A mobile satellite system includes at least one satellite and at least one network engineering/systems engineering (NE/SE) system. The NE/SE system performs at least one of the processes of comparing expected traffic loads with capability and availability of space and ground resources in the mobile satellite system; formulating tactical plans to maximize available resources of the at least one satellite, and producing frequency plans for different geographical regions; performing the processes of defining contingency plans for failure situations, including failure in the at least one satellite or a ground-based equipment outage; configuring the mobile satellite system including logical resources and physical components; and configuring communication paths to external organizations operatively connected to the mobile satellite system.

Wireless technology is not new. The age of electronic communication began with the invention of a practical telegraph in 1844, over 150 years ago. It has been said that the telegraph was a major factor in the explosive development of the Western United States in the mid-1800's.
In 1983, the FCC issued licenses to provide mobile communications in a new frequency hand using a technique called cellular transmission which had been developed by both AT&T and Motorola. The proponents invested over $400 million in the new business before the FCC licensed cellular service. Many people thought that consumers needed mobile communications as much as they needed a second Jaguar automobile. Much to the surprise of everyone the growth rate was phenomenal. An enormous mass market developed for this service.
There are over 500 million users of wireline communications in the world today. By the early part of the next century, wireline will continue to grow, and wireless will be a major factor in telecommunications. According to the U.S. Commerce Department, there are at least 52 million cellular subscribers in the world (23 million in the U.S.). Within five years, experts estimate that there may be 150 million (50 million U.S.) and by 2005 we expect the worldwide total will be 260 million (65 million U.S.).
Cellular service is available in most urban regions, excluding, large, less developed areas. Service is not provided beyond the range of cells at which distances the signals are too weak. Cells typically do not exceed 10 miles in diameter, although super large cells have been created in the Caribbean. The new PCS service, which operates at much higher frequencies, requires even smaller cells, three times as many cells must be built as are required for cellular service. In regions where population density is low, the cost of building and operating transmission facilities may exceed the potential revenues. Wireless is sometimes blocked by terrain even in highly populated regions because the transmission signal arrives at low elevation angles.
Surveys show that customers currently are unhappy with unavailability and call blockage. Because of the low elevation angle transmission, service is sometimes interrupted during transmission or handover from cell to cell. During the peak busy hours, circuits are often blocked by other callers. Subscribers would like to enjoy wireless service all of the time, wherever they are.
Another major problem is that wireless transmission standards differ throughout the world. International travelers ar required to use different telephones when they travel to other regions. Even within the U.S. the new digital cellular service will be based on both time division multiple access (TDMA) and code division multiple access (CDMA) technology. Current plans suggest that digital cellular customers who roam up the East Coast will travel alternatively between systems that use different access methods.
Most of the world's telephone service is concentrated in the industrialized world. The 800 million people in industrialized countries have access to 400 million telephone lines, but 5 billion people in developing countries have access to only 200 million telephone lines. In Asia, more than 3 billion people have only 75 million telephone lines, and in Africa, with 500 million people, there is only one telephone per 1000 population.
The cost of closing the gap in developing countries has been estimated to be $3 trillion. Space based services are a faster and less costly solution. Large regions that are not served today could be economically served in the future with satellites. New systems hold the potential for extending service into regions that have been inaccessible or uneconomical to serve because of low population density or weak economic conditions.
Even in affluent, densely populated countries like Japan nd Germany, mountainous conditions prevent full coverage. Japanese cellular service operators expect that half of the land area will not be covered by terrestrial wireless. We are on the threshold of being able to provide universal, affordable wireless service throughout the world.
Wireless service is more expensive than wireline service, especially in urban regions. From a service provider perspective, the cost is higher because the call routing, call maintenance and billing is more complex. From a subscriber perspective, wireless telephone service adds great value. Wireless telephones allow mobile workers to talk while traveling. Mobile calls provide greater flexibility and permit communications in situations in which they were previously impossible.
Today, cellular systems offer service with a wide range of tariffs. typically, the systems charge a monthly service fee of about $30 plus an additional charge based on airtime. For local services, the airtime rates vary between $0.10 to $0.90 per minute, depending on the region of the country or the world. Often, service providers offer cellular telephones at a discount but require a one year service contract, payment for the telephone equipment being embedded within the service price structure.
Currently, satellite service is available worldwide as an alternative to cellular service, but the terminal cost and service rates are very high. Inmarsat signatories offer service for airtime rates ranging from $5 to $15 per minute. "Portable" terminals that cost at least $15,000 and have a mass of 10 kilograms (22 pounds) can be lugged on trips. Terrestrial cellular has 1000 times more customers at service rates which are a factor of ten lower than present space based systems. The prices are very elastic.
Manufacturers of handsets and satellite systems recognized that cellular type communications from space could be much less expensive in the future than it is today. Several companies have determined that space based wireless service can be provided at service rates which are affordable by a mass market.
The primary consideration for business success is having a cost effective product which customers desire. This means balancing the service charges to own a personal telephone as well as the air time rates with the needs of the subscriber. Cost must also be kept affordable and economical compared to alternatives. However, each system must strike a balance between low cost and high quality. As a business, the service and distribution functions must provide an outlet to the ultimate customer, the consumer.
In the mid 1960's we had correctly determined that the best orbit for fixed satellite service was a geostationary orbit. This choice was logical because a stationary orbit permitted satellites to appear fixed in the sky. Large, high gain ground terminals could be positioned to ensure that the transmission path always would be clear. Although large, the antennas had no need to track, since the satellites appeared motionless to it. Only three or four satellites were needed to view most of the globe (excepting the polar regions). Unfortunately, the distance to Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO) is great (about 23,000 miles) and the propagation time delay produces overtalking and confusion.
During the 1980's, conditions developed for a major change in the satellite communications paradigm: Orbiting satellites closer to the Earth would permit more powerful transmission with reasonable sized satellites and antennas. In addition, inclined orbits could ensure high elevation angles to minimize blockage by buildings, and other obstacles. The microelectronics for a ground station had become so compact that an affordable, light, hand held terminal could be built for satellite service. The lower power, application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) was built with GaAs, High density Bipolar Transistors (HBT) and high electron mobility power transistors (HEMPT's).
A conceptual view of the satellite network system is illustrated in FIG. 1. The satellite network system design provides the capability for METs and FESs to access one or more multiple beam satellites located in geostationary orbit to obtain communications services.
The heart of the satellite network system for each of the networks is the Network Control System (NCS) which monitors and controls each of the networks. The principal function of the NCS is to manage the overall satellite network system, to manage access to the satellite network system, to assign satellite circuits to meet the requirements of mobile customers and to provide network management and network administrative and call accounting functions.
The satellites each transmit and receive signals to and from METs at L-band frequencies and to and from Network Communications Controllers (NCCS) and Feederlink Earth Stations (FESs) at Ku-band frequencies. Communications at L-band frequencies is via a number of satellite beams which together cover the service area. The satellite beams are sufficiently strong to permit voice and data communications using inexpensive mobile terminals and will provide for frequency reuse of the L-band spectrum through inter-beam isolation. A single beam generally covers the service area.
