer on a sidewall of the gate electrode; forming a diffusion barrier; performing a high-density ion implantation process with respect to the substrate, thereby forming a source/drain; performing a first thermal treatment process with respect to a resultant structure, so as to activate impurities in the source/drain, and simultaneously causing a diffusion velocity of the impurities in the source/drain to be reduced by the diffusion barrier; and forming a salicide layer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for fabricating a semiconductor device, and more particularly to a method for fabricating a transistor of a semiconductor device, which can improve a short channel effect by reducing a diffusion velocity of boron ions in a PMOS device.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Recently, multimedia systems capable of simultaneously representing image, voice, character, etc., have been required to be fabricated with a compact size and a light weight, while being equipped with various kinds of complicated and advanced functions. In order to satisfy this demand, one-chip technology, which integrates semiconductor circuits having mutually different functions on the same chip so as to form one system, has been studied and developed.
In a semiconductor circuit integrated on one chip, a plurality of circuits having different functions and operating at different voltages from each other have to be formed on the same semiconductor substrate, while maintaining the respective original functions. That is, the construction of transistors having different driving voltages from each other are required to be provided on the same semiconductor substrate. To this end, it is necessary to control threshold voltages of devices such that the devices have different values from each other.
In a case of a predetermined article requiring different operational voltages between an input/output terminal portion and a core portion, in which a logic is actually carried out, such a demand has been satisfied by a dual gate oxide layer forming process. An object of the present invention is to simplify the above-mentioned processes as a single process while reducing a fabricating cost.
According to the prior art, in fabricating a device which requires different operational voltages from each other in one chip, a dual gate oxide process is employed so as to form gate oxide layers having different thicknesses. That is, according to the prior art, after an initial oxidation process is performed with respect to a semiconductor substrate, one side portion of an oxide layer is removed, and simultaneously the thickness of the oxide layer remaining on the other side portion is lowered. After this, a re-oxidation process is performed to grow an oxide layer on both of the portions, thereby forming oxide layers having different thicknesses from each other in one chip.
FIGS. 1A to 1E are sectional views for explaining the conventional method of fabricating a transistor of a semiconductor device, with a PMOS FET as an example.
According to the conventional method of fabricating a transistor of a semiconductor device, as shown in FIG. 1A, first, a semiconductor substrate 1 is provided in which the semiconductor substrate 1 has been divided into an active region (not shown) of a device and an isolation region (not shown). Subsequently, a shallow trench isolation (STI) process well-known in the art is performed to form a trench 2 and an isolation layer 3 for filling the trench 2 in sequence.
Next, as shown in FIG. 1B, ions are implanted into the active region of the substrate including the isolation layer 3 according to channel types of transistors, thereby forming a well 4.
Then, as shown in FIG. 1C, a silicon oxide layer and a poly-crystal silicon layer are sequentially deposited on the substrate including the well 4, and then are selectively etched, thereby forming a gate oxide layer 5 and a gate electrode 6, respectively.
After this, a low-density ion implantation process is performed with respect to the substrate using the gate electrode 6 as a mask, thereby forming an LDD (Lightly Doped Drain) ion implantation layer 7 for forming a source/drain at both side portions of the gate electrode 6.
Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 1D, a first insulation spacer 9 and a second insulation spacer 10 are formed on sidewalls of the gate electrode 6. Herein, the first insulation spacer 9 is formed with an LP-TEOS (Low Pressure Tetra Ethyl Ortho Silicate) layer to serve as a buffer layer, and the second insulation spacer 10 is formed with a silicon nitride layer.
Next, a high-density ion implantation process is performed with respect to the substrate, using the gate electrode 6 including the first and second insulation spacers 9 and 10 as a mask, thereby forming a high-density ion implantation layer 11, which is the source/drain, at a side portion of the second insulation spacer 10. Then, a rapid thermal treatment process (not shown) is performed at a temperature of 950° C. or more, thereby activating implanted impurities. Ions used for the ion implantation process for forming the high-density ion implantation layer 11 may include boron.
After this, as shown in FIG. 1E, in order to reduce a contract resistance, a salicide layer 12 is formed on upper surfaces of the gate electrode 6 and the high-density ion implantation layer 11, which is the source/drain, thereby fabricating a transistor. Herein, according to a process for forming the salicide layer 12, cobalt is deposited as metal material on an entire upper surface of the substrate, a thermal treatment process is performed, and then, unreacted metal material is removed.
However, according to the prior art, as the size of semiconductor devices becomes reduced, if boron is implanted into the source/drain as a source in a case of a PMOSFET, diffusion velocity of ions is so fast that local doping may not be achieved and a junction depth of the source/drain may be increased. In addition, boron is diffused towards a channel, thereby causing a short channel effect, lowering a threshold voltage when the device is driven. Thus, the prior art has a problem in that the performance of the device is deteriorated.

