A wireless network includes a base station which can serve terminals directly, or via multi-hop transmission paths via relay stations. The base station transmits a downlink sub-frame which includes a first set of frame control information and a second set of frame control information. The second set of frame control information occupies a different position within the downlink sub-frame compared to the first set of frame control information. A relay station is able to transmit a downlink sub-frame to a terminal, or another relay station, while still being able to receive a set of frame control at a different time during the downlink sub-frame. The invention is especially useful in a wireless network in which the downlink transmissions of a base station and a relay station are synchronized to one another and where the downlink transmissions of a base station and relay station occupy the same, or similar, frequency bearer.

There have been various proposals to create wireless networks to provide Broadband Wireless Access (BWA). These networks can offer an alternative to conventional wired networks which are based on cable or Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) technologies, and can also be used to provide broadband access to areas where wired networks do not exist. Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX), set out in IEEE 802.16-2004, specifies a Wireless MAN Air Interface for 'fixed' wireless metropolitan area networks, i.e. networks with static terminals.
A development of IEEE 802.16 is IEEE 802.16e (Mobile WiMAX, now adopted as IEEE 802.16-2005) which provides a common wide area broadband radio access technology for broadband networks which may include static and mobile terminals. The Mobile WiMAX Air Interface uses Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) for improved multi-path performance in non-line-of-sight environments. An overview can be found in the white paper document "Mobile WiMAX—Part I: A Technical Overview and Performance Evaluation", Feb. 21, 2006, prepared on behalf of the WiMAX Forum and available at http://wimaxforum.org.
It has been realised that situations arise where terminals cannot be adequately served by a direct path to a base station. Therefore, a further developement of IEEE 802.16 is to support multiple-hop paths between a base station and a fixed or mobile terminal. This is known as IEEE 802.16j, or Mobile Multihop Relay (MMR). FIG. 1 shows an example of a wireless network 10 which uses multi-hop transmission paths. A base station BS serves terminals MS1, MS2, MS3. Terminal MS1 is served directly by the base station BS via a single hop transmission path 2. Terminal MS2 is served by a two-hop transmission path 3, 4 via a relay station RS1. Terminal MS3 is served by a three-hop transmission path 5, 6, 7 via relay stations RS2 and RS3. A multi-hop transmission path may be needed when a single hop transmission path does not offer a sufficient quality. This can be due, for example, to a significant physical obstruction in the line-of-sight path between a base station BS and a terminal, such as the hill 8 shown between base station BS and terminal MS2. Relay stations can also be positioned at the edge of the normal coverage area of a base station to extend the coverage area of the base station. Base stations BS are interconnected via wired, or wireless, backhaul links 11 to a core network 12, which interconnects with other networks 14, such as data networks, the Internet or the PSTN.
FIG. 2 shows the structure of an overall time-division duplex (TDD) frame defined by IEEE 802.16e (IEEE 802.16-2005). Base stations within the system alternately transmit to terminals on a downlink and receive from terminals on an uplink. Each frame is divided into a downlink part (DL) and an uplink part (UL). Time is shown along the horizontal axis and frequency is shown along the vertical axis. IEEE 802.16e uses an OFDM modulation scheme, with a set (e.g. 1024) of OFDM sub-carriers. Consequently, the horizontal time axis corresponds to OFDM symbols and the vertical frequency axis corresponds to OFDM sub-carriers. As the system serves multiple terminals, this scheme is a form of Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA). The downlink part begins with a 'preamble set' 31. This comprises a preamble, a Frame Control Head (FCH), a downlink map (DL-MAP) and an uplink map (UL-MAP). The preamble is used for synchronisation, and is the first OFDM symbol of the frame, extending across all OFDM sub-channels. The Frame Control Head (FCH) follows the preamble and provides the frame configuration information such as MAP message length and coding scheme and usable sub-channels. The DL-MAP carries control information for the DL section of the frame and carries information which allocates bursts within the DL part of the frame to individual stations. The UL-MAP carries information which allocates bursts within the UL part of the frame to individual stations and therefore defines when terminals can transmit.
There are restrictions on how the existing IEEE 802.16-2005 standard may be adapted to support relay stations. To ensure backwards compatibility with existing terminals, a relay station should appear to a terminal in the same manner as any other base station. This dictates that the relay station must also transmit a preamble set at the beginning of a downlink sub-frame, in the same manner as a base station. FIG. 3 shows a downlink sub-frame transmitted by a base station BS and a downlink sub-frame transmitted by a relay station RS, with both downlink sub-frames having a preamble set at the beginning of the frame. The transmissions of the base station BS and relay station RS must be synchronized. However, the relay station RS also needs to receive the preamble set 31 transmitted by the base station as this carries synchronisation information and information about which bursts within the frame are intended for the relay station. The scheme shown in FIG. 3 would require a relay station RS to receive preamble set 31 from the base station at the same time as transmitting a preamble set to terminals MS. This will increase the complexity of equipment at a relay station as it requires a relay station to have receiver equipment which can operate at the same time as the relay station is transmitting data. It also requires a high-level of isolation between the receive path and transmit path which may be difficult, or impossible, to achieve in many relay station installations.
One proposal made under the Wireless World Initiative New Radio (WINNER) project is to separate relay station and base station transmissions in the frequency domain, with each transmission using a separate block of OFDM sub-carriers. However, this can be wasteful of resources and also requires a high-level of isolation between transmit and receive paths which may be difficult to achieve.

