A method and apparatus for transmitting mobility-related information in a wireless communication system is provided. A user equipment (UE) receives a configuration for transmission of mobility-related information from a network during connection establishment, and transmits the mobility-related information to the network based on the configuration of the transmission of the mobility-related information.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to wireless communications, and more particularly, to a method and apparatus for transmitting mobility-related information in a wireless communication system.
Related Art
Universal mobile telecommunications system (UMTS) is a 3rd generation (3G) asynchronous mobile communication system operating in wideband code division multiple access (WCDMA) based on European systems, global system for mobile communications (GSM) and general packet radio services (GPRS). A long-term evolution (LTE) of UMTS is under discussion by the 3rd generation partnership project (3GPP) that standardized UMTS.
A radio resource state (RRC) state indicates whether an RRC of a user equipment (UE) is logically connected to an RRC of a network. When an RRC connection is established between an RRC layer of the UE and an RRC layer of the network, the UE is in an RRC connected state (RRC_CONNECTED), and otherwise the UE is in an RRC idle state (RRC_IDLE). Since the UE in the RRC_CONNECTED has the RRC connection established with the network, the network can recognize the existence of the UE in the RRC_CONNECTED and can effectively control the UE. Meanwhile, the UE in the RRC_IDLE cannot be recognized by the network, and a core network (CN) manages the UE in unit of a tracking area (TA) which is a larger area than a cell. That is, only the existence of the UE in the RRC_IDLE is recognized in unit of a large area, and the UE must transition to the RRC_CONNECTED to receive a typical mobile communication service such as voice or data communication.
When the user initially powers on the UE, the UE first searches for a proper cell and then remains in the RRC_IDLE in the cell. When there is a need to establish an RRC connection, the UE which remains in the RRC_IDLE may establish the RRC connection with the RRC of the network through an RRC connection procedure and then may transition to the RRC_CONNECTED. The UE which remains in the RRC_IDLE may need to establish the RRC connection with the network when uplink data transmission is necessary due to a user's call attempt or the like or when there is a need to transmit a response message upon receiving a paging message from the network.
Enhancements for diverse data applications (eDDA) may be introduced in 3GPP LTE. Goal of the eDDA is reducing control signaling overhead in protocol layers. The eDDA can improve both control signaling and power efficiency for UEs based on traffic pattern, and obtain low cost from network or core network point of view. Low cost is typically the target for machine-type communication traffic, background traffic, offline traffic of interactive application, etc.
A method for transmitting mobility-related information efficiently, when a UE transits from RRC_IDLE to RRC_CONNECTED, may be required.

Method and apparatus for transmitting mobility related information


A disparity detection circuit used in a signal decoder which decodes a 4-bit signal into an original 2-bit main signal and 1-bit service signal, from which the 4-bit signal is coded according to a coding rule which stipulates that an original 2-bit main signal and 1-bit service signal should be coded into a 4-bit signal with 1 additional bit added and with pre-determined disparity carrying, determines whether the 4-bit signal conforms to the coding rule and detects the disparity of the 4-bit signal which is determined as conforming to the coding rule.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a disparity detection circuit used for a 2-bit to 4-bit coded signal decoder (hereinafter simply called decoder).
In digital signal transmission, a self-timing method is usually used, in which a signal receiver extracts a timing signal from a signal transmitted serially and establishes synchronization with the signal based upon the timing signal. In the self-timing method, however, if a streak of logical-0 bits occurs in a data bit string to be transmitted, without including a logical-1 bit, for example, it is difficult for the receiver to discriminate a timing signal. In order to prevent such inconvenience, a 2-bit to 4-bit (hereinafter called 2B4B) coding rule is widely used in optical terminal repeater equipment or intermediate repeater equipment.
A 2B4B-coded signal decoder decodes a 2B4B-coded signal into an original signal by using a disparity detection circuit which detects disparity of the 2B4B-coded signal.
In order to reduce the cost and, therefore, the amount of circuitry of a 2B4B-coded signal decoder, it is an absolute necessity to reduce the amount of circuitry constituting each functional unit of the signal decoder, including a disparity detection circuit.
Therefore, a disparity detection circuit made of as small amount of circuitry as possible, is in great demand.
2. Description of the Related Art
The 2B4B coding rule is a rule for coding a 2-bit main signal and a 1-bit service signal into a 4-bit signal (hereinafter called 4B signal) according to a 2B4B coding rule (see FIG. 1), with an additional bit added. The main signal consists of 2 bits from a data bit string to be transmitted. The service signal, as the alias service channel denotes, is independent of the main signal and carries additional information, e.g., a particular bit-pattern indicating the heading of a data frame and communication control information to be interchanged between intermediate repeater equipment, for example. FIG. 1 is a coding table illustrating an example of a 2B4B coding rule. Decoding a 2B4B-coded signal (i.e., 4B signal) is performed in such a way that disparity of a 4B signal received is first detected and, based on the disparity, the 4B signal is converted into the original signal (i.e., 2-bit main signal and 1-bit service signal) according to a decoding table in FIG. 2. FIG. 2 is a decoding table illustrating an example of decoding a 4B signal.
Disparity shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is a value obtained by subtracting the number of logical-0 bits from that of logical-1 bits in the 4B signal received, whose 16 bit-patterns and the corresponding disparity are shown in FIG. 3. FIG. 3 is a table illustrating the disparity for 4B signals. Disparity is any of values "0", "+2", "-2", "+4" and "-4". For example, when 4B signal is "0000", in which the number of logical-1 bits is zero and that of logical-0 bits is 4, the disparity of "0000" is "-4". In the same way, the disparity of "0011", in which the number of logical-1 bits is 2 and that of logical-0 bits is 2, is "0".
An additional bit is added to an original signal (2-bit main signal from data to be transmitted plus 1-bit service signal), and the four bits are coded into a 4B signal according to the FIG. 1-coding table.
When an original signal is any of "001", "010" and "100", an additional logical-1 bit is added after the 3 original signal bits to form a 4B signal, in which the disparity results in "0". When an original signal is any of "011", "101" and "110", a logical-0 bit is added after the 3 original signal bits, in which the disparity results in "0". When an original signal is "000" and the last-occurred disparity except "0" is "+2" or "-2", the 4B signal is "1101" or "0001", respectively. When an original signal is "111" and the last-occurred disparity except "0" is "+2" or "-2", the 4B signal is "1110" or "0010", respectively. 4B signals other than those defined in the FIG. 1-coding table are erroneous since the number of combinations of 3 original signal bits are only 8 as described above. For example, 4B signal "0000" is an error.
In the decoding table shown in FIG. 2, a 4B signal (A1, A2, A3, A4) represents 4 bits into which an original signal is coded at a sending end and received at a receiving end, and a 2B signal (B1, B2, B3) represents 3 bits into which the 4B signal received is to be decoded at the receiving end.
When a 4B signal is a code whose disparity is defined in the FIG. 1-coding table (hereinafter simply called defined) with disparity "0" and the last-occurred status (hereinafter called status-in) is logical 0, the 2B signal is the first 3 bits (excluding the additional bit) from which the 4B signal is coded, at a sending end, according to the FIG. 1-coding table. That is, the 2B signal is the original signal. Then, a current status (hereinafter called status-out) is set to logical 0.
When a 4B signal is defined with disparity "0" and the status-in is logical 1, the 2B signal is the first 3 bits (i.e., the original signal) from which the 4B signal is coded according to the FIG. 1-coding table. The status-out is set to logical 1.
For a defined 4B signal with disparity "+2" and the status-in being logical 0, the 2B signal is the first 3 bits (i.e., the original signal) from which the 4B signal is coded according to the FIG. 1-coding table. The status-out is set to logical 1.
For a defined 4B signal with disparity "+2" and the status-in being logical 1, the 2B signal is A1, A2 and A3 as received. The status-out is set to logical 1.
For a defined 4B signal with disparity "-2" and the status-in being logical 1, the 2B signal is the first 3 bits (i.e., the original signal) from which the 4B signal is coded according to the FIG. 1-coding table. The status-out is set to logical 0.
2B signals and their status-out signals of other 4B signals are as shown in the FIG. 2-decoding table.
Thus, a 4B signal received can be decoded into a corresponding 2B signal by detecting disparity of the 4B signal and, based on the disparity detected, status-in and status-out, by selecting either the first 3 bits (i.e., original signal) from which a 4B signal is coded according to the FIG. 1-coding table or the first 3 bits A1, A2 and A3 as received.
FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating a decoder circuit of related art, which decodes a 2B4B-coded signal (i.e., 4B signal) into a 2B signal.
A 4B signal received is supplied to a selector 6a, 2B4B-coded signal decoding circuit (hereinafter called 4B2B decoder) 1a, disparity detector 2a and disparity detector 3a. The 4B2B decoder 1a decodes the 4B signal into an original signal (2-bit main signal and 1-bit service signal) from which the 4B signal is coded according to the FIG. 1-coding table. The disparity detector 2a detects the disparity (-4, +4, -2, +2) of the 4B codes undefined in the FIG. 1-coding table. The disparity detector 3a detects the disparity (0, -2, +2) of the defined 4B signals.
A disparity generator 7a, based on a later-explained status-in signal and the disparity detected by the disparity detectors 2a and 3a, generates a status-out signal (logical 0 or 1) according to the FIG. 2-decoding table. A status holder 4a, which is made of a flip-flop, inputs and holds the status-out signal from the disparity generator 7a.
A selection controller 5a, based on the disparity detected, status-in and status-out and according to the FIG. 2-decoding table, determines which to select, a 3-bit original signal from which a 4B signal is coded or 3 bits A1, A2 and A3 as received, and outputs a select signal indicating which to select.
Thus, the selector 6a, based on the select signal from the selection controller 5a, selects either the original signal from which a 4B signal is coded or 3 bits A1, A2 and A3 as received, thus converting a 4B signal to a 2B signal.
FIG. 5 is a disparity detection circuit of the related art, which is a detailed circuit of the disparity detectors 2a and 3a shown in FIG. 4. The disparity detector 3a portion (enclosed in a broken line) of the disparity detection circuit detects disparity of defined 4B signals and the disparity detector 2a portion (outside the broken line) detects the disparity of undefined 4B signals.
Reference numerals D1, D2, D3 and D4 correspond to A1, A2, A3 and A4 bits of a 4B signal, respectively; XD1, XD2, XD3 and XD4 are the negation of the D1, D2, D3 and D4, respectively.
According to the FIG. 1-coding table, the AND, NAND and NOR gates constituting the disparity detection circuit (or disparity detectors 2a and 3a shown in FIG. 4) perform respective logical operations on the D1-D4, and XD1-XD4 to output signals M2, M1, M13, M3, M0, M4 and MERR, which are low-active. Signals M2, M1, M13 and M3 represent the disparity "0", "-2", ".+-.2" and "+2" of defined 4B signals, respectively. Signals M0 and M4 represent the disparity "-4" and "+4" of undefined 4B signals. Signal MERR represents undefined 4B signals.
Accordingly, the thus-constructed disparity detection circuit of the related art requires as large amount of circuitry as fourteen 4-input AND gates, two 4-input NAND gates, one 4-input NOR gate, three 2-input AND gates, two 2-input NOR gates and one 6-input NOR gate.
A problem is that the disparity detection circuit (i.e., disparity detectors 2a and 3a) of the related art occupies a large part of a 2B4B-coded signal decoder in circuit amount, increasing the cost and the size and reducing the reliability of the 2B4B-coded signal decoder.

