An electric musical instrument includes a body having a front side and a rear side, a plurality of strings extending across at least a portion of the front side of the body, and at least one electric pickup to detect vibrations of the strings and generate a pickup signal. The instrument includes at least one speaker mounted at the rear side of the body, in which the speaker includes an acoustic driver and an acoustic deflector. The acoustic deflector is configured to receive acoustic energy propagating from the acoustic driver and deflect at least a portion of the acoustic energy. The instrument includes an amplifier to amplify the pickup signal to generate an amplified pickup signal, and drive the at least one speaker based on the amplified pickup signal.

In some examples, an electric guitar includes a body, strings, and one or more pickups for detecting vibrations of the strings. For example, a magnetic pickup can be used in which the pickup includes magnets wrapped with coils of wire that react to disturbances caused by the guitar's vibrating metal strings. A pickup designed for a multi-string guitar can have multiple poles, each pole corresponding to the string positioned above it. Plucking a string causes the pickup to produce an electronic signal that corresponds to the string's vibrations. The electric guitar may include an output jack for connecting a guitar cable to an external power amplifier, which in turn drives a speaker. In some examples, characteristics of the guitar cable, such as the length of the cable, may affect the electric guitar's tone in the speaker output. The guitar cable has an impedance that in combination with the impedance of the pickup and amplifier results in an overall impedance that affects the electric signals generated by the pickup. Different guitar cables have different impedances and may affect the pickup output signals differently. The power amplifier may be connected to an equalizer or other equipment for producing desired sound effects. The electric guitar may include an audio jack for connecting to a headphone.

Electric musical instrument having rear mounted speaker


A converter for producing the function V.sub.out =V.sub.bias =V.sub.swing (1-2D), in which a DAC is combined with an operational amplifier and (typically) three or four resistors. A function of the voltage V.sub.swing, or a current corresponding thereto, is applied to the reference voltage input terminal of the DAC. The variable D is the DAC's digital input code, expressed as a decimal or fraction in the range between 0 and 1. The DAC output provides a suitably scaled and signed signal which is added to or subtracted from the offset signal V.sub.bias to produce V.sub.out.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of digital to analog conversion and, in particular, to converters adapted for use in disk drive controllers and similar applications, such as many servo systems, where a need exists for an output voltage function of the form V.sub.out = V.sub.1 + V.sub.2 (1-2D) or V.sub.out = V.sub.1 - V.sub.2 (1-2D), where both V.sub.1 and V.sub.2 may be supplied as input variables and D is function from 0 to 1, supplied as a digital value to control a DAC.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
Digital-to analog converters are needed in many applications. Of particular interest herein is their use in control systems, such as electro-mechanical servo mechanisms. In recent years, the use of digital servo techniques has become widespread to control disk drive read/write head positioners (i.e., actuators) and spindle motors. Handling the analog signals for driving such transducers requires the use of analog-to digital converters (ADC's), digital to analog converters (DAC's), operational amplifiers, logic functions and discrete components. The combination of these elements can take up a large section of precious board space in a hard disk drive system.
In a hard disk drive system, the disk heads produce low level analog signals that are amplified and are subsequently passed through detection and demodulation circuits prior to being converted to digital form. The digital data is then supplied to a servo micro controller that computes position and velocity of the read/write head. The micro-controller executes a control algorithm which takes as input the position and velocity information and outputs control data to a DAC which then drives the power amplifier that operates the read/write head actuator, to position the read/write head accordingly. One basic need for disk drive applications, therefore, is a DAC which, at half scale, presents an output sitting at some defined bias point V.sub.bias. This bias voltage establishes a zero-error position of the read/write head. With a half scale digital code applied to the DAC, the head is presumed to be directly over the data track. Feedback acts to increase or decrease the DAC code, to keep the head centered over the data. The magnitude of the DAC output voltage swing obviously depends on the individual system parameters and is essentially another independent variable, V.sub.swing. An ideal disk drive DAC thus provides an output voltage given either by the formula V.sub.out = V.sub.bias + V.sub.swing (114 2D) or by the formula V.sub.out = V.sub.bias - V.sub.swing (1-2D), where D represents the equivalent fractional value of the full scale DAC resolution indicated by the digital code applied to the DAC and ranges between 0 and 1. Hereinafter, therefore, we shall use the simplified expression "V.sub.out = V.sub.bias .+-. V.sub.swing " as a way of saying that the function is V.sub.out = V.sub.bias + V.sub.swing (1-2D) or V.sub.out = V.sub.bias - V.sub.swing (1- 2D). V.sub.swing defines the span of the signal, V.sub.bias is a DC reference level on which the V.sub.swing signal is superimposed and the composite signal can thus span the range between V.sub.bias - V.sub.swing to V.sub.bias + V.sub.swing (i.e., as D varies between 1 and 0).
The disk drive application is a specific case of the more general situation in which a DAC is needed to supply an output which is offset from zero (by some predetermined amount) when a zero code input is provide to the DAC.
Traditional ADC's and DAC's require additional signal conditioning circuits to interface with these signals, since they only handle ground referenced or differential input signals. In order to get an output range of V.sub.bias .+-. V.sub.swing from a conventional DAC such as the model AD7569 DAC from Analog Devices, Inc., of Norwood, Mass., at least three solutions exist. The first solution is shown in FIG. 1. There, the circuit 10 provides an output range of V.sub.bias .+-. 2.5 volts. The circuit is thus limited in that it can provide only a predefined .+-. 2.5 volt swing, rather than a swing which is arbitrarily set (within some predetermined limits) by application of a variable voltage V.sub.swing. Additionally, an external reference of +1.25 volts has to be provided. If the external reference does not match the internal reference, the swing will not be symmetrical about V.sub.bias. The restricted swing can be overcome by the circuit 20 of FIG. 2. This circuit provides an additional op-amp 22 to generate a zero to V.sub.swing output range from the zero to +1.25 volt output of the DAC 24. This circuit, however, also has the problem of matching the two reference voltages, since the output of op-amp 26 will not swing symmetrically about V.sub.bias unless the V.sub.swing /2 signal applied at node 28 is matched to the output of op-amp 22. An alternative is the circuit 30 of FIG. 3 which, instead of requiring a V.sub.swing /2 voltage requires a V.sub.bias - V.sub.swing voltage at the input. However, an additional operational amplifier (not shown) is probably required to generate this difference voltage. Again, the circuit suffers from having to match the internal reference (gain adjusted to produce V.sub.swing DAC output) with the external V.sub.swing voltage.
An approach published in CMOS DAC Application Guide, Analog Devices, Inc., Norwood, Mass., 1984 at 20 (Analog Devices Pub. No. G872-30 10/84), is shown in FIG. 4. There, a voltage switching circuit is shown. The OUT2 terminal of DAC 31 is driven by a lower offset voltage V.sub.2 via buffer 32, and the OUT1 terminal is driven by a full scale output voltage via buffer 33. If the DAC ladder termination resistor is connected to the AGND terminal, the output voltage V.sub.out for a given digital input code D is given by: EQU V.sub.out =D(V.sub.1 -V.sub.2)+(1-2.sup.-n)V.sub.2. EQU Thus, EQU V.sub.out =V.sub.2 (1-2.sup.-n)when D=0 and V.sub.out =V.sub.1 when D=1-.sup.-n.
If the ladder termination resistor is connected to the DAC's OUT2 terminal, the output voltage is given by: EQU V.sub.out =D(V.sub.1 -V.sub.2)+V.sub.2. EQU Thus, ##EQU1##
Consequently, the end points of the span are V.sub.2 and approximately V.sub.1. In other words, the inputs are not conveniently V.sub.bias and V.sub.swing but, rather, are functions which must be derived from those variables (using additional components, not shown). Moreover, the outputs of buffers 32 and 33 should never go negative with respect to OUT2 or parasitic action may damage the DAC.
Another approach is shown in FIG. 5, which is a variant of the circuit of FIG. 4 in which V.sub.1 = V.sub.bias + V.sub.swing and V.sub.2 = V.sub.bias -V.sub.swing. A resistive divider formed of resistors 42 and 44 supplies via buffer amplifier 46 a voltage V.sub.bias + V.sub.swing to the reference voltage input of a DAC 50 and to the anode of a Zener diode 52. The cathode of the Zener diode 52 is connected to ground through a resistor 54 and to the analog ground terminal (AGND) of DAC 50. When V.sub.bias + V.sub.swing is adequate to keep the diode 52 conducting, the output V.sub.drive = V.sub.bias .+-. V.sub.swing. Of course, this circuit is limited in that V.sub.swing is established by the Zener diode 52 (where V.sub.zener = 2 V.sub.swing) and cannot be supplied as a variable input on a signal lead. Additionally, V.sub.swing must be a positive voltage. FIG. 5 essentially shows an approach published in M. Byrne, AD7224 Provides Programmable Voltages over Varying Ranges, Analog Devices, Inc., Norwood, Mass. 198 , Analog Devices Application Note No. E910-15-5/85.
For disk drive (and many other servo) applications, the ability to provide both V.sub.bias and V.sub.swing as variable values is important. Further, the DAC should be capable of operating from a standard single sided supply voltage in order to avoid creating an unnecessary need for a second supply voltage. A DAC requiring both positive and negative supplies would, for most applications, not be commercially acceptable.

