A portable vehicle lift with a wireless charging system. The vehicle lift comprises a base, a carriage configured for receiving a wheel of a vehicle, a lift actuator configured to vertically raise and lower the carriage relative to the base, and a battery configured to provide electrical power to the vehicle lift. The vehicle lift additionally includes a receiver electrically coupled with the battery, and a transmitter for transmitting electrical energy to the receiver.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to vehicle lift systems. More particularly, the invention concerns a battery-operated vehicle lift system configured for wireless charging.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The need to lift a vehicle from the ground for service work is well established. For instance, it is often necessary to lift a vehicle for tire rotation or replacement, steering alignment, oil changes, brake inspections, exhaust work, and other automotive maintenance. Traditionally, lifting a vehicle has been accomplished through the use of equipment that is built-into a service facility, such as either lift units with hydraulic actuator(s) installed below the surface of the floor or two and four-post type lift systems installed on the floor surface. These built-in units are located at a fixed location at the service facility and adapted to engage a vehicle frame to lift the vehicle from the ground.
In an effort to increase the versatility and mobility of lift devices and to reduce the need to invest in permanently mounted lifting equipment, devices commonly known as a mobile column lifts (MCLs) have been developed. An example of MCLs incorporated in a wireless portable vehicle lift system 20 is illustrated in FIG. 1, which illustrates a vehicle lift system 20 with four individual lifts 22 for lifting a vehicle. Although FIG. 1 depicts a four lift system, any combination of two or more lifts 22 may be used. It should also be understood that lift system 20 is not limited for use with vehicles, but also may be used to raise or lower other objects relative to a floor or ground surface, such as aircraft, industrial machinery, shipping containers, construction subassemblies, and the like.
An example of a vehicle lift 22 included in such a vehicle lift system 20 is illustrated in more detail in FIGS. 2, 3A, and 3B. The vehicle lift 22 illustrated in FIGS. 2, 3A, and 3B is similar to vehicle lifts described in U.S. Patent App. Publ. No. 2013/0240300, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. With reference to FIG. 2, the vehicle lift 22 broadly includes a base 30, a post 32, a carriage assembly 34, a lift actuator 36, and a main housing 38. The base 30 supports the lift 22 on the floor or the ground. The post 32 is rigidly coupled to the base 30 and extends upwardly therefrom. The carriage assembly 34 is configured to engage a wheel of a vehicle and is vertically shiftable relative to the post 32. The lift actuator 36 is received in the post 32 and is operable to vertically raise and lower the carriage assembly 34 relative to the post 32 and the base 30. The main housing 38 is attached to the post 32 and encloses many of the components of that make up the control and power systems of the lift 22. The main housing 38 may also include a removable access panel 40 for providing access to various components of the lift's 22 control and power systems.
FIGS. 3A and 3B provide a view of the back of the lift 22. FIG. 3B shows the access panel 40 being removed and a lower portion of the main housing 38 cut away to show certain internal components located in the upper portion of the main housing 38. The lift 22 may generally include an electrical power supply, an electronic control system, and a hydraulic power system. More specifically, FIG. 3B shows that the electrical power supply system of the lift 22 can include two rechargeable batteries 42 (e.g., 12 VDC lead-acid batteries), a battery charger 44, and a main power switch 46; the electronic control system of the lift 22 can include a modular control unit 48 (e.g., with a touchscreen display 49) and a communications antenna 50; and the hydraulic power system of the lift 22 can include a hydraulic reservoir 52, a hydraulic pump 54, a hydraulic cylinder (not shown), and a plurality of hydraulic valves (not shown. The electronic control system can be used to control the hydraulic power system so as to control the raising and lowering operations of the lift 22.
The electrical power supply system (including the batteries 42) is configured to provide power to the individual systems of the lift 22, including the electronic control system and the hydraulic power system. As such, the electrical power supply system provides the electrical power necessary to control and operate the lifts 22. Generally, the batteries 42 of the electrical power supply system require frequent charging, so as to maintain sufficient charge to provide continued functionality of the lift 22 throughout a working day. However, it can be difficult keep the lift 22 physically coupled with a standard recharging power source, such as a mains power outlet, because the lift 22 is mobile and may be used in locations out of range of such standard recharging power sources. Furthermore, in some instances, the electrical cords generally used to electrically connect recharging power sources with the lift 22 may interfere with the operation and/or mobility of the lift 22, or may otherwise interfere with the maintenance being performed on the vehicle being raised by the lift. 22.
Accordingly, there exists a need for a vehicle lift 22 configured for wireless charging, such that the lift 22 can be continuously charged while the lift 22 is out of range of a physical recharging power source or when it is otherwise impractical to use a physical recharging power source. Although certain types of wireless power transfer devices have been used in the past for charging small-sized batteries (e.g., as may be used in small, handheld computing devices), such previously-used wireless power transfer devices have generally been restricted to transferring electrical power over small distances (i.e., over the near-field). The near-field refers to a region around a wireless power transfer device's antenna where magnetic fields and electric fields exist independently (i.e., generally a distance less than one or two wavelengths of the emitted electromagnetic signal). Because the magnetic and electric fields exist independently within the near-field, interferences within the emitted electromagnetic field are high such that signals degrade quickly and are not useful for transferring power outside of the near-field. Regardless over the relatively short near-field, wireless power transfer devices are capable of facilitating generally high electrical power transfer via magnetic induction and/or capacitive coupling. Wireless power transfer device antennas that operate in the near-field (via magnetic induction and/or capacitive coupling) are not required to be very large, such that the antennas are easily incorporated into power transfer devices and into handheld computing devices. As such, most previously-used wireless power transfer devices have been used to re-charge the batteries of small, handheld computing devices, such as a smart-phones and tablets over relatively short distances (i.e., the near-field).
To accomplish wireless power transfer over longer distances (i.e., beyond the near-field), power transfer must be completed in the far-field, which refers to distances greater than two wavelengths of the electromagnetic signal that is emitted from the transmitting antenna. However, most previously-used wireless power transfer devices are not configured to operate in the far-field. In more detail, to operate in the far-field, the transmitting and receiving antennas are generally required to be much larger than those smaller antennas used for operating in the near-field. Specifically, the amount of power emitted as an electromagnetic signal in the far-field by a transmitting antenna depends on a ratio of the antenna's size to the wavelength of the signal. For large wavelength signals transmitted by relatively-small antennas, generally little power is radiated. For instance, with the near-field power transmissions devices discussed above, which use generally small antennas, almost none of the energy is emitted in the far-field as electromagnetic radiation. On the other hand, relatively-larger antennas (i.e., antennas generally the same size as the signal's wavelength) can radiate power more efficiently in the far field. Nevertheless, the electromagnetic signals radiated by such fair-field-capable antennas radiate such signals in all directions (i.e., omni-directionally). As a result, the amplitude of the electromagnetic signal falls off proportionally with distance, such that the available energy per unit area falls off proportionally with a square of the distance. Thus, if the transmitting and receiving antennas are far apart, only a small amount of the emitted radiation will be available to be received by the receiving antennas for conversion to power. Because of these difficulties, wireless power transfer over the far-field has received little attention or implementation.
As such, there is a need for a vehicle lift system configured to provide wireless charging to the lift 22 such that the batteries 42 of the lifts 22 can remain sufficiently charged even when the lifts 22 are out of range of a physical recharging power source or when it is otherwise impractical to use a physical recharging power source. Furthermore, there is a need for a wireless charging system for vehicle lifts that provides efficiently wireless charging over the near-field and far-field.

Battery operated vehicle lifts with wireless charging


A loudspeaker has a magnetic circuit and a speaker frame attached to the magnetic circuit, which is mounted on a rear tray of an automobile. A grille is attached to the speaker frame so as to reflect sound generated from the magnetic circuit. The grille has a slit so as to radiate the sound in a forward horizontal direction.

The present invention relates to a loudspeaker installed in an automobile.
Mounting restrictions of automotive interior impose various limits on the installation of a car speaker. In other words, problems peculiar to the car speakers but not to home speakers arise. One of these problems is that a dip caused by reflected sound appears in the frequency response of the speaker.
Referring to FIG. 10, a conventional loudspeaker has a magnetic circuit 1 and a speaker frame 2, an opening of which is covered with a net 4 through a grille 3. The speaker is mounted on a rear tray 6 behind a rear seat 5 so that the axis of the speaker is set in the vertical direction. As a result, the opening of the speaker frame 2 faces a rear window 7. Sound from the speaker is propagated through the interior space of the automobile to a listener 8.
In the conventional speaker, the sound which is transmitted to the listener 8 comprises a directly propagating sound .gamma. and a reflected sound (.beta.+.alpha.). There is a difference of time (.alpha.+.beta.-.gamma.)/c (c is the speed of sound between the direct sound .gamma. and the reflected sound (.beta.+.alpha.). Therefore, a dip appears near 500 Hz in the frequency response shown in FIG. 11. The dip prevents a clear sound reproduction.