Disparity detection circuit for a 2-bit to 4-bit coded signal decoder


The present invention provides a method of forming a metal oxide metal (MOM)capacitor on a substrate, such as a silicon substrate, of a semiconductor wafer in a rapid thermal process (RTP) machine. The MOM capacitor is fabricated by forming a metal layer on the semiconductor substrate. The metal layer is then subjected to a first rapid thermal process in a substantially inert but nitrogen-free atmosphere that consumes a portion of the metal layer to form a first metal electrode layer and a silicide layer between the first metal electrode and the semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor wafer is then subjected to a second rapid thermal process. During this process, the remaining portion of the metal layer is oxidized to form a metal oxide on the first metal electrode, which serves as the dielectric layer of the MOM capacitor. Following the formation of the dielectric layer, a second metal electrode layer is then conventionally formed on the metal oxide, which completes the formation of the MOM capacitor. Preferably, the first electrode layer and the metal oxide layer are formed in a single RTP machine.

The present invention is directed, in general, to a method of forming a semiconductor device and, more specifically, to a method of forming metal oxide metal capacitors using a multi-step rapid thermal process and a semiconductor device that is formed from that process.
Throughout the evolution of integrated circuits, an objective of device scaling has been to increase circuit performance and to increase the functional complexity of the circuits as efficiently was possible. Additionally, as larger demands have been placed on today""s integrated circuits, it has become highly desirable to integrate various electrical components into the overall circuit design.
One such electrical device that has been recently integrated into the circuit design is the metal oxide metal (MOM) capacitor. Typically, as indicated by the name, a MOM capacitor consists of a first metal electrode covered by an oxide layer, which is, in turn, covered by a second metal electrode. While the MOM capacitor""s incorporation into integrated circuit design has been widely accepted, its incorporation has brought certain problems into the fabrication process, such as contamination problems, metal diffusion into the oxide and multiple processing steps that are required to achieve the desired structure.
During the MOM capacitor""s production, a different machine is required to deposit each of the capacitor""s layers. The first metal electrode is formed in one or more deposition chambers of a metal deposition machine by depositing a metal stack (commonly Ti/TiN) on a substrate (typically silicon), which is then subjected to a temperature sufficient to form a metal silicide interface between the substrate, which typically contains silicon, and the metal layer. After forming the first metal electrode, the partially constructed device is removed from the metal deposition chamber and moved to another chamber having an oxide deposition chamber where the oxide layer of the MOM capacitor is deposited. Next, the apparatus is then returned a metal deposition machine to form the second metal electrode of the capacitor.
By requiring multiple steps and multiple machines to complete the capacitor fabrication, the chances of exposure to numerous contaminants and possible misprocessing steps is substantially increased. Over time and after fabricating multiple lots of devices, contaminants from previous lots tend to remain within the various chambers, constituting risks to later lots placed within the same chamber. Previously, small concentrations of contaminants did not pose serious problems for manufacturers when the semiconductor. structures were rather large. Unfortunately, with semiconductor dimensions rapidly shrinking, contaminants, which once were not a chief concern, now pose a strong possibility of limiting yield and reduced revenue from product. In response, manufacturers now seek ways of reducing the exposure of semiconductor devices to contaminants during production. In light of these risks, manufacturers constantly seek ways to reduce the risk of contamination of their devices and misprocessing steps.
Another problem associated with conventional processes is metal diffusion into the oxide, which can cause leakage or malfunction within the capacitor. As previously mentioned, the oxide is deposited in a different machine than one in which the metal electrode is deposited. As such, the oxide is typically very different from the metal. For example, the metal electrode may be titanium and the oxide may be silicon dioxide. In such instances, the titanium may diffuse into the silicon dioxide, which may lead to the previously mentioned problems.
Also, as discussed above, the present conventional processes require multiple steps and multiple tools, which may result in misprocessing the wrong recipe, etc. The metal is deposited in one tool and the oxide is deposited in another. Because of the extra steps required to move the wafer from one tool to another, these multiple steps are costly in both time and money and are, therefore, inefficient.
Accordingly, what is needed in the art is method that addresses the deficiencies associated with the present conventional processes discussed above.
To address the above-discussed deficiencies of the prior art, the present invention provides a method of forming a metal oxide metal (MOM)capacitor on a substrate, such as a silicon substrate, of a semiconductor wafer in a rapid thermal processor (RTP). In a preferred embodiment, the MOM capacitor is fabricated by forming a metal layer on the semiconductor substrate. The metal layer is then subjected to a first RTP. During this step, a portion of the metal layer is converted to a metal silicide layer between the metal layer and the semiconductor substrate. Then another portion of the metal layer is converted or oxidized to form a metal oxide from the metal layer. The portion of the metal layer that is not converted to the metal silicide or metal oxide serves as the underlying first metal electrode. The metal oxide serves as the dielectric layer of the MOM capacitor. Following the formation of the dielectric layer, a second metal electrode layer is then conventionally formed on the metal oxide, which completes the formation of the MOM capacitor. In one particularly advantageous embodiment of the present invention the first electrode layer and the metal oxide layer are formed in a single RTP machine or tool.
In an alternative embodiment, however, the method further comprises subjecting the metal layer, during the first RTP, to a substantially inert but nitrogen-free atmosphere prior to subjecting the metal layer to a second rapid thermal process.
Thus, in a broad scope, the present invention provides a method wherein the bottom electrode and dielectric layer of the MOM capacitor are formed in a single tool and from a single metal layer without the additional steps associated with conventional processes, which typically includes separate tools and steps for forming the bottom electrode and the oxide layer. Moreover, as just discussed above, other aspects of the present invention further provide the benefit of fabricating at least the MOM capacitor""s bottom electrode and dielectric layer in a single RTP tool/apparatus. This provides the advantage of eliminating not only extra processing steps, but also eliminates the need to move the semiconductor wafer to different tools, thereby saving time, manufacturing costs and reducing possible contamination and misprocessing problems.