Single-supply digital-to-analog converter for control function generation


An apparatus extracts a server process from a communication in a network to generate log data in which a combination of addresses of access sources in the server process is recorded, and compares a combination of past addresses recorded in the log data with a combination of addresses in a specific target access to identify a first communication apparatus performing an abnormal communication.

In recent years, the damage caused by targeted attacks against intra-organization networks such as enterprises and governments has been getting worse.
In targeted attacks, an attacker invades an intra-organization network by using, for example, malware to avoid detection by antivirus software. For this reason, it may be difficult to detect the occurrence of the targeted attacks with "entry countermeasures" which detects that an attacker has intruded from an external network to the intra-organization network.
Therefore, there are cases where "internal countermeasures" such as monitoring of an internal communication of the intra-organization network and detecting behaviors by attackers are implemented.
An attacker sometimes aims to obtain a file including confidential information or the like that could be obtained by a search activity of the intra-organization network and transmit the file to the external network. In a case where there are a plurality of files that such an attacker tries to obtain, when individual files are transmitted to the external network, a communication is continuously generated from the intra-organization network to the external network. Here, in a case where a monitoring device for monitoring the boundary between the intra-organization network and the external network is installed, the monitoring device may determine that the communication continuously occurring to the external network is abnormal.
Therefore, in order to avoid detection by such a monitoring device, the attacker is supposed to try to minimize the occurrence of the communication from the intra-organization network to the external network. For example, the attacker installs an unauthorized server (may be referred to as "staging server" or the like) for aggregating files collected in the intra-organization network to hosts existing in the intra-organization network. Then, after files are adequately collected, the attacker compresses the files in an illegally installed server into one file and transmits the compressed file to the external network.
In order to restrain such an attacker from sending the file to the external network, a security administrator in the organization network detects the illegally installed server by the attacker in the intra-organization network. If it is possible to detect an illegally installed server, in a case where a communication from the illegally installed server to the external network has occurred, it is possible to determine that there is a possibility that an unauthorized file transmission by an attacker has occurred with respect to the illegally installed server. As a result, the security administrator may take countermeasures such as blocking the communication to the external network or making inquiries to the administrator of the host which became the illegally installed server.
Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2005-275683 and Junji Nakazato, Yu Tsuda, and Yaichiro Takagi, "Suspicious Process Analysis in Cooperation with End Hosts", Research reports on Information and Telecommunications Research Institute Vol. 63 No. 2 (December 2016) are examples of the related art.

Effective detection of a communication apparatus performing an abnormal communication


An electromagnetic antenna for Measurement-While-Drilling (MWD) applications is disclosed. The antenna can include several array elements that can act alone or together in various measurement modes. The antenna elements can be disposed in tool body recesses to be protected from damage. The antenna elements can include a ferrite plate crossed or looped by independent current carrying conductors in two or more directions forming a bi-directional or crossed magnetic dipole. Although disclosed as a MWD system conveyed by a drill string, basic concepts of the system are applicable to other types of borehole conveyance.

A measurement of electromagnetic (EM) properties of earth formation penetrated by a borehole has been used for decades in hydrocarbon exploration and production operations. The resistivity of hydrocarbon is greater than saline water. A measure of formation resistivity can, therefore, be used to delineate hydrocarbon bearing formations from saline water bearing formations. Electromagnetic borehole measurements are also used to determine a wide range of geophysical parameters of interest including the location of bed boundaries, the dip of formations intersecting by the borehole, and anisotropy of material intersected by the borehole. Electromagnetic measurements are also used to "steer" the drilling of the borehole.
Borehole instruments, or borehole "tools", used to obtain EM measurements typically comprise one or more antennas or transmitting coils which are energized by an alternating electrical current. Resulting EM energy interacts with the surrounding formation and borehole environs by propagation or by induction of currents within the borehole environs. One or more receivers respond to this EM energy or current. A single coil or antenna can serve as both a transmitter and a receiver. Parameters of interest, such as those listed above, are determined from the response of the one or more receivers. Response of one or more receivers within the borehole apparatus may be telemetered to the surface of the earth via conveyance means that include a wireline or a drill string equipped with a borehole telemetry system. Alternately, the response of one or more receivers can be stored within the borehole tool for subsequent retrieval at the surface of the earth.
Standard induction and wave propagation EM tools are configured with transmitter and receiver coils with their magnetic moments aligned with the tool axis. More recently, induction tools with three axis coils and wave propagation MWD or LWD tools with antennas (coils) whose magnetic moments are not aligned with the tool axis are being produced and used. These MWD or LWD propagation tools, with antenna dipole axes tilted with respect to the tool axis, can distinguish resistivity differences as a function of tool azimuth. Tools with coils aligned with the tool axis cannot distinguish resistivity changes as a function of tool azimuthal angle. The azimuthal resistivity response feature of an electromagnetic MWD or LWD tool is most useful in direction or "geosteering" the drilling direction of a well in a formation of interest. More specifically, the distance and direction from the tool to a bed (such as shale) bounding the formation of interest, or water interfaces within the formation of interest, can be determined from the azimuthal resistivity response of the tool. Using this information, the drill bit can be directed or "steered", in real time, so as to avoid penetrating non hydrocarbon bearing formations with the borehole.
Prior art MWD or LWD tools that make azimuthal EM measurements employ a combination of separate axially aligned antennas and antennas whose magnetic moments are tilted at an angle with respect to the tool axis. Such tools, for example, are described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,476,609 issued to Bittar, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,297,639 issued to Clark et al. These tools have a fixed response azimuth, and can only preferentially determine resistivity or distance to a bed on one side of the tool, or at fixed azimuth angles relative to the tool. The tools must be rotated in order to respond to or "see" resistivity differences or boundaries on all sides of the borehole. Furthermore, the antennas with different dipole orientations located at different axial spacings along the length of the tool lack a common dipole origin point. This fact precludes vector addition of the dipole moments to form a new dipole moment, in any direction, with the same origin point. Multiple antennas at differing axial spacings also increase tool production and maintenance cost, and further reduces mechanical tool strength.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,181,138 issued to Hagiwara describes an antenna design that has three independent, co-located, antenna coils with a common tilt angle. Co-located in this context means having dipole moments whose origins are coincident and tilt angle is the angle between the tool axis and the dipole moment of the antenna coil. These antenna coils acting together can direct a transmitter or receiver resultant antenna dipole moment in any direction. This antenna design places coils around a drilling collar in a region of reduced diameter or "necked down" region. It is well known in the art that reducing the outer diameter of a drilling collar weakens it in that area and causes the collar to be more prone to mechanical failure. In this design also the coils must be covered with a non-conducting layer which must go all the way around the collar for the extent of the tilted coils. Non-conductive coverings presently used in the art such as fiberglass, rubber, epoxy, ceramics or plastic are subject to wear due to abrasion which occurs between the tool and the borehole wall, and are not as strong as the collar material. Because the non-conducting region must encircle the collar it is likely to contact the borehole wall unless the collar is further "necked down" causing further weakness. An extreme penalty is paid by "necking down" drilling tubulars. It is well known to those skilled in the art that reducing the outer diameter of a cylindrical member reduces the torsional and bending stiffness proportional to the forth power of the radius. For example, reducing the diameter of a 5 inch (12.7 centimeter) tubular to 4 inches (10.2 centimeters) reduces the torsional and bending stiffness by 59%.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,038,457 issued to Chen and Barber, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,808,520 issued to Runge, describe co-located triaxial antenna construction in which three orthogonal coils are wound around a common point on a borehole logging tool. They describe the virtues of having antennas with three orthogonal dipole moments all passing through the same point in the center of the logging tool. These patents are incorporated herein by reference. The teachings of both patents are more suitable for wireline tools because the disclosed coil windings would compromise the strength and durability of an MWD or LWD tool. Runge describes a triaxial antenna located in the center of a tool with non-conducting tool housing or "mandrel" around it. This is clearly not appropriate for MWD or LWD embodiment. It is known those of ordinary skill in the MWD or LWD art that a non-conducting tool body does not have the strength to support the severe mechanical requirements of tools used in drilling. Chen and Barber describe a technique for implementing an antenna structure with co-located magnetic dipole moments in which the transverse coils penetrate a mandrel through openings in the tool body. While this may be appropriate for wireline applications, openings in the tool body in which a coil is placed will cause weakness in the tool body. In addition provision must be made for drilling fluid or drilling "mud" to flow down within the body of an MWD or LWD tool. This mud usually flows in a conduit or channel in the center of the MWD or LWD tool, which is typically a drill collar. Embodied in a MWD or LWD system, the Chen and Barber design must somehow be modified to divert the mud away from the coils and the openings in the tool body thereby adding complexity and cost to the manufacture of the tool. Another problem encountered in embodying the Chen and Barber design as an MWD or LWD system is that, owing to the required non-conductive covering which is disposed around the circumference of the tool, the coils are not protected from abrasion which occurs between the tool and the borehole wall during drilling.
A crossed dipole antenna for wireline applications is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,406,206 issued to Safinya et al. This patent describes a slot or cavity antenna with crossed magnetic dipoles and a dielectric backing. This system is purported to operate in the frequency range of 200 to 2000 MHz and as such would be only suitable as a pad mounted device which contacts the borehole wall during operation. The antenna described in the present patent can operate at frequencies below 10 MHz and does not require contact with the borehole wall for operation. The antenna of the present patent uses a thin plate of ferrite underneath current carrying wires and is much more efficient at lower frequencies
A more robust antenna design suitable for MWD or LWD application is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,530,358 issued to Wisler et al. This antenna is integrated into a drilling tubular affording maximum strength and abrasion resistance, but it is only a single axial dipole antenna. One of the key components of the Wisler et al system is the antenna wire pathways disposed beneath the surface of the drilling tubular surface to avoid any abrasion and so as not to reduce the strength of the tubular. Protection of the coils and their non-conducting covering in the Chen and Barber design may be partially accomplished by reducing the radius or "necking down" the drilling tubular in the antenna region similar to the Hagiwara design. However "necking down" in the region of the antennas will significantly reduce the tubular strength in that region, and the tool will therefore be more prone to failure downhole. Although more robust, the Wisler patent does not teach varying the direction of the antenna dipole moment.