A miniature galvanic cell employing a cell housing comprising a beaded cup, wherein the bead is disposed at the vicinity of the open end of the cup, and a low profile can and gasket assembly are used so that effectively the majority of the cross-section thickness of the vertical portion of the cell is attributed to only the thickness of the wall of the cup so that maximum internal volume of the cell is reserved for the active components. A process for producing the novel housing is also disclosed.

The miniaturization of electronic devices has created a demand for small but powerful electrochemical cells. Cells that utilize an alkaline electrolyte are known to provide high energy density per unit volume, and are therefore well suited for applications in miniature electronic devices such as hearing aids, cameras, watches and calculators. However, alkaline electrolytes, such as aqueous potassium hydroxide and sodium hydroxide solutions, have an affinity for wetting metal surfaces and are known to creep through the sealed metal interface of an electrochemical cell. Leakage in this manner can deplete the electrolyte solution from the cell and can also cause a corrosive deposit on the surface of the cell that detracts from the cell's appearance and marketability. These corrosive salts may also damage the device in which the cell is housed. Typical cell systems where this problem is encountered include silver oxide-zinc cells, nickel-cadmium cells, air depolarized cells, and alkaline-manganese dioxide cells.
In the prior art it has been a conventional practice to incorporate insulating gaskets between the cell's cup and can so as to provide a seal for the cell. Generally, the gasket must be made of a material inert to the electrolyte contained in the cell and the cell environment. In addition, it must be flexible and resistant to cold flow under pressure of the seal and maintain these characteristics so as to insure a proper seal during long periods of storage. Material such as nylon, polypropylene, ethylene-tetrafluoroethylene copolymer and high density polyethylene have been found to be suitable as gasket materials for most applications. Typically, the insulating gasket is in the form of a "J" shaped configuration in which the extended wall of the cup is inserted so that upon being radially squeezed, a flange of the gasket forms a seal with the bottom portion of the wall of the cup. The gasket generally extends the entire length of the internal wall of the cell. The volume of the gasket could exceed as much as 20% of the internal volume of the cell and therefore results in a waste of space in the cell for the active components of the cell. To better insure a good seal, a sealant is generally applied to the gasket, including its "U" shaped groove, so that upon insertion of the cup into the gasket, the edge of the extended wall of the cup will seat in the sealant and then upon the application of a compressive force, the wall of the gasket will be compressed against the edge of the extended cup wall.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,302,517 discloses a sealed galvanic cell employing an insulating gasket between the can and the cup of the cell. The cell is composed of a first sealing segment disposed and compressed between the rim of the can and the edge of the cup and a second can support segment extending within the cup and substantially parallel to the wall of the cup and defining a plurality of spaced apart openings which accommodate the cell's electrolyte and/or the cell's reaction product.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a cell structure that employs an inward beaded contour cup and a can housing that occupies a minimum internal volume for the cell.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an inward beaded contour cup and a can housing for a cylindrical cell that uses a low profile gasket disposed between the cup and can to electrically insulate the cup from the can and to provide a seal for the cell so that the cell has a large internal volume for its active components.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a novel inward beaded contour cup and a can housing for a cell that is easy to make, cost effective to produce and easy to assemble.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a process for producing a cell with a novel inward beaded contour cup and a can housing occupying a minimum volume for the cell.
The foregoing and additional objects of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following description and drawings.

Beaded electrode cup for a miniature galvanic cell


A functionalized poly(arylene ether) having a pendant carbon—carbon double bond is prepared by reacting the hydroxy end group of a poly(arylene ether) with a polyisocyanate compound to produce a urethane-capped poly(arylene ether) having pendant isocyanate functionality, which is then reacted with a polyfunctional compound having a carbon—carbon double bond and a hydroxy, thiol, or amino group. The functionalized poly(arylene ether) is useful as a component of a curable composition in which its carbon—carbon double bond copolymerizes with one or more olefinically unsaturated comonomers.

Poly(arylene ether)s capped with polymerizable carbon—carbon double bonds are useful components of thermoset compositions, contributing desirable combinations of stiffness, toughness, and heat resistance. Methods of preparing acrylate- or methacrylate-capped poly(arylene ether)s, as well as curable compositions containing them, have been described, for example in U.S. Pat. No. 6,627,704 B2 to Yeager et al. However, these materials are typically prepared by the reaction of a poly(arylene ether) with acrylic or methacrylic anhydride, and these anhydride reagents are relatively expensive, highly reactive, and generate an equivalent of (meth)acrylic acid that must be removed from the product. There is therefore a need for alternative reactive-capped poly(arylene ether)s that are more economical and convenient to prepare.

Functionalized poly(arylene ether) composition and process


A method, system, and apparatus for providing a client access to third-party resources by utilizing third-party access tokens via a network gateway. The method can prevent the third-party access tokens from being exposed directly to the client environment. The client receives a gateway security credential, which encapsulates the third-party access token in an encrypted form. The client provides the gateway access token to the network gateway where the third-party access token is decrypted and then used to access the third-party resource. Client requests to the network gateway are executed using a custom API. The gateway relays the client requests to the appropriate third-party resources using the third-party-specific API with the decrypted third-party access token. Gateway access tokens are short-lived and can be renewed according to the client-environment life cycle.

As the number of remote users increases, remote desktop use has also increased. In addition, client use of third-party resource-provider tokens has increased. The use of third-party resource-provider tokens in an unsecure environment, such as an anonymous remote desktop, can result in breach of the token.
Some existing technologies provide proxy oriented types of services, which check an access control list to grant a user access. Some technologies describe a method of proxying a request, but do not replace authenticating information in requests after the user has been authenticated to the gateway. Some technologies describe encrypting profile information, but do not replace the originating client's credentials with credentials specific to the target resource. Some technologies describe scripting interactions while impersonating a user using scripts and additional information stored in a database, but do not disclose replacing authenticating information in the request based on who is the requesting principal. Some technologies describe using a user token to access a resource, but do not use an authenticated identity to provide functionality based upon a third-party token. Some technologies describe using access policies to determine if a user can access one or more communication endpoints, but do not augment a request with user-relevant authentication information for third-party resource-provider access. Some technologies describe using an authentication agent separate from the originating request, but do not augment a request with local authentication data to access a proxied resource. Some technologies describe exposing an activation key on a customer network, but do not discuss shielding third-party tokens from a user's environment.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Method and apparatus for accessing third-party resources


A vertical power MOSFET structure having a source and base region which are not shorted together is provided. The source and base region are formed in a semiconductor substrate using a selectively patterned gate stack which is formed on the substrate as a mask. The drift region is formed of a semiconductor material covering a semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor substrate is of the same conductivity type as the drift region for a MOSFET and is of an opposite conductivity type for an IGBT.

The present invention relates, in general, to an insulated gate power semiconductor device and, more particularly, to an insulated gate power metal oxide semiconductor transistor wherein the source is not shorted to the base.
Insulated gate semiconductor devices are devices employing a gate, or control electrode, insulatingly spaced from semiconductor material, for alternating conductivity of the semiconductor material beneath the gate. Typical insulated gate devices include power metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistors (MOSFETs), which are well known devices and insulated gate transistors (IGBTs). Both power MOSFETs and power IGBTs typically comprise a multitude of repeated, individual cells, with device current carrying capability increasing as cell size is made smaller. A base-to-source electrode short is typically employed in MOSFETs and IGBTs and, most commonly, comprises a portion of the source electrode electrically shorting together a P, or moderately doped, P-conductivity type, base region and a "N+", or highly doped, N-conductivity type, source region. This was done to prevent base-to-source PN junction between the P-base region and the N.sup.+ -source region from becoming forward biased which results in electron injection into the P-base region, across the base-to-source PN junction. Such electron injection may damage both MOSFETs and IGBTs. Until now, it was believed that a base-to-source electrode short was the best way to prevent this electron injection.
When the base/drift region diode becomes forward biased, large currents flow through the device. This is due to a comparatively low forward voltage drop of the forward biased junction, which is especially true when a P.sup.+ shorting region was used. Under forward bias, minority carriers were injected into the drift region increasing turn-off time of the forward biased diode and increasing power losses. Large reverse recovery currents required to compensate for the injected minority carriers could also turn on the parasitic bipolar transistor causing device failure.
One technique used to solve this problem was to use an external diode coupled in parallel to the base/drift region diode. In theory, the external diode would carry the large forward current, preventing transistor failure. In practice, however, a voltage drop across the base/drift region diode is so small that little current would flow through the external diode. What is needed is a power MOSFET transistor having a large base/drift region forward biased diode drop.

Insulated gate semiconductor device with reduced based-to-source electrode short


An electrical connector comprises a housing having latch members at both ends of the housing and a pair of metal fasteners capable of clamping on the latch members. The housing has a longitudinal groove for receiving a daughter board. The metal fastener includes a fixing section and a spring section which substantially extends uprightly therefrom. The fixing section clamps on the housing. The spring section is provided with a restriction leg and a slot which are formed by punching, and the restriction leg is substantially vertical to the surface of the spring section. When the metal fastener clamps on the housing, a rib provided at the end portion of the latch member fits the slot of the spring section so as to prevent the side shifting of the metal fastener.

