There is provided a method for manufacturing a piezoelectric actuator where the planar shape is adjusted by subjecting the piezoelectric body layer located on one of the outer surfaces in the two or more piezoelectric body layers to a polarization treatment to control remnant polarization of the piezoelectric body layer. The piezoelectric actuator is used as a drive portion of a piezoelectric drive type variable capacitor. The variable capacitor has high mechanical strength and excellent reliability for a long period of time. The relation between the displacement amount of the piezoelectric actuator and the capacity of the capacitor is stable, and the variable capacity is wide.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a piezoelectric actuator capable of adjusting the shape thereof and to a piezoelectric actuator adaptable to the method for manufacturing a piezoelectric actuator and formed unitarily with a support to have excellent mechanical strength.
2. Description of Related Art
Cell phones have been spreading globally. However, they have not yet been standardized. Therefore, each cell phones require a RF (Radio Frequency) circuit in accordance with the standard (frequencies) of each country in the world. Therefore, it is necessary to change specification depending on each country or to mount a plurality of RF circuits in order to respond to all the standards. This causes cost increase, and, particularly in the latter case, it becomes an obstacle to miniaturization.
In order to solve such a problem, in recent years, a variable capacitor has been proposed. For a variable capacitor, there are drive systems such as a piezoelectric drive type, an electrostatic drive type, and an electromagnetic type drive type. Generally, an electrostatic drive type is employed be cause of a simple structure and easy production. However, it needs a high drive voltage and has a narrow variable capacity as the points to be improved. In addition, an electromagnetic drive type has high power consumption.
Therefore, in recent years, development of a piezoelectric drive type variable capacitor has been having high expectations. Incidentally, prior art documents are JP-A-2008-005642, JP-A-2001-320103, and "Phenomenological Dielectric", 24th edition, Pages 153 to 188, issued by the Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan.
However, in a conventional piezoelectric drive type variable capacitor, the interval between two capacitor electrodes is not fixed due to remnant strain in the production process, and the two capacitors may fail to come close or draw apart from each other while maintaining parallelism. In such a case, the relation between the displacement amount of the piezoelectric actuator and capacity of the capacitor becomes unstable, and two capacitor electrodes are brought into contact with each other, thereby decreasing the width of the variable capacity.
FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing a conventional piezoelectric drive type variable capacitor showing a condition where the piezoelectric actuator of the variable capacitor is driving. In the variable capacitor 30 shown in FIG. 3, in a piezoelectric actuator 31 having a bimorph type actuator portion 38 having an end portion fixed to a support 39, a capacitor electrode 36 is disposed on one surface of the actuator portion 38, and another capacitor electrode 33 is disposed so as to face the capacitor electrode 36. In the variable capacitor 30, the actuator portion 38 of the piezoelectric actuator 31 is transformed in the directions of the arrows (in FIG. 3) to control the distance between the capacitor electrodes 33 and 36, and thereby the electrostatic capacity generated between them can be changed. However, as shown in FIG. 3, in a conventional variable capacitor 30, since the actuator portion 38 of the piezoelectric actuator 31 is transformed to have an arcuate shape, the capacitor electrodes 33 and 36 fail to come close or draw apart from each other while maintaining parallelism, and the capacitor electrodes 33 and 36 are brought into contact with each other in some cases.

Method for manufacturing piezoelectric actuator


The present invention relates to an energy storage device comprising a silicate comprises a formula:MvM1wM2xSiyOz where    M is selected from the group consisting of Li, Na, K, Al, and Mg    M1 is selected from the group consisting of alkaline metals, alkaline earth metals, Ti, Mn, Fe, La, Zr, Ce, Ta, Nb, V and combinations thereof;    M2 is selected from the group consisting of B, Al, Ga, Ge or combinations thereof;    v, y and z are greater than 0;    w and/or x is greater than 0;    y≥x; and    wherein MvM1wM2xSiyOz accounts for at least 90 wt % of the composition.

During charging of a conventional lithium-ion energy storage cell, electrons flow from an external voltage source and lithium cations flow through the liquid electrolyte toward the anode. When the cell is discharged, the lithium cations flow through the electrolyte and the electrons flow from the anode to the cathode through a load.
In order to avoid a short circuit within the energy storage cell, a layer which is electrically insulating but permeable to lithium cations is located between the two electrodes. This is known as a separator, which typically is of a conventional form such as a thin polymeric material, a ceramic-coated polymeric material, a ceramic-polymer composite, or a non-woven fabric. In a conventional lithium ion cell, the separator is typically immersed in a liquid electrolyte which fills the space between anode and cathode in entirety.
Separators must resist mechanical stresses and this limits the working thickness for conventional separator films based, for example, on polyolefins. Current separator thickness is determined as that which is sufficient to prevent short circuits caused by dendritic growth of lithium metal, but still be permeable to Li-ion transport.
A demand for high power densities has placed increasing demands upon the performance of separators. Polyolefin separators have current shutdown characteristics within a temperature range of typically from 130 to 170° C. as micropores in the separator close in this temperature range, and this is intended to prevent further flow of lithium cations across the separator. However, in batteries which have larger surfaces, for example large format batteries, the chance for short circuit increases, since the melting of the polyolefin is not uniform across its full area at an elevated temperature and when one area melts it actually increases the likelihood of failure in an adjacent area because of the consequent increase in current density.
While some ceramic materials possess good lithium ion conductivity, either alone or in specific battery systems, this is but one of a list of requirements (e.g. electrochemical stability, mechanical properties) demanded of ceramic materials to be integrated into a variety of energy storage devices. As such, there is still a need for an increased variety of lithium ion conductive ceramic materials for use in the variety of lithium battery systems, particularly material which can be manufactured on a large scale and that preferably can be used in a variety of locations within the batteries.

Energy storage device and ionic conducting composition for use therein


The device of the invention comprises an attachment to a conventional traffic light and is connected to its side wall for visually indicating the duration of the time remaining till switching of the current green, yellow, or red light in proportion to the dimension of the illuminated portion of the indicator. In accordance with one embodiment, the device is made in the form of a housing with a rotating drum which is divided into three sections by nontransparent partitions, each containing an individual lamp. The cylindrical surface which defines the periphery of each section of the drum has a transparent portion in the form of a wedge. When the drum rotates, the lit sector is shown in the window of the device so that during rotation of the drum, the dimensions of the lit portion of the drum shown through the window decrease proportionally to the remaining part of the current traffic light signal. Other embodiments have visual displays in the form of a plurality of gas-discharge lamps arranged side by side and switched on and off in a predetermine sequence, in the form of serpentine lamps of triangular configuration, in the form of vertical rectangular stripes of variable width, etc.