The satellite network system provides the capability for mobile earth terminals to access one or more multiple beam satellites located in geostationary orbit for the purposes of providing mobile communications services. The satellite network system is desired to provide the following general categories of service:
Mobile Telephone Service (MTS). This service provides point-to-point circuit switched voice connections between mobile and public switched telephone network (PSTN) subscriber stations. It is possible for calls to be originated by either the mobile terminal or terrestrial user. Mobile terminal-to-mobile terminal calls are also supported.
Mobile Radio Service (MRS). This service provides point-to-point circuit switched connections between mobile terminal subscriber stations and subscriber stations in a private network (PN) which is not a part of the PSTN. It is possible for calls to be originated from either end. Mobile terminal-to-mobile terminal calls are also supported.
Mobile Telephone Cellular Roaming Service (MTCRS). This service provides Mobile Telephone Service to mobile subscribers who are also equipped with cellular radio telephones. Then the mobile terminal is within range of the cellular system, calls are serviced by the cellular system. When the mobile terminal is not in range of the cellular system, the MTCRS is selected to handle the call and appears to the user to be a part of the cellular system. When the mobile terminal is not in range of the cellular system, the MTCRS is selected to handle the call and appears to the user to be a part of the cellular system. It is possible for calls to be originated either from the MET or the PSTN. Mobile terminal-to-mobile terminal calls are also supported.
NET Radio (NR). This service provides point-to-multipoint circuit switched connections between mobile terminal subscriber stations and a central base station. Mobile users are able to listen to two-way conversations and to transmit using a push-to-talk mode of operation.
Mobile Data Service (MDS). This service provides a packet switched connection between a data terminal equipment (DTE) device at a mobile terminal and a data communications equipment (DCE)/DTE device connected to a public switched packet network. Integrated voice/data operation is also supported.
The satellites are designed to transmit signals at L-band frequencies in the frequency band 1530-1559 MHz. They will receive L-band frequencies in the frequency band 1631.5-1660.5 MHz. Polarization is right hand circular in both bands. The satellites will also transmit in the Ku frequency band, 10,750 MHz to 10,950 MHz, and receive Ku-band signals in the frequency band 13,000 to 13,250 MHz.
The satellite transponders are designed to translate communications signals accessing the satellite at Ku-band frequencies to an L-band frequency in a given beam and vice versa. The translation will be such that there is a one-to-one relation between frequency spectrum at Ku-band and frequency spectrum in any beam at L-band. The satellite transponders will be capable of supporting L-band communications in any portion of the 29 MHz allocation in any beam.
Transponder capacity is also provided for Ku-band uplink to Ku-band down-link for signalling and network management purposes between FESs and NCCs. The aggregate effective isotropic radiated power (AEIRP) is defined as that satellite e.i.r.p. that would result if the total available communications power of the communications subsystem was applied to the beam that covers that part of the service area. Some of the key performance parameters of the satellite are listed in FIG. 2.
The satellite network system interfaces to a number of entities which are required to access it for various purposes. FIG. 3 is a context diagram of the satellite network system conceptually illustrating these entities and their respective interfaces. Three major classes of entities are defined as user of communications services, external organizations requiring coordination, and network management system.
The users of satellite network communications services are MET users who access the satellite network system either via terrestrial networks (PSTN, PSDN, or Private Networks) or via METs for the purpose of using the services provided by the system. FES Owner/Operators are those organizations which own and control FESs that provide a terrestrial interface to the satellite network. When an FES becomes a part of the satellite network, it must meet specified technical performance criteria and interact with and accept real-time control from the NCCs. FES Owner/Operators determine the customized services that are offered and are ultimately responsible for the operation and maintenance of the FES. Customers and service providers interact with the Customer Management Information System within the Network Management System.
The satellite network system interfaces to, and performs transactions with, the external organizations described below:
Satellite Operations Center (SOC): The SOC is not included in the satellite network ground segment design. However, the satellite network system interfaces with the SOC in order to maintain cognizance of the availability of satellite resources (e.g. in the event of satellite health problems, eclipse operations, etc.) and, from time to time, to arrange for any necessary satellite reconfiguration to meet changes in traffic requirements.
NOC: The satellite network system interfaces with the satellites located therein via the NOC for a variety of operational reasons including message delivery and coordination.
Independent NOCs: The satellite network system interfaces with outside organizations which lease resources on satellite network satellites and which are responsible for managing and allocating these resources in a manner suited to their own needs.
Other System NOCs: This external entity represents outside organizations which do not lease resources on satellite network satellites but with whom operational coordination is required.
The satellite network management system (NMS) is normally located at an administration's headquarters and may comprise three major functional entities; Customer Management Information System (CMIS), Network Engineering, and System Engineering (NE/SE). These entities perform functions necessary for the management and maintenance of the satellite network system which are closely tied to the way the administration intends to do business. The basic functions which are performed by CMIS, Network Engineering, and System Engineering are as follows:
Customer Management Information System: This entity provides customers and service providers with assistance and information including problem resolution, service changes, and billing/usage data. Customers include individual MET owners and fleet managers of larger corporate customers. Service providers are the retailers and maintenance organizations which interact face to face with individual and corporate customers.
Network Engineering: This entity develops plans and performs analysis in support of the system. Network Engineering analyzes the requirements of the network. It reconciles expected traffic loads with the capability and availability of space and ground resources to produce frequency plans for the different beams within the system. In addition, Network Engineering defines contingency plans for failure situations.
System Engineering: This entity engineers the subsystems, equipment and software which is needed to expand capacity to meet increases in traffic demands and to provide new features and services which become marketable to subscribers.
The satellite network system comprises a number of system elements and their interconnecting communications links as illustrated conceptually in FIG. 4. The system elements are the NOC, the NCC, the FES, the MET, the Remote Monitor Station (RMS), and the System Test Station (STS). The interconnecting communications links are the satellite network Internetwork, terrestrial links, the MET signaling channels, the Interstation signaling channels, and the MET-FES communications channels. The major functions of each of the system elements are as follows:
NOC. The NOC manages and controls the resources of the satellite network system and carries out the administrative functions associated with the management of the total satellite network system. The NOC communicates with the various internal and external entities via a local area network (LAN)/wide area network (WAN) based satellite network Internetwork and dial-up lines.
NCC. The NCC manages the real time allocation of circuits between METs and FESs for the purposes of supporting communications. The available circuits are held in circuit pools managed by Group Controllers (GCs) within the NCC. The NCC communicates with the NOC via the satellite network Internetwork, with FESs via Ku-to-Ku band interstation signaling channels or terrestrial links, and with mobile terminals via Ku-to-L band signaling channels.
FES. The FES supports communications links between METs, the PSTN, private networks, and other METs. Once a channel is established with an MET, call completion and service feature management is accomplished via In-Band signaling over the communication channel. Two types of FESs have been defined for the satellite network system; Gateway FESs and Base FESs. Gateway FESs provide MTS and MTCRS services. Base FESs provide MRS and NR services.