Array antenna for measurement-while-drilling


An electronic device includes an antenna that receives RF signals from a sensor associated with a respective tire of the vehicle. The RF signals represent a condition of the respective tire. A processor receives the RF signals from the antenna. The processor converts the RF signals to a proprietary serial bus formatted message. The processor transmits the proprietary serial bus formatted message to an electronic control unit via a vehicle communication bus.

The present invention relates to monitoring conditions of a vehicle. It finds particular application in conjunction with monitoring tire conditions of a vehicle and will be described with particular reference thereto. It will be appreciated, however, that the invention is also amenable to other applications.
It is becoming more common in modern motor vehicles to monitor tire conditions (e.g., inflation). Maintaining the correct tire conditions helps maintain safe, efficient, and economical operation of the vehicle. Abnormal tire conditions may result in excessive tire wear, blow-outs, and poor fuel mileage.
Conventional tire condition monitoring systems typically include radio frequency (RF) sensors associated with respective tires of the vehicle. The sensors include RF transmitters that transmit intermittent signals indicating tire conditions (e.g., pressures, temperature, etc.) in the respective tires of the vehicle. One or more antennas placed throughout the vehicle receive the tire condition signals from the various transmitters. The antennas are electrically connected to a central electronic control unit (ECU) via electrical cables. The RF signals from the transmitters, which are received by the antennas, are transmitted from the antennas to the central ECU via the cable.
In order to avoid signal loss, the electrical cabling (which is independent of any on-board communication system such as a J1939 network) includes coaxial cable with relatively expensive shielding and connectors. Furthermore, a central ECU is relatively expensive since it must be able to constantly listen for radio frequency signals from the sensors (which requires relatively higher processing speed), perform control logic for pressure monitoring (which requires relatively slower processing speed), and communicate with the other vehicle systems.
The present invention provides a new and improved apparatus and method for monitoring tire conditions on a vehicle.

System and method for monitoring tire condition


Disclosed is an additive manufacturing device that facilitates the manufacturing of relatively large 3D objects at a short time. The device uses radiation-curable resin and radiation curing system. Layer shaping members are disclosed to provide both for shorter manufacturing time of an object, minimizing waste of resin and reduction of weight. Curing radiation sources are also designed to minimizing waste of resin and manufacturing time.

In some additive manufacturing (AM) devices a container is provided with a radiation-curable resin (RCR) in the container. The flat bottom of the container is typically made of a transparent material that allows the resin curing radiation to be transmitted through the bottom and interact with a radiation-curable resin layer adjacent to the bottom of the container. The transmitted through the bottom curing radiation interacts/cures a thin, adjacent to the bottom, layer of resin, typically 10-100 um thick. Once a layer of resin is cured the entire manufactured 3D object is lifted, typically 10-100 um above the bottom of the container, allowing to cure another layer of radiation-curable resin forming the object. This way the object is built a layer after a layer until the entire object is produced above the bottom of the container.
Additive manufacturing (AM) devices where a layer of radiation-curable resin is deposited on the top of an earlier deposited layer are also known and described for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,586,494, 6,966,960, 7,291,002, and 8,509,933 and European patent EP2654412. Typically, the thickness of the cured or solidified material layer is about 10-60 micron. This is because the radiation-curable resin absorbs a large part of the curing radiation and makes it almost impossible to solidify thicker layers of radiation-curable resin.
Such additive manufacturing devices are typically intended to manufacture objects with relatively small size and high dimensional accuracy. Manufacture of such objects results in a relatively long time of production. For example, production of a small 50×50×50 mm object would typically take more than an hour. Manufacture of larger size objects would naturally take more time making the method not suitable and cost effective for additive manufacture of large size objects, for example, of 1000×1000 mm or even 5000×5000 mm.


An ink jet cartridge is composed integrally of a recording head and an ink tank, which are constructed in mutually separable manner, in order to enable repeated use of the recording head by replacement of the ink tank. In an ink supply part in the ink tank, an elastic partition wall is provided with a slit which is normally closed but is opened under a predetermined pressure difference. The slit is so designed as to generate an appropriate negative pressure on the recording head, thereby preventing ink leakage. Also a slit shielding valve member is provided to shield the slit at the abrupt inhaling action of the ink tank at the detaching of the ink tank, in order to prevent air intrusion into the ink tank.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an ink tank equipped with a negative pressure regulating mechanism, an ink jet cartridge composed of said tank and a recording head for ink discharge connected to said tank, and an ink jet recording apparatus in which said cartridge is detachably mounted.
2. Related Background Art
For facilitating the ink replenishment in the conventional ink jet recording apparatus, particularly ink jet printers, there has been proposed an ink jet cassette of cartridge type, or an ink jet cartridge which integrally includes a recording head and an ink tank and is interchangeably constructed.
As an example, FIG. 9 illustrates an ink jet recording apparatus of ink cassette type, with a fixed ink tank, wherein shown are an ink cassette 800, an ink supply tube 850, and a pump 20. In this case, a recording head 10 is mounted in the main body of the printer and is connected by a tube or the like to an ink supply part of the ink tank, and a separate ink cassette is placed by the operator in a predetermined position in said main body, whereby the ink cassette and an ink tank connector are coupled to enable the ink supply. However, since the ink cassette itself is not provided with a negative pressure, if the recording head 10 is placed at a same height as the ink cassette, the head pressure of the ink cassette is applied to the nozzles of the recording head 10, thus eventually causing ink leakage from said nozzles. Therefore, in such ink cassette system, the negative pressure to the recording head 10 is generated by the head relative thereto, namely by positioning the ink cassette by a required positional head pressure H below the recording head 10. However, in such conventional ink cassette system, in which the recording head and the ink cassette are connected by a tube, the printer main body is difficult to compactize as there are required spaces for installing the ink cassette and connecting tube. Also in case the recording head and the ink cassette are connected by a tube, the printing speed is difficult to improve as the ink has to be brought to the recording head from the ink cassette through the tube, by means of the capillary action of the nozzles of said recording head. The ink cassette, if attached to the side of the recording head, will eliminate the space required for the connecting tube and enable the improvement in the printing speed, but in such arrangement it is difficult to locate the ink cassette and the recording head side by side since the negative pressure is generated by the positional head pressure at the height of the ink cassette to the recording head and the ink cassette itself has no negative pressure.
On the other hand, for ink storage in the ink jet cartridge integrally containing a recording head and an ink tank, there is already known a method of impregnating a porous member with ink, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,771,295 corresponding to Japanese Patent Laid-Open Application No. 63-87242.
However, such method is unsatisfactory in volume efficiency since the ink is impregnated in a porous member such as sponge, and an increase in the tank capacity is difficult to attain since the negative pressure increases with the decrease of ink in the tank, thus leaving a certain unusable amount of ink therein.
For improving the volume efficiency there is preferred direct storage of ink in the container, and, for such purpose, there is known a method of storing ink in a rubber bladder, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,509,062 corresponding to Japanese Patent Laid-Open Application No. 59-98857.
However, such method is still unsuitable for increasing in tank capacity, as it is associated with a drawback of fluctuation of pressure to the recording head, resulting from ink vibration in the tank caused for example by the carriage movement. Also there is a drawback that a considerable amount of unusable ink remains in the tank, as the negative pressure maintained by the rubber bladder increases with the decrease of ink therein.
In order to resolve these drawbacks, the present inventors proposed pressure regulation means which is very simple in structure and has also a valve function capable of stable supply and shut-off of liquid. More specifically, pressure regulation means having valve function and consisting of an elastic member with a slit which is closed in the normal state but is opened at a certain pressure difference is provided in the ink tank, thereby enabling ink supply to the recording head with the liquid pressure on the nozzles controlled within a predetermined range. More precisely, there is provided, in the ink tank or in the ink path, a partition wall of an elastic material with valve function (hereinafter called slit bladder) which is deformed to open the slit when the difference between the internal and external pressures is at least equal to a predetermined value, but assumes the original state to close the slit when the pressure difference is lower than a certain value.
Such configuration has enabled stable ink discharge with an ink tank of a large capacity. The use of such ink tank of large capacity is preferable in attaining the advantages such as reduced running cost, in the configuration employing separated recording head and ink tank. Particularly the use of the slit bladder has enabled to increase the ratio of stored ink amount to the ink tank, and to store a large amount of ink in a compact ink tank. This fact has realized a configuration in which the recording head and the ink tank are integrally constructed in the printer, and has provided a simpler and less expensive ink tank, in comparison with the conventional separated configuration in which the ink tank is fixed in the interior of the main body of the printer and is connected to the recording head through a tube.
However, in the configuration with the separated ink tank, the pressure of the recording head can never be always same as that of the ink tank at the attaching or detaching operation thereof, so that the ink always flows to the lower pressure side through the connecting tube therebetween. Air eventually present in said tube may enter the ink tank, and such air in the ink tank may be introduced into the recording head through the connecting tube and to the nozzles of said recording head, thus resulting in failure in the ink discharge from the nozzles.
Also if the recording head contains air in a state with zero or a slight negative pressure, said air may be inhaled rapidly by the pressure in the slit bladder and may intrude into the ink bag, constituting the main ink container of the ink tank through the slit bladder. Such air intrusion into the ink bag may cause ink leakage from the nozzles for example when the bag is pressurized by air expansion under a change in the atmospheric conditions such as a high temperature.
Though the air intruding into the recording head can be eliminated by a recovery pump provided in the printer itself, but the air intruding into the ink bag of the main tank through the slit bladder is difficult to remove as it tends to stick to the bag or to be blocked by the slit bladder. Such ink intrusion has therefore to be securely prevented.
Besides, the integral ink jet cartridge including the recording head and the ink tank is desired to be free from ink leakage and to provide satisfactory print quality in the horizontal or vertical position, in order that a same cartridge can be used in different models of printer. For this reason the range of negative pressure permissible in the ink tank becomes narrower, so that effective utilization of ink cannot be attained. In addition, if the ink tank capacity is diversified, a recording head has to be prepared matching each ink tank.
Furthermore, for compactizing the printer itself, it is desired to further compactize the ink jet cartridge. However, the ink jet cartridge integrally including the ink tank, if compactized, leads to an increase in the running cost since the recording head becomes unusable when the ink runs out, and the level of compactization has not yet been satisfactory.