An electrical connector is a device which electrically and mechanically connects, for example, a memory control board called a "mother board" to a daughter board such as a single-in-line memory module (SIMM). A conventional electrical connector comprises a housing to be mounted on a mother board and one pair of metal latch members. Each latch member may be inserted into a latch receiving member provided near one end of the housing for holding a daughter board. The housing has a slot for receiving a base end of the daughter board. Contact terminals are provided in the slot to enable electrical contacts between the mother and daughter boards.
The daughter board which is inserted into the slot is rotated along an axis of the slot between the paired metal latch members. When the side edges of the daughter board come into contact with the metal latch members, the paired metal latch members can be elastically flexed away from each other. The daughter board reaches a predetermined position, and the paired metal latch members elastically return to their initial positions. Thus, the daughter board is held in a sandwiched relation. However, the fixing type of the metal latch members is by way of "insertion." When attaching and detaching of the daughter board is repeated, the metal latch members may become loose and lose its stability and the clamping force against the daughter board.
Furthermore, the latch receiving members must be complex and large enough to receive the insertion of the metal latch members. More material may be needed due to a larger outer configuration of the housing. It may not be easy to mold a housing of such a complex configuration. As a result, the electrical connector is complex and expensive to manufacture.


Methods for producing and integrating single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNT) into existing TFT backplane manufacturing lines are provided. In contrast to LTPS and oxide TFT backplanes, SWCNT TFT backplanes exhibit either equivalent or better figures of merit such as high field emission mobility, low temperature fabrication, good stability, uniformity, scalability, flexibility, transparency, mechanical deformability, low voltage and low power, bendability and low cost. Methods and processes for integrating SWCNTs technologies into existing TFT backplane manufacturing lines, pilot test and mass production can start without additional capex needs are also provided.

Flat Panel Displays (FPDs) have infiltrated consumer electronics that are integrated with display functions. Among existing FPDs, Thin film transistor (TFT)-liquid crystal displays (LCDs) dominate the current display marketplace with a 97.5% market share in 2013 even though there are certain limitations on color, contrast, and response time. More recently, display capital expenditures have rapidly shifted from TFT-LCDs to AMOLEDs, not only because of the superior display qualities of color, contrast and response time, but also large AMOLEDs in Gen 8 or larger fabrications have a cost edge over TFT-LCDs. To be able to fabricate greater than Gen 8 size AMOLEDs, there are several technology challenges, including limitations in conventional active matrix thin-film transistor (TFT) backplanes. (See, e.g., G. Gu and S. R. Forrest, IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Quantum Electronics, vol. 4, pp. 83-99, 1998, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.)
The current active matrix TFT backplanes used to drive AM-LCD pixels are typically made of amorphous silicon (a-Si), which has a low mobility (−1 cm2V−1s−1) and poor stability, and is therefore unsuitable for AMOLED pixels. (See, M. J. Powell, IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices, vol. 36, pp. 2753-2763, 1989, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.) As a result of these deficiencies, currently AMOELD displays are driven by low temperature polycrystalline silicon (poly-Si) TFTs that suffer from high fabrication cost and time, and device size, orientation, and inhomogeneity limitations, all of which present a severe challenge to increasing display size and production yield. (See, e.g., C.-P. Chang and Y.-C. S. Wu, IEEE electron device letters, vol. 30, pp. 130-132, 2009; Y.-J. Park, M.-H. Jung, S.-H. Park and O. Kim, Japanese Journal of Applied Physics, vol. 49, pp. 03CD01, 2010; and P.-S. Lin, and T.-S. Li, IEEE electron device letters, vol. 15, pp. 138-139, 1994, each of the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.)
Although low temperature polycrystalline silicon (LTPS) backplanes have been under mass production up to Gen 5.5, LTPS fabrication techniques including excimer laser annealing (ELA) and advanced solid phase crystallization (ASPC) creates substantial hurdles for >Gen 8 scale-up. For example, both ELA and ASPC fabs have a very slow total average cycle time, more than twice of the typical 60 sec for a-Si. This doubles the capital cost for the array process of a-Si. Additionally, scale-up of ELA could cause non-uniformity and array failure. The high temperature of the ASPC process (˜600° C.) requires expensive glass to avoid glass warping and shrinkage. (B. Young, Information Display, vol. 10, pp. 24, 2010, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.) The higher processing temperatures and more complicated photomask required to manufacture LTPS increases capex and the difficulty of achieving high yield rates. This makes a 5″ LTPS TFT-LCD (1920×1080 pixels) 14% more expensive than a same size a-Si TFT-LCD.
Accordingly, a need exists for manufacturing techniques to allow for the production of less expensive TFT backplanes.

Manufacturing of carbon nanotube thin film transistor backplanes and display integration thereof


An improved photovoltaic device in which an electrically conductive adhesive is employed to affix the grid structure to the upper electrode thereof. By appropriately selecting the resistivity of the conductive adhesive, normal photogenerated current flow is readily accommodated, while shunted current flow, through patent or latent defects is substantially eliminated.