MET. The MET provides the mobile user access to the communications channels and services provided by the satellite network system. A range of terminal types has been defined for the satellite network system.
RMS. The RMS monitors L-band RF spectrum and transmission performance in specific L-band beams. An RMS is nominally located in each L-band beam. Each RMS interfaces with the NOC via either a satellite or terrestrial link.
STS. The STS provides an L-band network access capability to support FES commissioning tests and network service diagnostic tests. The STS is collocated with, and interfaced to, the NOC.
Communications channels transport voice transmissions between METs and FESs via the satellite. Connectivity for MET-to-MET calls is accomplished by double hopping the communications channels via specially equipped FESs. Signaling channels are used to set up and tear down communications circuits, to monitor and control FES and MET operation, and to transport other necessary information between network elements for the operation of satellite network. The system provides Out-of-Band and Interstation signaling channels for establishing calls and transferring information. In-Band signaling is provided on established communications channels for supervisory and feature activation purposes. A detailed description of the satellite network signaling system architecture is provided in L. White, et al., "North American Mobile Satellite System Signaling Architecture," AIAA 14th International Communications Satellite Conference, Washington, DC (March 1992), incorporated herein by reference.
The satellite network Internetwork provides interconnection among the major satellite network ground system elements such as the NOCs, NCCs, and Data Hubs, as well as external entities. Various leased and dial-up lines are used for specific applications within the satellite network system such as backup interstation links between the NCC and FESs and interconnection of RMSs with the NOC.
The primary function of the NOC is to manage and control the resources of the satellite network system. FIG. 5 is a basic conceptual block diagram of the NOC and its interface. The NOC computer is shown with network connections, peripheral disks, fault tolerant features, and expansion capabilities to accommodate future growth. The NOC software is represented as two major layers, a functional layer and a support layer. The functional layer represents the application specific portion of the NOC software. The support layer represents software subsystems which provide a general class of services and are used by the subsystems in the functional layer.
The application specific functions performed by the NOC are organized according to five categories: fault management, accounting management, configuration management, performance management, and security management. The general NCC Terminal Equipment (NCCTE) configuration showing constituent equipment includes: processing equipment, communications equipment, mass storage equipment, man-machine interface equipment, and optional secure MET Access Security Key (ASK) storage equipment. The Processing Equipment consists of one or more digital processors that provide overall NCC control, NCS call processing, network access processing and internetwork communications processing.
The Communications Equipment consists of satellite signaling and communications channel units and FES terrestrial communication link interface units. The Mass Storage Equipment provides NCC network configuration database storage, call record spool buffering an executable program storage. The Man-Machine Interface Equipment provides operator command, display and hard copy facilities, and operator access to the computer operating systems. The MET ASK storage Equipment provides a physically secure facility for protecting and distributing MET Access Security Keys.
The NCCTE comprises three functional subsystems: NCCTE Common Equipment Subsystem, Group Controller Subsystem, and Network Access Subsystem. The NCCTE Common Equipment subsystem comprises an NCC Controller, NCCTE mass storage facilities, and the NCCTE man-machine interface. The NCC Controller consists of processing and database resources which perform functions which are common to multiple Group Controllers. These functions include satellite network Internetwork communications, central control and monitoring of the NCCTE and NCCRE, storage of the network configuration, buffering of FES and Group Controller call accounting data, transfer of transaction information to the Off-line NCC and control and monitoring of FESs.
The Mass Storage element provides NCC network configuration database storage, call accounting data spool buffering, and NCCTE executable program storage. The Man-machine Interface provides Operator command and display facilities for control and monitoring of NCC operation and includes hard copy facilities for logging events and alarms. A Group Controller (GC) is the physical NCC entity consisting of hardware and software processing resources that provides real time control according to the CG database received from the NOC.
The Group Controller Subsystem may incorporate one to four Group Controllers. Each Group Controller maintains state machines for every call in progress within the Control Group. It allocates and de-allocates circuits for FES-MET calls within each beam of the system, manages virtual network call processing, MET authentication, and provides certain elements of call accounting. When required, it provides satellite bandwidth resources to the NOC for AMS(R)S resource provisioning. The Group Controller monitors the performance of call processing and satellite circuit pool utilization. It also performs MET management, commissioning and periodic performance verification testing.
The Network Access Subsystem consists of satellite interface channel equipment for Out-of-Band signaling and Interstation Signaling which are used to respond to MET and FES requests for communications services. The Network Access Processor also includes MET communications interfaces that are used to perform MET commission testing. In addition, the subsystem includes terrestrial data link equipment for selected FES Interstation Signaling.
The principal function of the FES is to provide the required circuit switched connections between the satellite radio channels, which provide communications links to the mobile earth terminals, and either the PSTN or PN. FESs will be configured as Gateway Stations (GS) to provide MTS and MTCRS services or Base Stations to provide MRS and Net Radio services. Gateway and Base functions can be combined in a single station.
The FES operates under the real time control of the Network Communications Controller (NCC) to implement the call set-up and take-down procedures of the communications channels to and from the METs. Control of the FES by the NCC is provided via the interstation signaling channels. An FES will support multiple Control Groups and Virtual Networks. The FES is partitioned into two major functional blocks, the FES RF Equipment (FES-RE) and the FES Terminal Equipment (FES-TE). The principal function of the FES-RE is to provide the radio transmission functions for the FES. In the transmit direction it combines all signals from the communications and interstation signaling channel unit outputs from the FES-TE, and amplifies them and up-convert these to Ku-Band for transmission to the satellite via the antenna. In the receive direction, signals received from the satellite are down-converted from Ku-Band, amplified and distributed to the channel units within the FES-TE. Additional functions include satellite induced Doppler correction, satellite tracking and uplink power control to combat rain fades.
The principal function of the FES-TE is to perform the basic call processing functions for the FES and to connect the METs to the appropriate PSTN or PN port. Under control of the NCC, the FES assigns communications channel units to handle calls initiated by MET or PSTN subscribers. The FES-TE also performs alarm reporting, call detail record recording, and provision of operator interfaces.
For operational convenience, an FES may in some cases be collocated with the NCC. In this event, the NCC RF Equipment will be shared by the two system elements and the interstation signaling may be via a LAN. Connection to and from the PSTN is via standard North American interconnect types as negotiated with the organization providing PSTN interconnection. This will typically be a primary rate digital interconnect. Connection to and from private networks is via standard North American interconnect types as negotiated with the organization requesting satellite network service. This will typically be a primary rate digital interconnect for larger FESs or an analog interconnect for FESs equipped with only a limited number of channels may be employed.
There is a general need to manage and provision the various components in the mobile satellite communication system in an efficient manner. Accordingly, it is desirable to develop plans and perform analysis in support of the satellite communication system as well. It is also desirable to analyze the requirements of the satellite communication system.
It is also desirable to reconcile expected traffic loads with the capability and availability of space and ground resources to produce frequency plans for the different beams within the system. Further, it is desirable to define contingency plans for failure situations.
It is also beneficial and desirable to efficiently engineer the subsystems, equipment and software which are needed to expand capacity to meet increases in traffic demands and to provide new features and services which become marketable to subscribers.