It has been known heretofore to incorporate into a traffic light various means for indicating the time left for illumination of a traffic light signal of one color before switching to a traffic light signal of another color.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,255,737 issued in 1981 to R. Casteel teaches a traffic light apparatus that has a four sided housing, each side of which contains red and green areas that can be illuminated. Furthermore, each side contains a rotating semicircular mask which simultaneously and progressively covers one portion of one of the colored areas and uncovers a portion of the other colored area until the illumination of the traffic light is changed thereby causing a change in traffic flow. The rotation of the masks together with the actuation of the various lights is controlled from a common ring gear disposed within the housing and driven by a single motor. A disadvantage of this device is that it incorporates the traffic light covering/uncovering means directly into the traffic light apparatus. In other words, for introducing such a device into practice, it would be required to replace all existing conventional traffic lights, which is not only expensive but may increase the occurrence of accidents because of confusion caused by new appearance of the traffic lights. Another disadvantage of the aforementioned traffic light apparatus is that it has a complicated mechanical construction with a plurality of interconnected moving parts. These parts operate synchronously and simultaneously in four opposite directions. Traffic light apparatuses of this type are intended to be suspended from a console or another type support above the center of the intersection. However, in a majority of cases traffic lights of such types have been replaced by apparatuses installed on the corners of the street crossings and having signals facing only the oncoming traffic. Therefore the aforementioned device of U.S. Pat. No. 4,255,737 may find only an extremely limited practical application. Furthermore, this apparatus is not applicable to intersections which require different traffic signals for vehicles going in mutually opposite directions, e.g., a red light in one direction and a left turn/green light for the vehicle going in the opposite direction. It would be very difficult to adjust and change the mode of operation in the above-described apparatus.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,590,455 issued in 1986 to G. Fritzinger teaches a traffic control system that has green and/or red signal lights blinked momentarily at a predetermined interval before the direction of traffic is changed. A marker is placed along the roadway at a normal distance of travel within the timing of the blink signal to enable motorists to gauge their driving to save gasoline and achieve greater safety solely by noting their location relative to the marker when the blink signal occurs. Further taught is the use of the traffic signaling system in connection with a semi-actuated controller that has a synchronizer providing a background cycle. The timing of the blink signal and the yellow caution signal is obtained from the synchronizer. A disadvantage of this device is that blinking of the green signal may cause confusion, whereas blinking of the red signal is already equivalent to a stop signal and may not be understood as an indicator of the approaching switch in the traffic direction. Furthermore, an addition of a marker on the road at the approach to the traffic light may distract the driver's attention.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,726,648 issued in 1998 to M. Soon describes a time indicating traffic light that includes a vertically-oriented and rectangular-parallelepiped-shaped housing, a circular-shaped "stop" indicator light, a circular-shaped "caution" indicator light, seven rectangular-shaped "go" indicator lights, and a time indicating display. The circular-shaped "stop" indicator light, the circular-shaped "caution" indicator light, and the seven rectangular-shaped "go" indicator lights are disposed in the vertically-oriented and rectangular-parallelepiped-shaped housing. The seven rectangular-shaped "go" indicator lights have a pair of parallel, elongated, spaced-apart, vertically-oriented, and rectangular-shaped "go" indicator lights, and five adjacent, slightly vertically spaced-apart, horizontally-oriented, and rectangular-shaped "go" lights. The five adjacent, slightly vertically spaced-apart, horizontally-oriented, and rectangular-shaped "go" lights extinguish progressively upwardly towards the circular-shaped "caution" indicator light at a predetermined rate determined by a timer while the pair of parallel, elongated, spaced-apart, vertically-oriented, and rectangular-shaped "go" indicator lights remain illuminated when at least one light of the five adjacent, slightly vertically spaced-apart, horizontally-oriented, and rectangular-shaped "go" lights is illuminated. The time indicating display is disposed on the vertically-oriented and rectangular-parallelepiped-shaped housing and provides a visible display of the time of illumination of the seven rectangular-shaped "go" indicator lights, so that an approaching vehicle can determine when the circular-shaped "caution" indicator light will be illuminated by dividing the time of illumination on the time indicating display by the number of lights of the five adjacent, slightly vertically spaced-apart, horizontally-oriented, and rectangular-shaped "go" lights extinguished and thereby prevent sudden acceleration followed by a sudden stop.
A disadvantage of this timer indicating traffic light consists in that it is based on an entirely new conception and would require replacement of all existing traffic light units. Another disadvantage is that the device has a rather complicated construction, and therefore is expensive to manufacture. A provision of several different rectangular-shaped "go" indicator lights would require an essential increase in the overall dimensions of the traffic light assembly, as it would be necessary to make each "go" indicator light and the digital indicator visible from a far distance. A driver may need time for obtaining, processing the information indicated by the complicated traffic light system, and for making a decision. All this has to be done immediately, which may not be feasible for an elderly people whose driving ability would be limited.

Attachment to traffic light apparatus for visual indication of traffic light duration


An object of the invention is to provide a method for manufacturing a silicon carbide semiconductor device having constant characteristics with reduced variations in forward characteristics. The method for manufacturing the silicon carbide semiconductor device according to the invention includes the steps of: (a) preparing a silicon carbide substrate; (b) forming an epitaxial layer on a first main surface of the silicon carbide substrate; (c) forming a protective film on the epitaxial layer; (d) forming a first metal layer on a second main surface of the silicon carbide substrate; (e) applying heat treatment to the silicon carbide substrate at a predetermined temperature to form an ohmic junction between the first metal layer and the second main surface of the silicon carbide substrate; (f) removing the protective film; (g) forming a second metal layer on the epitaxial layer; and (h) applying heat treatment to the silicon carbide substrate at a temperature from 400° C. to 600° C. to form a Schottky junction of desired characteristics between the second metal layer and the epitaxial layer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a silicon carbide semiconductor device, and more particularly relates to a method for manufacturing a silicon carbide Schottky barrier diode.
2. Description of the Background Art
In manufacture of a silicon carbide Schottky barrier diode (hereinafter, described as SiC-SBD), what are important are selection of a Schottky metal material and stabilization of forward characteristics thereof. Common examples of the Schottky metal material include Ti, Ni, Mo, W, and the like. In a case of manufacturing a Ti Schottky diode provided on a rear surface thereof with an Ni ohmic junction, there arise the following process features and problems.
In a kV class high withstand voltage SiC Schottky diode, a p-type termination structure is essentially required for relaxation of a peak of an electric field (electric field concentration), since electric field concentration is normally caused in the vicinity of an outer edge of a Schottky electrode. In general, such a termination structure is formed by implanting ions of p-type impurities such as Al (aluminium) and B (boron) into an n-type epitaxial layer and performing activation annealing at a high temperature of at least around 1500° C.
In order to form a Ti Schottky junction of excellent characteristics, the Schottky junction is desirably formed on a front surface in an early stage of a wafer process. However, the Ni ohmic junction to be formed on the rear surface should be formed by annealing at a high temperature of approximately 1000° C., while the Ti Schottky junction is not strong enough to be kept in an appropriate state at such a high temperature. Therefore, it is presently general to form the Ni ohmic junction on the rear surface and then form the Ti Schottky junction on the front surface.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 3890311 discloses a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device by forming at one time a Schottky junction on a front surface and an ohmic junction on a rear surface. Techniques relevant to the present invention are also disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 3884070, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-172400, and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-164528.
In manufacture and evaluation of an SiC-SBD, characteristics of a backward leakage current and a backward withstand voltage out of device characteristics thereof are greatly influenced by a defect in a wafer or a epitaxial layer as well as a defect in process. Forward characteristics, particularly barrier heights φB and an n-value, are greatly influenced by preprocessing conditions in forming a Schottky junction, conditions in forming a Schottky metal film, a method for patterning the Schottky metal, and conditions in burning and heating after application of a sealant such as polyimide. The Ti Schottky diode has also been required to be manufactured such that the above-described processes do not influence the forward characteristics. However, an SiC-SBD manufactured in accordance with a conventional method has a problem that forward characteristics thereof are not stabilized, and in particular, barrier heights φB are varied in a range of approximately 1.05 to 1.25 eV.
The manufacturing method described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 3890311 would be ideal if metals of a same type are used as a Schottky material for a front surface and an ohmic material for a rear surface and excellent junctions are obtained by annealing at one time. However, this method remarkably narrows process margins in practice, and therefore, is not suitable for a mass production process in view of objects such as increasing a rate of excellent qualities in an entire wafer and manufacturing devices stably and reproducibly.