Method for fabricating transistor of semiconductor device


A flash memory device comprises a memory cell array, an input buffer unit, an output driver unit, a first page buffer unit, a second page buffer unit, a first data I/O unit, and a second data I/O unit. The memory cell array includes two or more memory banks. During a data input or output operation of the flash memory device, the first data I/O unit and the second data I/O unit alternately operate with a predetermined time interval therebetween, and transmit input data to first and second page buffer units or output read data from first and second page buffer units to an external device.

The present invention relates generally to semiconductor memory devices, and more particularly, to a flash memory device and a data I/O operation method thereof.
A flash memory device executes a program operation, a read operation, and an erase operation. The program operation and the read operation of the flash memory device are executed on a page basis.
In more detail, during the program operation of the flash memory device, externally input data are input and stored in page buffers, respectively, through a data input circuit. Thereafter, the data stored in the page buffers are programmed into memory cells included in a selected page of a memory cell array. Furthermore, during the read operation of the flash memory device, output data respectively read from the memory cells included in the selected page are stored in the page buffers, respectively, and are then output to an external device through a data output circuit.
Meanwhile, as semiconductor fabrication technology advances, semiconductor devices operating at higher speeds have been developed. As a result, there is a tendency that the operating speed of flash memory devices applied to semiconductor devices operating at high speeds has also gradually increased. Since the program or read operation process of the flash memory device includes the data input or output process, they require a relatively long time compared with its erase operation process. Therefore, in order to improve the operating performance of the flash memory device (i.e., to increase the operating speed), it is important to reduce a time taken in the data input or output process of the flash memory device.