Network engineering/systems engineering system for mobile satellite communication system


A resin composition comprising a vinyl alicyclic hydrocarbon polymer and a hindered amine light-resistance stabilizer having a number average molecular weight (Mn) of 1,000 to 10,000 and having excellent processing stability, light-resistance stability, heat resistance and transparency, and a light guide plate obtained by forming or molding the resin composition.

A vinyl alicyclic hydrocarbon polymer is prepared by hydrogenating an aromatic ring of a vinyl aromatic polymer, for example, polystyrene. The vinyl alicyclic hydrocarbon polymer is excellent in heat resistance, transparency, low water absorption property, etc. and is hence proposed to be used as a forming or molding material for optical disk substrates. The vinyl alicyclic hydrocarbon polymer is also excellent in chemical resistance, low dissolution property, etc. and is hence proposed to be used as a forming or molding material for medical containers (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 6-199950).
As described above, the uses of the vinyl alicyclic hydrocarbon polymer are about to be spread. In order to more develop the uses thereof, however, it is necessary to improve it in such a manner that various high properties required of each use can be exhibited while retaining its characteristic excellent properties such as high heat resistance and transparency, and low water absorption property.
Examples of new uses of the vinyl alicyclic hydrocarbon polymer include a light guide plate for a plane emission illuminator used in a back light or front light in a liquid crystal display device (LCD). In recent years, LCDs have been spread as display devices in computers or car navigation systems. The display by LCD is inconvenience in use at a dark place because the LCD itself is non-luminous. Thus, a plane emission illuminator uniformly illuminating a display part of the LCD has been developed for the purpose of permitting improvement in ease of seeing and use at the dark place. In a light transmission type LCD, a back light type that illumination is performed from a back side of a display surface is used, while a front light type that illumination is performed from a front side of a display surface is used in a light reflection type LCD.
Plane emission illuminators are roughly divided into an edge system and a vertical system according to the arrangement of a light source to the display surface. In the back light type, either the edge system or the vertical system is selected as necessary for the end application intended. In the case of the front type, the edge system is used.
FIG. 1 illustrates a cross-sectional view of an exemplary back light of the edge system. A reflection layer 2 for diffusely reflecting light is provided on a back surface of a transparent light guide plate 1. The light from a light source 4 (for example, cold cathode-ray tube) arranged at a side surface of the light guide plate 1 is diffusely reflected or scattered by the reflection layer 2 and collected on the side (upper side in the drawing) of a liquid crystal display panel. A diffusion plate 3 is arranged on the surface of the light guide plate 1 on the side of the liquid crystal display panel as needed. Further, a condenser plate (not illustrated) may be arranged thereon. A reflection plate may be arranged under the reflection layer 2 as needed.
The light guide plate is formed from a transparent synthetic resin such as an acrylic resin for weight saving. As the reflection layer, an ink pattern may be formed on the reflection surface of the light guide plate by printing. Besides, there are reflection layers of various types, such as those obtained by matting the reflection surface of the light guide plate, converting it into a Fresnel mirror or vapor-depositing aluminum thereon. The plane emission illuminator of the edge system may be made thin in thickness or large in size.
The light guide plate for the plane emission illuminator is required to have a high available efficiency of light from a light source (lamp), thereby permitting high luminance, deteriorate physical properties thereof by heat generated from the lamp and have excellent light-resistance stability.
As described above, the vinyl alicyclic hydrocarbon polymer is excellent in heat resistance, transparency, low water absorption property, etc. and hence attracts attention as a forming or molding material for light guide plates for the plane emission illuminators. However, a light guide plate formed with the vinyl alicyclic hydrocarbon polymer involves problems that it is colored by long-term use, and gases of a volatile component or the like are generated to cloud a cold cathode-ray tube (lamp) or a lamp reflector covering the cold cathode-ray tube. Therefore, the vinyl alicyclic hydrocarbon polymer does not fully satisfy high properties required of the use as the forming or molding material for the light guide plates for the plane emission illuminators.

Resin composition with a vinyl alicyclic hydrocarbon polymer


A pipeline regeneration pipe, with which necessary strength can be ensured by way of the inserted regeneration pipe itself without the necessity of grouting, includes an inner wound flexible resin layer 5d which constitutes the inner layer of a straight pipe part 5b, an outer wound flexible resin layer 5e laminated on the outer surface of the inner wound flexible resin layer and constitutes the outer layer of the straight pipe part, and a protruded rim part 5c helically formed on the outer surface of the outer wound flexible resin layer, the protruded rim part 5c being configured by a rigid-resin core 5g helically wound, and a core-covering part 5f integrated with the outer wound flexible resin layer so as to surround the rigid-resin core.

In cases where a sewer pipe has been buried in soil for many years and aged to be deteriorated in load resistance capacity or water shutoff capacity, there arise problems such as collapse of a road surface and insufficient flow capacity.
In order to solve such problems, there has been proposed and embodied a method of repairing a drain pipe, in which an aged sewer pipe is used as a support and a new resin pipe is inserted thereinto to serve as a drain pipe.
There are various methods of repairing a drain pipe, including the pipe making method, for example, in which a rigid vinyl chloride member in a belt shape is supplied into a manhole, and the rigid vinyl chloride member in the belt shape, which is formed into a pipe shape at an inlet part of an existing pipe with use of a pipe forming machine, is inserted into the existing pipe.
There has been also known the so-called casing pipe construction method in which, in place of the rigid vinyl chloride member in the belt shape, short pipes smaller in diameter than an existing pipe are brought through a manhole and are sequentially connected to each other so as to be inserted into the existing pipe.
However, the pipe making method requires dedicated construction facilities such as the pipe forming machine, and construction in this method needs to be executed by a skilled mechanic. Although the casing pipe construction method does not require such a pipe forming machine, the pipes produced to be used in this method are large in size and thus cannot be easily handled in a narrow manhole. In addition, both of these construction methods require connection work upon forming into a pipe shape in an existing pipe, and such work takes long time in order to enhance sealing performance at the connected parts, which is problematic.
In view of the above, there has been recently proposed a construction method that realizes easy formation of a new pipeline in an existing pipe with no need for any dedicated construction facility. In this method, as shown in FIG. 5, a flexible regeneration pipe 50 having a helically-corrugated surface is fed from a rotary drum 51, is inserted into one end of an existing pipe 53 through a manhole 52, and is drawn through another end of the existing pipe 53 by means of a winch 54 (see Patent Document 1, for example).
In this figure, reference sign 55 denotes a cap attached to the tip of the regeneration pipe 50, and reference sign 56 denotes wire connected to the cap 55.


A vertically extending air intake duct on a rear of a cab in a delivery vehicle to take in ambient air for an engine through an air intake has a duct body as an outer shell with the air intake on an upper portion; a side branch section on a lower portion of the body and having upper and lower ends opened in the body and outside, respectively; a mesh member extending over the air intake to collect rainwater; a louver for covering the mesh member and the air intake to prevent intrusion of matter other than ambient air; and a drip channel or bead on an inner wall of the duct body and just below the mesh member to capture and guide rainwater flowing down on the inner wall to the upper end of the side branch section.