Method for manufacturing silicon carbide semiconductor device


A developing device of such liquid developer circulating type that introduces the liquid developer into a developing head by the action of negative pressure suction force created by a suction pump to develop a latent image on a recording medium by the liquid developer thus introduced, characterized by a means for adjusting and controlling the pumping capacity of the suction pump, responsive to a control command which represents a predetermined sequence and condition of the liquid developer circulated. It is preferable to add to the device a means for adjusting and controlling the pumping capacity of the suction pump, responsive to a control command obtained relating to a surface roughness of the recording medium, a means including a timer circuit for controlling the suction pump to operate with high pumping capacity for a predetermined time period after the operation of the pump is started, and then with low pumping capacity, and a means for adjusting and controlling the pumping capacity of the suction pump, responsive to a detection signal sent from a sensor which serves to detect a condition of the liquid developer flowing through the developing head.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a developing device of the liquid developer circulating type which includes a developing head provide with a rod-like body and at least one liquid developer flowing passage having a slit-shaped opening on the top of the rod-like body, wherein a latent image formed on a recording medium such as an electrostatic recording paper which is fed on the slit-shaped opening, can be developed into a visible image by a liquid developer flowing through the passage.
More particularly, it relates to a developing device of the liquid developer circulating type wherein a liquid developer in a tank is introduced into a developing head by the action of negative pressure created by a suction pump to develop a latent image on a recording medium, and then returned into the tank after this development of the latent image is finished.
2. Description of the Related Art
The developing device of the liquid developer circulating type intended to use negative pressure suction force created by the suction pump is conventionally well known. The developing device of this type includes a developing head provided with liquid developer flowing passages each having a slit-shaped opening on the top of a rod-like body to allow liquid developer to act on a latent image on a recording medium, a tank for storing the liquid developer supplied to the developing head, a suction pump for introducing the liquid developer in the tank into the liquid developer flowing passages, which are provided with the slit-shaped openings, by suction force created by negative pressure, and a piping for connecting these three components to one another.
The operation of the developing device is as follows. The slit-shaped openings of the liquid developer flowing passages in the developing head are covered by the recording medium itself and the suction pump is made operative while moving the recording medium relative to the developing head. The whole of that part of the liquid developer circulating line which is located on the upstream side of the suction pump and which includes the liquid developer flowing passages are thus made negative in pressure and the liquid developer in the tank is sucked into the developing head by suction force created by this negative pressure in the part of the liquid developer circulating line. The liquid developer thus sucked flows through the liquid developer flowing passages having the slit-shaped openings to thereby develop the latent image on the recording medium by the liquid developer. After this development of the latent image, the liquid developer is returned into the tank.
In the case of this developing device of the liquid developer type having the above-described arrangement, a predetermined negative pressure must be held in the liquid developer circulating line extending from the tank to the suction pump at least at the time of development. It is therefore needed that the slit-shaped openings of the liquid developer flowing passages in the developing head are air-tightly covered by the recording medium. When the recording medium is wrinkled and slackened to damage its air-tight covering relative to the slit-shaped openings of the passages and when air is leaked through the piping, the liquid developer cannot be circulated through the line to develop the latent image on the recording medium as desired. Further, when such a recording medium that is high in surface roughness is used, same demerit is caused
In order to eliminate this demerit, a device provided with a means for detecting any abnormal level of negative pressure to sound alarm was proposed. The Japanese Utility Model Publication Sho 52-25153, for example, disclosed a means for detecting any abnormal level of negative pressure by a negative pressure sensor. According to this means, the level of negative pressure is detected by the negative pressure sensor, it is asked whether the value thus detected is larger or smaller than a reference value previously set, and alarm is sounded or displayed depending upon the result thus obtained.
In the case of the developing device of the liquid developer circulating type intended to use suction force created by negative pressure as described above, the pumping capacity of the suction pump is fixed to a certain level. When the recording media are not uniformly stuck relative to the top of the developing head, therefore, the suction force created by negative pressure changes accordingly. Particularly when they are wrinkled and slackened, stable circulation of the liquid developer is damaged not to apply excellent development relative to the latent images on them. Further, in the case of the conventional developing device in which the pumping capacity of the suction pump is fixed to a certain level, a relatively long time is needed until the liquid developer can start its stable circulation through the liquid developer circulating line after the start of the suction pump. It is therefore after the time needed to rise the suction pump lapses that the developing process can be started. This asks a long time before the developing process is practically started. Still further, the suction pump is started while carrying the recording medium to more reliably stick the recording medium onto the developing head in the case of the conventional developing device. As the result, large quantity recording medium is wasted.
It is imagined that the pumping capacity of the suction pump is made high enough to eliminate the above-mentioned drawbacks. When this is realized, the recording medium can be reliably stuck onto the developing head and the time needed before the developing process is practically started can be shortened. In addition, the large quantity recording medium which are wasted can be reduced.
However, the running load of the recording medium is increased because the suction force by which the recording medium is stuck onto the developing head is made large. Force for feeding the recording medium is needed to become large. This causes the medium carrying motor and the drive circuit to be made large in size and capacity.
Further, the surface unevenness of the recording medium is crushed and deformed because the image-formed surface of the recording medium is strongly pressed against the top of the developing head. This causes the surface roughness of the recording medium to be changed and the fine amount of air leaked through the developing head is changed accordingly. As the result, the running load of the recording medium is further increased and the developing characteristics of the device are changed accordingly. Still further, in the case where the device in which the above-mentioned developing means is incorporated is intended to record an color image on the recording medium by overlapping plural colors one upon the others, undesirable influences are added to developing and recording characteristics of the device. Namely, it becomes difficult to hold correct the recording characteristics which depend upon the surface roughness of the recording medium. As the result, the quality of images recorded is deteriorated. Still further, it sometimes happens that pieces of dust stick to the surface of the recording medium and that these pieces of dust are press-extended. This causes images recorded on the surface of the recording medium to seem humble.
The common paper, synthetic paper or transparent plastic film is used as the base sheet of those recording media which are used by the above-mentioned multi-colored images recording device. When the base sheet for a recording medium is different from the one for another recording medium, the manners of processing recording layers coated on the image-recorded surface of these two recording media are different from each other. If these manners of processing the recording layers are different, the surface roughness of one of the recording media becomes different from that of the other.
The recording media which are different in surface roughness from the other cause the amount of air leaked through the gap between the slit-shaped openings of the liquid developer flowing passages on the developing head and the recording media to be changed. Even when the recording media are neither wrinkled nor slackened, therefore, the level of negative pressure in the liquid developer circulating line and the amount of the liquid developer circulated therethrough change depending upon different surface roughnesses of the recording media. When the amount of the liquid developer circulated changes, the developing capacity of the device becomes different to thereby form images short in density or cause base fog because of excessive development.

Device for developing recording media with liquid developer


Modifying item packaging according to determined replenishment times. According to embodiments of the present disclosure, a method for modifying item packaging is described herein. An order is received from a user for an item. An exhaustion time for the item is calculated according to an inventory database for the user. An initial replenishment time for the item is calculated. A package quantity is calculated according to the exhaustion time, shipment time, initial replenishment time, and inventory database.

The present disclosure relates to item replenishment, and more specifically, to supporting automated replenishment.
Many homes accomplish their necessary item replenishment through manual tracking and acquisition. As it becomes increasingly common for all members of the modern household to be occupied outside of the home, maintaining the home inventory may become lost in the shuffle. Household members may find themselves in the position of constantly being forced to make a trip to the store to replenish a few necessary items, or even a single critical item, that has completely run out.

International Business Machines Corporation


The present invention provides a method and apparatus for sequencing ZC sequences of a random access channel. The method comprises: setting α as a logical index of each ZC sequence, and u as a physical index of said each ZC sequence, wherein 1≦u≦N−1, 0≦α≦N−2, and N is the length of said each ZC sequence; establishing a mapping relationship between the logical index and the physical index: u=N/2 is taken as a symmetry axis, α is mapped to u in a manner of longitudinal symmetry, and on the upper side of the symmetry axis, u monotonously decreases or increases, while on the lower side of the symmetry axis, u monotonously increases or decreases. This method ensures that the PRACHs of the UEs using different sequences in a same cell have similar coverage, thus the flexibility of cell planning is increased.