Frame structure for a multi-hop wireless system


An information processing apparatus installs a first control program corresponding to a first peripheral device and a second control program for controlling a second peripheral device, the first and second control programs including a common module. The information processing apparatus has deciding means for deciding identification information of the common module so that the identification information of the common module which operates as a part of the first control program and the identification information of the common module which operates as a part of the second control program are made different.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to peripheral devices, an information processing apparatus in which a control program for controlling the peripheral devices has been installed, and a method and a control program for controlling those devices and apparatus.
2. Related Background Art
A program group called an installation set is necessary for installing a device driver (hereinafter, referred to as a driver) as a control program for controlling peripheral devices. The driver as an installation target, an installer as a control program for installing the driver, and the like are included in the installation set. The drivers ordinarily differ in dependence on a type or a version. As an installation set, there are two types of formats: a format in which a plurality of corresponding model types are incorporated in one installation set; and a format in which the installation set is formed every corresponding model type. Specifically speaking, in the case of the former format, when installation start is instructed to an installing program called an installer, a plurality of model types are listed as installation targets and one of them can be selected. In the case of the latter format, only one model type is selected as an installation target upon installation and the driver can be installed in response to an instruction of the user. However, if the drivers of a plurality of corresponding model types are incorporated into one installation set in the former format, the following inconvenience is caused. For example, if a driver named BBB which corresponds to a version 2.00 is installed into a personal computer in which a driver named AAA whose version is 1.00 has been installed, a problem such that the version of the driver corresponding to AAA is also automatically upgraded to v2.00 occurs. The problem as mentioned above occurs particularly in the case where AAA and BBB include the same driver module group.
Although the above method is very advantageous to the user who always wants to upgrade the version of a printer driver installed in the computer to the latest, it means the version of the printer driver is arbitrarily upgraded without the user's recognition or consent.
However, the foregoing method is disadvantageous to the recent users who spend a long time to test the operation of the printer drivers to confirm it upon installation of a system and use only the drivers whose operation has been confirmed in a user environment. For example, in a large office which uses a print application or the like which depends largely on the printer driver in combination with the printer driver, severely strict management of the versions of the drivers is required and there is a strong demand to upgrade the version of only the driver designated by the user. There is also a strong demand to selectively and properly upgrade the version of the driver as a target of the version-up. This is true of management of the device drivers of the peripheral devices other than a printer.
For example, if the module sets constructing the printer drivers are the same in the above case, there is a case where the module of AAA is overwritten accompanied with the new installation of the new printer driver BBB. There is also a disadvantage such that the system has to be re-activated after the installation due to the overwriting process.

Installation of device software and formulation of unique identification information based on time information


Medical devices and related patient management systems and methods are provided. A method of presenting information pertaining to operation of a medical device involves obtaining historical glucose measurement data for a patient from a database, identifying, based on the historical glucose measurement data, a first set of event patterns within respective ones of a plurality of monitoring periods, obtaining an adjusted set of glucose measurement data determined based on the historical glucose measurement data and an uncertainty metric associated with the historical glucose measurement data, identifying, based on the adjusted set of glucose measurement data, one or more event patterns within respective ones of the plurality of monitoring periods, and generating a graphical user interface display comprising an event detection region based at least in part on the first plurality and the one or more sets of event patterns.