It is generally preferable that a truck or other large-sized delivery vehicle traveling on unpaved rough roads more often than an ordinary passenger car has an engine which takes in not air near the ground containing plenty of dust but clean air at a sufficient height above the ground. Further, for fear of splashing rainwater or snow near the ground being taken in together, it is preferable to ensure that the engine takes in only the air at the sufficient height above the ground.
To these ends, as exemplarily shown in FIG. 1, mounted on a rear of a cab a in the large-sized delivery vehicle is an air intake duct b which extends vertically. This kind of air intake duct b comprises a duct body d as an outer shell with an air intake c opened on an upper portion of the duct body to take in ambient air as intake air for an engine, and a louver e which covers the air intake c to prevent intrusion of matter other than the ambient air.
In the air intake duct b, the air intake c is opened wide backward of the vehicle and, as shown, may be opened also on a laterally outer right side of the vehicle. With such structure having the air intake c opened on the adjacent two sides, even if a hood for a cargo bed covers and conceals a rear of the air intake duct b, the air intake c can be prevented from being completely concealed. Thus, the engine can be prevented beforehand from being accidentally fired due to failed intake of the ambient air.
There exists, for example, below-mentioned Patent Literature 1 showing state-of-art technology pertinent to this kind of air intake duct.


A test sensor having a pair of electrodes and a reagent for electrochemically measuring the concentration of the analyte in a liquid sample. The test sensor comprises a capillary channel for collecting the liquid sample and a conductor disposed outside the capillary channel. The conductor is in fluid communication with the capillary channel. The liquid test sample is collected and moved through the capillary channel. The liquid test sample contacts the conductor when the capillary channel is substantially full to signal a full condition.

It is often necessary to quickly obtain a sample of blood and perform an analysis of the blood sample. One example of a need for obtaining a sample of blood is in connection with a blood glucose monitoring system, which a user must frequently use to monitor the user's blood glucose level.
Those who have irregular blood glucose concentration levels are medically required to regularly self-monitor their blood glucose concentration level. An irregular blood glucose level can be brought on by a variety of reasons including illness such as diabetes. The purpose of monitoring the blood glucose concentration level is to determine the blood glucose concentration level and then to take corrective action, based upon whether the level is too high or too low, to bring the level back within a normal range. The failure to take corrective action can have serious implications. When blood glucose levels drop too low—a condition known as hypoglycemia—a person can become nervous, shaky, and confused. That person's judgment may become impaired and that person may eventually pass out. A person can also become very ill if their blood glucose level becomes too high—a condition known as hyperglycemia. Both conditions, hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia, are potentially life-threatening emergencies.
One method of monitoring a person's blood glucose level is with a portable, hand-held blood glucose testing device. The portable nature of these devices enables the users to conveniently test their blood glucose levels at anytime or in any place the user may be. The glucose testing device includes a test sensor to harvest the blood for analysis. Such a test sensor is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,759,364, which is entitled "Electrochemical Biosensor." In order to check the blood glucose level, a drop of blood is obtained from the fingertip using a lancing device. The blood drop is produced on the fingertip and the blood is harvested using the test sensor. The test sensor, which is inserted into a testing unit, is brought into contact with the blood drop. The test sensor draws the blood to the inside of the test unit which then determines the concentration of glucose in the blood. Once the results of the test are displayed on a display of the test unit, the test sensor is discarded. Each new test requires a new test sensor.
One problem associated with some lancing and/or testing devices is that the requisite amount of blood for accurate test results is not always obtained. Roughly thirty percent of lances do not produce enough blood for analysis. The amount of blood obtained from each lance varies between zero and ten microliters. For an accurate result, at least two microliters of blood must be obtained. If less than this amount is obtained, the test results may be erroneous and a test sensor is wasted. More serious an issue, however, is that the user may be relying on inaccurate results when an insufficient sample volume is harvested. Obviously, because of the serious nature of the medical issues involved, erroneous results are to be avoided.
Another problem associated with conventional lancing devices is that there is no mechanism to let the user know whether the correct amount of blood has been obtained for accurate analysis. Typically, the test units come with instructions graphically illustrating the size of the blood drop required for accurate testing. However, this visual comparison is subjective and often produces inconsistent results. To insure the requisite amount of blood is produced, users often overcompensate by squeezing or otherwise manipulating their finger to produce a larger than necessary drop of blood. However, this adds time to the overall testing process and also results in an increased amount of wasted blood. It is preferable to require/obtain as little of the user's blood as possible for accurate results. Put another way, it is desirable to only obtain the required amount of blood. Often, requiring an increased amount of blood translates into a more "invasive" procedure meaning that the obtaining of the same can take more time and be more painful. Accordingly, their exists a need for a blood glucose testing device having an underfill detection system that can determine whether a correct blood sample volume has been obtained.

Underfill detection system for a test sensor


A camera module according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises: a substrate; an image sensor arranged on the substrate; a lens housing, which is arranged on the substrate, and in which a lens is coupled; an elastic member arranged between the substrate and the lens housing; and a plurality of fastening members which fasten the substrate and the lens housing.

Nowadays, as camera technology is being developed, utility of a camera is also being widened, and more precise manufacturing of a camera is being demanded.
Particularly, high precision of an alignment between a lens and a sensor included in a camera is demanded, and for this, an active alignment and the like are being tried.
Two to six degrees of freedom are required in an active alignment. When tilting is included in the active alignment, an epoxy application method and the like are used. The epoxy application method is a method for applying epoxy between a substrate and a lens housing. In this method, an alignment process is performed after epoxy is applied and, when the alignment is finished, the epoxy is hardened and fixed.
In the case of the epoxy application method, since the substrate and the lens housing are supported only with epoxy without a mechanical support structure therebetween, there is a disadvantage in that the method is vulnerable to vibration, impact, etc.


A key striking force sensor suitable for player pianos.. This sensor contains a displacement sensor for measuring displacement between the displacement sensor itself and a catcher which rocks together with a hammer. As the positions of the catchers corresponding to the hammer respectively are almost the same, plural of the displacement sensors can be mounted on a common circuit board. Accordingly, mechanical construction thereof is comparatively simpler than that of conventional player pianos.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to keyboard instruments, and more particularly, to automatic playing keyboard instruments and devices for assessing characteristics of a performer's operation of keys on the keyboard of such an instrument.
2. Prior Art
Automatic playing keyboard instruments such as automatic playing (player) pianos conventionally incorporate means for quantifying the force with which keys are depressed and other characteristics of a performance, in this way making it possible to record data expressing various aspects of a performance on the instrument which can be later reproduced so as to provide for automatic playback which faithfully duplicates the original performance.
With conventional automatic playing pianos, each key on the keyboard has a corresponding dedicated hammer mechanism just as is the case with an ordinary manual piano. With the automatic playing instrument, each hammer mechanism further includes a shutter which moves in concert with the corresponding hammer, and a pair of photocells which are situated such that movement of the hammer and hence the shutter results in momentary occlusion of light incident on one of the photocells, and then occlusion light incident on the other, in this way making it possible to measure the velocity with which a key is depressed.
With conventional means for measuring the velocity with which a hammer mechanism moves, however, because only a single distance interval is measured, only a simple averaged value of the hammer velocity is obtained. As a result, the finer nuances of a performance cannot be readily assessed for which reason the fidelity of reproduction on automatic playback suffers.
Furthermore, because the measured time interval is short, the orientation of the photocells and shutter incorporated into each hammer mechanism is quite critical. For this reason, assembly and calibration for all eighty-eight keys on a conventional keyboard is cumbersome and time consuming, with the result that these conventional instruments tend to be expensive. Additionally, this type of mechanism is prone to loss of alignment with time, resulting in increased maintenance requirements and expenses.