In the Long Term Evolution (LTE for short) system, cyclic shift sequences of Zadoff-Chu (ZC for short) sequences are used as the preamble by the Random Access Channel (RACH for short). These cyclic shift sequences are also referred to as Zero Correlation Zone (ZCZ for short) sequences.
In practical systems, after a mobile phone is powered on, downlink synchronization is first performed, and then the detection of the Broadcast Channel (BCH for short) is initiated. A base station informs, via the BCH channel, the mobile phone of a logical index (Logical index) and the step length of the cyclic shift of the first ZC sequence available for the RACH of the current cell. According to the logical index, the mobile phone makes use of certain mapping rule to calculate a physical index (Physical index) of the corresponding ZC sequence, and then, generates usable ZCZ sequences according to the step length of the cyclic shift (and a certain "cyclic shift limitation rule" in case of high speed circumstances). If the number of the ZCZ sequences is smaller than a preset threshold P, the mobile phone automatically increments the sequence index, and continuously generates the ZCZ sequences using the next ZC sequence, until the total number of the ZCZ sequences is larger than or equal to P. Finally, the mobile phone randomly selects one sequence from all the generated usable ZCZ sequences as a preamble to be sent.
In practice, the mapping process between the logical indices and the physical indices of the ZC sequences is the process of re-sequencing the ZC sequences Wherein the generation formula of the ZC sequences is shown by Equation (1), wherein N is the length of the sequence, u is the physical index of the sequence, which refers to an index used in the generation of each ZC sequence, and gn(n) represents the sequence value of the nth sample point whose physical index is u. The index of the sequence is the sequence number of each ZC sequence in a queue of sequenced ZC sequences, where the ZC sequences are sequenced according to a certain criterion.
                                          g            u                                          (            n            )                          =                  {                                                                                ⅇ                                                                        -                          j                                                                                2                                                        π                                                    N                                                                                1                          2                                                                                un                          2                                                                                when                                                                                N                                                                                is                                                                                even                                                                                ⅇ                                                                        -                          j                                                                                2                                                        π                                                    N                                                                                1                          2                                                                                un                                                                                (                                                          n                              +                              1                                                        )                                                                                when                                                                                N                                                                                is                                                                                odd                                                                        ,                          n              =              0                        ,            1            ,            …                                                              ,                          N              -              1                                                          (        1        )
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the frame structure of the Time Division Duplex (TDD) mode in the LTE system. As shown in FIG. 1, in this kind of frame structure, a radio frame of 10 ms (307200 Ts, 1 ms=30720 Ts) is divided into two half-frames, each half-frame is divided into 10 time slots of 0.5 ms, every two time slots compose a subframe of 1 ms, one radio frame comprises 10 subframes (which are numbered from 0 to 9), and one radio frame comprises 20 time slots (which are numbered from 0 to 19). For normal Cyclic Prefixes (CP) with lengths of 5.21 us and 4.69 us, one time slot comprises 7 uplink/downlink symbols of 66.7 us, wherein the length of the Cyclic Prefix of the first symbol is 5.2 us and that of the Cyclic Prefixes of the other 6 symbols is 4.69 us. For extended Cyclic Prefixes with a length of 16.67 us, one time slot comprises 6 uplink/downlink symbols. Additionally, in this kind of frame structure, the configuration of subframes has the following characteristics:                subframes 0 and 5 are fixed to be used in downlink transmission;        uplink/downlink switch with cycles of 5 ms and 10 ms is supported;        subframes 1 and 6 are special subframes which are used to transmit 3 special time slots, i.e. Downlink Pilot Time Slot (DwPTS), Guard Period (GP) and Uplink Pilot Time Slot (UpPTS), wherein        the DwPTS is used for downlink transmission;        the GP is Guard Period and does not transmit any data;        the UpPTS is used for uplink transmission, comprising at least 2 uplink Single Carrier-Frequency Division Multiple Access (SC-FDMA) symbols for transmitting the Physical Random Access Channel (PRACH). For 5 ms uplink/downlink switch cycle, the UpPTS and subframes 2 and 7 are always used for uplink transmission; while for 10 ms switch cycle, the length of the UpPTS in subframe 6 is 0 and that of the UpPTS in subframe 1 can either be 0 or larger than 0.
In the process of switching between uplink and downlink with a cycle of 5 ms, subframes 2 and 6 are fixed to be used for uplink transmission;
In the process of switching between uplink and downlink with a cycle of 10 ms, the DwPTS exists in two half-frames, the GP and the UpPTS exist in the first half-frame, the period of the DwPTS in the second half-frame is 1 ms, subframe 2 is used for uplink transmission and subframes 7 to 9 are used for downlink transmission. There are two types of PRACH in the TDD mode of the LTE system, wherein the first type is transmitted in non-special uplink subframes (subframes comprising special time slots are called as special subframe); and the second type is transmitted in the UpPTS. In the method for sequencing the first type of PRACH, all sequences are divided into two groups according to the Cubic Metrics (CMs) with a threshold of 1.2 dB, then in each group, sequences are divided into several sub-groups according to the maximum cyclic shift supported by the sequences in a cyclic shift limiting condition, and at last in each sub-group sequencing is conducted according to Cubic Metric values of the sequences. Cubic Metric (CM) is a kind of standard for measuring peak-to-average ratio of transmitting data, wherein the larger the CM is, the higher the peak-to-average ratio is. Its calculating method is as shown in the following formula (2):
                    CM        =                                                            20                                                  log                  10                                                                  {                                      rms                                                              [                                                                        v                          norm                          3                                                                                (                          t                          )                                                                    ]                                                        }                                            -              1.52                        1.56                              dB                                    (        2        )            wherein
                    v        norm                          (        t        )              =                                    v                                (            t            )                                              rms                          [                      v                                      (              t              )                                ]                      ,                      rms                    (        x        )              =                            (                                    x              ′                                    x                    )                M              ,v(t) is the amplitude of time domain signal, a cluster of discrete time domain sample points v(m) are obtained to simulate v(t) by performing sampling to time domain signal gu(n) of n=0, 1, . . . , N−1 at the time point of m=0, 1, . . . , M−1, M is the dimensionality of vectorX, and M>N.
It is obvious that the larger the dimensionality M of vectorx is, i.e. the more the sampling points are, the smoother the curve is, wherein the curve is obtained by imitating v(t) using discrete time domain sample points v(m), the higher the precision of the imitation is, and thus the higher the precision of the obtained CM values is.
Compared with the first type of PRACH, the second type of PRACH has broader sub-carriers, is more resistant against Doppler frequency offset and can solve the problem of frequency offset without using cyclic shift limit. Therefore, the method for sequencing the first type of PRACH is not applicable to the second type of PRACH. However, since the method for sequencing the ZC sequences applicable to the second type of PRACH has not been provided in the existing technologies, sequences with similar CM values can not be allocated to the same cell, with a result that different UEs using different ZC sequences in the same cell have different coverage, which restricts the flexibility of cell planning.

Method and apparatus for sequencing ZC sequences of a random access channel


A method and apparatus includes at least one environmental sensor mounted to an infrastructure component that is capable of moving relative to ground. The at least one environmental sensor determines an object position. A system uses environmental data collected over time to learn a fixed environment that includes at least one learned reference point. The system determines an amount of movement of the infrastructure component in relation to the learned reference point. The system corrects object position to compensate for movement of the infrastructure component.

Environmental sensor systems provide data to autonomous vehicles such that the vehicles can follow lanes, avoid collisions, re-route around traffic, etc. These systems can also communicate data to driver-operated vehicles to provide updates regarding weather, traffic, road conditions, emergency warnings, etc. The sensor systems include various types of sensors that are mounted to infrastructure (traffic lights, signs, parking meters, etc.) near intersections, along roads, and on buildings. The sensor systems are used to recognize lane and crosswalk boundaries, and can also be used to determine distances between vehicles and/or other objects that are stationary or moving in or along the road.
This data is compiled and broadcasted such that the information can be communicated to various entities. One example of a communication system is referred to as "vehicle-to-everything (V2X)" communication, and includes the passing of information from a vehicle to any entity that may affect the vehicle, and vice versa. It is a vehicular communication system that incorporates other more specific types of communication such as V2I (vehicle-to-infrastructure), V2N (vehicle-to-network), V2V (vehicle-to-vehicle), V2P (vehicle-to-pedestrian), V2D (vehicle-to-device), and V2G (vehicle-to-grid). This type of communication improves road safety and traffic efficiency, as well as providing energy savings. Thus, it is important that the sensors provide accurate data.

Stabilization grid for sensors mounted on infrastructure


A portable digital image acquisition device includes multiple lenses and/or multiple flashes. A main digital image and first and second reference images are acquired. The first and second reference images are acquired with different flash-lens combinations that have different flash-lens distances. One or more flash eye defects are detected and corrected in the main image based on analysis of the first and second reference images.

It is known to capture non-flash images followed by flash images and by subtracting these images (including some luminance normalizing), one can get a difference image which indicates where red-eye defects (flash-eyes) are located. U.S. Pat. No. 7,027,662 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,859,565 are incorporated by reference.
In addition, US published patent application 2005/0041121, entitled "Red-eye filter method and apparatus", which is assigned to the same assignee as the present application and incorporated by reference, describes techniques wherein a reference non-flash and the main flash image may initially be of different sizes, and where the images are sized to the same dimensions and aligned before luminance normalization and/or subtraction.
It is desired to have an improved technique involving capturing two images that are normalized for luminance and then subtracted, indicating the likely eye locations in a main acquired image, followed by acquisition of a main image. The process would be performed quickly (typically less than 1 second) to minimize any misalignment of the reference pair and the main acquired image.
It is also desired to have a technique that overcomes problems associated with the non-flash image tending to be significantly darker than the flash image and, particularly in indoor environments, wherein it is difficult to achieve practical luminance normalization.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

In-camera based method of detecting defect eye with high accuracy

Digitaloptics Corporation Europe Limited


An input device for a mobile terminal includes a touch unit disposed on a surface of a housing of the mobile terminal, a conductive member disposed on an inner surface of the housing in a position corresponding to the touch unit, and a touch sensor to sense an operation of the touch unit through the conductive member and generate a corresponding signal. The touch sensor is provided within the housing in a position corresponding to the conductive member.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a mobile terminal, and more particularly to an input device for a mobile terminal.
2. Discussion of the Background
Generally, a mobile terminal is a portable device that enables a user to wirelessly communicate with another party. Such a mobile terminal may be categorized, according to its external shape, as a bar-type terminal, a flip-type terminal, or a folder-type terminal, and according to the manner in which the mobile terminal opens/closes, as a rotary-type or a slide-type terminal.
Wireless communication services include transferring of voice communication and text messages and are expanding to also include multimedia services, such as transferring of images and moving pictures. Also, an additional unit such as a camera lens has gradually become an essential component of a mobile terminal. Such a mobile terminal is provided with function/data-input keys for accessing various menus, functions, etc. Also, in order to provide convenience to a user of a terminal, exposed function keys are often provided. However, when function keys of a general keypad type are exposed, they may protrude from the exterior of the terminal, thereby degrading the terminal's design. Recently, function keys have been provided in a terminal in the form of a touch keypad so as to prevent the keys from protruding from the exterior of the terminal. When a user touches the exterior of the terminal, function keys of a touch keypad type sense it and activate internal functions of the terminal. By using a touch keypad, it may be possible for the exterior of a terminal to be desirably designed and for a user to easily operate the terminal.
A touch keypad may include a sensor provided within a terminal. When a certain portion of a terminal case is touched, the touch keypad senses it and generates a corresponding signal. The sensor may be provided in a printed circuit board (PCB) and may be disposed far from the terminal case. Therefore, the sensor's ability to sense a touch of a user on the terminal case may be limited.
In order to solve the problem, a sensor attached to a flexible printed circuit board (FPCB), instead of a general PCB, may be disposed on an inner surface of the terminal case, and welded thereto by heat treatment. The sensor senses a key-operation of a user through the FPCB. However, the manufacturing process may be complicated and the cost may be increased due to an attachment process of an FPCB.