Flash memory device and data I/O operation method thereof


A paint discharge rate control system includes a paint flow regulator provided in a paint supply line connecting a color changing valve group to a painting nozzle, a paint mass flow meter for measuring the mass flow rate of paint, provided in the paint supply line, and a control for controlling the paint flow regulator on the basis of a paint mass flow rate measured by the paint mass flow meter to control paint discharge rate. The control converts a measured paint mass flow rate measured by the paint mass flow meter into a volumetric flow rate, and controls the paint flow regulator during a push-out operation, in which the valves of the color hanging valve group are closed and a valve for supplying a washing liquid is opened, so that the paint remaining in the paint supply line is pushed out by the washing liquid at a paint discharge rate at which the paint is discharged during the main step of painting. The paint discharge rate control system is capable of controlling a painting machine so that paint is discharged always at an optimum paint discharge rate without requiring the setting of the density of a fluid, namely, paint or a washing liquid, that flows through the mass flow meter. Thus, the accuracy of controlling paint mass flow rate during the pushing out of the paint remaining in the paint supply line is improved, so that the paint remaining in the paint supply line is exhausted effectively to form a paint film having a uniform, appropriate thickness.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to improvements in a paint discharge rate control system.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Recently, an automatic painting machine, in general, has been employed to paint automobile bodies and the like. Typical automatic painting machines are disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-open (Kokai) Nos. 60-61076 and 60-61077.
A known automatic painting machine is shown in FIG. 1 by way of example. This known automatic painting machine comprises an automatic painting machine data processing unit 1, a microcomputer 2, a painting nozzle 3, a mass flow meter 4, a pneumatic regulator 9, an electropneumatic transducer 10, color change valves 14, regulators 15, paint supply tubes 16, a cleaning thinner supply tube 17, a cleaning air supply tube 18, a painting control valve 20, and a paint feed line 21. The discharge rate of the paint is controlled basically by the pneumatic regulator 9 and the electropneumatic transducer 10 on the basis of a discharge signal issued to the microcomputer 2 by the processing unit 1. However, since it is difficult to control the discharge rate accurately only on the basis of the discharge signal, a signal indicates of the mass flow rate detected by the mass flow meter 4, such as a Coriolis-type mass flow meter, is compared by the microcomputer with a predetermined mass flow rate stored beforehand in the microcomputer 2, and then the microcomputer 2 issues a signal representing a correction corresponding to the difference of the detected mass flow rate from the predetermined mass flow rate to the electropneumatic transducer 10 to correct the mass flow rate.
This conventional automatic painting machine thus constituted has the following problems. Since the automatic painting machine has only a single paint feed tube, namely, the paint feed tube 21, paint remaining in the paint feed tube 21 must be blown out through the painting nozzle 3 by opening the air valve 14P and the thinner valve 140 after closing the color change valves 14A to 14N when changing a color paint being used for another. Such an operation for blowing out a color paint is designated as a "push-out operation". However, an enormous amount of paint is wasted in a year by the push-out operation, which has become a significant cost problem in recent years where expensive high-grade paints are used. To utilize the residual paint effectively, there is proposed a method in a push-out operation, in which the color change valve 14 for the color paint being used is closed near the end of the painting operation to use the color paint remaining in the paint feed tube for painting in the final stage of the painting operation.
This proposed method, however, causes the microcomputer 2 and the mass flow meter 4 to detect a false the flow of the paint, which disturbs the control of flow of the paint subject to the push-out operation. That is, when the thinner flows through the mass flow meter 4 during the progression of the push-out operation, the mass flow meter 4 detects the mass flow rate of the thinner and issues a detection signal representing the mass flow rate of the thinner, which is different from that of the paint. Then, the microcomputer makes a decision on the basis of the detected mass flow rate of the thinner, without correcting the detected mass flow rate of the thinner on the basis of the difference in density between the thinner and the paint, that the flow rate of the paint is excessively small, and then issues an erroneous correction signal based on the erroneous decision to the electropneumatic transducer 10. Consequently, the paint is sprayed from the painting nozzle 3 at an excessively high flow rate coating the automobile body with a paint film having an irregular thickness, and thus the quality of the paint coating is deteriorated.
The conventional paint discharge rate control system requires entering of the densities of individual paints into the microcomputer 2 because the density of paint is dependent on the color of paint, the ambient temperature and the ambient humidity. The microcomputer 2 calculates a set mass flow rate by multiplying the density of paint by a set flow rate. However, it is troublesome to change the stored value of the density of paint by color or season.


The present invention provides method for detecting the possible presence of surfaces layers of diagenetic origin by establishing divergence between well signatures such as logs, particularly for use in predominantly carbonate reservoirs.