Ink supply device with elastic valve for liquid supplying slit


A charged particle beam apparatus comprising a charged particle beam source(s) for generating an ion beam and an electron beam, a focusing lens system for finely focusing each of the generated ion beam and electron beam, a charged particle beam deflecting system for deflecting each of the focused ion beam and electron beam, and a specimen subjected to irradiation thereof with each of the focused ion beam and electron beam is provided with means for detecting the deviation of the irradiation positions of the ion beam and the electron beam on the specimen from each other and means for making the irradiation positions of the ion beam and the electron beam on the specimen coincident with each other on the basis of the result of detection of the deviation of the irradiation positions from each other.

The present invention relates to a charged particle beam apparatus suitable for use as a micro fabrication (or processing) apparatus or a micro surface area analysis equipment using charged particle beams.
In techniques for processing or analysis of a micro area using an ion microprobe, it is indispensable to observe an image of a specimen surface for the purpose of determining a position on the specimen to be analyzed, etc. Conventionally, an optical microscope has been used as a tool for observing the image of the specimen surface. In recent years, however, in order to make it possible to observe even a micro or fine structure of a specimen surface which cannot be observed by the optical microscope, a method of observing the specimen surface by means of a finely focused electron beam has been proposed for an apparatus in which the micro area is processed or analyzed by use of the ion microprobe. In such a method, a charged particle source, a focusing lens and a deflector which form the ion microscope, are also used for forming an electron beam. Namely, since ions having positive charges and electrons having negative charges can take the same trajectory in principle by inverting the polarities of electric signals supplied to a source for generation of the ions and electrons (charged particle source), an electrostatic focusing lens, etc., the observation of an image of the specimen surface using the finely focused electron beam makes it possible to observe the specimen surface image as a scanning electron microscopy image having a resolution which is remarkably high as compared with the conventional method using the optical microscope. This type of apparatus is described in JP-B-51-5315.
By the prior art shown in the above-mentioned reference, it is possible to observe an image of a specimen surface with a high resolution. In practice, however, when one tries to direct an ion beam onto a desired point on the specimen surface after the specimen surface image has been observed by means of an electron beam, it is difficult to form the ion beam spot onto the desired point on the specimen surface even if the polarities of the electric signals supplied to the charged particle source and the focusing lens system are inverted. The causes of this difficulty include the deflection of the electron beam induced by leakage magnetic fields from various power supplies and the miss alignment of the optical axis of the lens system.


A method of analysing a sample of biological material including components (2a to 2d) tagged with respective fluorescent labels (4a to 4d), comprises the steps of identifying a specific labeled component (2d) to be monitored, and irradiating with an energy beam at least one region (8) of the sample which substantially surrounds said specific component. The energy beam modifies the optical properties of labels in the region (8) such that they are distinguishable from the label (4d) associated with said specific component (2d). This assists the tracking of a specific component of interest as it moves through a sample. Apparatus for carrying out the method is also described.

A conventional approach to tracking moving components in a sample is to determine changes relative to the background in order to identify regions which may be mobile components of interest. In fluorescence microscopy, the components of interest may be tagged by fluorescent labels or probes, making the task of distinguishing them from the background relatively straightforward.
Fluorescent molecules employed as labels typically have a specific excitation spectrum, being more strongly excited at some wavelengths and less strongly excited at others. They also have a specific emission spectrum, emitting more intensely at some wavelengths, and less intensely at others. The excitation and emission spectra may range from the ultraviolet to the infrared.
A wide range of fluorescent probes have been developed from chemical molecules, such as Rhodamine and Fluoroscein. Further fluorescent probes have been developed from molecules found in luminescent organisms, for example the Aequorea Jellyfish which has provided the Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP), and various corals providing DsRed and HcRed. These have been termed AFPs (Aequorea Fluorescent Proteins) and are described for example in J. Zhang, et al, Nature Reviews: Molecular Cell Biol., Vol 3, December 2002, pp 906-918; Y. A. Labas, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., 2002, Vol 99, pp 4256-4261; and M. V. Matz, Bioassay, Vol 24, pp 953-959.
The fluorescent probes may be associated with specific molecules of interest (DNA, RNA, proteins, carbohydrates, antibodies, etc). Alternatively they may be made to be sensitive to certain characteristics (ionic concentration, pH, voltage potential, temperature, the presence of a specific enzyme, the presence of specific enzyme substrates, force), altering their fluorescent properties according to these characteristics. These labels may be introduced into cells by passing through the cell membrane or by injection. Alternatively they may be formed internally as part of the normal functioning of the cell, in the case of the genetically encoded probes such as the AFPs.
In a known apparatus for imaging samples including fluorescent labels, a fluorescence microscope (FIG. 1) is fitted with an excitation light source which is capable of exciting one or more fluorescent probes at specific wavebands. The microscope is also fitted with suitable optical filters so that the light emitted from the probes may be observed at other wavebands. Examining the spatial and temporal distribution of light emitted provides information on the structure and dynamics of the sample.
The use of multiple labels provides information on the coincident localisation of labeled components, revealing, for example, the organization of the cytoskeleton of a cell. The fluorescence microscope is often fitted with an image acquisition system, comprising a light sensitive detector (sensitive from the ultraviolet to the infrared) such as a CCD camera or a combination of a scanner and a photomultiplier tube, and recording means such as a video recorder or computer system with a memory device, so that dynamic behaviour of the sample may be captured and analysed offline.
The system may employ a focus drive mechanism for altering the position of the imaging focus plane, thus allowing volumetric (XYZ) and volumetric time series (XYZT) data to be acquired. By selecting suitable excitation and/or emission wavebands and/or selecting suitable optical filter sets, volumetric multi-wavelength (XYWZ) and volumetric multi-wavelength time series (XYWZT) data may be acquired.
The microscope may also be fitted with additional apparatus to control the temperature, gas content and flow, introduce liquids, etc.
In order to gain a deeper understanding of the dynamic processes in a sample such as a living cell, an additional activating light beam may be provided (in many cases based on the excitation light source). The activating light beam may be directed to portions of the sample containing labels in such a manner that the intense light from this beam bleaches the label and reduces its fluorescence. By observing the subsequent development of fluorescence in this region, and elsewhere in the sample, information can be obtained on mechanisms of interaction and exchange of various labeled components (for example, as described in AxelRod, Biophys. J., 1977, Vol 18, pp 129-131; and Phair et al, Nature, 2000, Vol 404, pp 604-609).
Methods and apparatus for analysis of samples including fluorescent labels are disclosed in the present applicant's copending United Kingdom Patent Application No. 0419325.6, the contents of which are incorporated herein as reference material.
Moving components may often be distinguishable by their size, shape or trajectory, for example. However, this can be problematic if the components concerned are very similar in shape and size, or vary considerably in shape and size over time, or have unpredictable trajectories.
Existing approaches to addressing this problem include locating candidate particles and estimating the matches between frames. Examples are described in J. L. Barron, Fleet, D. J., and Beauchemin, S. (1994) Performance of optical flow techniques, International Journal of Computer Vision, 12(1):43-77; Nagel, H.-H. 1977, Analysing Sequences of TV-Frames: System Design Considerations, In Proc. Intern. Joint Conference on Artificial Intelligence, Cambridge, Mass., 626; Nagel, H.-H. 2000, Image Sequence Evaluation: 30 Years and Still Going Strong, In Proc. 15th Intern. Conf. Pattern Recognition, A. Sanfeliu, J. J. Villanueva, M. Vanrell, R. Alqu'ezar, J.-O. Eklundh, and Y. Aloimonos (Eds.), Vol. 1, 149-158. Los Alamitos, Calif.: IEEE Computer Society; M. Isard and A. Blake, Condensation—conditional density propagation for visual tracking, International Journal of Computer Vision 29(1), pp. 5-28, 1998; D. Comaniciu, V. Ramesh, and P. Meer, Kernel-Based Object Tracking, IEEE PAMI, vol. 25, no. 5, May 2003; Raffel M., Willert C., Kompenhans J (1998) Particle Image Velocimetry. Springer, Berlin; Stanislas, M., Kompenhans, J., Westerweel, J., Particle Image Velocimetry—Progress towards Industrial Application, Kluwer Academic Publishers, 2000.
Separate bleach and imaging scanning techniques are described in UK Patent Specification No. 2369739, and "Beam Control in a Scanning Microscope", J. Engelhardt/Leica, 5 Jun. 2002.