A blow mold method for a double-walled container, including: blowing in which an intermediate molded article is molded by stretch blowing a preform housed in a die; and pressing in which the intermediate molded article is pressed inside the die and a double-walled container is molded. During the pressing, an internal floor-corresponding section is pressed such that internal wall-corresponding section is inverted as far as the inside of an outer wall-corresponding section, in a state in which heat retention is maintained such that the internal wall-corresponding section can be inverted as far as the inside of the outer wall-corresponding section.

Patent Literature 1 and Patent Literature 2 disclose a method for producing a double-wall container via an intermediate molded product and a double-wall container produced by the method. Patent Literature 3 discloses a method for forming an arc-shaped bottom portion by, after molding a container, raising a bottom mold and pushing the bottom portion back inward, and a container including the arc-shaped bottom portion.

Blow molding method, blow molding mold, and blow molding apparatus


Techniques for locating and identifying mobile devices are described. According to various embodiments, an ambient sound signal may be detected using a microphone of a mobile device. Thereafter, it may be determined that the ambient sound signal corresponds to a predefined user query for assistance in locating the mobile device. A predefined response sound corresponding to the predefined user query may then be emitted, using a speaker of the mobile device. Additionally, user identification information may be displayed on a screen in response to detecting contact with the mobile device using at least one of an accelerometer and a gyroscope.

The use of mobile devices, such as cellphones, smartphones, tablets, and laptop computers, has increased rapidly in recent years. In many cases, it is not uncommon for multiple mobile devices of the same model to be in the possession of different family members of the same family, or different employees of the same company, or different friends in a group of friends, and so on.

Mobile device self-identification system


An apparatus comprising a memory and a processor coupled to the memory, wherein the memory includes instructions that when executed by the processor cause the apparatus to perform the following receive an incoming signal at a sampling rate that is greater than a symbol rate associated with the incoming signal, replicate a plurality of data streams from the incoming signal, apply a plurality of fractional delays for the data streams, and perform an adaptive equalization on a plurality of data blocks generated from the data streams, wherein the fractional delay is applied to the data streams independently of the adaptive equalization, and wherein the adaptive equalization implements taps spaced at a fraction of a symbol interval associated with the incoming signal.

The increase in bandwidth demand for optical links, such as links found in long-haul optical networks, is necessitating a rapid increase in the capacity of optical links. For instance, the capacities of optical channels in some optical communication systems are approaching about 100 gigabits per second (Gb/s). Moreover, to meet future capacity demands for optical networks, next generation optical communication systems are being designed to sustain capacities that reach multi-terabits per second (Tb/s). Although the demand to increase bandwidth and throughput continue to grow, designs for the optical systems are often constrained by cost, power, and size requirements. For example, the sampling rates of analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) and subsequent signal processing circuitry may be a limiting factor for increasing the operation speed of optical communication systems.
Typically, coherent optical receivers may utilize oversampling (e.g. the symbol sampling rates are higher than an optical system's baud rate) to enable fractionally spaced equalization of chromatic dispersion (CD) and/or polarization mode dispersion (PMD). In contrast to T-spaced equalizers, fractionally spaced equalizers (FSE) increase the tolerance against sampling phase errors and minimize noise enhancement arising from spectral nulls during aliasing. Specifically, a FSE may avoid noise enhancement by sampling the received signal at a rate higher than the symbol rate to limit the amount of aliasing in the received signal. In addition, an adaptive FSE may correct for sampling phase error on noise enhancement with interpolation. Unfortunately, current FSEs (e.g. T/2 spaced FSEs) may be relatively more complex, consume relatively more power, and/or relatively costly to implement within optical communication systems.

Low-complexity, adaptive, fractionally spaced equalizer with non-integer sampling


Apparatuses and methods for recording and reproducing RAW image data to more precisely correct for hand tremble in response to an electronic hand tremble correction when an image is recorded. The recording apparatus includes an image developing processor performing an image developing process on raw data sequentially output from an image sensor in frames and generating completely developed image data in frames, an electronic hand tremble correction unit performing an electronic hand tremble correction process on the completely developed image data and generating completely electronic hand tremble correction processed image data, a moving quantity data obtaining unit obtaining data of moving quantity in frames used for the electronic hand tremble correction process performed by the electronic hand tremble correction unit, and a storage medium recorder sequentially recording in frames the RAW data, the completely developed image data, and the data of moving quantity to a storage medium per frame.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a recording apparatus, such as a digital camcorder, a camera, etc., a reproduction apparatus, recording and reproduction methods, and a recording medium storing a computer program for executing the methods. More particularly, the present invention relates to a recording apparatus for more precisely correcting a hand tremble in response to an electronic hand tremble correction when an image is recorded, a reproduction apparatus, recording and reproduction methods, and a recording medium storing a computer program for executing the methods.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, an image capturing device capable of recording motion pictures, such as a video camera, performs predetermined image processing (predetermined image developing processing) on signals output from each of pixels of an image sensor, such as a charge-coupled device (CCD), performs compression in a format, such as the motion picture experts group (MPEG)-2, the motion joint photographic experts group (JPEG), etc., and records image data to a storage medium, such as a flash memory, a hard disk drive (HDD), or a digital versatile disc (DVD).
Image processing includes white balance control, exposure control, etc. Also, when electronic hand tremble corrected images are recorded, an extracting location of data is determined so as to extract data from part of an image sensor. For example, Japanese Patent Publication No. 2006-33291 discloses a technique of automatically trimming raw image data in view of a subject by extracting the subject when an image is photographed. Japanese Patent Publication No. 2006-173854 discloses a technique of automatically trimming raw image data in view of a subject when an image is photographed, developing the trimmed data, and compressing the developed data.
Generally, as compression is performed after image processing, quality of images recorded and reproduced decreases as compared to that of images prior to compression. Therefore, certain image capturing devices, such as digital cameras, record signals output from image sensors in the raw format without compression. However, data quantity to be processed increases when motion pictures are recorded in the raw format in an image capturing device, such as a camcorder. Thus, it is common to preserve and use compressed images for operations, such as image signal processing, or reproduction in an image capturing device.
When electronic hand tremble corrected images are recorded, an extracting location of data is determined so as to extract data from part of an image sensor based on the output of an accelerometer. However, since the accuracy of the determination process depends on a limited operation circuit, such as a CPU included in image capturing devices, the capabilities of device may be limited, resulting in no appropriate correction to the hand tremble effect. When motion pictures are recorded, since information necessary for the electronic hand tremble correction involves time variations, it is impossible to be completely consistent with the temporal relations between the accelerometer and photographed images in view of the operation circuit of image capturing devices.