Today's hydrocarbon production stems to a large part from two types of reservoirs. One type is predominantly composed of siliciclastic rocks or sediments. The other reservoirs are classified as carbonate reservoirs. As the latter reservoir type is at the focus of the present invention, it is worth noting that the interpretation of log data derived from well measurement and the accuracy of the interpretation differ significantly depending on the type of reservoir. These differences emerge as a result of the internal structure of the two classes of deposits.
Siliciclastic sediments, such as sandstones and shale, develop through the attrition of other rocks. Their grains are sorted prior to deposition. Sandstones and shale are formed of sedimentary particles derived from sources outside the depositional basin. Siliciclastic sediments are relatively stable after deposition. As a result, the pore space in sandstones is mainly intergranular and its complexity depends on the degree of sorting.
In contrast, carbonates form in special environments and are biochemical in nature. They are essentially autochthonous, as they form very close to the final depositional sites. They are not transported and sorted in the same way as sandstones. Carbonates are usually deposited very close to their source and develop as a result of various processes. Their texture is more dependent on the nature of the skeletal grains than on external influences. Intrabasinal factors control facies development. Reefs, bioherms, and biostroms are examples of in-place local deposition where organisms have built wave-resistant structures above the level of adjacent time-equivalent sediments.
Carbonates are characterized by different types of porosity and have unimodal, bimodal, and other complex pore structure distributions. These distributions result in wide permeability variations for the same total porosity, making it difficult to predict for example the production efficiency for hydrocarbon. Carbonate rock texture produces spatial variations in permeability and capillary bound water volumes.
Carbonates are particularly sensitive to post-depositional diagenesis including dissolution, cementation, recrystallization, dolomitization, and replacement by other minerals. Calcite can be readily dolomitized, sometimes increasing porosity. Complete leaching of grains by meteoric pore fluids can lead to textural inversion which may enhance reservoir quality through dissolution or occlude reservoir quality through cementation. Burial compaction fracturing and stylolithification are common diagenetic effects in carbonates, creating high-permeability zones and permeability barriers or baffles, respectively. Diagenesis can cause dramatic changes in carbonate pore size and shape. On a large scale, porosity due to fracturing or dissolution of carbonate rocks can produce "pores" up to the size of caverns.
All carbonate sediments are composed of three textural elements which are defined as grains, matrix, and cement, respectively. In general, geologists have attempted to classify sedimentary rocks on a natural basis, but some schemes have genetic implications, i.e., knowledge or origin of a particular rock type is assumed.
The relative proportions of the components, among others, can be used to classify carbonate sediments. A widely used classification scheme is proposed by Dunham (see Dunham, "Classification of carbonate rocks according to depositional texture", in Classification of carbonate rocks—A Symposium, Ham, ed., volume 1, pages 108-121. AAPG Mem., 1962.) In Dunham, carbonates are classified based on the presence or absence of lime mud and grain support. Textures range from grainstone, rudstone, and packstone (grain-supported) to wackestone and mudstone (mud-supported). Where depositional texture is not recognizable, carbonates are classified as boundstone or crystalline. Within these carbonates, the porosity takes many forms, depending on the inherent fabric of the rock, and on the types of processes that can occur during and after deposition.
Another classification system, by Lucia (see Lucia, Petrophysical parameters estimated from visual description of carbonate rocks: a field classification of pore space. Journal of Petroleum Technology, 35:626-637, March 1983) is based on petrographical attributes and porosity. Dolomites are included in this classification scheme.
Pore type characterization is used in a classification scheme of Choquette and Pray (see P. W. Choquette and L. C. Pray. Geologic nomenclature and classification of porosity in sedimentary carbonates. PAPG Bull., 54:207-250, 1970). Choquette and Pray, in contrast to Dunham, classify carbonates according to fabric and nonfabric pore types. Examples of the former are inter- and intraparticle porosity, while those of the latter are fractures and vugs. Other classification schemes differentiate between primary and secondary pore spaces using the description based on classification according to Choquette and Pray.
Methods are known in which some of the petrographical information obtained using these classifications is used to improve the petrophysical evaluation of the geological formations.
Interpretation of well logs for use in subsurface geology is long-established and remains fundamental to the construction of accurate reservoir models. Well logs are used to detect the range and characteristics of rock types that exist within a reservoir, and seismic data together with geological knowledge are used to propagate this information into inter-well space. Well log data is also used to aid the development of depositional and sequence stratigraphic models, as well as to assess the distribution of petrophysical properties within a reservoir.
For example in SPE 26498, presented at the 68th SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition , Houston, Tex., USA in Oct. 3-6, 1993, a method is presented that uses density, neutron porosity, sonic travel time, gamma ray and water saturation as input to a processing step. The processing uses correlation techniques to classify carbonates in the absence of core data.
Well log data is also used to aid the development of depositional and sequence stratigraphic models, as well as to assess the distribution of petrophysical properties within a reservoir.
Many of these techniques require accurate identification of both depositional facies and diagenetic overprints, and the placing of these within a stratigraphic model that offers a degree of predictability in regions of the reservoir with little or sparse data. This exercise necessarily requires the initial erection of valid criteria for well-to-well correlation, based on either lithostratigraphy (correlation based on depositional lithology) that will yield a simple stratigraphic model, or chronostratigraphy (correlation based on division of the stratigraphy into units of time bounded by coeval timelines). In turn, these improvement will result in a more sophisticated sequence stratigraphic model. The formulation of such models is vital in that they provide a framework for predictions of the hydrocarbon distribution, volume in-place, the geometry and continuity of flow units within the model, and the formulation of recovery strategies.
In a reservoir assessment, it is common to include data from more than one well. Most cross-well correlation methods utilize gamma, density, porosity, and resistivity logs. In carbonate fields, current correlation techniques often rely heavily upon gamma ray signatures, which are usually inferred to mark clay-rich horizons. In carbonate successions, these are often, but not exclusively, found either at the base of depositional sequences or near maximum flooding surfaces. Density logs mark changes in porosity and so can detect, for example, alternations of zones of reservoir quality and denser zones in stacked successions.
There exists a desire to improve the interpretation of well data, particularly for carbonate-type reservoirs.