Method and apparatus for analyzing a dynamic sample


A system for detecting position that is capable of self-monitoring for connectivity faults. In one embodiment, the system comprises a transformer, an excitation potential source, a bias potential source, and a processor.

Transformers used as position, or location, sensors are known. Typically, such a transformer provides one or more output potentials that vary with the position of a magnetic member disposed within the transformer. From these outputs, the displacement (rotational and/or linear) of the magnetic member may be determined.
In conventional transformers, connectivity faults (e.g., short circuits, open circuits, etc.) may negatively impact the generation of the output potentials. In some cases, connectivity faults may reduce the accuracy of the determination of the position of the magnetic member, or even effectively eliminate determinations of the position of the magnetic member all together. In such instances, the overall functionality a system that implements such a transformer (e.g., a control system, etc.) to detect linear and/or rotational displacement may be significantly impaired.
Consequently, in conventional systems, two or more transformers are used in parallel to verify the output potentials and detect connectivity faults in one of the transformers based on differences in output potentials between the transformers. However, this solution requires the system to include space and processing capabilities for the additional transformer(s). The inclusion of multiple transformers also increases the cost and complexity of the system.

Position detecting system that self-monitors for connectivity faults


A high-speed serial linking device with de-emphasis function for receiving a parallel data and accordingly outputting a de-emphasized transmission differential pair. The high-speed serial linking device includes a parallel-to-serial unit, a pre-driver, and an output driver. The parallel-to-serial unit is used to receive a parallel data and further serializes the parallel data into a serial data and a delayed serial data. The pre-driver outputs a data differential pair according to the serial data and outputs a delayed-and-inverted differential pair according to the delayed serial data. The output driver unit is used to receive the data differential pair and the delayed-and-inverted differential pair to accordingly output a de-emphasized transmission differential pair.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates in general to a high-speed serial linking device, and more particularly to a high-speed serial linking device with de-emphasis function and the method thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
As higher and higher data transmission speed in computer is requested, existing parallel transmission architectures, PCI architecture for instance, become insufficient to satisfy consumers' demand. Parallel link architectures use plural linking lines and further synchronize the clock pulses of these linking lines. It is very difficult to synchronize the clock pulses of plural linking lines under high-speed data transmission.
The current practice of high-speed data transmission uses serial link transmission such as PCI express architecture whose data rate can be as high as 2.5 GHz or over. But, such high frequency signals will suffer a large amount of signal loss during transmission on the circuit board. Normally, de-emphasis technology is used to reduce high-frequency signal loss.
FIG. 1 is the diagram showing the wave form of a high-frequency serial link signal transmission using de-emphasis technology. High-frequency signals can be transmitted via a transmission differential pair TDP and TDN. When two consecutive bits are identical, high-frequency signal loss becomes significant. Hence de-emphasis technology is used to reduce the voltage swings of the second bit and of onward bits in a string of identical bits so as to reduce high-frequency signal loss. Take TDN signal for example. The bit values of TDN signal are shown at the bottom of FIG. 1 wherein two consecutive '0's occur at D3 and D4 while three consecutive '0's occur at D6, D7 and D8. With the occurrence of consecutively repeated bits, the voltage swings of D4, D7 and D8, the second and onward bits in a string of identical bits, are reduced so as to reduce high-frequency signal loss. The above application still holds true when consecutive '1's occur and is not repeated here.
The above de-emphasis method first of all checks the occurrence of consecutively repeated bits: if found, these consecutively repeated bits are modulated to reduce voltage swings. However, since the data rate of high-frequency signals is getting faster and faster, the bit time becomes shorter and shorter. For example, one bit time unit under PCI express architecture is only 400 ps. It is extremely difficult to execute the inspection circuit and modulation circuit of de-emphasis technology within such a short bit time.

High-speed serial linking device with de-emphasis function and the method thereof


A substrate for packaging a semiconductor chip includes a dielectric layer, a plurality of conductive circuits and bonding pads formed on the dielectric layer, a metal thin deposition layer formed on the conductive circuits and the bonding pads, and a solder mask formed on the dielectric layer and the conductive circuits. The first ends of the bonding pads extend from the conductive circuits. The metal thin deposition layer has at least a portion to protrude out of the conductive circuits and the bonding pads such that the protruding portion of the metal thin position layer is not supported by the conductive circuits or the bonding pads. The bonding pads are exposed form the solder mask except that the second end of each bonding pad is covered by the solder by the solder mask in the manner that the protruding portion of the metal thin deposition layer is embedded in the solder mask.

The semiconductor chip package technology gradually becomes a constraint factor for developing a more efficient semiconductor chip package. Package designers always struggle against catching up with the pin count increase, dimensional limitation, profile mounting constraint and other requirements developed gradually for packaging and associating integrated circuits. Referring to FIG. 1, it depicts a conventional semiconductor chip package, a Ball Grid Array (BGA) package 100. It comprises at least a semiconductor chip 102 disposed on a substrate 104 and connected electrically to bonding pads 105 of the substrate 104 by a wire bonding method, a plurality of arrayed solder ball pads 106 formed on the substrate 104 to combine with solder balls 108 and a package body 110 enclosing the chip 102 and wires 112 (made by wire bonding). The package 100 is mounted to a printed circuit board (not shown in the figure) by the plurality of solder balls 108. The solder ball 108 is formed on the package 100 or the solder ball bonding pad of the printed circuit board and melted by heating (reflowed) to have the package 100 soldered to the printed circuit board.
For more details, referring to FIG. 2, the surface of the substrate 104 usually has a solder mask 202 covering the substantially whole surface of the substrate 104, and there are only bonding pads 105 exposed from the solder mask. The bonding pads 105 are made of copper and have a metal thin deposition layer 204, including a nickel layer 204a and a gold layer 204b formed on their surfaces. When the substrate 104 is made by the gold pattern plating (GPP) process, the bonding pads 105 are formed through etching a copper layer with a mask of the metal thin deposition layer 204. During the etching process, the over etching phenomenon is generally found, which leads to the metal thin deposition layer 204 protruding over the bonding pads 105 so that part of the metal thin deposition layer 204 is not supported by the bonding pads 105. When the substrate 104 is in the electrical testing or wire bonding process, the bonding pads 105 will be pressed and stretched, and the metal thin deposition layer easily collapses, peels and even breaks.

Substrate for packaging semiconductor chip and method for manufacturing the same

Advanced Semiconductor Engineering, Inc.