Recording and reproduction apparatus and methods, and a recording medium storing a computer program for executing the methods


A holder for a plurality of leaders, said holder comprising:. (a) a housing comprising: PA1 (b) a rotatable assembly rotatably enclosed within the tube with at least a major part of the assembly between the walls, the assembly comprising: PA1 (c) braking means to allow each spool to be rotated on the axle in the opposite, or unwinding, direction to unwind the leader on that spool without rotating any of the other spools in the unwinding direction.. (i) hollow tubular means, and PA2 (ii) first and second axially spaced walls extending transversely across the tubular means, at least the first wall having a central aperture through it; PA2 (i) an axle, one end of which extends through the aperture in the first wall, PA2 (ii) a plurality of spools rotatably mounted on the axle, PA2 (iii) engagement means on each of the spools to engage a leader, and PA2 (iv) frictional torque-transmission means to couple each of the spools separately to the axle, whereby part of the torque applied to rotate the axle in a winding direction is transmitted to each of the spools to wind a leader on that spool; and

This invention relates to a storage unit for conveniently holding fishing tackle. In particular, it relates to a storage unit for holding leaders with hooks and pre-tied flies and other lures so that they can be easily stored and easily retrieved for use.
Sport fishermen are aware that it may be necessary to use a number of different means to lure fish to a hook during a single fishing expedition. In the case of fly fishing, this means that different flies are likely to be required according to the types of fish expected to be caught, the time of day, the weather conditions, the environmental conditions of the location, and other factors. Not only is it necessary to be prepared to use different flies, but the lines to which the flies are connected may also be different in thickness and, therefore, in strength, ranging from a very slender line that the fish cannot see easily but that will break in response to a stress corresponding to a weight of only two pounds up to a much thicker line capable of withstanding many pounds of stress.
The equipment that turns out to be needed on a fishing trip cannot always be anticipated in advance, and many fishermen carry a number of poles, lines, and flies. If they don't, they must be prepared to tie the flies at the fishing location and connect them to their line on the spot. The necessity to stop fishing to tie and attach a new fly under such circumstances is an unpleasant interruption in the time available to try to catch fish. Furthermore, trying to make the necessary adjustments and changes while at the fishing location is frequently all but impossible. Having several sets of complete equipment to make it possible to drop one and immediately pick up another not only requires carrying all of that equipment to the fishing location, with the strong likelihood that some of it may not be used and that other equipment not brought may turn out to be preferred, but also requires a substantial expenditure for essentially duplicate equipment. Even if several flies are pre-tied and attached to short leaders that are to be connected to the end of the main line on a pole, it is essential that the leaders, or snells, be stored easily in a way that allows any one of them to be available with a minimum of effort so as to be ready for immediate attachment to a main line.
Tackle boxes and other containers to hold extra leaders, hooks, flies and other tackle are well known. However, none of those available are arranged to receive leaders easily and in a manner that makes any one of the leaders accessible separately from the others.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 920,663 to Schaney and 2,422,570 to Willis show reels for receiving a number of leaders with hooks, each hook being joined to the loop in the leader attached to the preceding hook, so that they can only be wound and unwound in sequence.
Glahn shows a container in U.S. Pat. N. 2,517,867 for separate reels on which leaders have been wound and from which they may be extracted by pulling on their ends, which are hooked onto fingers on the outer surface of the container. No access is provided for attaching individual leaders to their respective reels after the container has been assembled, nor is any structure provided for turning all of the reels in the same direction to wind leaders on them.
Several forms of a simple structure consisting, essentially, of a single cylinder with spaces on which to wind separate leaders are shown in the following U.S. Pat. Nos.:
2,596,896 Goad PA1 2,716,302 Dutton PA1 2,743,546 Crist PA1 2,789,389 Moen PA1 4,631,856 Born PA1 4,791,752 Van Kampen.
Anderson, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,667,010 and 2,670,563, and Losowy, in U.S. Pat. No. 2,924,908, show holders in which snelled fishhooks are stored without being wound on a rotatable reel.
Adamek shows a container with multi-level means for holding a number of hooks with flies in U.S. Pat. No. 2,675,640.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,039,226, Bagdonas shows a reel with several locations that can be engaged by hooks attached to different leaders, but all of the leaders are wound on the same reel and cannot be separately disengaged from the reel without disturbing any of the others. The holder may be made in modular form, but each reel module is like all the others and holds several leaders. There is no common winding means operable, on the one hand, to wind a leader without disturbing any previously wound leaders and, on the other, separately operable to allow any individual leader to be unwound, also without disturbing others.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,464,143, Scott shows a reel with a number of slots in which to engage fishhooks. After each hook is engaged, the leader attached to it is wound on the reel and then the free end of the leader forced into a tight-fitting slit. The leaders are not attached to each other, but they have to be unwound in reverse order to the order in which they were put on. They cannot be unwound in any other order to allow the fisherman to choose which leader to use next.
Synstellen et al. describe, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,200,249, a fishhook and leader storage unit for storing only one leader on a reel. While several such units may be clipped onto a fisherman's belt, there is no operative connection between them.


For power lasers, the shape of the mirror is an essential factor for the quality of the mode. In addition, a power laser usually has a plurality of mirrors. The shape of the mirrors may change during operation, for example due to heating. According to the invention, a hollow space is provided on the rear side of the mirror and pressure is applied to this hollow space to a greater or lesser degree, so that the geometry of the mirror changes under its influence.

With high-power lasers, there has long been the desire for the TEM OO mode. The mirrors play a part in the possible distortion of the beam. The surface of the mirrors deforms, inter alia, due to the fact that they heat up. It is true that the mirrors are cooled. Nevertheless, the cooling cannot be ideal. In addition, if a multiplicity of mirrors are used, the cooling may differ, so that not only is there deformation of the mirrors but different deformation. The constructural measures to separate the cooling fluid from the laser gas are enormous.


A flywheel device includes a mass-side rotor including a mass ring and a pair of holder plates connected to both sides of the mass ring. The mass-side rotor is connected to a crankshaft with a drive plate therebetween. Between the mass-side rotor and the drive plate, a positioning apparatus for positioning those coaxially with each other is provided. The positioning apparatus includes: an annular positioning protrusion which is press formed in at least one of the pair of holder plates to project laterally outward therefrom, and which is disposed coaxially with the mass-side rotor; and a positioning recessed portion which is press formed in the drive plate coaxially with the crankshaft, and which is fitted to the positioning protrusion. Accordingly, it is possible to enable coaxial positioning of the mass-side rotor and the drive plate without performing burdensome machining on the mass ring for forming a positioning apparatus.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an improvement of a flywheel device, in which a flywheel assembly includes: a mass-side rotor including a mass ring and a pair of holder plates having outer peripheral portions connected to the mass ring with the mass ring sandwiched therebetween; a driven plate which includes an output hub disposed coaxially with the mass ring and which is disposed between the holder plates rotatably relative to the holder plates; and a torque damper interposed between the holder plates and the driven plate, the mass-side rotor is connected to a crankshaft with a drive plate therebetween, and positioning means for positioning the mass-side rotor and the drive plate coaxially with each other is provided between the mass-side rotor and the drive plate.
2. Description of the Related Art
Such a flywheel device is already known, for example, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2005-188661.
In such a conventional flywheel device, an annular positioning protrusion and an annular positioning recessed portion to be fitted to each other are formed on surfaces facing to each other of the drive plate and the mass ring as positioning means for positioning the mass-side rotor and the drive plate coaxially with each other. However, since the mass ring is generally forged or cast, the formation of the positioning protrusion or the positioning recessed portion therein requires a complicated forming die or cutting after the forging or casting, each of which is a factor inhibiting the reduction in production costs. Moreover, when the mass of the mass ring is increased along with the change in specification of the flywheel device, holder plates and the like to be connected thereto need to be manufactured newly. As a result, the mass productivities of components are reduced, which is also disadvantageous in terms of costs.