Infusion pump devices and systems are relatively well known in the medical arts, for use in delivering or dispensing an agent, such as insulin or another prescribed medication, to a patient. A typical infusion pump includes a pump drive system which typically includes a small motor and drive train components that convert rotational motor motion to a translational displacement of a plunger (or stopper) in a reservoir that delivers medication from the reservoir to the body of a user via a fluid path created between the reservoir and the body of a user. Use of infusion pump therapy has been increasing, especially for delivering insulin for diabetics.
Control schemes have been developed that allow insulin infusion pumps to monitor and regulate a user's blood glucose level in a substantially continuous and autonomous manner. However, regulating blood glucose level is still complicated by variations in the response time for the type of insulin being used along with variations in a user's individual insulin response and daily activities (e.g., exercise, carbohydrate consumption, bolus administration, and the like). Additionally, manually-initiated deliveries of insulin prior to or contemporaneously with consuming a meal (e.g., a meal bolus or correction bolus) also influence the overall glucose regulation, along with various patient-specific ratios, factors, or other control parameters.
Physicians have recognized that continuous monitoring provides a greater understanding of a diabetic's condition. That said, there is also a burden imposed on physicians and other healthcare providers to adapt to continuous monitoring and incorporate the amount of data obtained therefrom in a manner that allows for a physician to meaningfully assist and improve patient outcomes. While automated reports can be generated based on the data, they can be difficult to parse or appear overwhelming to physicians, which given the limited time available to physicians, may discourage adoption and incorporation of continuous monitoring as part of their practice. Accordingly, there is a need to generate and provide information in a usable form that can be quickly and intuitively interpreted and applied.

Medical devices and related event pattern presentation methods


An improved technique for forming silicon-on insulator films for use in integrated circuits. The technique provides an improved encapsulation layer to enable in a reproducible way the zone melt recrystallization of such films. The encapsulation layer consists of a first layer of a doped SiO.sub.2 (silicate glass) on which a further layer of Si.sub.3 N.sub.4 is deposited. The doped SiO.sub.2 forms a fusible glassy material which is rendered semi-liquid and flows at the temperatures used in recrystallization. The softening of the encapsulation material accommodates volume expansion and eliminates the biaxial stresses in the layered structure. The Si.sub.3 N.sub.4 layer adds mechanical strength to the SiO.sub.2 layer and improves the wetting angle.

The present invention is directed to improved techniques for forming silicon-on-insulator (SOI) films for use in integrated circuits, particularly in providing an improved encapsulation layer for zone-melt recrystallization of SOI films.
The technology for manufacturing SOI devices has recently undergone significant changes. These changes have occurred since the development of three dimensional integrated circuits. However, certain problems have arisen in obtaining a yield good enough for workable SOI devices particularly where the poly-silicon or amorphous silicon (.alpha.-Si) layer is transformed into a single crystal layer by the zone melting recrystallization process.
In carrying out zone melting recrystallization, the prior art has encountered various problems by virtue of stresses occurring from the anomalous 9 % volume expansion during phase changes of the silicon, as well as the large biaxial tensile stresses at the silicon-silicon dioxide interfaces. These biaxial tensile stresses are created by the differential thermal expansion and contraction of the various layers of material in a typical SOI structure (e.g. Si and SiO.sub.2).
Work has been reported by Geis et al, J. Electrochem. Soc., Vol. l29, pages 2812-2818 (Dec. l982) directed to zone melting recrystallization of silicon films using movable strip heater ovens in which an encapsulation of SiO.sub.2 -Si.sub.3 N.sub.4 was attempted. This encapsulation layer was not successful inasmuch as such effects as film agglomeration, film delamination, void formation, and film thickness variation due to mass transport occurred too frequently for practical applications because of the difficulties in controlling sputtering for Si.sub.3 N.sub.4 deposition.
A later effort by Sakurai, reported in J. Electrochem. Soc.: Solid-State Science and Technology Vol. 133, No. 7, pages 1485-1488 (July 1986) also was concerned with the use of capping layers and utilized the same silicon dioxide-silicon nitride layers of Geis. However, in attempting to demonstrate that no measurable impurity redistribution occurred in the substrate underneath the dielectric isolation layer during recrystallization of a 0.4 .mu.m poly-silicon film, Sakurai formed the layer of poly-silicon with a capping layer of phosphosilicate glass (PSG) and an underlying composite layer of silicon nitride/PSG/silicon nitride over an arsenic implanted silicon substrate in order to get higher thermal impedance and to protect the substrate. This experiment was designed to demonstrate 3-D integration feasibility. Sakurai's thin PSG layer by itself, does not hold up to the severe conditions of beam induced zone melting recrystallization of the underlying silicon film so that extensive film delamination and conglomeration can result.
The efforts of the prior art have been unable to prevent large biaxial tensile stresses and to circumvent the deleterious effects of the anomalous 9 % volume expansion of the silicon layer during recrystallization. Accordingly, practical and reproducible SOI devices with consistently high yield have not been formed by the prior art techniques.