A novel chemical amplification resist composition which comprises an alkali-soluble base resin, a photoacid generator and a dissolution inhibitor and in which a cyclic or acyclic structure constituting a matrix portion of the molecule of said dissolution inhibitor contains at least one lone pair-containing portion which can provide a hydrogen bond sufficient to shift and gather an alkali-soluble moiety of said base resin to and on a side of said molecule of the dissolution inhibitor compound. The resist composition can exhibit both excellent sensitivity and resolution and accordingly can be utilized in the formation of very fine resist patterns in a lithographic process. A method for forming such resist patterns is also disclosed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a resist composition and, more particularly, to a novel chemical amplification resist composition for forming fine or very fine resist patterns in a lithographic process. The present invention also relates to a process for the formation of such resist patterns. The resist composition and patterning process according to the present invention can be advantageously utilized in the production of semiconductor devices such as semiconductor integrated circuits, for example, LSIs, VLSIs, ULSIs and other devices, using a lithographic process.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, in the production of semiconductor integrated circuits, the degree of integration thereof has been notably increased and accordingly LSIs and VLSIs have been produced on a commercial scale. The minimum line width of the circuit patterns in these devices approaches the sub-half micron or quarter micron order. In other words, in the production of these high performance devices, it is required to provide a resist material which are able to form fine or very fine resist patterns.
Further, in the production of semiconductor devices, to increase a throughput capacity thereof, it is also required to increase a sensitivity of the resist material designed for fine patterning, thereby shortening the exposure time to the patterning radiation. To satisfy these requirements, there has been recently invented a chemical amplification resist material which, as is well-known in the field, comprises a photoacid generator, i.e., photoactive acid-generating compound, in addition to a base resin. Upon exposure of the resist material to patterning radiation, the photoacid generator can release an acid which can then catalytically act on the base resin, thereby ensuring a highly increased sensitivity of the resist material.
The conventional chemical amplification resist material or composition which is considered to be relevant to the present invention comprises, in combination, an alkali-soluble base resin, a dissolution inhibitor or dissolution inhibiting agent (hereinafter, briefly referred to as "SIA") which can make the resist composition alkali-insoluble, and a photoacid generator (hereinafter, briefly referred to as "PAG"). In this resist composition, an acid is generated or released from the photoacid generator as a result of patterning exposure in the initial step of the lithographic process, and the dissolution inhibitor is decomposed by the produced acid. As a result of the decomposition, the dissolution inhibitor loses its dissolution inhibiting function, thus the resist composition can exhibit good alkali-solubility depending upon the alkali-solubility of the base resin used.
The change of the solubility in alkali of the chemical amplification resist composition will be further described with reference to FIG. 1 which illustrates an acidic catalytic reaction in the chemical amplification resist composition. As illustrated, an alkali-soluble base resin (not shown), a dissolution inhibitor (SIA) containing a dissolution inhibiting group (SIG) in a molecule thereof and a photoacid generator (PAG) are mixedly contained in the resist composition as a coating. At this stage, the resist composition is insoluble in an alkaline solution.
Then, in the exposure step, the resist composition is exposed to a patterning radiation. As a result, an acid is generated or released from the photoacid generator. The acid thus produced can act against the dissolution inhibitor, thereby cleaving the dissolution inhibiting group from a molecule of the dissolution inhibitor. Since the dissolution inhibitor loses its inherent function of maintaining the alkali-insolubility of the resist composition, the exposed resist composition can change its solubility in an alkaline solution from insoluble to soluble. Accordingly, when it is developed with an aqueous alkaline solution, the exposed resist composition can provide positive resist patterns. Alternatively, if it is developed with an organic solvent having a low polarity, the exposed resist composition can provide negative resist patterns.
In the chemical amplification resist composition containing the above-mentioned components, it becomes possible to increase a sensitivity of the resist composition, because the acid released from the photoacid generator can act as a catalyst against other components in the composition, and can result in many reactions therebetween.
In addition to the improvement of the sensitivity, it is also necessary to improve the resolution of the chemical amplification resist composition, and such an improvement of the resolution largely relies upon the properties of the dissolution inhibitor which is also contained in the resist composition. Especially, in order to increase a contrast in the dissolution speed and thus attain an increased resolution in the resist composition, the dissolution inhibitor used should completely inhibit dissolution of the resist composition in an alkali prior to patterning exposure, however, after completion of the exposure, the dissolution inhibitor has to be decomposed so that the dissolution of the resist composition in the alkali can be accelerated in the absence of said dissolution inhibitor.
At present, no dissolution inhibitor capable of exhibiting both a high dissolution inhibiting function (before exposure) and a high dissolution accelerating function (after exposure), thereby ensuring a sufficient exposure contrast, is known. The well-known dissolution inhibitors have a drawback in that, before exposure, they cannot exhibit a sufficiently high capability of inhibiting dissolution of the resist composition in the alkali. For example, O'Brien et al. SPIE, Vol. 920, Advances in Resist Technology and Processing V (1988), pp. 42-50, teaches use of a dissolution inhibitor such as naphthalene-2-carboxylate, t-butoxycarbonyloxy naphthalene and others, however, these dissolution inhibitors cannot provide a good contrast of the dissolution speed before and after exposure because of its poor dissolution inhibiting action (before exposure). As a result, the resist material containing the described dissolution inhibitors can provide only insufficient resolution in the resulting resist patterns.
There are other approaches to improve the dissolution inhibitors used in the resist composition. For example, McKean et al., SPIE, Vol. 920, Advances in Resist Technology and Processing V (1988), pp. 60-66, teaches introduction of bisphenol or others in a matrix portion of the dissolution inhibitor compound. Further, there has been taught the introduction of a new dissolution inhibiting group into a molecule of the dissolution inhibitor, i.e., the use of the dissolution inhibiting group capable of being decomposed with an acid, thus accelerating dissolution of the resist composition in an alkali, such as tetrahydrofuran and others. However, these improved dissolution inhibitors are still insufficient to provide a satisfactory contrast in dissolution speed and, accordingly, a satisfactory resolution, namely, they suffer from the same problems as in the above-discussed well-known dissolution inhibitors.
In addition, it has been noted in the chemical amplification resist composition that its resolution can vary widely depending upon a diffusion distance of acid generated in the resist coating and a reaction distance of the caused chain reaction, i.e., the distance from an initial point at which the acidic catalytic reaction was started to an end point at which the reaction ceases. Immediately after exposure, no diffusion of acid is observed in the resist composition, however, the generated acid can gradually diffuse in the resist composition depending upon factors such as lapse of time and postexposure baking (hereinafter, briefly referred to as "PEB") for proceeding the acidic catalytic reaction, namely, the diffusion distance of the acid can gradually increase after exposure. Similarly, the reaction distance of the chain reaction can increase with the progress of the acidic catalytic reaction. The increased distance in the acid diffusion and chain reaction induces undesirable reduction in the resolution.
In order to avoid the reduction of the resolution due to acid diffusion and other factors, there has been suggested a method in which the unexposed resist is baked at an increased prebaking temperature to make a dense resist coating which is effective to inhibit diffusion of the acid therein and thus increase a solubility thereof. This method is enough to control the diffusion of acid to some extent, however, it is insufficient to shorten the distance of the chain reaction. Accordingly, the resulting effects are not satisfactory.
Another approach is to lower the PEB temperature, thereby shortening the distance of the chain reaction. However, due to the resulting reduction of the amount or extent of the chain reaction, this method can cause a remarkable reduction of the sensitivity of the resist. Namely, it can diminish the merits obtained by using the chemical amplification resists. In other words, for the improvement of the resolution of the chemical amplification resists, it is required that the distance of the chain reaction is shortened without reducing the amount of the reaction.
In addition to the above problem concerning the distance in the acid diffusion and chain reaction, there is another problem concerning the solubility of the dissolution inhibitor used in a resist solvent. If the dissolution inhibitor has a low solubility in the resist solvent, it is difficult to add a necessary amount of the dissolution inhibitor to the resist. An excess amount of the dissolution inhibitor can precipitate from the solvent after preparation of the resist, thus causing possible problems. The usable resist solvents include many organic solvents such as ethyl lactate, butyl acetate, propylene glycol monoethylether acetate and others, however, recently, there is a tendency that the selection of the suitable resist solvent from the usable solvents becomes difficult in view of environmental protection and the safety of users. In other words, the problem of the solubility of the dissolution inhibitor in the resist solvent has to be solved while using a limited number of the resist solvents.
The last remaining problem is related to the above-discussed problem concerning the controlled dissolution speed. In the chemical amplification resist composition, if it is intended to increase its functions and properties, the key point is whether the dissolution inhibitor used in the resist composition can completely render the composition, as a whole, alkali-insoluble. It is the fact that any dissolution inhibitor compound capable of freely controlling an alkali-solubility of the resist composition and having excellent functions and properties has not yet been suggested in the field of the chemical amplification resist composition. It should be noted that the prior art problems cannot be solved, even if the compound or molecule having a low polarity is used as the dissolution inhibitor, because the dissolution inhibitor used must have a function of attracting polar groups of the alkali-soluble base resin such as novolak resin and polyvinyl phenol resin, for example, acidic hydroxyl group, through a hydrogen bond thereof towards the dissolution inhibitor itself. The inductive production of a hydrogen bond will result if the molecule of the dissolution inhibitor used contains atoms including lone pair of electrons, however, contrary to this, there arises a problem that the substituent group having a high polarity can diminish the expected dissolution inhibiting function.

Chemical amplification resist compositions and process for the formation of resist patterns


A rotary 31/2" diskette storage box includes a diskette case with a plurality of U-shaped plates together forming a plurality of stepped spaces each for receiving a diskette. The spaces are offset in an upward and rearward direction along the diskette case, the diskette case having a rear end and a bottom. A cover covers the stepped spaces and the cover has a rear end. A hinge is connected between the rear ends of the case and cover for pivotally connecting the cover to the case for exposing and covering the stepped spaces. A pair of spaced apart hooks extending downwardly from the bottom and engages a hole in a base for rotatably connecting the base to case. The base has a circumference with a plurality of convex spot-like projections spaced there around and engageable against the bottom of the case for facilitating rotation of the case on the base.

This invention relates to a 31/2" diskette storage box which has a plurality of stepped spaces formed therein, each for storing a diskette which can be taken out or stored easily and conveniently.
Laptop computers have been used widely in recent years. This type of computer can be used to process various types of work in the office, outdoors, in a car or any other appropriate place.
Accordingly, laptop computers possess many advantageous features, such as small mass, excellent function etc. and can be equipped with other facility easily. This kind of computer is used with 31/2" diskettes, but there is no suitable diskette storage boxes for storing 31/2" diskettes, at present. The conventional diskette storage boxes always have similar structures which are very inconvenient for taking out or depositing diskettes.

1F, No. 12, Alley 18, Lane 277, Sec. 6 Chung Shan N. Rd.