Musical instrument keyboard striking force sensor


A child-resistant buckle and buckle guard combination is disclosed that relies for its effectiveness on differences in the ways young children and adults think rather than on presumed (but often non-existent) strength or dexterity differences. The child-resistant feature comprises a combination lock mechanism that incorporates at least one directly manipulated member, and, in some embodiments, at least one indirectly movable member. The device is buckled into a conventional safety belt buckle by means of a tongue-like connector. A housing or guard denies access to the push button of the conventional safety belt buckle.

Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of fatal injury of children under age five in the U.S. In 1985, motor vehicle crashes killed 1,195 children under age five and, in 1986, moving motor vehicles injured 246,000 children under age five in the U.S.
Experts estimate that 66 to 90 percent of injuries and deaths could be prevented if child passengers were properly restrained in car safety seats (CSS's). In essentially all CSS systems, the seat portion of the device is held to the vehicle seat using at least a vehicle lap safety belt. Both the ends of the vehicle safety belt and the ends of the CSS harness straps must be connected during use for the CSS to function correctly. These connections are typically made by buckle assemblies that are similar in design. They comprise a perforated or notched latch plate (tongue) that is inserted into the buckle. Stop means (typically an indent or tang) on a latch member inside the buckle interact with the tongue to prevent its removal from the buckle prior to release by the buckle user.
Research funded by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has shown that unauthorized release of safety belt and CSS harness buckles by young children can reduce the effectiveness of these child restraints to "close to zero." A survey of CSS users presented in the report referenced above found that 36 percent reported that their child had released a safety belt buckle at an inappropriate time and 21 percent had released a CSS harness buckle at an inappropriate time. There is interest in improving conventional safety belt buckles by adding child-resistant features to prevent unauthorized release of these buckles by young children. For the purposes of this disclosure, the term "safety belt buckle" includes the buckles on vehicle safety belts (also called seat belts), those that hold the ends of CSS harnesses together and those that secure the ends of CSS harnesses or CSS harness shields to CSS frames.
Prior art devices for adding child-resistance to safety belt buckles have used two basic approaches to achieve this end. One approach is to enclose the buckle in a child-resistant housing. This approach is appropriate for after-market devices that would be used to retrofit conventional buckles. The concept is difficult to implement because a wide variety of buckles are in current use having a variety of shapes and release mechanisms. It is also difficult to design buckle housings that would align actuator means on the housing with the push button on the non-child-resistant buckle. Review of the inventions disclosed by Orton in U.S. Pat. No. 4,624,033 illustrate some of the problems involved.
A second approach is to add integral child-resistant features to conventional buckle designs. Prior art devices to add integral child-resistant features to buckles have comprised movable members mounted on the buckle body for preventing movement of the latch member to a position that releases the buckle tongue, hence providing a measure of child resistance. Because buckle body components are present only on the base (and possibly the sides) of a free-standing buckle, the child-resistant feature(s) must also be attached to the base (or sides) of the buckle. In that safety belts and buckles should be worn snug against user's body, child-resistant features located on the base (or sides) of a buckle can be difficult to use. For this reason, buckles having child-resistant features attached to the top cover of the buckle and to the push button are of interest. Such buckle designs would be less likely to discourage safety belt and CSS use whereas inconvenient-to-operate child-resistant features would discourage use.

Child-resistant buckle and buckle guard combination


A solid-state imaging apparatus including, among other things, a control section that, after simultaneous and concurrent reset of all first and second input sections, effects control so as to cause all the first input sections to concurrently and simultaneously accumulate the signal associated with the object image having the same exposure start timing; a correction data retaining section that retains correction data to correct a characteristic variance between the first input section and the second input section where the correction data is generated by taking a difference between a noise signal of the first input section and a noise signal of the second input section containing the characteristic variance; and a variance correction section that generates a third pixel signal corresponding to a difference between the first pixel signal and the second pixel signal where the characteristic variance is corrected by subtracting the correction data from the third pixel signal.