Method of forming improved encapsulation layer


Embodiments of the invention provide a method, system and computer program product for carbon management for sourcing and logistics. In one embodiment, the method comprises using a computer for quantifying both a cost and a carbon impact of one or more logistics policies relating to a manufacturing process; and minimizing the cost and carbon impact using a defined equation including a first component representing a transportation cost, and a second component representing a carbon cost. In an embodiment of the invention, the quantifying includes using an analytics engine to quantify the cost and carbon impact. The analytics engine may include a shipment analysis module to calculate an optimal transportation policy, a sourcing analysis module for testing alternate sourcing options, a scenario analysis module to find an optimal order frequency, and a sensitivity analysis module to test the impact of various changes.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to carbon management, and more specifically, the invention relates to carbon management for sourcing and logistics.
2. Background Art
An accelerating rate of change in the amounts of trace gases in the earth's atmosphere has the potential to modify the earth's energy balance, which may result in a variety of consequences. These trace gases are often referred to as greenhouse gases and include carbon dioxide. Although there is disagreement concerning the potential threats or benefits of this change, there is widespread agreement in the global community that it is prudent to enact policies to attempt to slow down the rate of change. At the same time, research is underway to predict the consequences of increasing greenhouse gas concentrations and to develop the technology to economically limit those increases. All current protocols have established emission reduction targets that define 1990 as the base year and specify reductions as a fractional percentage of emission rates during that base year.
Energy and carbon emission management in logistics has become one of the top priorities in green practices. Typical logistics optimization only considers the direct monetary costs and other traditional performance measures such as customer service. Optimal logistics policies can be significantly different with the inclusion of broader environmental costs, and constraints.

Carbon management for sourcing and logistics

International Business Machines Corporation


The invention relates to an apparatus for printing stamps, which are cut from a strip (2) drawn from a roll (1). The apparatus has an adjustable printer and a common drive for the non-jerky advance of the strip and for operating a cutting mechanism. An eccentrically mounted, reciprocating clutch (17) is provided for the advance and engages with a strip-diving roller (56) operates the cutting mechanism and is connected to a movable blade (22) thereof. The pawl is eccentrically fixed to a rotary driven disk (18), which also carriers a cam (58) for controlling the lever. The printer has adjustable type wheels (24), which are rotatable by a common shaft (31) via friction clutches and for each type wheel there is an independently controllable pawl (33) for arresting the type wheel in a predetermined position.

The problem occurs in connection with such apparatuses, that the stepwise pulling forward of the strip must be performed as rapidly as possible and as a result jerky advance movements occur, which lead to sudden tensile stress changes in the strips. There is consequently a high risk of the strip tearing, particularly if it has sprocket holes.
Apparatuses for printing stamps generally have printers with adjustable type wheels. The type wheels are normally adjusted by ratchet or pawl drives, which rotate the type wheels stepwise until they have reached the desired position. However, this adjusting or setting process is time-consuming and requires a complicated setting mechanism.
In addition, these printers conventionally operate with an inking ribbon reversibly driven between two spools. The construction of the reversible drive and its switching over on reaching a ribbon end are relatively complicated.
The problem of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for printing stamps, in which the strips are moved in non-jerky manner despite faster advance movements, so that a risk of tearing is substantially prevented. In addition, the apparatus has a rapidly and reliable settable printer. Finally, the reversing mechanism of the inking ribbon drive is simply constructed and operates in a reliable manner.