Single crystal photovoltaic devices have been utilized for some time as sources of electrical power because they are inherently non-polluting, silent, and consume no expendable natural resources in their operation. However, the utility of such devices is limited by problems associated with the manufacture thereof. More particularly, single crystal materials (1) are difficult to produce in sizes substantially larger than several inches in diameter, (2) are thicker and heavier than their amorphous counterparts, and (3) are expensive and time consuming to fabricate.
Recently, considerable efforts have been made to develop systems for depositing amorphous semiconductor materials, each of which can encompass relatively large areas, and which can be doped to form p-type and n-type materials for the production of p-i-n type photovoltaic devices which are, in operation, substantially equivalent to their crystalline counterparts. It is to be noted that the term "amorphous," as used herein, includes all materials or alloys which have long range disorder, although they may have short or intermediate range order or even contain, at times, crystalline inclusions.
It is now possible to prepare amorphous silicon alloy material by glow discharge chemical vapor deposition. The silicon alloy material possesses (1) acceptably reduced concentrations of localized states in the energy gaps thereof, and (2) high quality electronic properties. Such techniques have been fully described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,226,898, entitled Amorphous Semiconductors Equivalent To Crystalline Semiconductors, issued to Stanford R. Ovshinsky and Arun Madan on Oct. 7, 1980, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. As disclosed in this patent, fluorine introduced into the discrete layers of amorphous silicon alloy material operates to substantially reduce the density of the localized states therein and facilitates the addition of other alloying materials, such as germanium.
Unlike crystallize silicon which is limited to batch processing for the manufacture of solar cells, amorphous silicon alloys can be deposited in multiple layers over large area substrates to form solar cells in a high volume, continuous processing system. Such continuous processing systems are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,400,409 entitled "A Method Of Making P-Doped Silicon Films And Devices Made Therefrom"; U.S. Pat. No. 4,410,558 entitled "Continuous Amorphous Solar Cell Production System"; U.S. Pat. No. 4,438,723, entitled "Multiple Chamber Deposition And Isolation System And Method"; U.S. Pat. No. 4,492,181 entitled "Method and Apparatus For Continuously Producing Tandem Amorphous Photovoltaic Cells"; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,485,125 entitled "Method and Apparatus For Continuously Producing Tandem Amorphous Photovoltaic Cells", the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. As disclosed in these patents, a substrate may be continuously advanced through a succession of interconnected deposition chambers, wherein each chamber is dedicated to the deposition of a specific semiconductor material. In making a photovoltaic device of p-i-n type configuration, the first chamber is dedicated for depositing a p-type layer of silicon alloy material, the second chamber is dedicated for depositing an intrinsic layer of amorphous silicon alloy material, and the third chamber is dedicated for depositing a layer of n-type silicon alloy material.
Since each deposited layer of silicon alloy material, and especially the intrinsic layer, must be of high purity, (1) the deposition environment in the intrinsic deposition chamber is isolated, by specially designed gas gates, from the doping constituents introduced into the constituents into the intrinsic chamber, (2) the substrate is carefully cleansed prior to initiation of the deposition process to remove contaminants from the surface thereof, (3) all of the chambers which combine to form the deposition apparatus are sealed and leak checked to prevent the influx of environmental contaminants, (4) the deposition apparatus is evacuated and flushed with a sweep gas to remove contaminants from the interior walls thereof, and (5) only the purest reaction gases are employed from which to form the layers of silicon alloy material. In other words, every possible precaution is taken to insure that the sanctity of the vacuum envelope formed by the plurality of interconnected chambers of the deposition apparatus remains uncontaminated by impurities, regardless of origin.
The layers of silicon alloy thus deposited in the vacuum envelope of the deposition apparatus may be utilized to form a photovoltaic device including one or more p-i-n cells, one or more n-i-p cells, Schottky barrier devices, photodiodes, phototransistors, or the like. Additionally, by making multiple passes through the succession of deposition chambers, or by providing an additional array of deposition chambers, multiple stacked cells of various configurations may be obtained.
Most photovoltaic devices, having either single cell or multiple cell structures, preferably include a light reflecting back reflector for increasing the percentage of incident light reflected from the substrate back through the active layer of silicon alloy material of the cells. It should be obvious that the use of a back reflector increases the amount of light which passes through the active layer of silicon alloy material, thus increasing the amount of incident light which is converted to electricity, and increasing the operational efficiency of the photovoltaic device. However, all layers, other than the photoactive layers of silicon alloy material, deposited atop the light incident surface of the substrate must be substantially transparent (to 35 nanometers to one micron wavelength light) so as to pass a high percentage of incident light from the anti-reflective coating atop the photovoltaic cell to the highly reflective surface of the back reflector from which it is redirected through and absorbed by the photoactive layer of silicon alloy material.
The back reflector may be formed atop the deposition surface of the substrate if an opaque substrate is employed. The back reflector may be either specular or diffuse. With either type of back reflector, light which has initially passed through the layers of silicon alloy material from which the photovoltaic device is fabricated without being absorbed, is redirected by the highly reflective material of the back reflector to pass, once again, through the photoactive layers. The additional pass results in increased photon absorption and charge carrier generation, thereby providing increased short circuit current.
The aforedescribed thin film amorphous silicon alloy materials offer several distinct advantages over crystalline materials, insofar as they can be easily and economically fabricated to cover large areas by the newly developed mass production processes. However, in the fabrication of said silicon alloy materials by the aforementioned processes, the presence of current-shunting defects has been noted. These defects have (1) seriously impaired the performance of the photovoltaic devices fabricated therefrom and (2) detrimentally affected production yield. These process-related defects are thought to either (1) be present in the morphology of the substrate electrode, or (2) develop during the deposition of the multiple layers of silicon alloy material. The instant invention is directed toward eliminating, or at least substantially reducing, the effects of these current-shunting defects.
The most important of these defects may be characterized as "shunts," "short-circuits," defect regions, or low resistance current paths. Before the suspected causes of these defects are explained, it is helpful to note the thicknesses of the deposited of silicon alloy material layers. In a typical p-i-n type photovoltaic device, the "p" layer is on the order of 75-200 Angstroms thick, the intrinsic layer is on the order of 3,500 Angstroms thick, and the "n" layer is on the order of 75-200 Angstroms thick, thereby providing a total semiconductor body thickness of only about 4,000 Angstroms. It should therefore be appreciated that irregularities disposed on the deposition surface, however small, may not be fully covered by the conformally deposited layers of silicon alloy material.
Shunt defects are present when one or more low resistance current paths develop between the upper and lower electrodes of the photovoltaic device. Under operating conditions, a photovoltaic device in which a shunt defect has developed, exhibits either (1) low power output, since electrical current collected at the electrodes flows through the defect region (the path of least resistance) in preference to an external load, or (2) complete failure where sufficient current is shunted through the defect region to "burn out" the device.
While shunt-type defects always deleteriously affect the performance of photovoltaic devices, their effect is greatest when the devices in which they are incorporated are operated under relatively low illumination such as room light, vis-a-vis, high intensity illumination such as AM-1. Under room light illumination, the load resistance of the cell (i.e., the resistance under which the cell is designed to operate most efficiently) is comparable to the shunt resistance (i.e., the internal resistance imposed by the defect region), whereas under AM-1 illumination, the load resistance is much lower by comparison. This occurs because, in a photovoltaic device, photogenerated current increases linearly with increasing illumination, while the resulting voltage increases exponentially. In other words, voltage attains a relatively high value under low illumination, the value increasing only slightly as the intensity of the illumination is increased. Therefore, under low intensity illumination the relatively high voltage potential present preferentially drives the relatively small number of photogenerated current carriers through the path of least resistance, i.e., the low resistance defect regions. In contrast thereto, under high intensity illumination, a large number of current carriers are present and are driven by a potential of about the same magnitude as the potential which exists under low illumination. This larger number of current carriers compete for a limited number of least resistance paths (through the defect regions). The result is that under high intensity illumination, while more power may be lost to the defect region, the power lost is a smaller percentage of the total photogenerated power than under low intensity illumination.
Defects or defect regions, the terms being interchangeably used herein, are not limited to "overt" or "patent" short circuit current paths. In some cases, the adverse effects of a defect are latent and do not immediately manifest themselves. Latent defects can give rise to what will be referred to hereinafter as an "operational mode failure," wherein a photovoltaic device, initially exhibiting satisfactory electrical performance, suddenly fails. The failures will be referred to herein as operational mode failures regardless of whether the device was previously connected to a load for the photogeneration of power, it only being necessary that the device was, at some time subjected to illumination, thereby initiating the photogeneration of charge carriers. It is believed the shunt defects, both latent and patent, arise from one or more irregularities in the (1) morphology of the exposed surface of the substrate material, or (2) in the growth of the layers of silicon alloy material thereupon.
The first, and perhaps most important, source of the defects, i.e., the aforementioned morphological irregularities existing on the deposition surface of the substrate material, will now be discussed. Even though the highest quality, for example, stainless steel is employed as the substrate upon which the layers of silicon alloy material are successively deposited, it has been calculated that from 10,000 to 100,000 irregularities per square centimeter are present on the deposition surface thereof. Such irregularities take the form of projections, craters, or other deviations from a smooth finish and may be under a micron in (1) depth below the surface, (2) height above the surface, or (3) diameter. Regardless of their configuration or size, the defects may establish a low resistance current path through the layers of silicon alloy material, thereby effectively short-circuiting the two electrodes. This may occur in numerous ways. For instance, a spike projecting from the surface of the substrate electrode may be of too great a height to be covered by the subsequent deposition of the thin film layers of silicon alloy material, and therefore, be in direct electrical contact with the other light incident electrode when that upper electrode is deposited atop the layers of silicon alloy material. Likewise, a crater formed in the surface of the substrate electrode may be of too large a size to be filled by the subsequent deposition of the silicon alloy material. In such an instance: (1) electrical current may bridge the gap which exists between the electrodes, or (2) during actual use (the photoinduced generation of electrical current) of the photovoltaic device, the material of one of the electrodes may, under the influence of the electrical field, migrate toward and contact the other of the electrodes, and thereby pass electrical current therebetween. It is also possible that in some cases the layers of silicon alloy material deposited onto the substrate include regions of irregular composition which can provide low resistance paths for the flow of electrical current between the electrodes of the photovoltaic device.
Further, despite all the previously described efforts to maintain the vacuum envelope free of external contaminants, dust or other particulate matter, which somehow either (1) invades the vacuum envelope during the deposition of the silicon alloy material, or (2) forms as a by-product of the deposition process, may be deposited over the substrate electrode along with the silicon alloy material. The contaminants interfere with the uniform deposition of the layers of silicon alloy material and may establish low resistance current paths therethrough.
Additionally, it is suspected that in some case, the silicon alloy material may form micro-craters or micro-projections during the deposition thereof, even absent the presence of contaminants or pollutants from external sources. Such morphological deviations from a perfectly smooth and even surface means that the substrate is covered by silicon alloy material either (1) in an "ultra thin layer" (consider again that the total thickness of all layers is only on the order of 4,000 Angstroms and any reduction in coverage is indeed an ultra thin layer) or (2) not at all. Obviously, when the upper electrode material (typically a conductive transparent oxide) is deposited across the entire surface of the body of silicon alloy material, the defect regions cause the low resistance current path to develop, and electrical current is shunted therethrough. In still other cases involving defect regions, the presence of such defect regions is only detectable due to their deleterious effect upon the electrical and photoelectric properties of the resultant photovoltaic device. Finally, note that the defects described hereinabove may not be sufficiently severe to divert all electrical current through the low resistance path. However, the diversion or shunting of any current therethrough represents a loss in operational efficiency of the photovoltaic device and should therefore be eliminated. Moreover, the shunting of even small amounts of current through each of thousands of defect regions may combine to cause major losses in efficiency. Based upon the foregoing, it should be apparent to one ordinarily skilled in the art that a reduction in current flow through these defects and defect regions is critical to the fabrication of high-yield, high efficiency, large area thin film photovoltaic devices.
Several approaches with which to cope with gross amplifications of this problem have been implemented by the instant inventors and their colleagues. As described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,451,970 of Masatsugu Izu and Vincent Cannella, entitled "System and Method for Eliminating Short Circuit Current Paths In Photovoltaic Devices", the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, the shunting of current through defect regions is treated by substantially eliminating those defect regions as an operative area of the semiconductor device. This is accomplished in an electrolytic process where electrode material is removed from the periphery of the defect site, effectively isolating the defect regions and preventing the flow of electrical current therethrough. However, the process described in the '970 patent is current dependent, i.e., the greater the amount of current flowing through a particular area of the device, such as a defect region, the greater the amount of electrode material (in the preferred embodiment indium tin oxide) removed. Consequently, said short circuit eliminating process performs admirably in removing the electrode material from the periphery of a large defect, and thereby preventing all current flow therethrough. However, since the method is current dependent, it is not as successful in eliminating the flow of current between the electrodes in the thousands of defect regions which are relatively small. And as previously mentioned, since a great many relatively small current shunting paths, taken in toto, divert a substantial amount of current from its desired path of travel, the low resistance current paths created by such small defect regions must also be eliminated or at least substantially reduced. Further, the electrolytic process described in the '970 patent neither detects nor helps in preventing the formation of current-shunting paths in the case of operational mode failures.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,419,530 of Prem Nath, entitled "Improved Solar Cell and Method For Producing Same", the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, there is described a method for electrically isolating small area segments of amorphous, thin film, large area photovoltaic devices. This isolation of defects is accomplished by (1) dividing the large area device into a plurality of small area segments, (2) testing the small area segments for electrical operability, and (3) electrically connecting only those small area segments of the large area device exhibiting a predetermined level of electrical operability, whereby a large area photovoltaic device comprising only electrically operative small area segments is formed. While this method effectively reduces or eliminates the effect of defects, it is not completely satisfactory for several reasons.
The step of dividing the large area solar cell into electrically isolated small area segments requires several production steps and also reduces the total area of the solar cell that is available for producing electrical energy. Further, the method can be time and cost intensive since the electrical output of each isolated portion must be tested and separate electrical connections must be made to provide electrical contact to each small area segment. Also, since entire small area segments are effectively eliminated from the final cell if they manifest a defect, proportional losses of efficiency are greater than they would be if only the precise area of the particular defect were eliminated. In addition, it is possible that defects (shorts) in a solar cell can develop after the cell has been in use, and the concept of dividing the surface of the large area cell into small area segments does not correct this type of latent defect.
Further, both of the foregoing patent applications relate to "after market" techniques which are applicable to (1) isolate only gross defect-containing regions, and (2) prevent any and all current flow through those defect containing regions. Accordingly, a need still exists for a photovoltaic device which substantially eliminates the deleterious effects of shunts and other defects, both large and small, whatever their origin, without operatively removing large portions of the active body of silicon alloy material or the electrode disposed thereupon, while maintaining an acceptable level of current flow across the entire surface of the device.
Another such method and device is disclosed in
U.S. Pat. No. 4,590,327, of Nath, et al, entitled "Photovoltaic Device and Method", the disclosure which is incorporated herein by reference. Disclosed therein are several configurations of current collecting bus grid structures for photovoltaic devices designed to minimize the effects of shorts, shunts, and other defects upon the performance of the devices. The structures for reducing the degrading effect of a low resistance current disclosed therein can be (1) a specifically designed layer of transparent electrically conductive material, (2) electrical isolation of the current carrying portions of the bus grid structure from the conductive layer, (3) resistive connections of the current collecting fingers to the remainder of the bus grid structure, (4) a buffered bus grid structure or a fuse-type connection, or (5) the grid or current collecting fingers which terminate when the current reaches a predetermined amount. While these solutions effectively reduce or eliminate the effect of defects, they are not completely satisfactory for several reasons. The specifically designed layers of transparent electrically conductive material are difficult to manufacture. Further, devices having terminable or otherwise destructible current collecting fingers reduce surface area otherwise available to photogenerate current as the fingers are terminated.
A differently configured photovoltaic device and method for eliminating the problems of shorts and shunts is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,633,034 of Nath, et al, entitled "Photovoltaic Device and Method", the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. That application concerns a photovoltaic device having the current collecting bus grid structure disposed above the upper, transparent conductive electrode thereof. A pattern of electrical current flow restricting material is disposed between the layer of transparent conductive material and the substrate of the device, corresponding to, and disposed beneath, at least a portion of the superjacent current collection means. The pattern restricts the flow of electrical current between the portions of the current collection means and the substrate positioned beneath the body of amorphous silicon alloy material. However, it has been determined from actual manufacturing experience that such an internal current restricting material must be aligned with the current collection means to operate effectively, which requires exacting manufacturing techniques.
Accordingly, there exists a need for a defect tolerant photovoltaic device manufactured by a process which does not require exacting manufacturing techniques such as those required to align subjacent components thereof or to prepare specifically designed layers of transparent electrically conductive material.
Additionally, it must be pointed out that as much as 10% of the surface of a photovoltaic cell is occupied by a bus grid structure. Any reduction in this area, dedicated for use by the bus grid structure, would be welcomed because radiation incident thereupon is lost. More particularly, due to "shadowing," radiation incident upon said structure cannot pass to the photoactive region of the cell for the photogeneration of electron-hole pairs therein. If the thin grid fingers could be made longer, at least some of the wide bus bars could be eliminated, thereby increasing the active area of the photovoltaic cell available to photogenerate electron-hole pairs. However, in order to be able to elongate the grid fingers, the cell must be made more tolerant of short circuit defects than is currently the case.
Disclosed herein as the innovative features of the instant invention are configurations of photovoltaic devices which exhibit a high degree of operational tolerance to defects therein, and which utilize a novel current collecting bus grid structure disposed above the transparent conductive top electrode of the photovoltaic device, which bus grid structure can be optimized to maximize the active area of a photovoltaic device.