The present invention relates to solid-state imaging apparatus having photoelectric conversion device, and more particularly relates to the solid state imaging apparatus where all pixel signals are read out at high rate with setting a certain exposure time so that image having high S/N can be acquired.
It is known to construct solid-state imaging apparatus such that photoelectric conversion sections of all pixels are concurrently reset to start accumulation of signal, and after concurrently transferring signals of the photoelectric conversion sections of all pixels to memory after a predetermined time, the signals are sequentially read out. In such a solid-state imaging apparatus, retaining time of signal at memory is different from one pixel row to another. For this reason, leak current occurring at memory and electric charge occurring due to leakage of light shed on memory are different between each pixel row depending on such retaining period, and thus become cause of shading.
To mitigate this, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication 2006-10889 for example has proposed a solid-state imaging apparatus where elimination of shading is made possible by subtraction between the pixel signals of a first row or column and the pixel signals of a second row or column. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing construction of the solid-state imaging apparatus disclosed in the publication, and FIG. 2 is a timing chart for explaining its operation. The construction of the solid-state imaging apparatus disclosed in the above publication will now be described by way of FIG. 1.
Provided at the inside of pixel PIX11 are: a photoelectric conversion section PD11; a memory C11 (hereinafter referred simply to as FD) for accumulating signal generated at the photoelectric conversion section PD11; a transfer switch MT11 for controlling transfer from the photoelectric conversion section PD11 to FD; a reset switch MR11 for resetting FD; an amplification section MA11 for amplifying signal of FD; and a select switch MS11 for selecting the pixel. These are connected as shown in FIG. 1 to form a pixel. A plurality of pixels having such construction are two-dimensionally arranged (2 rows by 2 columns in the illustrated example) to form a pixel section. It should be noted that the constituent components of the other pixels PIX12, PIX21, PIX22 of the pixel section are denoted by those numerals that correspond to row and column of each pixel.
The transfer switches MT11, MT12 of pixels PIX11, PIX12 of the first row are controlled by transfer control signal φTX1 outputted from a vertical scanning circuit 101, and transfer switches MT21, MT22 of pixels PIX21, PIX22 of the second row are controlled by transfer control signal φTX2. The select switches MS11, MS12 of pixels PIX11, PIX12 of the first row are controlled by select control signal φSEL1, and the select switches MS21, MS22 of pixels PIX21, PIX22 of the second row are controlled by select control signal q SEL2. The pixel output signals of selected row are written to a line memory 102 through a vertical signal line 105. Subsequently, the output signals stored at the line memory 102 are read out by a horizontal scanning circuit 103. It should be noted that numeral 104 in FIG. 1 denotes a control section for controlling operation of the vertical scanning circuit 101 and line memory 102.
The operation of the solid-state imaging apparatus having such construction will now be described by way of a timing chart shown in FIG. 2. At first, transfer control signals φTX1, φTX2, and reset control signals φRST1, φRST2 are driven to high level to start concurrent reset of photoelectric conversion section PD and FD of all pixels. Next, transfer control signals φTX1, φTX2 are brought to low level to end reset period of the photoelectric conversion section PD so that accumulation of light signal is started. Next, reset control signals φRST1, φRST2 are brought to low level to end reset of FD. Subsequently, transfer control signal φTX1 to the pixels of the first row is driven to high level to end an accumulation period and effect transfer to FD of the accumulated electric charge of photoelectric conversion section PD of the pixels of the first row. The transfer control signal φTX2 to the pixels of the second row on the other hand maintains low level so as not to effect transfer to FD of the accumulated electric charge of photoelectric conversion section PD of the pixels of the second row. Next, pixel rows selected by select control signal in the manner of time series are sequentially read out. In particular at first, the select control signal φSEL1 is driven to high level to output pixel signals of the pixel (main pixel) row of the first row to the line memory 102 through the vertical signal line 105, and the select control signal φSEL1 is brought to low level to end the outputting. Next, select control signal φSEL2 is driven to high level to output pixel signals of the pixel (sub pixel) row of the second row to the line memory 102. These operations are sequentially continued.
The output signal of such main pixel row (first pixel row) becomes a signal where FD leak signal (referred to as Vsf in this description) and signal due to leakage light (referred to as Vse in this description), i.e. noise signals are added to light signal (referred to as Vp in this description) accumulated at the photoelectric conversion section. The output signal of the main pixel row supposed as Vs1 is represented in symbols as in the following equation (1).Vs1=Vp+Vsf+Vse  (1)
Further, the output signal of sub pixel row (second pixel row) becomes a signal where FD leak signal Vnf and signal by leakage light Vne, i.e. noise signals are added up so that the output signal of the sub pixel row supposed as Vn1 is represented in symbols as in the following equation (2).Vn1=Vnf+Vne  (2)
In this case, since the main pixel and the sub pixel are read out at substantially the same point in time, FD leak signal and signal due to leakage light are respectively of substantially the same value, and are represented in symbols as:Vsf=Vnf, Vse=Vne.Accordingly, difference between the main pixel signal and the sub pixel signal is obtained as:Vs1−Vn1=Vp
Further, the disposition of main pixel 1 and sub pixel 2 in the pixel section may be as shown in FIG. 3 so that the main pixel 1 and sub pixel 2 are disposed at every other row.

Solid-state imaging apparatus having photoelectric conversion device


According to one aspect, a diffuser apparatus includes a first pipe having a first plurality of openings formed therein, the first pipe defining a first passageway that is adapted to receive a first portion of debris that is discharged from a well; a first housing within which the first pipe extends, the first housing comprising a first wall and a first outlet formed therein; and a first region formed between the first pipe and the first housing, the first region in communication with the first passageway via the first plurality of openings; wherein the first plurality of openings are circumferentially and axially spaced along the first pipe to pass the first portion of the debris from the first passageway to the first region; and wherein the first outlet is sized such that the first portion of the debris exits the first region via the first outlet.

During the drilling of an oil or gas well, different materials may be discharged from the well. The discharged materials may include mixtures of solid, liquid, and gas materials. The discharged materials may be conveyed through different vessels and vent lines of a shale-gas separator system, which is located at the drilling rig site. Examples of such vessels may include mud-gas separator vessels, shale-gas separator vessels, mud-containment vessels, or any combination thereof. In many cases, the material, or debris, exits the shale-gas separator and is discharged into a collection bin. However, the shale-gas separator system may be bypassed and the debris may be discharged directly into the collection bin. If the debris exits the system or the well at a high velocity, then the debris may ricochet off a wall of the collection bin and into an area surrounding the collection bin. Alternatively, the debris may enter the collection bin with a force sufficient to splash or eject debris, which is already disposed in the collection bin, from the collection bin to a location outside the collection bin. Debris that exits the collection bin may damage or dirty surrounding equipment, pose a danger to nearby personnel, create slip hazards, and may result in creating a hazardous air quality condition. Additionally, the entire volume of the collection bin may not be utilized when the debris is not distributed uniformly along a length of the bin. Therefore, what is needed is a system, method, kit, apparatus, or assembly that addresses one or more of these issues, and/or other issue(s).