A lens support structure for holding a pair of contact lenses in a lens storage container includes a support frame having an integral stem portion and surface support means for the respective lenses. The support structure also includes a pair of lens holding members pivotably mounted on the support frame in which each holder member includes a basket-like cover portion which overlies the surface support means in the pivotably closed portion for enclosure of a respective lens therebetween. Each of the cover portions includes an interior surface oppositely facing the respective lens surface support means and the interior surface of the cover portion is provided with integrally molded, embossment means extending from the interior surface in order to ensure that the lens is engageable with or supported upon the extending embossment means and is spaced from the interior surface of the cover portion and thus spaced from any molding flash remaining at the mold parting surface or line which could otherwise scratch or tear or damage a soft lens in contact with the flash material particularly during manually removing the lens from the cover portion.

This invention relates to improved storage and holding containers for small articles, particularly for protection of fragile or pliable articles such as "soft" contact lens.
The widely-used soft contact lenses require protective storage containers which may also be used for disinfecting treatment of the lenses. Numerous commercially successfully storage and disinfecting lens containers have been developed such as those described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,770,113, in which each lens of the pair is separately retained and enclosed by a concaved basket-like cover member. The basket-like cover member is typically pivoted to open or close the enclosure. The basket-like cover member is provided with through apertures which allow passage of the conditioning or disinfecting fluid in which the lenses are immersed.
The basket-like cover members and the associated apertures are typically fabricated by thermoplastic injection molding techniques using mold tooling in which two molds meet during the molding operation along the periphery of the molded cover member apertures. That is to say the parting line defined by the mold tooling will lie, at least partially, in the general location of said apertures. As such, excess molding resin or "flash" may remain at the parting line and thus on the basket edge structure which define the basket apertures. This "flash" results in a sharp, jagged or rough edge surface that can be a hazard to a contact lens during removal of a lens which may have adhered to the basket. In this regard, the lens is removed manually by the user placing a finger on the lens and sliding it out of the concaved basket-like cover member. During this sliding moment, the presence of an underlying sharp edge can causes damage to the lens.
The disadvantages of conventional lens cover baskets are eliminated by the basket structure in accordance with the subject invention.

Contact lens case with raised, protective ribs


Disclosed is here a semicondutor integrated circuit device and a method of manufacturing the same in which bipolar transistors and MISFETs are formed on a semiconductor substrate. Emitter and base electrodes of the bipolar transistors and gate, source, and drain electrodes of the MISFETs are constituted with the same polycrystalline layer, thereby realizing a high integration and a high-speed operation of a Bi-CMOS device.

1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor integrated circuit device and a manufacturing method of the same, and in particular, to a technology to be effectively applied to a semiconductor integrated circuit device (Bipolar Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor LSI to be simply referred to as bipolar CMOS LSI herebelow) including bipolar transistors and MISFETs on a substrate thereof.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conventionally, a bipolar CMOS LSI is described, for example, in the Digest of Technical Papers of IEDM 1985, pp. 423-426.
In this bipolar CMOS LSI, on an epitaxial layer formed on a semiconductor substrate, there is arranged a thick field insulation layer for separating device elements according to the known selective oxidation method, thereby providing an area for disposing a bipolar transistor and an area for arranging a MISFET. On surfaces of activation areas enclosed with the field insulation layer, there is formed a thin insulation film. Thereafter, a first polycrystalline silicon layer is formed on the entire surface of the semiconductor substrate and is then a patterning operation is achieved thereon so as to dispose gate electrodes of the MISFETs in predetermined areas, and next, an ion bombardment to implant a p-type impurity substance is effected to form base regions of the bipolar transistors. Subsequently, source and drain regions of the n-channel and p-channel MISFETs are established by the ion bombardment of n-type and p-type impurity substances, respectively. In the impurity ion bombardment to dispose the source and drain regions of the p-channel MISFETs, graft base regions of the bipolar transistors are also formed by use of a predetermined mask. Thereafter, in order to provide emitter regions of the bipolar transistors, portions of the thin insulation film are removed through an etching operation and then a second polycrystalline silicon layer is disposed on the entire surface of the semiconductor substrate. Subsequently, for example, arsenic is doped into the second polycrystalline silicon layer, which then undergoes a patterning such that only portions corresponding to the emitter regions to be disposed are remained. Thereafter, an annealing operation is effected in the state above, which causes the arsenic in the second polycrystalline silicon layer to be diffused into the epitaxial layer, thereby establishing the emitter regions in the base regions. The polycrystalline silicon layer in the emitter regions is kept so as to be used as emitter electrodes. Next, an insulation layer is formed for passivation on the overall surface of the semiconductor substrate, contact holes are established in the insulation layer, and an aluminum film is applied on the entire surface. Thereafter, the aluminum film undergoes a patterning so as to form aluminum electrodes for the emitters, bases, and collectors of the bipolar transistors and aluminum electrodes for the source and drain regions of the MISFETs.

Method of manufacturing a semiconductor device utilizing a single polycrystalline layer for all electrodes


A device for receiving banknotes with a frame which provides a banknote opening, and has a banknote bag connected to the frame using a bag opening so that banknotes are introducible through the banknote opening and the bag opening into the banknote bag. The device has a sliding bolt. The frame has an upper frame and a lower frame being separable from each other, and the banknote opening extends through both frames when the upper frame is connected to the lower frame. The frame has a guide for inserting the sliding bolt which is designed so that in the inserted state, the sliding bolt is locked with the frame and completely covers the banknote opening of the two frames.

There are numerous systems for transporting objects which require protection, for example, valuables such as coins and banknotes, valuable papers, other valuable objects such as precious metals and precious stones, and documents to be kept secret.
The secure handling of large quantities of banknotes requires particular attention. Special strong boxes are increasingly being used, which are designed for the purpose of receiving individual banknotes or bundles of banknotes. A known safe 200 is shown in a schematic view in FIG. 1, which comprises a banknote intake 202. Individual banknotes 1 may be drawn into the safe 200 through the banknote intake 202, checked and detected with respect to value as they are drawn in, for example. In FIG. 1, a situation is shown in which a banknote 1 is currently being drawn in. The safe 200 may have a display 203 to display, for example, processing-related information, such as, the total value of drawn-in banknotes 1. One or more cash boxes 201 may be seated in the interior of the safe 200. In the example shown in FIG. 1, one cash box 201 may be seen in the interior of the safe 200. The banknotes 1 arrive in the cash box 201 after being drawn in from the top. From time to time, or if the cash box 201 is full, a money transporter may unlock and open a door 204 of the safe 200 to remove the entire cash box 201 together with the banknotes 1 contained therein.
A schematic view of a known cash box 201 is shown in FIG. 2. A handling mechanism 205 is typically provided in the upper area of the cash box 201, which transfers banknotes 1 that are received from above (as schematically indicated by the arrow P1), into the interior of a banknote bag 130. The banknote bag 130 hangs on a frame 120. Banknotes 1 reach the banknote bag 130 through a banknote opening 121 provided in the frame.
The safe 200, together with the cash box 201 and the banknote bag 130 and frame 120, forms a security system, which is used to protect the owners or possessors of the banknotes 1 from misuse or from pilferage of the banknotes 1. For this purpose, for example, the banknotes 1 may be checked and counted as they are drawn in. The count may be stored or transmitted to a server via a communication connection, for example. The cash box 201 may contain a pressure system having a gas cartridge, for example, to discharge a liquid (e.g., ink), if the safe 200 and/or the cash box 201 are manipulated. This system thus damages, marks, or destroys the banknotes 1 that are present in the cash box 201 using the previously mentioned liquid.
Overall, a closed loop may thus be implemented, in which all individual elements or components and all substeps are monitored and/or secured.
In previous solutions, rigid and liquid-tight plastic bags are used as the banknote bags 130. For the previously mentioned liquid to be able to reach the banknotes 1, a complex melting device must be used, which first melts the plastic bag before pressurized liquid can reach the banknotes 1. This approach is complex and susceptible to failure. In addition, it allows certain forms of manipulations, which could allow unauthorized persons to protect at least a part of the banknotes 1 from devaluation by the liquid.
It is a further disadvantage of prior solutions that the plastic bag together with the frame 120 form a complex functional unit, which is costly and susceptible to failure. In addition, this functional unit is designed so that the plastic bag must be destroyed to remove the banknotes 1 and the entire functional unit, together with the frame, must be discarded.

Device for receiving banknotes, security system having such a device, and corresponding method


The present invention is directed toward a system to vary dimensions of a substrate, such as a template having a patterned mold. To that end, the system includes a substrate chuck adapted to position the substrate in a region; a pliant member; and an actuator sub-assembly elastically coupled to the substrate chuck through the pliant member. The actuator assembly includes a plurality of lever sub-assemblies, one of which includes a body lying in the region and spaced-apart from an opposing body associated with one of the remaining lever sub-assemblies of the plurality of lever sub-assemblies. One of the plurality of lever assemblies is adapted to vary a distance between the body and the opposing body. In this manner, compressive forces may be applied to the template to remove unwanted magnification or other distortions in the pattern on the mold. The pliant member is configured to attenuate a magnitude of resulting Forces sensed by the substrate chuck generated in response to the compressive forces.