Photovoltaic device having an improved collector grid


An electromagnetic stirring apparatus for stirring the liquid center core of a continuous casting. The casting is supported by and transported over guide rolls while a changing electromagnetic field is induced within the liquid casting core by induction coils positioned beneath the casting. Fingers of a stack of ferromagnetic plates form the cores of the induction coils and are positioned between the guide rolls and are close enough to the casting to induce a strong field therein.

This invention relates generally to continuous casting of steel or other metals or alloys and specifically to apparatus for stirring the solidifying core of such a continuous casting.
Electromagnetic stirring apparatus for continuous casting operations are known in the art. One such prior art device is disclosed in German Pat. No. P 27 56 623.0. Generally such apparatus are positioned near to the continuous casting under production but far enough away from it that supporting rolls and transport are not be touched or impeded. Due to the mechanical configurations of the prior art devices when utilized with guide rolls having good conductivity, excessive leakage fields are induced, leading to poor performance due to losses.


The present invention is a data file apparatus in which input data files are assigned attribute information which is a clue to retrieval of the data files. Each data file is assigned an appropriate symbol to be displayed when assignment of a symbol as attribute information for the desired first data file displayed in the display means is selected, and each data file is assigned a keyword for when assignment of a keyword as attribute information for the desired second data file is selected. Accordingly data files may be easily registered and retrieved in accordance with attribute information thereof as either symbols or keywords.

The present invention relates to a data file apparatus which can register and retrieve data easily regardless of the number of registered files.
Recently, image filing devices have appeared as a fourth office automation (OA) device following word processors, personal computers, and facsimiles and have received much attention as a means for promoting paperless processing in office work and design.
An image filing device stores image information using an optical disk and it can be read and printed immediately whenever necessary.
Therefore, image filing devices are widely spread into fields where particularly a large amount of documents are generated, and high efficiency in retrieval for fetching a desired document from stored documents is one of the important problems concerned with image filing devices.
Therefore, to realize effective retrieval, a method using keywords is widely used. In the method, to register image data, a word indicating the content of the image is added as a keyword. To retrieve the data, the same keyword is input from the keyboard so as to find the desired image. As a method for assigning the keyword, a method for assigning important words and phrases representing concepts of images is generally used. For example, keywords of machine drawings are a product name, drawing number, revision, and designer name.
However, the method using keywords are troublesome because it is necessary to input keywords from the keyboard. For example, to input five keywords 10 characters long, it is necessary to touch more than 100 keys. Retrieval also requires troublesome keyword input.
Therefore, this large amount of work, that is, operational inefficiency is one of causes of disturbing wide use of image filing devices.
An art for eliminating such defects is indicated, for example, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 1-232769. According to this prior art, a plurality of heading images are displayed on the screen instead of keywords to be registered and the labor of inputting keywords is saved. Namely, heading images indicating document types are prepared beforehand and displayed on the display when an image file is registered. The heading image corresponding to the image file to be registered is designated by a mouse. By doing this, the heading image is registered in place of the keyword.
As mentioned above, the heading image can be registered only by designating it by the mouse in place of inputting the keyword from the keyboard and there is no need to input a keyword from the keyboard every time for registration. For retrieval, by displaying a plurality of heading images in the same way and designating the heading image corresponding to the desired image file by the mouse, the desired image can be read from the optical disk. Such a retrieval method of list display selection is effective in reducing the psychological burden of an operator compared with the keyword input method.
However, according to the above prior art, as the number of stored images of image data increases, the list display extends across a plurality of screens. As a result, a problem that the display processing for retrieval requires a lot of time is imposed. For example, when 20 heading images are displayed on one screen, up to 20 documents can be registered and retrieved easily, though 40 documents require a double time.
Therefore, there is a problem imposed that as the number of images to be registered increases, it is necessary to turn several display screens and the resulting operation is troublesome. Although an optical disk which is used as a storage medium can store 20,000 to 200,000 images, there is a problem imposed that as the number of images for storing image data increases, the retrieval becomes difficult and finally actual retrieval becomes impossible.