Provided is a COG panel system capable of minimizing a block dim effect by considering a relationship among a plurality of chips. The COG panel system includes: an FPC which supplies at least two power supply voltages having a constant voltage level; a plurality of SDIs which are commonly supplied with a bypass power supply voltage from the FPC and generate respective parts of a plurality of consecutive LCD driving signals required for an arbitrary one line of an LCD; and at least one block dim correction resistance.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a chip-on-glass (COG) panel system, and more particularly, to a COG panel system capable of minimizing a block dim effect by considering a relationship among a plurality of chips.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a case where a plurality of chips arrayed on the same printed circuit board (PCB) are operated by using a common power supply, a source of the power supply and pads formed in the chips are connected through metal lines. According to the connection schemes, there are a tape carrier package (TCP) mounting scheme using a tape automated boding (TAB) technique, a chip-on-film (COF) mounting scheme having a flexibility better than that of the TCP mounting scheme, and a chip on glass (COG) mounting scheme using a technique of directly connecting on a glass substrate by using a bump technique. In the COG mounting scheme, films used in the TCP and COF mounting schemes are not used, so that cost can be reduced. However, the COG mounting scheme has a problem in that voltage drop occurs due to specific resistances of signal lines or power supply lines which are constructed with metal lines.
An LCD driver IC (liquid crystal display driver integrated circuit) which is operated in response to a gamma reference voltage applies a data driver signal to an LCD panel. At least two LCD driver ICs are connected to one LCD panel. The gamma reference voltages applied to the LCD driver ICs are varied with the LCD driver ICs. In general, brightness difference among data lines driven by the LCD driver ICs may occur on an LCD screen, which is called a 'block dim effect. The block dim effect may also occur due to a very small potential difference among the power supply voltage lines connected to the LCD driver ICs. Conventionally, in order to solve the block dim effect, all input resistances of the power supply voltage lines as seen from the LCD driver ICs have been designed to be the same.
FIG. 1 is a view illustrating a configuration of a conventional COG panel system where resistances of power supply voltage lines connected to chips are considered.
Referring to FIG. 1, in the conventional COG panel system 100, two power supply voltage lines VDD_bypass and VDD connected to a flexible printed circuit (FPC) 130 are connected to two chips 110 and 120. The two power supply voltage lines VDD_bypass and VDD have the same voltage level. The bypass power supply voltage line VDD_bypass is connected through a first chip 110 to a second chip 120. The correction power supply voltage line VDD is connected to only the first chip 110.
Since the bypass power supply voltage line VDD_bypass is connected through the first chip 110 to the second chip 120, the input resistance RI2 of the bypass power supply voltage line VDD_bypass as seen from the second chip 120 is a sum of a specific resistance RB1 of the line from the FPC 130 to the first chip 110, an internal specific resistance RB_i of the first chip 110, and a specific resistance RB2 of the line from the first chip 110 to the second chip 120. The input resistance RI2 is expressed by Equation 1.RI2=RB1+RB—i+RB2  [Equation 1]
The input resistance RI1 of the bypass power supply voltage line VDD_bypass as seen from the first chip 110 is only the specific resistance RB1 of the metal line from the FPC 130 to the first chip 110. Therefore, the input resistance RI1 of the bypass power supply voltage line VDD_bypass as seen from the first chip 110 is different from the input resistance RI2 of the bypass power supply voltage line VDD_bypass as seen from the second chip 120. In order to match the input resistances RI1 and RI2, the correction power supply voltage line VDD is added to be connected through a correction resistance R1 to the first chip 110.
The correction resistance R1 in the correction power supply voltage line VDD as seen from a first output terminal OUT1 of the first chip 110 is designed to be equal to the resistance RI2 in the bypass power supply voltage line VDD_bypass as seen from a first output terminal OUT1 of the second chip 120. The correction resistance R1 is expressed by Equation 2.R1=RI2=RB1+RB—i+RB2  [Equation 2]
However, the block dim effect cannot be minimized by simply matching the input resistances of the power supply voltage lines as seen from the chips. In order to minimize the block dim effect, a relationship among signals output from a plurality of the chips needs to be considered.
Referring to FIG. 1, in the conventional correction scheme, only the specific resistance of the metal line in the bypass power supply voltage line VDD_bypass from the FPC to the first chip 110, the specific resistance of the internal routing line of the first chip 110, and the specific resistance of the metal line between the first chip 110 and the second chip 120 are considered. Namely, the resistances of the power supply voltage lines as seen from the first output terminal OUT1 of the first chip 110 and the first output terminal OUT1 of the second chip 120 are to be matched.
However, the most dominant block dim effect can be observed between a 480-th output terminal OUT480 that is the last output terminal of the first chip 110 and the first output terminal OUT1 of the second chip 120 that is closest to the 480-th output terminal OUT480. Therefore, the conventional correction scheme which does not consider the fact has a problem in minimizing the block dim effect.


A graphical display system utilizes an array of base units, which are disengageably affixed to one another so as to form a base board of variable extent, having a grid of slots in the front face thereof. Cover pieces have elements for slidably engaging them upon the front face of the base board, enabling them to be shifted in both of two mutually perpendicular directions within the grid of slots. The cover pieces are of various sizes and dimensions, and appropriate decorative or characterizing elements are applied to their surfaces to permit use for creating effective graphical display components.

Graphs and charts are used extensively in business, industry and academe, as well as in the home, to graphically represent many different kinds of data and a wide diversity of situations and relationships. The information to be presented is often of a dynamic nature, requiring that changes be made from time to time if an accurate representation is to be maintained. Frequently however, only part of the graph or chart is to be revised, and it is therefore highly desirable for such a display to offer the capability of quick and easy rearrangement and alteration, while also enabling previously established graphic features to be preserved and updated. As indicated by the following U.S. patents, the prior art fails to do so in an optimal manner:
Wagner U.S. Pat. No. 2,305,047 shows a display sign constructed from an array of cubic glass blocks or other building elements, some of which are provided with angled carrier members to form a ledge for supporting sign letters.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,544,445, to Corzilius, provides a production control board which utilizes a set of stacked strips, each having a dovetail groove to receive a row of inserts.
Gauge elements, which may be of different lengths, are received in parallel slots of the graphical chart display board shown in Mendell U.S. Pat. No. 3,124,885.
In accordance with McVicker et al U.S. Pat. No. 3,419,979, a number of board units are assembled alongside one another in a supporting frame to provide a pattern of parallel ribs; small plastic markers having opposed legs are snapped over the ribs to form columns, and they are described to be slidable therealong and readily removed therefrom.
Jimenez U.S. Pat. No. 3,458,944 discloses a sign construction consisting of numerous transparent plastic pockets arranged in a rectangular array on a panel, the pockets being adapted to receive inserts placed so as to form sign characters.
A visual display device, consisting of hinged panels, is provided by Bytwork U.S. Pat. No. 3,755,938; at least one of the panels has "magnetizable sheet means" secured to its inside surface, to cooperate with magnetic display members.
Kane U.S. Pat. No. 4,654,101 discloses a method for making a changeable display sign; a magnetic support is employed for securing flexible sign component pieces, the latter having undercut marginal edges to promote close interfitting.
Van Erum U.S. Pat. No. 4,669,210 provides a supporting board that is formed with horizontal "clip strips" having grooved lateral sides; cooperating plates, which may or may not be character bearing, have resilient legs for snapping into the grooves.
Accordingly, it is the broad object of the present invention to provide a novel graphical display system comprising a base board of readily variable extent, and display-forming pieces that are readily engaged upon and disengaged from the base board, and that are readily shifted thereover to different positions.
A more specific object of the invention is to provide such a system wherein a plurality of cover pieces of differing structural characteristics are employed, which pieces are adapted for assembly on the base board in a variety of arrangements so as to afford unique graphical display effects.
Additional objects of the invention are to provide such a graphical display system which is easy and convenient to utilize, is relatively uncomplicated and inexpensive to manufacture, and is adapted to provide graphical displays, such as for charts, graphs, and schedules, that are highly attractive and of strong visual impact.


It is an object of the present invention to provide a process for a fluorine containing carbon film (a CF film), which can put an interlayer insulator film of a fluorine containing carbon film into practice. A conductive film, e.g., a TiN film 41, is formed on a CF film 4. After a pattern of a resist film 42 is formed thereon, the TiN film 41 is etched with, e.g., BCl3 gas. Thereafter, when the surface of the wafer is irradiated with O2 plasma, the CF film is chemically etched, and the resist film 42 is also etched. However, since the TiN film 41 functions as a mask, a predetermined hole can be formed. Although an interconnection layer of aluminum or the like is formed on the surface of the CF film 4, the TiN film 41 functions as an adhesion layer for adhering the interconnection layer to the CF film 4 and serves as a part of the interconnection layer. As the mask, an insulator film of SiO2 or the like may be substituted for the film.