The metal layer in the present invention may be selected from several well known metals that are used in the fabrication semiconductor wafer. By way of example only, the metal layer may be tantalum, titanium, cobalt, nickel, molybdenum or combinations thereof.
As with most semiconductor wafer fabrication processes, processing temperatures play an important role, which is the case for the present invention. Thus, in one embodiment, subjecting the metal layer to a first rapid thermal process includes subjecting the metal layer to a rapid thermal process having a temperature ranging from about 400xc2x0 C. to about 900xc2x0 C., and in another, subjecting the metal layer to a second rapid thermal process includes subjecting the metal layer to a rapid thermal process having a temperature-ranging from about 500xc2x0 C. to about 1100xc2x0 C.
A particularly advantageous embodiment of the present invention includes forming a metal silicide as a part of or as the first metal electrode layer. The metal silicide is formed from a portion of the metal layer during the first rapid thermal process. It should be understood that the metal silicide discussed herein is intended to include a self-aligned silicide, commonly known as a salicide. In various embodiments, forming a metal silicide includes forming a metal silicide selected from either tantalum silicide, titanium silicide, cobalt silicide, nickel silicide or molybdenum silicide. Other known metal silicides are, of course, within the scope of the present invention.
In another embodiment, the metal oxide is formed by subjecting the remaining portion of the metal layer to a second rapid thermal process in an atmosphere containing oxygen that includes introducing a flow of oxygen having a flow rate ranging from about 1 slm to about 40 slm into the tool/apparatus to oxidize the remaining portion of the metal layer. However, it should be understood that the flow range may vary from tool to tool or even vary depending on wafer size.
In yet another aspect, the present invention provides a semiconductor device fabricated in accordance with the present invention. In one such embodiment, the semiconductor device includes a silicon substrate and a MOM capacitor formed on the silicon substrate. The MOM capacitor includes a first electrode layer formed on the silicon substrate that comprises a metal silicide, which forms at least a portion, if not all, of the electrode metal. The metal oxide layer is formed on the first metal electrode layer and comprises a remaining portion of the electrode metal. The second electrode layer is formed on the metal oxide.
The foregoing has outlined, rather broadly, preferred and alternative features of the present invention so that those skilled in the art may better understand the detailed description of the invention that follows. Additional features of the invention will be described hereinafter that form the subject of the claims of the invention. Those skilled in the art should appreciate that they can readily use the disclosed conception and specific embodiment as a basis for designing or modifying other structures for carrying out the same purposes of the present invention. Those skilled in the art should also realize that such equivalent constructions do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention in its broadest form.

Method of forming metal oxide metal capacitors using multi-step rapid material thermal process and a device formed thereby


An accumulator includes a cylinder for containing a working fluid and a first volume of pressurized gas, the gas and fluid being separated by a displaceable piston and a first seal contacting the piston and the cylinder, a reservoir carried on the piston for containing a second volume of pressurized gas, and a device that permits gas flow from the second volume into the first volume.

This invention relates generally to an accumulator that holds a pressurized hydraulic working fluid and automatically replenishes a volume of gas that keeps the accumulator charged.
Fuel economy of a vehicle can be increased by a stop-start system that automatically stops an internal combustion engine when the vehicle is stopped and restarts the engine when an operator indicates intent to accelerate the vehicle. A vehicle equipped with an automatic transmission and the stop-start system requires that automatic transmission fluid be maintained pressurized while the engine is stopped. An engine driven hydraulic pump that normally pressurizes the automatic transmission fluid while the engine is running is incapable of maintaining the fluid pressurized while the engine is stopped. An accumulator containing pressurized transmission fluid is continually connected to the hydraulic system of the transmission so that hydraulic system pressure is maintained until the engine restarts. The accumulator uses a gas pre-charge to maintain the pressure of the transmission fluid.
However, slow leakage through and around a piston seal in the accumulator depletes the gas pre-charge over the life of a gas-charged accumulator. This changes the amount of working fluid that the accumulator holds and eventually lowers the peak working pressure of the accumulator when the piston reaches a stroke limit.


A highly polymerizable N-vinylcarboxylic acid amide having an N-1,3-butadienylcarboxylic acid amide content of 30 ppm or less, a process for producing the same, and a process for producing a homopolymer of N-vinylcarboxylic acid amide or a copolymer thereof with another copolymerizable monomer using the same. Also, a highly polymerizable N-vinylcarboxylic acid amide is produced by thermal cracking or catalytic cracking of N-(1-alkoxyethyl)carboxylic acid amide or ethylidenebiscarboxylic acid amide, wherein the N-vinylcarboxylic acid amide content of the N-(1-alkoxyethyl)carboxylic acid amide or ethylenebiscarboxylic acid amide is 10 wt % or less.

A large number of methods for producing an N-vinylcarboxylic acid amide have hitherto been proposed. For example, a method is known where an N-(1-alkoxyethyl)carboxylic acid amide as an intermediate is produced from a carboxylic acid amide, acetaldehyde and an alcohol, and an N-vinylcarboxylic acid amide is synthesized by cracking or catalytic cracking of the product. Another useful method for synthesizing an N-vinylcarboxylic acid amide includes synthesizing an ethylidene biscarboxylic acid amide from acetaldehyde and a carboxylic acid amide. This product is then cracked into a carboxylic acid amide and an N-vinylcarboxylic acid amide.
In these methods, a purification step, such as distillation, extraction and recrystallization of the resulting N-vinylcarboxylic acid amide is provided. For example, JP-A-61-286069 (the term "JP-A" as used herein means an "unexamined published Japanese patent application") discloses an extraction separation using water and an aromatic hydrocarbon. This is because distillation fails to prevent mingling of formamide as an unreacted raw material into the N-vinylformamide. Furthermore, JP-A-63-132868 discloses cooling crystallization from a mixed organic solvent, JP-A-2-188560 discloses extraction using an aqueous inorganic salt solution and an aromatic hydrocarbon, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,401,516 discloses extractive distillation using a polyhydric alcohol.
On the other hand, an N-vinylcarboxylic acid amide polymer is obtained by polymerizing an N-vinylcarboxylic acid amide alone or copolymerizing with another monomer. The polymer is used as a coagulant, a liquid absorbent or a thickener, and in any case the polymer must have a high molecular weight. However, it has been difficult to obtain an N-vinylcarboxylic acid amide which consistently exhibits good polymerizability in any of the uses described above.