The exposure apparatus of the present invention is an exposure apparatus that illuminates an original with light from a light source so as to project a pattern of the original onto a substrate via a projection optical system for exposure, the exposure apparatus comprising a first shutter that shields light passing through a clearance between the light source and the projection optical system, and a control device that controls the opening and closing of the first shutter. While replacing a first original with a second original after an exposure operation has been completed by using the first original, the control device controls the first shutter such that the temperature of the projection optical system approaches closer to the projection optical system's saturation temperature that has been previously obtained via the second original.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an exposure apparatus and a method of manufacturing a device using the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
The manufacture of a TFT substrate and a color filter substrate used for a liquid crystal display device, a substrate used for an organic EL device, or the like includes a step of forming a pattern on a glass substrate according to a photolithographic technique using an exposure apparatus. In recent years, the manufacturing technology for these display panels has progressed with respect to microminiaturization and enlargement. In association with this, large-scale exposure technology has been greatly improved. In particular, improvement in productivity is essential and high illumination intensity of exposure light and processing speed of substrates have dramatically improved.
Conventionally, an exposure apparatus has a light-shielding unit referred to as shutter that controls the shielding and projecting of exposure light emitted from a light source. The light-shielding unit controls carrying out exposure with luminous exposure suitable for element fabrication. The controlled exposure light then exposes a pattern image onto a substrate through a pattern drawn on an original (i.e., a photomask: hereinafter referred to simply as "mask") or a projection optical system. In addition, exposure processing performed by the exposure apparatus includes an exposure step of performing actual exposure of a substrate, a carry-in step of carrying the substrate into the exposure apparatus, a positioning step of positioning the substrate with respect to the mask, and a carry-out step of carrying the substrate out of the exposure apparatus. The light-shielding unit shields exposure light, and controls it so as not to be irradiated onto the projection optical system such that exposure is not performed in a step other than the exposure step.
The exposure apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-351850 is a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus provided with a light-shielding unit. By cooling the light-shielding unit that is subjected to irradiation of a large quantity of light, changes in illumination and non-uniform illumination for a short period of time, which are caused by shimmering of air, are obviated. However, in the exposure apparatus having a shutter provided at one place, the temperature in the projection optical system is increased by the energy of exposure light. Heat deformation of the projection optical system and heat distribution in the atmosphere occur due to this temperature increase, resulting in an undesirable change in resolution performance and distortion.
In light of the above, the exposure apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. H03-222405 includes two shutters across a projection optical system. By controlling the opening and closing of these two shutters, the temperature of a projection lens remains constant. However, as shown in FIG. 2 to be described below, the saturation temperature of the projection lens is not always uniform, but changes for each lot, i.e., for each exchange of a mask. It is believed that this is caused by the transmittance of the mask. Therefore, in the exposure method disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. H03-222405, a long wait time is required for the temperature of the projection lens to reach the saturation temperature for each exchange of the mask, resulting in longer wait time before the start of exposure.

Exposure apparatus, and method of manufacturing device using same


Provided are an ultrasonic probe and an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, which reduce parastic impedances which occurs in upper electrodes and lower electrodes, thereby reducing cross talk.

Ultrasonic diagnostic apparatuses perform imaging of diagnostic images based on the reflected echo signals outputted from an ultrasonic probe. An ultrasonic probe converts drive signals into ultrasonic waves, and transmits the ultrasonic waves to an object to be examined. A plurality of ultrasonic transducers are disposed in the ultrasonic probe for receiving the reflected echo signals produced from the object and converting them into electrical signals.
In recent years, ultrasonic probes by cMUT have been developed wherein ultrasonic transmission/reception sensitivity, i.e. electromechanical coupling coefficient varies depending on the volume of bias voltage to be applied being overlapped with the drive signals to be provided from an ultrasonic transmission/reception unit. A cMUT is capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducers manufactured by superconductor microfabrication process. A conventional technique for orthogonalizing an upper electrode and a lower electrode for the purpose of bias control is disclosed, for example, in Patent Document 1.
Patent Document 1: U.S. Pat. No. 6,605,043

Ultrasonic probe and ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus

Abstract: The ultrasonic probe comprises a cMUT chip (20) having a plurality of transducer elements, an acoustic lens (26) on the ultrasonic wave irradiation side of the cMUT chip (20), a backing layer (22) on the back of the cMUT chip (20), and wires connected with the cMUT chip (20).

Abstract: This cMUT chip (20) includes a plurality of upper electrodes (46) and a plurality of lower electrodes (48), and these lower electrodes (48) are connected at two or more portions with wires.


The present invention relates to an amine-based curing agent comprising at least 1% by weight of at least one tertiary amine and, optionally, primary and/or secondary amines. The tertiary amine is preferably an N-substituted piperidine tertiary amine and, more preferably, N-hydroxyethyl piperidine (NHEP). The present invention also relates to an epoxy resin composition formed using this amine-based curing agent and a method of making the epoxy resin composition. These tertiary amines enhance desirable properties of epoxy resin compositions without the negative impact on mechanical properties in the cured product normally seen with tertiary amine-based curing agents.