The present invention relates generally to a method for producing a semiconductor device using a fluorine containing carbon film.
In order to achieve high integration of a semiconductor device, it has been developed to provide devices, such as scale down of a pattern and multilayering of a circuit. As one of such devices, there is a technique for multilayering interconnection layers. In order to provide a multi layer metallization structure, a number n interconnection layer and a number (n+1) interconnection layer are connected to each other by means of a conductive layer, and a thin film called an interlayer insulator film is formed in a region other than the conductive layer.
As one of typical interlayer insulator films, there is a SiO2 film. In recent years, in order to more accelerate operation of a device, it has been required to reduce the relative dielectric constant of the interlayer insulator film, and the material of the interlayer insulator film has been examined. That is, the relative dielectric constant of SiO2 is about 4, and it has been diligently studied to dig up materials having a smaller relative dielectric constant than that of SiO2. As one of such materials, it has been studied to put SiOF having a relative dielectric constant of 3.5 into practice. The inventor has taken notice of a fluorine containing carbon film (for example, such as a fluorocarbon film) having a still smaller relative dielectric constant.
By the way, the fluorine containing carbon film has many unknown factors, and a method for producing the fluorine containing carbon film itself has been searched. For example, in conventional etching processes, the fluorine containing carbon film can not be etched with a CF gas, such as CF4, which is used as an etching gas for a SiO2 film, since the film itself to be etched is a CF material. Thus, the conventional processes can not be applied directly to the fluorine containing carbon film. Therefore, although the fluorine containing carbon film is suitable for an interlayer insulator film, there are many problems in order to put an interlayer insulator film of a fluorine containing carbon film into practice.
It is therefore a principal object of the present invention to eliminate problems in an etching process and to enable to etch a fluorine containing carbon film to put an interlayer insulator film of a fluorine containing carbon film into practice.
The first invention of the present application is characterized by the steps of: depositing an insulator film of a fluorine containing carbon film on an object to be treated; forming a pattern of a resist film on the insulator film; and removing the resist film while etching the insulator film by an oxide plasma. Specifically, this invention includes the following steps. When a predetermined recessed portion is formed on the insulator film by etching, the resist film may remain on the insulator film. The etch rate of the fluorine containing carbon film etched by the oxide plasma may be equal to the etch rate of the resist film etched by the oxide plasma.
The second invention of the present invention is characterized by the steps of: depositing an insulator film of a fluorine containing carbon film on an object to be treated; forming a pattern of a resist film on the insulator film; and producing a plasma of a treatment gas containing an oxygen plasma producing gas and a silane compound gas, and removing the resist film while etching the fluorine containing carbon film by the produced plasma.
The third invention of the present application is characterized by the steps of: depositing an insulator film of a fluorine containing carbon film on an object to be treated; depositing a protective coat resistant to an oxygen plasma, on the insulator film; forming a pattern of a resist film on the protective coat; etching the protective coat, which is exposed so as to correspond to the pattern of the resist film, to remove the protective coat; and removing the resist film while etching the fluorine containing carbon film by an oxygen plasma. In this case, the protective coat may be an insulator film or a conductive film.
The fourth invention of the present application is characterized by the steps of: depositing an insulator film of a fluorine containing carbon film on an object to be treated; depositing a titanium nitride film on the insulator film; forming a pattern of a resist film on the insulator film; etching the titanium nitride film, which is exposed so as to correspond to the pattern of the resist film, to remove the titanium nitride film; and removing the resist film while etching the fluorine containing carbon film by an oxygen plasma.
In the above cases, when a metal layer is formed below the fluorine containing carbon film, oxide on the metal layer is preferably removed by argon plasma after the fluorine containing carbon film is etched to expose the metal layer.

Process for the production of semiconductor device


A zoom lens includes a first lens group, a second lens group, a third lens group and a fourth lens group, all of which are arranged in sequence from an object side to an image side along an optical axis. The first lens group is with positive refractive power and includes a first lens that is with negative refractive power and a second lens that is with positive refractive power. The second lens group is with negative refractive power. The third lens group is with positive refractive power and includes a third lens front group that is with positive refractive power and a third lens rear group that is with positive refractive power. The fourth lens group is with positive refractive power.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a lens, and more particularly to a zoom lens.
2. Description of the Related Art
A zoom lens differs from a fixed focal length lens in that the focal length of a zoom lens is adjustable within a certain range. When a zoom lens zooms to a telephoto end, the distant object looks closer and magnified. When a zoom lens zooms to a wide-angle end, the field of view is expanded to accommodate a wider range of image. The fixed focal length lens doesn't have zoom in and zoom out function as the zoom lens has, so the current digital still cameras and digital video cameras are mostly equipped with zoom lens.
Zoom lens is developed toward high zoom ratio, smaller F-number and high resolution as higher image quality and a variety of applications are required by users. However, it is not easy to achieve that a zoom lens of a high zoom ratio has smaller F-number and high resolution.


A canine ventral chest and lower abdomen protection garment is disclosed for protection of a canine from impact with an obstacle. The garment mounts to the canine via a collar, a thoracic strap and a lumbar strap for a secure placement. A caudal portion of the garment rear of the lumbar strap protects the lower abdomen and urogenital regions. This caudal portion is allowed to gravitationally fold distal from the skin of the canine allowing for unobstructed urination. The same caudal portion of the garment, when impacted by an obstacle, returns proximal to the skin of the canine and acts to protect the lower abdomen and urogenital regions of the canine. The caudal portion of the garment is stitched in multiple lines allowing for permanently sizing the garment for a specific canine while retaining the integrity of the overall garment.

An owner of a domestic canine may prefer to allow the domestic canine access to an area which may injure the animal should the animal's chest and lower abdomen contact hazards in the area. Additionally, a hunting canine may be desired to enter areas of specific hazards.
For example, a hunter may wish to hunt in an area containing barbwire fencing. Should an unprotected canine traverse the horizontal strands of a barbwire fence, the unprotected canine may be injured by the horizontal wire or the sharpened barbs.
Previous attempts at protection of a canine have found limited success. These attempts may include a chest only protector garment capable only of chest protection. These garments may leave unprotected the penis of a male and the lower nipples of a female canine resulting in permanent damage to vital reproductive organs.
Therefore, an owner of a domestic canine may find useful a harness vest garment capable of protection of a chest and sternum region as well as the lower abdomen and urogenital region of a canine.

Wrap-around canine hunting vest with lower abdomen protection


A system is described for generating a digital image. A hand-held airbrush controller generates three-dimensional signal information and user trigger information. A plurality of receivers receives the three-dimensional signal information. A computer has a digital display and couples with the receivers to define a three-dimensional position of the controller. The computer is responsive to the user trigger information to generate the digital image on the display as a function of the user trigger information and the three-dimensional position. The airbrush controller includes a wireless transmitter that generates the three-dimensional signal information as signal burst information; the receivers include at least three wireless receivers for detecting the wireless signal burst information. The computer generates synchronization signals to initiate the signal burst information. Timing between the synchronization signals and receipt of the signal burst information, at the receivers, defines the three dimensional position. A bus may be used to communicate the synchronization signals from the computer to the airbrush controller. The airbrush controller includes one or more triggers (e.g., buttons) responsive to user hand control to generate the user trigger information.

In the prior art, an airbrush connects to a paint supply so that a user may mix paint with air in a spray aimed at a target. The user may adjust the air-to-paint ratio in the spray in order to control the volume and density of paint reaching the target.
The prior art is also familiar with computer programs that operate with a computer and computer mouse to facilitate creation of artistic renditions. The user may for example move the mouse and make a drawing in various colors and shapes displayed on the computer""s screen.
The invention provides techniques and methods for computerized and simulated airbrush painting. Other features of the invention will be apparent within the description that follows.
In one aspect, the invention provides a system for generating a digital image. A hand-held airbrush controller generates three-dimensional signal information and user trigger information. A plurality of receivers receives the three-dimensional signal information. A computer has a digital display and couples with the receivers to define a three-dimensional position of the controller. The computer is responsive to the user trigger information to generate the digital image on the display as a function of the user trigger information and the three-dimensional position.
In one aspect, the airbrush controller includes a wireless transmitter that generates the three-dimensional signal information as signal burst information; the receivers include at least three wireless receivers for detecting the wireless signal burst information.
In another aspect, the computer generates synchronization signals to initiate the signal burst information. Timing between the synchronization signals and receipt of the signal burst information, at the receivers, defines the three dimensional position. A bus may be used to communicate the synchronization signals from the computer to the airbrush controller. In one aspect, the bus may include a hose enclosing an electronic communication data path.
In still another aspect, the computer includes an image driver that coordinates and synchronizes the generation of the digital image.
In another aspect, the airbrush controller includes one or more triggers (e.g., buttons) responsive to user hand control to generate the user trigger information.
In yet another aspect, the three-dimensional position defines a distance to the display. The computer generates the digital image based, in part, on the distance.
In one aspect, the controller includes a second wireless transmitter to generate side-to-side signals. The receivers receive the side-to-side signals so that the computer may generate the image as a function of an orientation of the airbrush controller.
In one aspect, a method is provided for generating a computer image, including the steps of: automatically determining a three-dimensional position of a hand-held device; communicating the three-dimensional position, and user trigger selections at the device, to an image driver; and electronically generating the image on a digital display based upon the three dimensional position and user trigger selections.
The step of automatically determining may include the step of generating wireless signals captured by at least three receivers to triangulate on the device. The device may include an airbrush controller. The step of automatically determining may include automatically determining a three-dimensional position of an airbrush controller. The step of communicating may include communicating trigger information from the device to a computer over a data bus. The method may include the steps of communicating synchronization signals from the computer to the device over the bus and generating signal burst information at the device in response to receipt of the synchronization signals.
In another aspect, one method includes the steps of generating side-to-side wireless signals from the device and determining an orientation of the device. The orientation is used, in part, to generate characteristics of the image.
The invention is next described further in connection with preferred embodiments, and it will become apparent that various additions, subtractions, and modifications can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention.

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.