Data file apparatus for registering and retrieving data files in accordance with attribute information thereof


According to one embodiment, in a method of manufacturing a magnetic recording medium which is configured such that a ferromagnetic recording part is formed on a substrate in a desired track pattern or a desired bit pattern, a ferromagnetic film is formed on the substrate, and then a mask is formed on the ferromagnetic film, the mask having an opening above a region for isolating the ferromagnetic film between tracks or bits. Subsequently, a B-based gas is radiated on the region of the ferromagnetic film through the opening of the mask, thereby increasing a B content of the region to nonmagnetize the region.

In recent years, attention has been paid to, as high-density magnetic recording media, discrete track recording patterned media (DTR media) in which recording tracks are physically isolated, and bit patterned media (BPM) in which recording bits are physically isolated also in a down-track direction (disk circumferential direction).
Since this type of patterned media constitutes a magnetic recording apparatus (HDD) by being combined with a recording head which levitates with a levitation amount of 10 nm or less, the surface planarity of the patterned media is important. In order to stably levitate the recording head, the surface asperities of the patterned media should be, notably, 10 nm or less. Thus, the surface is generally planarized by burying a nonmagnetic material in gaps between physically discrete recording tracks or recording bits.
However, the addition of fabrication steps, such as burying a nonmagnetic material and planarization, leads to process damage, and degradation in productivity and an increase in cost due to the increase in number of steps.

Magnetic recording medium, method of manufacturing the same, and magnetic recording apparatus


A fuse plug pyrotechnic firing device includes a body, a pyrotechnic train, firing pin and a driving device. The body has an axis and a bore disposed along the axis. The pyrotechnic train is disposed along the axis and includes an upper part and a lower part. The firing pin has a firing pin axis and is disposed within the bore between the upper part and the lower part. The firing pin is also disposed to ignite the lower part. The driving device is coupled to the firing pin and to the upper part. The driving device drives the firing pin to move along the firing pin axis and to ignite the lower part, the firing pin rotating about the firing pin axis under pressure of gases generated by the ignition of the lower part. As a result, safe and effective operation of the fuse plug pyrotechnic firing device is ensured.

The present invention relates to the technical area of pyrotechnic charge firing devices of the fuse plug type, notably for hand grenades, that include a pyrotechnic circuit detonated conventionally by a firing pin operated by the movement of a handle associated with a cotter pin.
This firing device must meet the requirements of safety, reliability and low production cost. In particular, for safety during storage and transit, the pyrotechnic train must be configured so that it can be disabled.
This device must also allow the user to select one of the following three firing modes for the pyrotechnic charge: delay, impact mode, or an impact-delay mode.
It must be possible for all the component parts to be manufactured using an automated production process. Their assembly should permit the use of robotic production equipment. In this technical field a number of designs have been proposed.
French Patent FR 2.517.048 discloses a fuse plug for a hand grenade having three modes of operation with storage and operational safeties that interrupt the pyrotechnic train and lock the firing pins. This plug has two pyrotechnic trains having one part in common, one train being related to one firing pin specifically for delayed operation and the other train working with a second firing pin specifically for impact operation. The grenade operating mode is selected using an outer ring fitted with a stud against which a plate turns under rotary motion from a timer. This plate also determines the alignment of the pyrotechnic train which results after the cotter pin is removed and a delay is determined by the timer.
This fuse plug has several disadvantages. In particular, it incorporates two principal non-aligned firing pins that collaborate with two pyrotechnic trains, leading to complex manufacture and operation.
Another disadvantage lies in the fact that the alignment of the pyrotechnic train and the arming of the operating modes both depend on a timer, which can have an adverse effect on safety and on the functional reliability of such a fuse plug. A fire, kinetic energy impact or nearby explosion can lead to the accidental ejection of the cotter pin followed by rotation of the plate, leading to an irreversible alignment of the pyrotechnic train.
In addition, the impact-delay function is equivalent to self-destruction of the grenade in the absence of percussion, and not to a delay function triggered by the impact function.
French Patent FR 2.458.790 discloses a multi-purpose fuse plug with a throwing safety. This plug, which is very similar to that described in the previous patent, can operate in four different ways, and includes two independent, principal firing pins each corresponding to different modes of operation, and a selector having two rotating discs controlled by a timer movement in storage and operation of the throwing safety. This fuse plug also includes an impact detector coupled to one of the firing pins which is configured in an armed position directly after release of the handle, which necessitates the throwing safety.
Most of the disadvantages mentioned above are also found here. Notably, the use of a timer mechanism, which may become faulty, to control the alignment of the pyrotechnic train, as well as to ensure ignition safety, is disadvantageous.
With regard to the impact-delay mode, the delay function is not triggered by the impact function.
French Patent FR 2.682.471 also discloses a storage safety for a fuse plug that interrupts the pyrotechnic train. This interruption is obtained by a pivoting element with a radial orifice positioned between a delay module and a primer composition. Rotation of this part, caused indirectly by the release of the handle, automatically aligns the pyrotechnic train.
French Patent FR 2.465.189 also shows a fuse plug for a grenade that includes a pyrotechnic train interrupted by a rotating device operated by a delay mechanism involving the release of glass beads, which allows definitive alignment of the train after a predetermined time interval following initiation of the train.
The operating principle of the pyrotechnic train interruptions described in these two patents and in the patents mentioned earlier have the major drawback of resulting in an automatic and irreversible alignment of the train during storage in a hostile environment.
Moreover, if any single component essential to locking should fail, which could, for example, occur by accident with no persons present (due to fire, explosion or impact), the firing procedure is inevitably initiated.

Etat Francais, Represente par le Delegegue General pour L'Armament


According to one embodiment, provided is a method by which an electronic device comprising a minimum fingerprint sensing area processes fingerprint information, comprising the steps of: acquiring a fingerprint image from the fingerprint sensing area; calculating a shade change value, defined by a shade difference value from a neighboring pixel, for each pixel of the fingerprint image; selecting points, as feature point candidates, of which the shade change value is a threshold value or more; applying artificial distortion for noise filtering to an area including the feature point candidates and neighboring pixels thereof; and selecting, as final feature points, candidates of which the shade change value after the artificial distortion is within a threshold range from among the feature point candidates.

Field
Exemplary embodiments of the present invention relate to an electronic device including a minimum fingerprint sensing area and a fingerprint information processing method thereof, and more particularly, to a device and method capable of accurately registering and identifying a fingerprint only with sensing a very small area of a fingerprint.
Discussion of the Background
As a fingerprint pattern is unique to each individual person, fingerprints are widely used in the field of personal identification. Particularly, fingerprints are widely used in methods for personal identification in various fields such as finance, criminal investigations, security, etc.
A fingerprint sensor has been developed for recognizing the above described fingerprints and identifying each individual person. The fingerprint sensor is a device that comes into contact with a human finger to recognize the fingerprint of the finger and is used as a method of determining whether the user is an authorized user.
As methods for implementing a fingerprint recognition sensor, various recognition methods including an optical method, a thermal sensing method, a capacitive method, etc. are known. Among these methods, the fingerprint recognition sensor by the capacitive method acquires a shape of a fingerprint (a fingerprint pattern) by detecting variations of capacitance according to shapes of ridges and valleys of a fingerprint when a surface of a human finger comes into contact with a conductive sensing pattern.
Recently, handheld devices provide not only telecommunication functions such as a phone call and a short message service but also various supplementary features for finance, security, etc. that utilize personal information, and thereby a need for a locking mechanism of the handheld devices is an issue of growing importance. To improve the locking mechanism of the handheld devices, terminal devices in which the locking mechanism is installed using the fingerprint recognition are being developed.
Recently, smartphones show trends of miniaturization, slimming, shortening, and lightening, and because it is preferable that the area of the display unit be maximized for user convenience, minimizing the non-display region in which the fingerprint sensors (12 and 22) are installed is eventually essential.
Therefore, a technology is necessary capable of enhancing user convenience in registering and identifying a fingerprint, reducing the non-display region in which a fingerprint detection unit is installed, and registering and identifying a fingerprint with high accuracy with a minimum sensing area at the expense of a reduction of the non-display region.