Amines are commonly used as epoxy curing agents for heat cured structural composite and adhesive applications. The class of amine used as a curing agent is vital to achieve the final performance of the cured product. Each of the amine classes (primary, secondary, or tertiary amine) is cured at a specific temperature in order to achieve full cure. The cure temperature dictates the final service temperature, which is indicated by its Tg. In general, epoxy resins are predominately cured with primary and secondary amines. Tertiary amines are generally used as co-curing agents or catalysts in combination with primary and secondary amines.
Tertiary amines are known to induce homopolymerization of epoxy during cure which results in lower mechanical properties due to embrittlement. Tertiary amines such as benzyl dimethylamine (BDMA), 2,4,6-Tris-(dimethylaminomethyl)phenol (Ancamine® K-54), and mon-dimethylaminomethyl phenol (A1110®) are not suitable for use as a major curing agent to cure epoxy, because they induce homopolymerization which results in lower mechanical properties due to embrittlement and high exotherm during cure.
Epoxy resin systems are used in the manufacturing of various structural parts, including composites and adhesives. Examples of articles that are being evaluated for manufacturing from epoxy resin systems include composite pipes, pressure vessels, automotive parts and windmill blades. Fabricating such parts includes a number of requirements for effective manufacturing especially when complex manufacturing processes are used. These processes include but are not limited to resin infusion, resin transfer molding, filament winding and large casting. One need in the art is for reduced exothermic heat release during the epoxy resin system cure of the article (composite) in thicker sections of the article, since in such sections, the exothermic heat released during cure cannot be easily conducted away from the article. If excessive temperatures are reached during the cure process, thermal degradation of the cured resin in the "hot spots" can occur with resultant mechanical property loss in the fabricated parts.
Additionally, during cure, the composite parts may undergo thermal shrinkage. Thermal shrinkage of a cured epoxy resin causes stresses to build up in a composite during cool down from the maximum temperature reached at or after gelation. The stresses sometimes lead to interlaminar cracking in the article, with resultant loss of mechanical properties. The higher the temperature reached during cure after the gel point, the greater the amount of stress that will accumulate in the article during cooling.
Standard epoxy systems for fabricating structural parts are cured with stoichiometric quantities of aliphatic amines, usually primary amines. The systems generally have high cure exothermic temperatures, with the center of a 100-gram mass of resin/curing agent mixture (contained within a three inch diameter cylinder) often reaching a peak temperature of 250° C. or higher when cured in a 70° C. oven. Alternatively, epoxy systems cured with anhydride-based curing agents may often have lower cure exothermic heat release than those cured with primary amines. However, anhydride-cured systems typically require higher mold temperatures than systems cured with primary aliphatic amines to reach an acceptable degree of cure and level of cured properties.
Other requirements in the art include the absence of highly volatile components in the system for elevated temperature cure. The emission of volatile compounds during processing creates unwanted environmental, health and safety considerations.
Systems for composite processing require an initial mixed viscosity low enough (and rate of viscosity increase at the impregnation temperature low enough) to enable the reinforcing fiber preform to be completely wet with resin before the resin system becomes too viscous for satisfactory flow through the fibers and fabric of the substrate. The requirement for low initial viscosity and long pot life becomes more stringent as the size of the composite part increases.
In light of the above, there is a need in the art for improved curing agents for producing epoxy resin systems which have reduced exothermic heat release combined with desired cured mechanical properties when compared to the prior art resin compositions. Such curing agents must be free of undesirable features such as volatile emissions.

N-hydroxyl ethyl piperidine (NHEP): a novel curing agent for epoxy systems


An image forming apparatus includes a toner container, a container attachment portion, and a control portion. The toner container has a coupling portion. The container attachment portion includes a coupled portion that includes a first key member. A second key member of the coupling portion is formed at position where it does not interfere with the first key member in attachment state. The second key member is made of insulator. The coupled portion includes a contact terminal in which a contact is opened by the second key member and becomes OFF state when the toner container is inserted to attachment position, and the contact is closed and becomes ON state when the toner container is removed from the attachment position. The control portion detects the toner container attached to the container attachment portion when the contact of the contact terminal changes from the ON state to the OFF state.

The present disclosure relates to an image forming apparatus that includes a container attachment portion for supporting, in an attachable/detachable manner, a toner container having an attachment compatibility therewith, and relates to a toner container that can be attached to an image forming apparatus.
A developing device is mounted in an image forming apparatus of an electrophotographic system. The developing device stores, in its inside, developer that includes toner. The image forming apparatus includes a container attachment portion to which a toner container is attached. When the toner container is attached to the container attachment portion, the toner can be supplied from the toner container to the developing device.
There is known a conventional image forming apparatus that includes a detection mechanism configured to detect a toner container disposed at a predetermined position on the container attachment portion. The detection mechanism of the image forming apparatus includes a movable member that slides only when a predetermined toner container is inserted, in conjunction with an insertion of the toner container. This makes it possible not only to detect the toner container, but also to discriminate the toner container that matches the container attachment portion.
Meanwhile, there is known an image forming apparatus having an incompatibility structure where only a toner container having attachment compatibility can be attached to the container attachment portion, so that inappropriate toner cannot be supplied to the container attachment portion. In this type of image forming apparatus, a main-body-side compatible key that corresponds to a toner container that can be attached to a container attachment portion, is provided on the container attachment portion. On the other hand, a container-side compatible key is provided on the toner container, wherein the container-side compatible key can be engaged with only the main-body-side compatible key of the container attachment portion that corresponds to the toner container, and cannot be engaged with other container attachment portions.