Highly polymerizable N-vinylcarboxylic acid amide and production process thereof


A functional compartment is provided in a building, a sliding frame is mounted in this compartment, connected with jack mechanisms; with the help of these mechanisms the sliding frame can slide beyond the outer limits of the building and back. Smooth and safe sliding of the frame is ensured by its supporting wheels sliding in guiding rails mounted in the surfaces of the functional compartment. The sliding frame is equipped in its front part, with a receiving panel with the right and left “pocket” guiders on it. The attachable section of the H-shaped rail is equipped with a mounting panel, with the similar square structure as of the receiving panel. The thickness of the mounting panel is less than a clearance between the “pocket” guiders and the outer surface of the receiving panel. The receiving panel is supplied with beveled guiding sides, and the mounting panel—with lower rounded corners.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to elevating facilities for high-rise buildings and, specifically—to combinations of elevator & crane systems running on a rail attached to the outside of a building. The facilities may have an elevator portion—for traveling vertically up and down, and a crane portion—to extend a telescopic arm to a desired location and to support a passenger cabin for rescue operations.
The crane portion can also have a fire-fighting equipment—to access all parts of a building. The invention can be used for fire-fighting & rescue of people and equipment, and can also be used for construction, repairs and maintenance of high-rise structures.
2. Description of the Related Art
Currently, the prototype application for the USA patent "High-Rise Fire-Fighting, Rescue and Construction Equipment" (Ser. No. 10/663,260, filing date—Sep. 16, 2003, comprises a device having an elevator portion—for traveling vertically up and down outside of a building, and a crane portion—to extend an arm (telescopic) to a desired location. The telescopic arm consists of two parts, which are interconnected with the help of a pivoting mechanism. The telescopic arm has a pivot at its end, attached to a cramp, with the help of a vertical rotating mechanism. The cramp, also, is pivoted, with the help of vertical rotating mechanisms, to an outside platform supplied with a barrier; a cabin is hanged onto the platform. The cabin itself can rotate 360 degrees around its vertical axis—with the help of a rotating mechanism. The cabin has a passenger compartment inside, with sliding doors—to ensure safe work of personnel and for evacuation of people.
An outside platform supplied with a barrier has a fire-fighting equipment—to access all parts of a building. The crane portion can also haul building materials to any part of a building under construction and can be used for window washing (hand-washing) or other maintenance activity on the building.
The elevator portion has a passenger compartment with sliding doors—for connection with the cabin; and a vertical aperture with a staircase—for connection with a rescue elevator. The elevator portion, with its wheels and driving cog-wheels, has connection with the attachable section of an H-shaped rail. The attachable section can be mounted on a building wall, with consequent connection to a permanently mounted on this wall H-shaped rail.
The prototype structure doesn't allow a completely mechanized installment of the attachable section of the H-shaped rail—to a building wall; and, to make a completely mechanized washing of building walls and windows (with the help of a cabin).

High-rise, fire-fighting, rescue and construction equipment


A method of generating search queries based on digitized audio from conversations, including: providing a database having a global hot-list of universal popular keywords or phrases and a personalized entity list comprising keywords and phrases used with a frequency above a determined threshold value in conversations involving a user; monitoring a conversation between at least two people, including the user; identifying words or phrases in digitized audio of the monitored conversation through speech recognition; comparing the identified words or phrases to the keywords and phrases in the database to find any matches; generating a search string, without the user requesting a search, based on words or phrases found to match the keyword or phrases stored in the database; submitting the search string to a search engine as a search query; and serving a set of search results returned by the search engine to a display device of the user.

1. Technical Field
The disclosed embodiments relate generally to Internet web-browsing or searching for particular web pages based on keyword queries. More particularly, the disclosed embodiments relate to automatically generating search queries through speech recognition and contextual influence of a telephone (or other type of) conversation or other audio streamed over a telephone.
2. Related Art
Herein web-browsing is defined as finding commercial or informational documents or web-pages on the Internet (or World Wide Web ("Web")) associated with a given criteria of interest to users or browsers. The primary mechanism to search for specific web pages is to key in search strings of characters to a search engine or the equivalent in a commercially available browser. The searching provides a list of hits or matches, and the specific text or web pages can be displayed by linking to web pages thereof. Any of the listed web pages can be brought up on the screen by known methods, e.g. "pointing and clicking" on words that are "linked" (hypertext links) to classes of information desired and bringing up those web pages on the user's screen if desired or at least bring up the text on the user's screen if graphics are not available to the user. Such web-browsing can be done in general areas or in specific topical areas. The topical areas usually include topics like the weather, stocks, sports, finance, news, etc. in which specific search protocols with particular search requirements and formats have been developed.
Consumers and business people increasingly use mobile phones, wireless phones, or similar devices to web-browse the Internet in addition to routine phone voice communication. Conventional keyword-based searches run by these consumers and business people on telephones, however, is time consuming and imperfect formulation of the keyword terms oftentimes produces search results that lack relevancy to the information sought for by a person.

Background contextual conversational search


A disk drive suspension comprising a metal member having a base portion, a distal portion and a spring portion therebetween is provided with a second spring of usually greater thickness that is parallel with and spaced from the first spring, and supported in place by base and distal plates of a stiffener attached to the metal member base and distal portions. The second spring connector is much reduced in width relative to the adjoining plates.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to disk drive suspensions, and, more particularly, to a disk drive suspension comprising a distal portion, a base portion and a spring portion between the distal portion and the base portion, and a stiffener attached to the suspension to lend a desired stiffness to the suspension. The suspension spring portion typically exerts a predetermined gram load on the distal portion to maintain a slider carried by the distal portion into a desired operating proximity to a rotating disk. The invention specifically relates to the addition of a second spring complementary in function to the suspension spring. The second spring traverses the suspension spring portion and may connect separated sections of the stiffener. The second spring adds a highly controllable spring force to the suspension to better control of the suspension spring rate, e.g. when the suspension material thinness limits spring rate obtainable from just the suspension, to reduce gram losses with use, and for other purposes to be described.
2. Description of the Related Art
Suspensions typically comprise a metal member that can be a load beam having a base portion, a spring portion and a rigid distal portion over which a conductor is passed to connect a slider carried by a separate flexure on the load beam distal portion to the device electronics, or the metal member can be the metal layer in a laminate of the metal layer, an insulative layer, and trace conductors as seen in so-called wireless suspensions. Wireless suspension metal layers are very thin and are frequently provided with supplemental stiffening. Stiffeners are added to the base portion and/or to the distal portion of the metal layer.

Disk drive suspension with second spring function


DQPSK modulator control is provided using a single monitor photodiode with a selectively injected dither tone. The dither tone signal is sequentially injected into arm modulators and/or to a modulator driver port in time slots. A tapped signal at the output of the modulator is monitored synchronously with injected dither (I arm, Q arm, or phase modulator in third slot). The recovered dither output from a single photodiode is processed in the same sequence as the dither injection to adjust the bias to the optimal point: I-arm at the null point, Q-arm at the null point, and phase modulator at the quadrature point. This technique can be used for any control where the rate of change of the monitored condition due to systemic or environmental conditions (e.g., temperature, aging, etc.) is slow enough to allow time slot dither injection, monitor, and control.