The field of invention relates generally to imprint lithography. More particularly, the present invention is directed to reducing pattern distortions during imprint lithography processes.
Micro-fabrication involves the fabrication of very small structures, e.g., having features on the order of micro-meters or smaller. One area in which micro-fabrication has had a sizeable impact is in the processing of integrated circuits. As the semiconductor processing industry continues to strive for larger production yields while increasing the circuits per unit area formed on a substrate, micro-fabrication becomes increasingly important. Micro-fabrication provides greater process control while allowing increased reduction of the minimum feature dimension of the structures formed. Other areas of development in which micro-fabrication has been employed include biotechnology, optical technology, mechanical systems and the like.
An exemplary micro-fabrication technique is commonly referred to as imprint lithography and is described in detail in numerous publications, such as United States published patent applications 2004/0065976, entitled METHOD AND A MOLD TO ARRANGE FEATURES ON A SUBSTRATE TO REPLICATE FEATURES HAVING MINIMAL DIMENSIONAL VARIABILITY; 2004/0065252, entitled METHOD OF FORMING A LAYER ON A SUBSTRATE TO FACILITATE FABRICATION OF METROLOGY STANDARDS; and 2004/0046271, entitled METHOD AND A MOLD TO ARRANGE FEATURES ON A SUBSTRATE TO REPLICATE FEATURES HAVING MINIMAL DIMENSIONAL VARIABILITY, all of which are assigned to the assignee of the present invention. The fundamental imprint lithography technique as shown in each of the aforementioned published patent applications includes formation of a relief pattern in a polymerizable layer and transferring a pattern corresponding to the relief pattern into an underlying substrate. To that end, a template is employed spaced-apart from the substrate with a formable liquid present between the template and the substrate. The liquid is solidified to form a solidified layer that has a pattern recorded therein that is conforming to a shape of the surface of the template in contact with the liquid. The substrate and the solidified layer are then subjected to processes to transfer, into the substrate, a relief image that corresponds to the pattern in the solidified layer.
One manner in which to locate the polymerizable liquid between the template and the substrate is by depositing a plurality of droplets of the liquid on the substrate. Thereafter, the polymerizable liquid is concurrently contacted by both the template and the substrate to spread the polymerizable liquid over the surface of the substrate. It is desirable to properly align the template with the substrate so that the proper orientation between the substrate and template may be obtained. To that end, both the template and substrate include alignment marks. A concern with these processes involves distortions in the pattern resulting from, inter alia, extenuative variations in the imprinting layer and/or the substrate, as well as misalignment of the template with respect to the substrate.
It is desired, therefore, to provide a system to reduce distortions in patterns, due to magnification and alignment variations, formed using imprint lithographic techniques.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

System for varying dimensions of a substrate during nanoscale manufacturing


The present invention describes systems and methods which provide a moisture barrier that douses or diffuses buoyant burning debris, particularly hot embers, from a bush and/or brush fire (e.g., wildfires). By strategic placement of the devices and/or apparatus as disclosed, a method of preventing the destruction of dwellings and roof-containing structures by exploiting heat convection is provided.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to fire prevention, and specifically to devices and methods for preventing the destruction of dwellings and other roof-containing structures from fires caused primarily from burning debris, especially embers from brush/bush fires, by co-segregation of atomized fluids and buoyant burning debris using perimeter fluid delivery and heat convection.
2. Background Information
Each year, the cycles of little rain followed by a long dry spell have lead to the accumulation of large amounts of dry brush and other vegetative combustibles. Under such conditions, dried trees and bushes become ideal fuel for wildfires. In regions with perennial dry seasons, these conditions produce fires that cause billions of dollars worth of damage.
With wildfires in the West seemingly becoming more frequent and destructive, there is a growing concern that climate change associated with global warming might be creating more fertile environments for these fires. In California, a major concern is centered on the effects of the Santa Ana winds. The Santa Ana winds are strong, extremely dry offshore winds that characteristically sweep through in Southern California and northern Baja California. They can range from hot to cold, depending on the prevailing temperatures in the Great Basin and upper Mojave Desert. However, the winds are noted most for the hot dry weather that they bring in autumn With extremely low to no humidity and high temperatures, all that is necessary is a spark, and with the strong winds fanning the flames, in no time there is a full scale wildfire.
There is a widely held belief that fast moving wildfires explode houses into flames, burning them down in minutes, however, this not borne out by scientific observation. Typically, the majority of houses destroyed in wildfires actually survive the passage of the fire front, only to burn down from ignitions caused by buoyant burning debris. In fact, showers of burning debris may attack a building for some time before the fire front arrives, during the passage of the fire front and for several hours after the fire front has passed. This long duration of attack, to a large extent, explains why burning debris is a major cause of ignition of roof-containing structures.
Further, video footage of burning buildings caused by wildfires shows that a fire usually starts from the roofs and attics, then propagates downward to the support, and then collapses onto the lower section of the structure. The most common culprits for the observed vulnerability of roofed-structures are interstices between tiles and/or shingles and the openings for ventilation. These interstices and openings provide an entry path for flying embers to ignite structural items that make up the roof (i.e., plywood panels, support tresses, and felt liners), as well as fuels available in attics (e.g., old papers, clothing and the like).
While systems exist claiming to prevent fires on roof-containing structures, they all must be placed on or over the top or apex of the roof, and/or use copious amounts of water (see, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,330,040; 5,263,543; 5,692,571; 6,679,337). What is needed is a system that douses embers as they enter interstices and openings available on roofs, which embers escape systems that provide water only in a downward direction along the slope of the roof via gravity.
In addition, during an emergency, the water supply and its pressure are often reduced, and without water and appropriate pressure, a misting system may be rendered useless. Thus, a system that may compensate for changes in water supply and pressure is also needed.
The present invention fulfills these needs.

Roof top and attic vent water misting system


A gas tube assembly includes a first cylindrical metal gas supply tube terminating in a first end. An annular coupling nut with a central opening receives the first end of the tube and has a cylindrical counterbore which extends axially inward of the central opening about the first end of said tube. The counterbore terminates in a transversely extending shoulder. A radially outward extending circumferential bead formed integrally with the tube is located within the counterbore adjacent the first end of the tube and is positioned in engagement with the transversely extending shoulder. Connected to the tube is a gas burner orifice nozzle having an inlet end with a transverse end face and an axially extending throughbore. The throughbore has an inlet end which receives the first end of the tube. An outer terminal end of the nozzle defines a gas outlet orifice which is substantially smaller in diameter than the diameter of the bore at the inlet end. A circumferential exterior portion of the nozzle about the inlet end is threadedly received in the coupling nut with the end face sealingly engaging the bead.

The subject invention is directed to the gas burner art and, more particularly to an improved assembly for releasably joining a burner orifice nozzle to a gas supply tube.
The burner orifice nozzle assembly of the subject invention is intended to be used on gas cooking ranges as a burner tube assembly and will be described with reference thereto; however, the invention is capable of broader application and could be used in other environments.
The typical burner tube assembly used in gas cooking ranges generally has the gas supply tube joined to the orifice fitting or nozzle in one of several different manners. One commonly used joining method is to stake or press fit the end of the supply tube into a specially drilled or bored cavity in the fitting. Another method is to braze the supply tube to the fitting. A third method involves using compression nuts and ferrules or loxit type nuts.
When a fixed orifice or a coaxial orifice is used with either a stake joint or a brazed joint, two gas connections must be made. One of these connections is the tube to the orifice holder and the other is the orifice to the orifice holder.
When a fixed or coaxial orifice is used with a compression nut and ferrule or a loxit type nut, three gas connections or sealing points must be made. The first sealing area is the ferrule to the tube, the second is the ferrule to the orifice holder, and the third is the orifice to the orifice holder.
Since safety is of paramount importance in the assembly of a gas appliance, the elimination of potential gas leak connections is extremely desirable.
It will be shown that this invention will accomplish the connection of a tube to an orifice holder and the connection of an orifice to the orifice holder with only one gas connection and still allow the orifice to be removed and/or replaced in the field.


A lighted knife device has a knife blade, handle and a lighting device in a side of the handle and also there is a second lighting device arranged in mirror fashion. The first and second plurality of lighting devices are arranged at differing angles to light up an area underneath a blade edge. Alternatively, the first and second plurality of lighting devices are arranged at a same angle but also at a different angle such that the surface underneath a blade edge is lit up in a perpendicular fashion from sides of the blade. An energy storage device situated inside of a cavity within the handle contacting a tang blade portion. There is also a toggle switch contacting the energy device and the lighting devices of the banks of lighting devices through an internal switch of the toggle switch. The blade tang connected to each of the lighting devices.

(1) Field of the Invention
Relating to improvements in knives and lights, and more particularly relates to the combination of lights and knives that improve the visual perception for the user.
(2) Description of the Related Art
US Patent Citations: U.S. Pat. No. 4,751,621 granted to Jenkins teaches a light knife that helps a user to see at night. More particularly Jenkins has a knife provided with a light in its handle portion, with the light being actuated by a compression or threaded movement of a cap attached to an end of the handle. In a separate embodiment, the light may be actuated by a threaded movement of the handle end itself, while a protective cap may be positioned over the handle end and its associated light lens.
What Jenkins fails to teach, however, is how to use the knife part of his invention to cut an item and simultaneously using the light. Because the light is attached to the handle portion of his light knife it is impossible to view what you are using the knife on. Rather, the light is treated as a separate accessory to be used separately from the knife itself. Thus, an outdoorsman using the knife in the wilderness at night is forced to cut a piece of wood, prepare an animal or otherwise employ the knife in total darkness. This has the unfortunate side effects of precipitating injuries, badly cut meat from captured game or badly cut wood that would not serve for any specific use beyond firewood. There needs to be a solution to overcome the deficiency found in Jenkins.