Image forming apparatus, toner container attachable to image forming apparatus


A radio base station apparatus according to the invention includes an information monitoring section 2, and transmitter sections 11, 12 to 1n. Each of the transmitter sections 11 to in includes a delay control section 3, a data control section 4, a delay adjustment section 5, and an RF section 6. The information monitoring section 2 monitors the operation status of the data control section of each of the transmitter sections 11 to 1n. The information monitoring section 2 controls the data control section 4 according to the operation status monitored. The data control section 4 generates a multiplexed signal of a spread delay adjustment signal and a spread main signal. The multiplexed signal goes through the delay adjustment section and RF section, and is outputted via an antenna element. At the same time, the delay control section 3 compares the signal obtained by multiplexing the delay adjustment signal in the data control section 4 with a transmitting signal detected from the RF section to thereby calculate a transmission delay time.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to mobile radio communications, and more particularly to a delay adjustment technique for a radio base station apparatus which communicates with mobile communication terminal apparatuses.
2. Description of the Related Art
By taking TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) communication between a radio base station apparatus and a mobile communication terminal apparatus as an example, location service will be described. In TCP communication, RTT (Round Trip Time) is determined based on the following information (a) and (b);
(a) Arrival time of a down link signal transmitted from a radio base station apparatus to a mobile communication terminal apparatus.
(b) Arrival time of an ACK (Acknowledgement) signal of an up link signal transmitted from a mobile communication terminal apparatus to a radio base station apparatus. Based on the determined RTT, retransmission timer value for ACK is determined, or location identification is performed.
RTT is only the period of time for an IP packet to travel back to forth between TCP end points. RTT doesn't include the delay that the radio base station apparatus cause within its circuits. Any delay adjustment based on RTT doesn't exactly adjust the delay introduced by radio base station apparatus circuits
Thus, the delay that the radio base station apparatus circuits introduce also must be adjusted particularly. The delay adjustment for the radio base station apparatus is made based on the delay time observed within the radio base station apparatus.
Conventionally, the delay of the radio base station apparatus is usually adjusted using tester, etc. for transmitter with following procedures;                Measurement of the deviation of delay time.        Adjustment a delay adjuster circuit of the radio base station apparatus.Above conventional way of delay adjustment is performed manually. And measuring instrument or device is required, thus posing a problem.
Moreover conventional way of delay adjustment must be performed when the radio station apparatus is not in service;                Installation time of the radio base station apparatus.        Maintenance time of the radio base station apparatus for readjustment the change of delay due to aging.Thus causing a further problem.
Several methods have been hitherto proposed to solve the problems.
For example, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-258694, there is disclosed a method for delay adjustment. Specifically, the changing patterns of amplitude level are compared between the input and output signal waves of the radio apparatus to thereby detect a corresponding timing-difference. Then, a control is performed so that the radio apparatuses of a diversity configuration have the same timing difference. In the radio apparatus according to the above invention, this control eliminates the difference of transmission delay time between the radio apparatuses of a diversity configuration.
In Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-374193, there is disclosed a delay control technique. Specifically, in a radio apparatus according to the above invention, a transmit diversity delay control is performed by employing TSTD (Time Switch Transmit Diversity) including system 0 with a transmitting and receiving function and system 1 with a transmitting and receiving function.
In Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-158774, there is disclosed a W-CDMA radio base station and a delay time difference elimination method in which the delay time difference between transmitter system 0 and transmitter system 1 of a transmit diversity configuration is automatically corrected.
In Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-214467, there is disclosed a configuration in which the measurement and adjustment of propagation delay are periodically performed during a idle time in which a call is not made; during call, a closed-loop control for delay equalization is performed by using CDMA transmission of a subscriber unit to thereby compensate for small fluctuations of delay time.
However, in a system in which the same frequency is used by plural users, such as CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access), a scheme is used to multiplex plural signals with respective codes to thereby use frequency more efficiently. In the system in which such scheme is used, the amplitude change of outputted signals is rapid and sharp, making it difficult to accurately compare the change patterns of, amplitude level between the two signal waves. In addition, transmission power in CDMA communication has a large peak level; therefore, to reduce distortions introduced in high-power amplifier device of analog stage, signal level is limited typically in digital stage before the signal is converted from digital signal into analog signal and fed into analog stage. Due to the amplitude limitation processing, the peak value is rounded up. Consequently, it can be difficult to identify the peak point.