Differential Quadrature Phase Shift Keying (DQPSK) transmission has emerged as an efficient modulation scheme for high-data rate optical transmission. DQPSK is a four-level version of Differential Phase Shift Keying (DPSK). DQPSK modulation transmits two bits for every symbol (bit combinations being 00, 01, 11 and 10). DQPSK has a narrower optical spectrum than DPSK, and tolerates more dispersion (both chromatic and polarization-mode), allows for stronger optical filtering, and enables closer channel spacing. For example, DQPSK allows processing of 40 Gbps data-rate in a 50 GHz channel spacing system. Additionally, a 112 Gbps signal can be transmitted using polarization multiplexing and DQPSK modulation at a 28 GBaud signal, correspondingly requiring electronic and optical components that need to support only a 28 Gbps bit rate. Advantageously, this allows for high-rate signal transmission exceeding the limitations of conventional direct binary modulation schemes.
Generally, a DQPSK modulator includes a combination of three modulator sections. These sections include an I-arm modulator for an in-phase data signal, a Q-arm modulator for a quadrature data signal, and a main modulator which is referred to as a phase modulator. The I-arm and Q-arm modulators are driven by independent data streams, and each of the modulators modulates different phases. For example, one modulator can perform modulation at 0 degrees and 180 degrees, and the other one can perform modulation at 90 degrees and 270 degrees (i.e., each modulator is always 180 degrees apart). DQPSK modulators can be built through discreet components (i.e., "stick built") or as a single integrated unit.
The DQPSK modulator has three bias ports that need to be controlled for an optimal output including the I-arm and Q-arm modulators and the phase modulator. Bias is a DC voltage applied to the port. For example, the I-arm and Q-arm modulators are usually set for null point, and the phase modulator is set for quadrature point. Control is required of these three bias ports to compensate for environmental and/or systemic changes.
Conventional bias control mechanisms utilize dither tones which can be injected into arm modulators bias ports and/or modulator drivers. The state of this dither is subsequently monitored at the optical signal output of the modulator through an optical splitter with a tap feeding a photodiode. Disadvantageously, these conventional bias control mechanisms require multiple dither tones and multiple monitoring photodiodes. For example, to process these dither tone signals at the output of the modulator with the multiple monitoring photodiodes adds complexity related to fiber splicing, board space, and control. Each photodiode requires its own hardware and software to process dither signals.

Systems and methods for DQPSK modulator control using selectively inserted dither tone


A system and method for imaging biological samples on multiple surfaces of a support structure are disclosed. The support structure may be a flow cell through which a reagent fluid is allowed to flow and interact with the biological samples. Excitation radiation from at least one radiation source may be used to excite the biological samples on multiple surfaces. In this manner, fluorescent emission radiation may be generated from the biological samples and subsequently captured and detected by detection optics and at least one detector. The detected fluorescent emission radiation may then be used to generate image data. This imaging of multiple surfaces may be accomplished either sequentially or simultaneously. In addition, the techniques of the present invention may be used with any type of imaging system. For instance, both epifluorescent and total internal reflection methods may benefit from the techniques of the present invention.

The present invention relates generally to the field of imaging and evaluating analytical samples. More particularly, the invention relates to a technique for imaging and evaluating analytical samples on multiple surfaces of a support structure using a compensator.
There are an increasing number of applications for imaging of analytical samples on a support structure. These support structures may include plates upon which biological samples are present. For instance, these plates may include deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and ribonucleic acid (RNA) probes that are specific for nucleotide sequences present in genes in humans and other organisms. Individual DNA or RNA probes can be attached at specific locations in a small geometric grid or array on the support structure. Depending upon the technology employed, the samples may attach at random, semi-random or predetermined locations on the support structure. A test sample, such as from a known person or organism, can be exposed to the array or grid, such that complementary genes or fragments hybridize to probes at the individual sites on a surface of a plate. In certain applications, such as sequencing, templates or fragments of genetic material may be located at the sites, and nucleotides or other molecules may be caused to hybridize to the templates to determine the nature or sequence of the templates. The sites can then be examined by scanning specific frequencies of light over the sites to identify which genes or fragments in the sample were present, by fluorescence of the sites at which genes or fragments hybridized.
These plates are sometimes referred to as microarrays, gene or genome chips, DNA chips, gene arrays, and so forth, and may be used for expression profiling, monitoring expression levels, genotyping, sequencing, and so forth. For example, diagnostic uses may include evaluation of a particular patient's genetic makeup to determine whether a disease state is present or whether pre-disposition for a particular condition exists. The reading and evaluation of such plates are an important aspect of their utility. Although microarrays allow separate biological components to be presented for bulk processing and individual detection, the number of components that can be detected in a single experiment is limited by the resolution of the system. Furthermore, the bulk reagents used in some methods can be expensive such that reduced volumes are desired. The present invention provides methods and compositions that increase the efficiency of array based detection to counteract these limitations. Other advantages are provided as well and will be apparent from the description below.

Compensator for multiple surface imaging


A computing system intercepts a message generated by an application at runtime. The message has content to be logged in a log data store. The computing system identifies sensitive information in the message content and modifies the message content to protect the sensitive information. The computing system causes the modified message content to be logged in the log data store.

Logging is a common practice for software developers of applications, such as web applications. Developers can use the data from a log, for example, for debugging the application, for generating statistics relating to an application, etc. Some applications, however, utilize sensitive information, such as credit card numbers, social security numbers, account numbers, etc., and at times, the sensitive information is written to a log, which poses security problems due to the highly sensitive nature of this information. The log becomes a possible point of potential theft or accidental distribution of the sensitive information. Theft of information represents a significant business risk in terms of the legal liabilities related to regulatory compliance. For example, to be PCI (Payment Card Industry) compliant, applications cannot log any sensitive data, such as passwords and credit card numbers, in a log.
Traditionally, application developers have manually inspected the application source code to help prevent any sensitive data from being written to a log. However, this traditional solution is prone to human error. In addition, as object oriented programming gets more complicated, it is often difficult to manually inspect the source code. Other conventional solutions implement a log monitoring tool to automatically and periodically inspect a log. When the monitoring tool detects sensitive information in a log, it can remove it from the log. However, there still remains a time where the sensitive information is stored in the log and during that time, the log is still a point of potential theft and prone to data loss.

Utility to instantly protect sensitive information for an application log at runtime


A magnetic resonance (MR) imaging apparatus comprises an MR imaging device (10) including a magnet (12) and heat generating components (18, 20, 22, 24). A cooling system (30) cools the heat generating components using chilled water from an air-cool chiller (28). Sensors (TS, VS) are configured to measure thermal parameters of the heat generating components or of the cooling system. An MR controller (40) controls the MR imaging device to execute an MR imaging examination program (“exam card”) (42) and to adjust the execution of the MR imaging examination program in response to a thermal parameter measured by the one or more sensors indicating the cooling system has insufficient cooling capacity. The MR controller may also adjust the exam card prior to its execution if the cooling system (30) has insufficient cooling capacity at the current air temperature to dissipate the heat load as estimated by a power dissipation model (80).

Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging presents a large thermal load. Components that need to be kept cooled include the magnet cryo-compressor (used to maintain liquid helium for cooling the typically superconducting magnet), magnetic field gradient coils, the gradient coil amplifiers, and the radio frequency (RF) amplifier. Other components requiring cooling may also be present.
In a typical medical facility, a commercially available air cooled chiller is used to provide chilled water for cooling the MR imaging device. The chiller may be a dedicated unit, or may be a general-purpose chiller, e.g. a hospital chiller that supplies chilled water for diverse purposes. A liquid cooling cabinet (LCC) provides interfacing between the chilled water and individual cooling systems of the MR imaging device. In a typical arrangement, heat exchangers thermally couple the chilled water to various coolant circuits that cool individual MR components. The coolant circuits are usually isolated from the chilled water, and the various coolant circuits may employ water or other fluids as the coolant. The coolant is maintained at a controlled temperature using a mixing valve to mix "cold" coolant from the heat exchanger and "hot" coolant delivered by a coolant return line from the cooled MR component. The coolant is driven by natural circulation or actively using pumps. In some designs, the cryo-compressor is directly cooled by chilled water from the air-cooled chiller, although provision of an isolating heat exchanger may also be used.
In designing the cooling system for an MR imaging device, the chiller capacity is typically chosen to meet the maximum credible heat load under the least favorable credible operating conditions for the chiller. The maximum credible heat load can be determined as follows. An MR imaging examination of a patient typically includes a sequence of MR imaging scans. The sequence is represented for entry into the MR imaging device controller the form of an examination card ("exam card" is used herein; the representation may be referred to by different nomenclatures depending upon the MR imaging device manufacturer/model and/or the medical facility). The heat load produced by the MR imaging device depends on the scan type of the scan being executed and its parameters. For example, one common metric of heat load is the root-mean-square magnetic field gradient field (Grms), which is affected by various parameters of the MR scan. A higher value for Grms will impose a higher heat load. In general, most of the scans have a low heat load, some a moderate and just a small number of scans have a high heat load. Other illustrative metrics of the heat load produced by an MR scan include the frequency spectrum of the magnetic field gradients (since the magnetic gradient coil impedance is frequency-dependent) and the B1,rms field generated by the RF excitation. The maximum credible heat load can be determined assuming worst-case values (from the heat load viewpoint) for the various scan parameters and metrics, e.g. highest Grms, highest gradient frequency content, highest RF pulse energy, and so forth. The exam card definition and the patient workflow can also affect the heat load, and again worst-case values are assumed, e.g. a contiguously performing a series of consecutive maximum-load scans.
The principal operating condition parameter for an air-cooled chiller is the temperature of the ambient air, i.e. the outdoor air temperature for the usual case in which the chiller is installed outdoors. The cooling capacity of a chiller is a function of the outdoor air temperature and the water temperature: The lower the outdoor air temperature, the higher the cooling capacity and the higher the water temperature, the higher the cooling capacity. The nominal cooling capacity of the chiller is usually defined at a design-basis worst case outdoor air temperature and at a default water temperature, e.g. 12° C. During most of the year the outdoor air temperature is significantly lower than the design-basis worst case temperature at which the chiller nominal cooling capacity is defined. There is a spread in the actual cooling capacity as function of the outdoor temperature.
If the chiller capacity is overloaded, then a chain of events is initiated which eventually leads to an MR imaging scan abort. Initially, as the overloaded chiller is unable to handle the heat load the chilled water will begin to increase in temperature. The cooling capacity of the chiller is higher with a higher water temperature, which initially counters this temperature increase; thus, the chilled water temperature increases until a new equilibrium is reached. There is also some margin in the cooling chain (i.e. the coolant circuits providing cooling to the individual MR imaging device components). The temperature of the chilled water supplied by the chiller can increase somewhat in temperature before coolant circuits cannot hold the temperature of the coolant, and moreover the coolant can increase in temperature by some amount before the cooled MR imaging device component overheats and a thermal interlock is triggered that aborts the MR imaging scan. But eventually, if the chiller overload continues unabated, the coolant temperature for some component (or the temperature of the component itself) exceeds its interlock threshold and triggers a scan abort.
Since scan aborts are undesirable, the design-basis maximum load and maximum outdoor temperature values are usually chosen to be so large as to essentially eliminate the possibility of a scan abort due to thermal runaway. However, this robustness against scan aborts is obtained at the cost of employing a high-capacity chiller, which increases the initial cost of the MR imaging device installation, and increases maintenance and replacement costs down the line. MR imaging facility operational expenses are also impacted as a higher-capacity chiller uses more energy to operate.
The following discloses a new and improved systems and methods that address the above referenced issues, and others.

Magnetic resonance imaging with improved thermal performance


A lithium ion secondary battery includes a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and an electrolyte. The negative electrode has a negative electrode current collector and a negative electrode active material layer provided on the negative electrode current collector. The negative electrode current collector satisfies:(D2/D1)≥0.968  (1),D2≥21.947*(X/100)−24.643  (2),110≤X≤125  (3), andwhere D1 is a first displacement amount in a first piercing test at a first piercing speed of 0.1 mm/min or more; D2 is a second displacement amount in a second piercing test at a second piercing speed of less than 0.1 mm/min; and X is an expansion coefficient (%) of the negative electrode active material layer.

The present technology generally relates to a negative electrode for a lithium ion secondary battery, a lithium ion secondary battery, a battery pack, an electric vehicle, a power storage system, a power tool, and an electronic device including the negative electrode.
Various types of electronic devices such as mobile phones and personal digital assistants (PDAs) have come into widespread use and there is a demand for further miniaturization, weight reduction, and longer lifespans for these electronic devices. Along with this, development of a battery as a power source, particularly a secondary battery which is small and light and able to obtain a high energy density, is under way.
The application of secondary batteries in other types of uses has also been considered without being limited to the electronic devices described above. Examples of the other uses include battery packs which are attachably and detachably mounted on an electronic device or the like, electric vehicles such as an electric automobile, power storage systems such as a power server for home use, and power tools such as a power drill.

Negative electrode for lithium ion secondary battery, lithium ion secondary battery, battery pack, electric vehicle, power storage system, power tool, and electronic device


A fixture tooling for supporting a back side of a printed circuit board during component placement on a top side of the board includes an inflatable air bladder that is sized substantially coextensive with the circuit board. The bladder is positioned below the circuit board within a containment unit adapted for use with conventional railed assembly equipment. The bladder is selectively inflated for supporting the complete back side of the printed circuit board during assembly operations. The bladder provides evenly distributed support across, substantially, the entire circuit board without damaging any components on the back side by pliably conforming to component irregularities on the back side.

The increasing complexity and density of integrated circuit components on printed circuit assemblies has resulted in the common use of robotic systems for manufacturing and assembly of the same. Accordingly, various techniques have been developed for the automated mounting of electronic components to printed circuit boards (PCBs). One such technique is the "hot bar thermode" bonding technique which utilizes a placement head to position an integrated circuit having a plurality of conductive leads at a desired mounting point on a PCB. Thereafter, multiple heat activatable blades are urged into contact with the conductive leads and heated to a point where the electronic component is bonded to the circuit board by means of presoldered connections thereon.
Another technique involves using a solder paste and a reflow oven. Specifically, a powdered metal such as a tin/lead composition is mixed with a liquidous flux (activator) agent whereby the mixture becomes a solder paste. The paste is positioned at a desired mounting point on the PCB, the conductive leads of the integrated circuit are placed on the solder paste, and then the assembly is heat treated in a reflow oven. The heat treatment burns off the flux, which cleans the surfaces of the pads and component, and solidifies the bonding of the component leads to the solder and PCB.
Regardless of the technique used for component placement and PCB assembly, substantial forces may be exerted on the PCB by the automated placement head. Accordingly, assembly processing requires back side support of the circuit board (or substrate) capable of withstanding such forces. The back side support must provide good, solid support for allowing even, accurate placement of components on the top side. Good support is especially needed where fine-pitched component leads are being placed. The support, however, must also avoid damaging components on the back side of the PCB in the case where a double sided board is used. Furthermore, the support must be evenly distributed and sufficiently solid under the placement area to avoid cracking of solder joints (breaking of component leads from existing solder joints) which often occurs to previously placed components on the back side of the board during the placement of another component on the top side if support is not proper.
One apparatus and method known in the art that is used for back side support is a pin insert tooling plate whereby multiple, removably adjustable support pins are manually configured in the tooling plate so that the pins are strategically positioned to best support the back side of a PCB for component placement on the top side. In the case of a double sided PCB where components are already placed on the back side, the pins must be carefully positioned to avoid contacting and damaging the components on the back side. Although this technique provides a usable solution for supporting the back side of a PCB, it entails a cumbersome, time consuming, and often difficult process to ensure the pins are properly positioned.
Another apparatus and method for supporting the back side of a PCB is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,092,510, issued to Anstrom et al. In this instance, a support fixture is positioned under the back side of the PCB and urged upward into temporary contact opposite the mounting location on the top side of the PCB. In one embodiment, a flexible fluid filled bag is utilized in conjunction with the support fixture so that the presence of components on the back side of the circuit board may be accommodated while supporting the circuit board during component mounting. The support fixture may also be selectively rotated to accommodate rectangular components in multiple orientations.
Although the Anstrom technique provides a usable solution for back side support, it requires significant circuit and mechanical complexities in order to constantly position the support fixture opposite the mounting location on the other side. Such complexities, obviously, contribute to undesirable, excessive, manufacturing costs. Furthermore, the support fixture only provides support to a single mounting location on the top side of the PCB. Consequently, either the support fixture or the PCB must constantly be positioned to mirror component placement on the top side.
Given these limitations of the prior art, there is a clear need for an improved PCB support apparatus and method. Accordingly, objects of the present invention are to provide a mechanically simplified, easy-to-use, and cost effective support apparatus and method for component placement and other PCB assembly purposes.