Electronic device comprising minimum sensing area and fingerprint information processing method thereof


A display device and/or an electronic device including the same includes a flexible display panel, a driving device having a shape memory alloy member and a temperature control device adapted to control a temperature of the shape memory alloy member, and a link part, one end of which is connected to at least one end portion of the flexible display panel and another end of which is connected to the driving device, in which the driving device changes a curvature of the flexible display panel by controlling the temperature of the shape memory alloy member using the temperature control device, so that a force generated by shape memory alloy member when assuming a predetermined shape drives the link part to move the at least one end portion of the flexible display panel. The display device and/or the electronic device including the same may be implemented variously depending on embodiments.

Electronic devices refer to devices that perform particular functions based on embedded or stored programs and software, such as home appliances, electronic notes, portable multimedia players (PMPs), and mobile communication terminals, tablet personal computers (PCs), video/audio devices, desktop/laptop computers, vehicle navigation systems, and so forth. For example, these electronic devices may output stored information in the form of texts, sound, images, and so forth. With the increasing integration of electronic devices in everyday life and the common use of ultra-high-speed and large-volume wireless communication, various and multiple functions have been recently provided through a single electronic device. For example, an entertainment function such as games, a multimedia function such as music/video playback, a communication and security function for mobile banking, and a function such as schedule management, electronic wallets, or the like, as well as a communication function have been integrated into a mobile communication terminal.
Examples of a display device that outputs content, e.g., texts, images, etc., to provide various visual information to users of electronic devices may be a display device such as a television, a projector, a screen of a mobile communication terminal, and so forth. In line with advances in liquid crystal display (LCD) devices, organic light-emitting diode (OLED) devices, and the like, technical advances for flat-panel displays have been sharply increasing.
As the size of a flat-panel display increases, distortion may occur in the screen depending on a position where a user who views the screen output in relation to the flat-panel display. For example, an image output from a portion of the screen close to the user may be seen larger than an image output from a portion far from the user. Such distortion may occur depending on a user's relative position or distance with respect to the display panel and may occur also in a miniaturized electronic device (e.g., a mobile communication terminal).
In some commercialized display devices (electronic devices), such distortion may be alleviated and comfortable viewing environments may be provided using a curved-surface display panel. However, the user's relative position with respect to the display panel is not fixed at all times. Therefore, a fixed curved-surface display panel does not solve the problem at all times. For example, a fixed curved-surface display panel may be optimized to provide images for a user at a certain location with respect to the panel but not when the user is at other locations.
The above information is presented as background information only to assist with an understanding of the present disclosure. No determination has been made, and no assertion is made, as to whether any of the above might be applicable as prior art with regard to the present disclosure.

Display device and electronic device including the same


In a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a polymer composition comprising                (i) one or more multistage polymer comprising                    (a) a first stage polymer having Tg of 0° C. or lower,            (b) a subsequent stage polymer having Tg of 20° C. or higher,                        (ii) one or more phosphate salt of a multivalent cation, and        (iii) one or more alkaline phosphate, in the amount of 100 ppm or more, measured as the weight of phosphorous, based on the dry weight of said multistage polymer.

In some situations it is desirable to provide a polymeric composition that contains both a polymer and a multivalent cation. One example of such a situation is one in which it is desired to coagulate a polymer latex, for example as part of a process of separating the polymer of the latex from the water of the latex. Two common ways of performing such separation are coagulation and spray drying. Coagulation has the advantage that the equipment required to perform coagulation requires less capital expense than the equipment required to perform spray drying. Coagulation has the disadvantage that the coagulation process normally introduces multivalent cations into the solid polymer. In some cases, the presence of a multivalent cation in a polymer composition is a drawback. For example, if the polymer composition is used as an additive in a matrix resin, the multivalent cation sometimes causes deleterious effects on the matrix resin.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,290,867 discloses producing an emulsion graft copolymer, coagulating that graft copolymer with an alkaline earth metal compound, and then using that graft copolymer for reinforcing natural rubber, for modifying rubber-based adhesives, or in fibers or films.
It is desired to provide polymer compositions that contain multivalent cation and that reduce or eliminate the drawbacks that normally occur when a multivalent cation is present in a polymer composition. Such a desired composition would have various benefits. For example, such a desired composition, when used as an additive to a matrix resin, would reduce or eliminate the deleterious effects on the matrix resin that would have been caused by a previously-known additive with a similar level of multivalent cation.
In one particular example, it is desired to produce a polymer as part of a polymer latex; to separate that polymer from the water of the latex; and to use the separated polymer as an additive in a matrix resin. Using previously-known methods, there would be a choice: either (1) incurring relatively high expense by separating the polymer from the water of the latex by spray drying, or (2) introducing deleterious multivalent cations by separating the polymer from the water of the latex by coagulation. In this particular example, it is desired to provide a method of reducing or eliminating the deleterious effects of the multivalent cation, because the use of such a method would allow a coagulated polymer to be used as an additive to a matrix resin without causing the deleterious effects from the multivalent cation that would otherwise have occurred.

Polymer compositions containing phosphates

Abstract: In a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a mixture comprising the polymer composition of the first aspect described above and one or more matrix resin.

Abstract: In a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a process for making a polymer composition comprising the steps of providing a multistage polymer latex, coagulating said multistage polymer latex, mixing said multistage polymer with an aqueous solution of an alkaline phosphate, and drying said multistage polymer to a water content of less than 1% by weight of water based on the dry weight of said multistage polymer, wherein said dried multistage polymer comprises 100 ppm or more, based on the dry weight of said multistage polymer, of phosphorous that is in the form of an alkaline phosphate.


An image sensor system and methods of making such a system are described. The image sensor system includes a color filter array that is formed by a color filter process that incorporates a bottom antireflection coating. The bottom antireflection coating forms a protective layer that protects exposed areas of the active image sensing device structure during formation of the color filter array and, thereby, preserves the intrinsic transmission characteristics of the active image sensing device structure. The bottom antireflection coating also reduces degradation of metal structures (e.g., bonding pads) and pixel edges at the exposed surface of the active image sensing device structure. In addition, the bottom antireflection coating provides a reliable adhesive surface for the color filter array, substantially eliminating lifting of the color filter array resist structures. In some embodiments, the bottom antireflection coating also improves the optical transmission characteristics of one or more colors of the colors filter array.

In general, digital imaging systems, such as digital cameras, include image sensors (or simply imagers) for capturing images. Various types of image sensors have been developed, including charge-coupled device (CCD) image sensors and complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) image sensors. These devices typically include an array of pixels, each of which contains a light-sensing element, such as an n+ to p-substrate photodiode, a virtual gate buried n-channel photodetector, or a photo-gate detector, which defines a light-sensing region of an image sensor. Image sensors also include circuitry for driving light signals from the light-sensing elements to other process circuitry. CCD image sensors typically include a photoelectric converter and charge accumulator for absorbing light from an object and collecting photo-generated charges into signal charge packets. In addition, CCD image sensors may include a charge transfer region for conveying charge packets from the photoelectric converter and charge accumulator, and a charge-to-voltage signal converter for generating a voltage output corresponding to the signal charge packets that are transferred through the charge transfer region. CMOS image sensors typically include an array of active pixel sensors and a row (register) of correlated double-sampling (CDS) amplifiers that sample and hold the output of a given row of pixel sensors. In both CMOS and CCD image sensor systems, each pixel sensor accumulates charge during an optical integration period in accordance with the light intensity reaching the relevant sensing area of the pixel sensor.
In color applications, each pixel sensor element typically receives light through a color filter that allows only a relatively narrow radiation wavelength range (e.g., the visible spectrum) to reach the pixel sensors of the image sensor. Multiple sets of color filters typically are arranged in a pattern of pixel size mosaics or pixel wide stripes. The color filters may be applied directly to the surface of an image sensor. Alternatively, the color filters may be formed on a passivation layer (see, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,654,202), in which case a separate masking step is required to expose the bonding pads of the image sensor. The color filters typically are formed from a photoresist structure that includes a layer for each filter color. A common color filter material is spin coated-, dyed-, or pigmented-photoresist. The filter colors for a given color filter set may be additive (e.g., red, green, blue) or subtractive (e.g., cyan, magenta, yellow), or a combination of both additive and subtractive.
The light collecting efficiency of an image sensor may be improved by depositing a micro lens array over the CFA material of each pixel region. A planarization layer that is highly transmissive in the imaging wavelength range also may be deposited between the color filter array and the micro lens material.

Bottom antireflection coating color filter process for fabricating solid state image sensors


A cushioned helmet includes an outer shell formed of a generally rigid body construction defining a full-face construction to include a facial opening directed therethrough. The shell includes a cushion outer liner coextensive with an interior surface of the shell, with an inner lining spaced therefrom to define a pneumatic chamber therebetween coextensively directed throughout the interior surface of the shell. A pump bladder is arranged to permit selective pneumatic filling of the pneumatic chamber, with a pressure relief valve arranged to permit selective release of pressurized air relative to the pneumatic chamber and the helmet construction. A modification of the invention includes "U" shaped cushion inserts arranged for positioning within the shell in contiguous communcation with the inner lining to provide for enhanced protection and accommodate various sized configurations of individuals wearing the helmet.