Delay adjustment device and method, and radio base station apparatus


A scalable two-transistor memory (STTM) device includes a planar transistor and a vertical transistor on a semiconductor substrate. The planar transistor includes spaced apart metal silicide source/drain regions on the substrate and a floating gate electrode on the substrate between the metal silicide source/drain regions that controls a channel region of the planar transistor. The vertical transistor includes a tunnel junction structure on the floating gate electrode and a control gate electrode on a sidewall of the tunnel junction structure that controls a channel region of the vertical transistor. Related methods of forming STTM devices are also discussed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to semiconductor devices, and more particularly, to scalable two-transistor memory devices and methods of fabricating the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Scalable two-transistor memory (STTM) cells may offer advantages of both Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM) and flash memory devices. STTM cells are nonvolatile memory devices requiring no refresh, which may offer advantages such as high-speed operation, low power consumption, and high packing density.
FIG. 1 is an equivalent circuit diagram of a conventional STTM cell. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the STTM cell structure shown in FIG. 1. The equivalent circuit diagram shown in FIG. 1 illustrates a single unit cell, while the STTM cell structure shown in FIG. 2 illustrates two unit cells that share a common source region.
Referring now to FIG. 1, the STTM cell includes two transistors: a planar transistor PT, and a vertical transistor VT that is formed on the planar transistor PT. The planar transistor PT includes a source region connected to a first word line 104 and a drain region connected to a sensing line 102. A floating gate conductive layer FG is formed on a channel forming region between the source region and the drain region on a gate insulating layer. The floating gate conductive layer FG forms the gate electrode for the planar transistor PT. The floating gate conductive layer FG also forms a drain region for the vertical transistor VT. The vertical transistor VT includes a multiple tunnel junction structure 110 formed on the floating gate conductive layer FG and a control gate conductive layer and a data line conductive layer respectively connected to a control line 106 and a second word line 108.
A cross-sectional view of the STTM cell of FIG. 1 will now be described with reference to FIG. 2. An active region defined by an isolation layer 204 is formed in a portion of a p-type well region 202 on a semiconductor substrate 200. A common source region 206 is formed in the active region, and a drain region 208 is formed in the active region on each side of the common source region 206. The common source region 206 is connected to the first word line 104 of FIG. 1, and the drain region 208 is connected to the sensing line 102 of FIG. 1. A region between the source region 206 and each drain region 208 forms a channel forming region 210 where an inversion layer channel may be formed. A gate insulating layer 212 is formed on the channel forming region 210, and a floating gate conductive layer 214 is formed thereon. The floating gate conductive layer 214 forms a gate electrode for the planar transistor PT. Accordingly, the source region 206, the drain region 208, the channel forming region 210, the gate insulating layer 212, and the floating gate conductive layer 214 form the planar transistor PT of FIG. 1.
Still referring to FIG. 2, a multiple tunnel junction structure MTJ is formed on the floating gate conductive layer 214. The multiple tunnel junction structure MTJ is formed by sequentially stacking a first tunnel barrier layer 216, a first channel conductive layer 218, a second tunnel barrier layer 220, a second channel conductive layer 222, and a third tunnel barrier layer 224. A data line conductive layer 226 connected to a data line (i.e., the second word line 108 shown in FIG. 1) and an insulating layer 228 are sequentially formed on the multiple tunnel junction structure MTJ. The floating gate conductive layer 214, the multiple tunnel junction structure MTJ, the data line conductive layer 226, and the insulating layer 228 are surrounded by a sidewall insulating layer 230. A control gate conductive layer 232 connected to the control line 106 is formed on the sidewall insulating layer 230. Accordingly, the floating gate conductive layer 214 forms a drain region, the multiple tunnel junction structure MTJ forms a channel region, the data line conductive layer 226 forms a source region, the sidewall insulating layer 230 forms a gate insulating layer, and the control gate conductive layer 232 forms a gate electrode for the vertical transistor VT of FIG. 1.
In a conventional STTM cell structure as described above, charges may be stored in the floating gate conductive layer 214 using a tunneling phenomenon produced by applying a predetermined voltage to the floating gate conductive layer 214. The charges may penetrate through tunnel barrier layers formed between the channel conductive layers of the vertical transistor VT, thereby forming a channel in the multiple tunnel junction structure MTJ in a vertical direction. As a result, performance of the STTM cell may not be degraded even when the widths of the floating gate conductive layer 214, multiple tunnel junction structure MTJ, and data line conductive layer 226 are reduced, because the channel is formed vertically. However, in the planar transistor PT, when the distance between the source region 206 and the drain region 208 is decreased, short channel effects may occur, thereby degrading performance. Although the source region 206 and the drain region 208 can be formed to a shallower junction depth to alleviate short channel effects, such an approach has its limits. Further, the resistance of the source region 206 and the drain region 208 may be increased, which may also degrade performance of the device.

Methods of fabricating scalable two-transistor memory devices having metal source/drain regions