Air bladder fixture tooling for supporting circuit board assembly processing


A handheld fluid container shaped and configured so that the majority of the fluid volume is carried near the rear of the container where the container is held and supported. In various embodiments, the containers have handle parts and/or handle openings that allow the containers to be manually supported from the rear of the containers. The container bodies also have forward angled front and rear walls and container bottoms shaped so that the majority of the interior volume of the container is located at the rear of the container rather than at the front. The center of gravity of the containers when partially or fully filled with fluid is located near the rear of the container where it is manually supported by the user.

Handheld fluid containers, such as pails, buckets, paint cans and the like, are used in a variety of applications and generally well known in such arts. Often, handheld fluid containers have wire bails or types of grip handles. Wire bails are convenient for carrying or toting the fluid containers, but often cumbersome for one handed support of the containers while conveniently accessing the contents of the containers. Effort must be made to twist the bail away from the center, or the container must be grasped by a side wall or bottom.
In many applications, such as painting, handheld fluid containers, i.e paint cans and pails, must be supported with one hand while the other hand accesses the contents of the container. Painting often involves holding with one hand a paint container for extended periods of time while the other hand holds a paint brush or paint roller. When conventional fluid containers, such as paint cans and pails are held unconventionally, i.e. not held simply by the container hanging from the held bail, the weight of the filled container naturally exerts force on the supporting hand and wrist. When held other than over the container's center of gravity, the weight of the container and its contents is unbalanced and creates a torque that is born by the user's hand and wrist. While holding fluid containers in such manners is often ideal for its particular use, the unbalanced weight of the fluid container is often uncomfortable for the user and leads to fatigue and injury over time and repetitive use.


A semiconductor device includes a substrate; a first conductive type semiconductor layer disposed on a main surface of the substrate; a second conductive type semiconductor layer disposed on the first conductive type semiconductor layer; a plurality of light emitting elements; and a second conductive side wiring pattern for commonly connecting the second conductive type semiconductor layer in the light emitting elements arranged adjacently. The second conductive type semiconductor layer includes a first conductive type semiconductor connection surface and a second conductive type semiconductor connection surface between the first conductive type semiconductor layer.

The present invention relates to a semiconductor device of a light emitting diode (LED) array and the likes, in which a plurality of light emitting elements is arranged; a light emitting diode (LED) head including the semiconductor device; and an image forming apparatus including the light emitting diode (LED) head.
In a conventional image forming apparatus such as a printer using electro-photography technology, a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) is arranged to form an LED array chip, and a plurality of the LED array chips is arranged to form a light emitting diode (LED) head. Recently, it has been required that an image forming apparatus such as a printer forms an image with high resolution. Accordingly, the number of the light emitting elements in the LED print head has increased drastically.
In the LED array chip, an impurity is diffused in a surface of a semiconductor compound wafer (such as GaAs) through solid phase diffusion to form a plurality of p-n connection areas. A wiring pattern is connected to an upper layer of the p-n connection areas for switching ON/OFF. A common layer is disposed at a lower side (intermediate side of the substrate) of the p-n connection areas (refer to Patent Reference).    Patent Reference Japanese Patent Publication No. 10-035011
In the conventional LED array chip, the p-n connection areas have a very small size. Accordingly, it is necessary to reduce a size of the wiring pattern as well for securing insulation between the adjacent p-n connection areas. Further, the wiring pattern is connected to an electrode pad to be connected to a drive element over a relatively long distance, thereby increasing a potential difference between connecting portions and lowering energy efficiency.
In view of the problems described above, an object of the present invention is to provide a semiconductor device with improved energy efficiency and lowered resistance in a wiring pattern. A further object of the present invention is to provide an LED head using the semiconductor device, and an image forming apparatus having the LED head as an exposure device.
Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description of the invention.

Semiconductor device, light emitting diode head, and image forming apparatus


A method of fabricating a liquid ejection head is provided. The method includes preparing a first die including projected streak portions aligned in parallel by a predetermined pitch and gap portions formed between the adjacent projected streak portions. The first die is adapted to form groove-like recess portions by pressing the projected streak portions to a metal plate. The method further includes preparing a second die for supporting the metal plate to which the projected streak portions of the first die are pressed. Each of the projected streak portions includes: an inner wall forming portion for forming an inner wall of the corresponding groove-like recess portion extending in a depth direction of the corresponding groove-like recess portion; a connecting face portion; and an inclined face portion, continuous via the connecting face portion to the inner wall forming portion, for forming a bottom portion of the corresponding groove-like recess portion into a substantially V-like shape.

The present invention relates to an apparatus of fabricating and a method of fabricating a liquid ejection head and a liquid ejection head.
There are known liquid ejection heads each for ejecting a pressurized liquid from a nozzle opening as liquid drops constituting an object thereof by various liquids, and as a representative one among them, an ink jet type recording head can be pointed out. Hence, a background art will be explained by taking an example of the ink jet type recording head.
The ink jet type recording head (hereinafter, referred to as recording head) is provided with a plurality of a series of flow paths reaching nozzle openings from a common ink chamber via pressure generating chambers in correspondence with the nozzle openings. Further, in view of a request for small-sized formation, it is necessary to form the respective generating chambers by a fine pitch in correspondence with a recording density. Therefore, a wall thickness of a partition wall portion for partitioning the contiguous pressure generating chambers becomes extremely thin. Further, a flow path width of an ink supply port communicating the pressure generating chamber and the common ink chamber is further narrowed more than that of the pressure generating chamber in order to efficiently use an ink pressure in the pressure generating chamber for delivering ink drops.
Further, the pressure generating chamber is formed by subjecting a pressure generating chamber forming plate made of a metal to die pressing.
Further, a nozzle plate formed with the nozzle opening is fabricated by a metal plate in view of a request for workability or the like. Further, a diaphragm portion for changing a volume of the pressure generating chamber is formed by an elastic plate. The elastic plate is constituted by a double structure of pasting a resin film onto a support plate made of a metal and is fabricated by removing a portion of the support plate in correspondence with the pressure generating chamber.
Patent Reference 1: JP-A-2004-98166
Meanwhile, according to the recording head of the background art, in order to form the pressure generating chamber included therein, the pressure generating chamber forming plate made of a metal is subjected to pressing which is forging. In the pressing, when a shape of a die is not proper for a shape of a part to be worked, a worked surface is deteriorated. For example, in the case of forming a groove-like recess portion for forming the pressure generating chamber by pressing a die to a metal material plate, when there is an angular portion at a portion of the die, the angular portion is brought into a state of being strongly rubbed to the metal material plate and therefore, a surface portion of the metal material plate is brought into a state of being cut off and there is a concern of deteriorating a quality of finishing an inner face of the groove-like recess portion.
On the other hand, according to the recording head of the background art, the wall thickness of the partition wall portion is extremely thin and therefore, it is difficult to uniformly set a liquid containing volume of the pressure generating chamber or the like by accurately providing a recess shape of the pressure generating chamber. The recess shape is generally constituted by a slender shape frequently, a length of the partition wall portion is prolonged by that amount and therefore, it is important to accurately fabricate the partition wall portion over an entire length thereof in view from uniformly ensuring the liquid containing volume. Particularly, in order to provide the recess shape in a proper shape, it is regarded to be important to sufficiently ensure a height of the partition wall portion between the recess shapes at a fabrication stage.