1. Field of the Invention
The field of invention relates to helmet construction, and more particularly to a new and improved cushioned helmet to afford protection to individuals utilizing the helmet in various activities.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Helmet construction is widely available for use, and particularly in motorcycle and other racing events, a cushioned helmet construction is required to provide and afford protection to an individual. Such a helmet is available in the prior art and is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,821,344 to Kamata wherein the helmet is provided with a cushioned liner directed throughout the interior surface of the shell utilizing an opening through a forward portion of the shell to direct air interiorly of the shell for ventilation.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,060,855 to Rapplea sets forth a pad structure formed of a foam material for positioning within a helmet.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,729,132 to Fierro sets forth a sports helmet, including a resilient cushioned lining formed with a pocket, including an air activated heat generating element.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,698,856 to Arai sets forth a ventilated helmet construction formed with a cushioned inner lining.
As such, it may be appreciated that there continues to be a need for a new and improved cushioned helmet as set forth by the instant invention which addresses both the problems of ease of use as well as effectiveness in construction in affording selective pneumatic filling of a pneumatic cavity within the helmet and in this respect, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.


In one implementation, an apparatus is configured to aid in the manufacturing or assembling of electronic surface mount packages. The apparatus includes a common mode choke base configured to support a common mode choke. The apparatus includes terminal contacts coupled to the common mode choke base. The terminal contacts are aligned with wires connected to the common mode choke. The apparatus includes a support member including a wire supporting portion aligned with the wires connected to the common mode choke and a central portion configured to support the common mode choke base.

A choke is an inductor or inductive element that blocks high frequency signals, while passing lower frequency signals. In other words, the high frequencies are "choked." A common mode choke (CMC) is a choke that allows data signals to pass in differential mode but provides high impedance to common mode signals or noise. Wires coming from the CMC may be electrically coupled to pins of a package for connection to an electronic device.
A manual process may be used to attach the pins to the CMC. The wire may be wound around the pin by hand. The insulation may be removed from a portion of the wire. The pin and wire may be placed in a solder dip or otherwise soldered together. Optionally, silicon may be added to the soldered pin and wire pair. The resulting connection of the pins and wires may resemble pigtails. In addition, the wires may be very close together, which makes soldering difficult. Challenges remain in providing a less labor intensive process for reliably connecting the wires and pins.

Ethernet magnetics package wire terminations


The invention provides a method and apparatus for reducing image lag in CMOS active pixel sensors at low light levels by controlling the reset level. By ensuring that the reset level is independent of the preceding signal level, the problem of image lag can be avoided. Always resetting a photodiode to a fixed voltage is a hard reset. The maximum signal swing is limited by the reset level and the column readout amplifier. If the column circuits are not modified, using hard reset can reduce the maximum signal swing. However in dark images only a portion of the full scale is used. Therefore the amplifier gain setting can be used to determine whether to use a hard reset or soft reset. This method and apparatus for using hard or soft reset dependent on signal level improves image quality at low light levels without compromising performance at high illumination.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a pixel reset level control, and more particularly, to reducing image lag in CMOS active pixel sensors at low light levels by controlling the reset level.
2. Description of Related Art
Image acquisition can be achieved by various semiconductors. Some of the conventional devices are charge-coupled devices (CCDs), photodiode arrays, charge injection devices and hybrid focal plane arrays. Of these CCDs are frequently implemented, due to the fact that they represent a mature technology, are capable of large formats and very small pixel size and they facilitate noise-reduced charge domain processing techniques such as binning and time delay integration.
However, CCD imagers suffer from a number of drawbacks. For example, the signal fidelity of a CCD decreases as the charge transfer efficiency is raised to the power of the number of stages. Since CCDs use many stages, the CCD fabrication technique needs to be optimized for very efficient charge transfer efficiency. CCDs are also susceptible to radiation damage, require good light shielding to avoid smear and have high power dissipation for large arrays.
The image signal processing electronics required for the imager can be fabricated in CMOS. Each column of CCD pixels is transferred to a corresponding cell of a serial output register before being processed in off-chip signal processing electronics. This architecture limits the read-out frame rate, which an amplifier can handle proportional to the number of charge packets divided by the number of pixels in the imager.
Other types of imager devices have problems as well. Photodiode arrays can exhibit high kT/C noise. Photodiode arrays also suffer from lag. Charge injection devices also can have high noise. Hybrid focal plane arrays exhibit less noise but are prohibitively expensive for many applications and have relatively small array sizes.
Therefore, there is need for an improved image sensor that provides a reduced image lag in CMOS active pixel sensors at low light levels.

Method and apparatus of controlling a pixel reset level for reducing an image lag in a CMOS sensor

Vanguard International Semiconductor Corp.


A synchronization establishing method of a mobile station in a mobile communication system is proposed which can reduce the effect of noise or interference, and achieve higher accuracy than conventional method. To enable the mobile station to detect a signal transmitted from a base station, and to establish synchronization to the signal in a mobile communication system in which a synchronization channel is multiplexed periodically into the downlink signal, the mobile station averages, in phase and in complex numbers, correlation values of the synchronization channel over a plurality of periods, followed by detecting the power of them to carrying out peak detection.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a synchronization establishing method of a mobile station in a mobile communication system, and more particularly to a synchronization establishing method of a mobile station in a mobile communication system for carrying out peak detection by averaging the synchronization channel in phase in complex numbers.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a W-CDMA (Wide-band Code Division Multiple Access) scheme, a radio access scheme of a third generation mobile communication system, a synchronization channel (SCH) is multiplexed onto a downlink signal transmitted from a base station to a mobile station to enable the mobile station to carry out synchronization establishment by detecting the downlink signal (see, 3GPP Technical Specification 25.211).
Usually, the SCH is transmitted to the mobile station at a known frequency, in known time slots, in a known code and symbol pattern. To carry out synchronization establishment, that is, the timing detection of the SCH, the mobile station performs correlation detection at the frequency, in the time slots and in the code and symbol pattern, thereby determining the most likely timing as the timing of the SCH.
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a commonly used power averaging method. In FIG. 1, the reference numeral 201 designates the output from a correlator of a mobile station, that is, correlation values of a synchronization channel transmitted from a base station for initial synchronization. The reference numeral 203 designates an equipment to powerize for calculating a square sum of the correlation values of the synchronization channel; and 205 designates a peak detector for detecting a peak of the correlation values in each period of the synchronization channel.
The SCH is repeatedly transmitted at predetermined intervals (at intervals that will give peak values of the output). It is assumed in the following description that the interval is one slot. Normally, to reduce the effect of noise, interference and received power fluctuations, the mobile station averages the correlation values of the SCH over a plurality of slots. Conventionally, the mobile station carries out the averaging after powerizing the output of the correlator slot by slot (power average).
Thus, commonly used power averaging method carries out averaging of the output of the correlator of the mobile station using an equipment to powerize for converting correlation values of the synchronization channel transmitted from the base station into power dimension for establishing the initial synchronization, and a peak detector for detecting the peak of the correlation values in each period of the synchronization channel.
FIG. 2 shows a structure of the SCH. In one frequency, synchronization channels 103 are assigned periodically to a channel set 101 and are transmitted to the mobile station at known frequency and time slots in known code and symbol pattern. The pilot symbols are also used for measuring received signal power. The reference numeral 111 designates a graph representing correlation outputs of the synchronization channel versus time (timings).
The SCH is transmitted to the mobile station at known frequency and time slots in known code and symbol pattern. In the example of FIG. 2, the SCH is transmitted at every one slot interval. The peak detector 205 of the mobile station detects the timings (peaks) 113 at which the correlation values take a maximum value from the correlation values by the correlator at all possible timings. In the conventional power averaging, the averaging is carried out after powerizing the output of the correlators slot by slot as shown in FIG. 1.
Propagation paths of the mobile communication have interference or noise, and the signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio of the SCH for the mobile station is usually very small. Since the SCH is one of control channels that do not transmit user information, it is preferable that the transmission power and transmission duration of the SCH be as small as possible from the viewpoint of the system capacity. To achieve synchronization establishment at high accuracy in such severe conditions, the averaging period must be lengthened. However, an increasing averaging period will lengthen the time required to carry out the synchronization establishment. As a result, it will provide a problem of increasing the power consumption of the mobile station, and lengthening the time taken by cell switching control (handover) involved in the movement of the mobile station across cells during communication.
In addition, mobile communication systems sometimes employ time switched transmit diversity (TSTD) that installs two antennas on a base station and transmits the signal alternately in a prescribed pattern at every predetermined interval to reduce the effect of received level fluctuations due to fading. For example, to apply the TSTD to the SCH, the base station can transmit the SCH alternately in a prescribed pattern at every slot interval from the two antennas (see, 3GPP Technical Specification 25.211). In this case, since the phases of the signals transmitted from the two antennas usually differ from each other, it is difficult to average them in phase.

Synchronization establishing method of mobile station in mobile communication system