Apparatus of fabricating and method of fabricating liquid ejection head, and liquid ejection head


The safety binding has a base part which is fixed with respect to the ski, a release part which is supported so as to be rotatable relative to the base part, and a guide jaw with clamping device for clamping the boot sole. In order to support the release part relative to the base part, this release part has at least three guide rolls which are supported so as to be freely rotatable and have circumferential grooves in which guide flanges engage, which guide flanges are downwardly and inwardly bent at the underside of the release part and engage in the guide grooves with their inwardly bent edges. Cut out portions are located between the guide flanges so that the release part can be freed from the guide rolls after a determined rotation relative to the base part. A release cam having a central locking recess and two symmetrically arranged control cams is securely connected with the release part. A control roll which is displaceable against the action of springs of a release mechanism engages in the locking recess in the operating position and rolls at one of the control cams during the releasing process.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention is directed to a safety binding for a boot holding device in which the heel can be lifted, in which the boot is held in the binding at its front sole part by means of a clamping device which can be actuated at will, the binding being constructed in two parts and having a base part which is fixed with respect to the ski and a release part which is detachable from the base part during overloading by means of rotation relative to the base part and is held at the base part in the operating position by means of a release mechanism.
2. Background Art
Bindings of this type can be used for long-distance skiing, tour skiing, skiing corresponding to the recently revived telemark style, and for ski jumping. In these ski disciplines the skier must be able to lift the heel from the ski. While safety bindings for long-distance skiing, for example, are already known, no such safety bindings exist for ski jumping. This sometimes results in severe injuries in falls from th ski jump.
In a known binding of the type mentioned in alone (DE-A-33 10 739), the sole of the boot which is lengthened toward the front is fixed by means of a plug-in pin at the upper binding part which is constructed as a plate. This upper binding part which is constructed as a plate extends to the vicinity of the boot heel and is supported so as to be swivelable approximately in the center by means of a trunnion which is fixed with respect to the ski. The plate has an elongated hole through which the headless trunnion engages, so that the plate can free itself from the ski together with the shoe after the releasing process. The plate is secured against lifting in the rear area by a bracket which overlaps the plate and is supported toward the front against a spring-mounted release pin which is arranged on the ski very far in front of the shoe because of the necessary holding device for the sole which projects forward.
This construction results in various disadvantages. A significant disadvantage consists in that the release part which is detachable from the ski by means of rotation must be mechanism, which includes a spring-mounted pin, requires that the release part be supported at a certain distance in the lateral direction. In the known binding, the lateral support is effected by the rotating trunnion on which the plate is supported so as to be rotatable. This relatively large dimensioning of the plate, which is compulsory, results in an additional weight load on the one hand and in the risk of ice formation between the plate and the ski on the other hand, which substantially impairs the releasing process. Another substantial disadvantage consists in that the release pin and the locking opening in the plate are located very far in front of the boot, resulting in large differences in the releasing behavior depending on whether the boot rests on the ski or the heel of the boot is lifted. In order to counter this disadvantage a variant of the known binding discussed in the beginning provides a twofold arrangement of release parts. That is, an additional release system in the form of a shorter plate is provided on the release plate, both of them cooperating with spring-mounted locking balls. This construction not only adds considerable weight, but also results in a disproportionately higher construction cost because of the two release systems. Moreover, it is not possible to free the boot from the ski in this construction since the release parts are connected with the ski in a fixed manner.


A method and device are presented for use in determining a rate of rotation of an object. The device comprises a light guide comprising an arrangement of a plurality of coupled optical resonators arranged along a curvilinear optical path. This allows for determining a change in at least one of the light phase and frequency affected by the light propagation through the curvilinear path during the device rotation, said change being indicative of the rotation rate of the light guide.

The Sagnac effect, in its original definition, is known as the relative phase shift between two beams of light that have traveled an identical path in opposite direction in a rotating frame. Generally speaking, the Sagnac effect deals with light that propagates along a circular or closed-loop path in a rotating medium. Phase accumulation along the path that is co-directed with rotation differs from that associated with the counter-directed one.
The Sagnac effect (i.e., the phase, accumulated by a light signal that propagates along a slowly rotating circular path, depends linearly on the system's angular velocity Ω) has been studied quite extensively in the literature. The interest stems not only from the theoretical view-point, but also from the practical one. Highly sensitive rotation measurement devices can be designed using this effect [S. Ezekiel and H. J. Arditty, editors, Fiber-Optic Rotation Sensors, Springer Series In Optical Sciences, Springer-Verlag 1982; H. J. Arditty and H. C. Lefevre, "Sagnac E ect in Fiber Gyroscopes," Optics Letters, 6(8), 401-403 (1981); H. C. Lefevre, "Fundamentals of the Interferometric Fiber-Optic Gyroscope," Optical Review, 4(1A), 20-27 (1997)]. For instance, modern fiber-optic gyroscopes, known as Sagnac interferometers, and used for navigation are based on this effect. They allow highly accurate measurements of rotation rates.
Some devices utilizing the Sagnac effect are configured as a ring-like interferometer, also called a Sagnac interferometer. Here, a beam of light is split into two beams. The two beams are made to follow trajectories in opposite directions. On return to the point of entry, the light is allowed to exit the device in such a way that an interference pattern is obtained. The position of the interference fringes is dependent on the angular velocity of the setup in which the device is installed. Usually, several mirrors are employed, so that the light beams follow a triangular or square trajectory. Optical fiber can also be employed to guide the light. The ring interferometer is located on a platform that can rotate. When the platform is rotating, the lines of the interference pattern are displaced sideways as compared to the position of the interference pattern when the platform is not rotating. The amount of displacement is proportional to the angular velocity of the rotating platform. The axis of rotation does not have to be inside the enclosed area.
Various optical gyroscopes are described for example in the following patent publications:
U.S. Pat. No. 4,445,780 discloses a Sagnac gyroscope, for measuring rotation rates. The gyroscope has an optical coupler, adapted for being fabricated by integrated optical techniques, which is compact and provides for operation of the gyroscope at quadrature for small rotation rates. The optical coupler is a symmetrical, channel waveguide structure comprising a two-mode central waveguide branching into three one-mode input waveguides at one end and into two one-mode output waveguides at the other end. The output waveguides are optically coupled to the ends of a fiber-optic loop which provides a closed optical path in which the Sagnac phase shift is produced. The middle input waveguide is adapted to transmit an incident beam into the optical coupler while the outer input waveguides are adapted to transmit the output beams of the Sagnac gyroscope to a circuit for measuring and comparing the intensities of the beams in the outer waveguides so that the rotation rate may be determined.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,163,632 discloses an integrated optical circuit for use in a fiber optic gyroscope which senses rotation rates by determining a phase shift due to the Sagnac effect between light beams traveling around an optical fiber sensing loop in opposite directions. A circuit is provided on a silicon-on-insulator chip comprising a layer of silicon separated from a substrate by an insulating layer. This circuit comprises: rib waveguides formed in the silicon layer for receiving light from a light source and transmitting light to a light detector; fiber optic connectors in the form of grooves etched in the silicon layer for receiving the respective ends of the optical fiber sensing loop; rib waveguides formed in the silicon layer for transmitting light to and from said fiber optic connectors so as to direct light beams in opposite directions around the sensing loop and receive light beams returning therefrom; phase determining means integrated in silicon layer for determining a phase shift between the light beams returning from the sensing loop.
JP 1143914 discloses a gyroscope configured for detecting the phase difference generated between two light beams which are propagated in an optical waveguide on an optical path substrate in the mutually opposite direction and guided out of both ends, and finding a rotary angular velocity. In this configuration, light from a laser is split by a beam splitter and made incident on both ends of optical fibers through lenses. Then, those light beams are guided to the optical waveguide on a transparent plate type medium and projected from the opposite sides of the fibers. Those light beams are collimated by the lenses, put together by the splitter, and made incident on a photodetector, which detects variation in the light intensity. When this gyro rotates at some angular velocity, the light beams have the phase difference calculated from a prescribed equation through Sagnac effect. Then light intensity detected by the photodetector varies periodically every time the phase difference reaches 2π, so the angular velocity is found from the output of the detector.
U.S. Patent Publication 2004/0202222 discloses a solid-state laser gyro, that comprises a solid-state resonator block, in which an optical path followed by two counterrotating waves generated by an optical-gain laser medium is defined, and the gain medium is attached to the resonator and is made of a rare-earth-doped crystal.
U.S. Patent Publication 2004/0263856 discloses a photonic crystal interferometric optical gyroscope system including a light source for providing a primary beam of light, a photonic crystal (i.e. a photonic crystal fiber) sensing coil having a rotational axis, and a beam controlling device configured to split the primary beam into first and second counter-propagating beams in the photonic crystal sensing coil and configured to direct return of the counter-propagating beams wherein the power of the returning counter-propagating beams represents the phase shift between the counter-propagating beams and is indicative of the rate of rotation of the coil about the rotational axis.

Light guide rotation rate detector with coupled optical resonators