Disclosed is a device for determining an angle of incident light or a shift in incident light based on the output value of a detector. In a predetermined angle detection range, a beam of light incident on a detector for detecting the intensity of light incident thereon is restricted such that the amount of light continuously increases or decreases in accordance with the angle between an optical axis of the incident light and a referential axis of an exposure apparatus. Outside of the predetermined angle detection range, the amount of light is restricted depending on the direction in which the optical axis of the light is shifted from the angle detection range. The amount of light incident on the detector continuously increases or decreases in accordance with the angle between the optical axis of the incident light and the referential axis when the light is made incident within the angle detection range by means of the light restriction means. It is therefore possible to determine the angle of the incident light from the output value of the detector. When the light is made incident outside of the angle detection range, and since the amount of incident light is restricted in accordance with the direction in which the light is shifted, it is possible to determine the direction in which the light is shifted.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an angle detecting device, and to an exposure apparatus which employs the same, e.g., an exposure apparatus in which alignment between a mask and a wafer is performed using positioning light.
2. Description of the Related Art
In exposure apparatuses which are employed in the production of semiconductor chips, a mask on which a geometric pattern is formed and which serves as an original plate and a wafer substrate to be exposed must be aligned with a very high degree of accuracy.
FIG. 18 is a schematic view of a conventional exposure apparatus. In FIG. 18, a mask pattern for semiconductor chips is formed on a mask 1501. A resist is applied on a wafer substrate 1502 which may be a silicon wafer. A movable table 1503 is movable with the wafer substrate 1502 held thereon. An alignment optical system 1504 detects a shift in the position between the mask 1501 and the geometric patterns etched on the wafer substrate 1502. The mask 1501, the alignment optical system 1504, the movable table 1503 and other components are mounted on a base 1505. An illumination beam 1506 used in the exposure process may be synchrotron radiation.
FIG. 19 is an enlarged view of the essential parts of the exposure apparatus of FIG. 18. When an X-ray source is used as the illumination source, a mask pattern 1601 formed on the mask 1501 may be made of an X-ray absorber, such as gold. A resist 1603 is applied on an existing pattern 1602 previously etched into the wafer substrate 1502. Exposure must be conducted when the pattern 1601 on the mask 1501 is accurately aligned with the existing pattern 1602 on the wafer substrate 1502. To achieve this, the wafer substrate 1502 is registered with the mask 1501 such that a shift .delta..sub.1 between the mask pattern transfer position defined by the direction of the illumination beam 1506 and the existing pattern on the wafer is zero. Therefore, it is desirable that the referential optical axis for the measurements conducted by the alignment optical system 1504 coincide with the direction of the illumination beam 1506. Even if they do not coincide with each other, the shift determined by the direction of the illumination beam 1506 can be corrected in the following manner.
Assuming that .THETA. is the angle between a straight line 1605 which is the reference of the measurements conducted by the alignment optical system and a straight line 1604 indicating the direction of the illumination beam 1506 and that G is the distance (the proximity gap) between the wafer substrate 1502 and the mask 1501, a shift .delta..sub.2 measured by the alignment optical system is corrected based on a differential .delta. given by
.delta.=.THETA..multidot.G PA1 .delta..sub.1 +.delta..sub.2 =.delta. PA1 .epsilon.=.THETA..multidot..increment.g
so as to obtain the shift .delta..sub.1 determined by the direction of the illumination.
However, in this case, the proximity gap G must be a known factor. If an error .increment.g exists in the gap G, the following error .epsilon. cannot be corrected.
If .increment.g=2 .mu.m, .vertline..epsilon..vertline.<0.002 .mu.m can be achieved only when .vertline..THETA..vertline..ltoreq.1 mrad.
FIG. 20 shows a conventional mechanism for detecting whether the optical axis of the radiation used for exposure coincides with the referential axis of the exposure apparatus. In this mechanism, two pin-hole plates 1701 and 1702 each having a pin-hole of a diameter d at the central portion thereof are disposed at an interval of a predetermined distance L in such a manner that the pin-holes are aligned with the referential axis of the exposure apparatus. The light which passes through the pin-hole plates 1701 and 1702 is detected by a detector 1703 which detects the shift of the optical axis of the exposure radiation from its output value.
FIG. 21 is a graph showing the relation between the intensity of light detected by the detector 1703 and the angle .THETA. between the optical axis of the exposure radiation and the referential axis of the exposure apparatus. The detector 1703 detects the maximum light intensity when the optical axis of the exposure radiation coincides with the referential axis, and the angle .THETA. is thereby reduced to zero. When an angle .THETA. exists the detected intensity of the light decreases accordingly. The light intensity curve of the detector 1703 is symmetrical to the aforementioned maximum value thereof.
The aforementioned conventional angle detecting mechanism for the exposure apparatus detects the maximum value when there is no angle, but detects two values when there is an angle. It is therefore impossible to determine both the shift of the optical axis and the direction of the shift thereof using the output value of the detector alone. This makes adjustment of the positioning of the exposure apparatus difficult. When the angle of incidence is to be obtained from the output of the detector, the angle detection mechanism must be moved over the entire range of angles so as to obtain the angle corresponding to the maximum output value. This is a troublesome task. Furthermore, when it is desired to enhance the detection accuracy, the value d/L (where L is the distance between the pin-hole plates, and d is the diameter of the pin-hole) must be reduced. However, reduction of the ratio d/L narrows the range of detectable angles or makes alignment of the exposure radiation with the referential axis of the exposure apparatus difficult.

Angle detecting device and optical apparatus, such as exposure apparatus, employing the same


A logic circuit implementing a logic NAND function with respect to a first input signal and a second input signal is described. First and second P-channel transistors are coupled in parallel to a power supply and an output node. Each of the first and second P-channel transistors receives the respective one of the first and second input signals. A first circuit branch has a first and a second N-channel transistor. The first N-channel transistor has a first end coupled to the output node and a second end coupled to a first end of the second N-channel transistor. The second N-channel transistor has a second end coupled to ground. The first N-channel transistor receives the first input signal and the second N-channel transistor receives the second input signal. A second circuit branch has a third and a fourth N-channel transistor. The third N-channel transistor has a first end coupled to the output node and a second end coupled to a first end of the fourth N-channel transistor. The fourth N-channel transistor has a second end coupled to ground. The third N-channel transistor receives the second input signal and the fourth N-channel transistor receives the first input signal such that the logic circuit has a balanced propagation delay with respect to the first and second input signals. The logic circuit can be used to form a decoder circuit that has a balanced propagation delay for the input signals and a minimized input capacitance. The above described logic circuit can also be changed accordingly to implement a logic NOR function.

One type of prior NAND gate and NOR gate logic circuits typically employ complementary metal-oxide semiconductor ("CMOS") transistors. The prior NAND gate and NOR gate logic circuits are typically employed for most digital logic designs. One application for one type of prior NAND gate and NOR gate logic circuits is to form decoders or pre-decoders. Typically, NAND gate logic circuits are used to form a decoder circuit when the input signals of the decoder are active high signals. NOR gate logic circuits are used to form a decoder circuit when the input signals of the decoder are active low signals. FIG. 1 schematically illustrates the logic configuration of a prior decoder 10 that is implemented with four NAND gate logic circuits. FIG. 2 schematically illustrates the logic configuration of a prior decoder 20 that includes four NOR gate logic circuits. Each of decoders 10 and 20 of FIGS. 1 and 2, respectively, receives a binary sequence of input signals. FIGS. 1-2 each illustrates one typical implementation of a decoder using CMOS transistors. The circuit of decoder 10 of FIG. 1 is shown in FIG. 3 and the circuit of decoder 20 of FIG. 2 is shown in FIG. 4.
Referring to FIG. 3, transistors 31 through 34 form NAND gate 14 of FIG. 1. Transistors 35 through 38 form NAND gate 13 of FIG. 1. Transistors 39 through 42 form NAND gate 12 of FIG. 1 and transistors 43 through 46 form NAND gate 11 of FIG. 1. Transistors 31-32, 35-36, 39-40, and 43-44 are P-channel transistors and are connected in parallel, respectively. Transistors 33-34, 37-38, 41-42, and 45-46 are N-channel transistors and are connected in series, respectively.
Referring to FIG. 4, transistors 51 through 54 form NOR gate 21 of FIG. 2. Transistors 55 through 58 form NOR gate 22 of FIG. 2. Transistors 59 through 62 form NOR gate 23 of FIG. 2 and transistors 63-66 form NOR gate 24 of FIG. 2. Transistors 53-54, 57-58, 61-62, and 65-66 are-N-channel transistors and are connected in parallel, respectively. Transistors 51-52, 55-56, 59-60, and 63-64 are P-channel transistors and are connected in series, respectively.
One disadvantage associated with the above-mentioned prior art circuits of FIGS. 3 and 4 is that the input capacitance in each of the circuits 30 and 50 is relatively high. This is due to the fact that each of the NAND gate or NOR gate circuit is independently configured with transistors in the respective one of decoder circuits 30 and 50, This typically causes some level of redundancy in the decoder circuit because the same input signal is typically applied to different NAND or NOR gate circuits. For example, as shown in FIG. 3, transistors 34 and 38 both receive the same B input signal and transistors 42 and 46 both receive the same B input signal. Similarly in FIG. 4, transistors 51 and 55 both receive the same D input signal and transistors 59 and 63 both receive the same D input signal.
Another disadvantage associated with the above-mentioned prior art decoder circuits of FIGS. 3 and 4 is that the propagation delay for an input signal through its respective circuit is typically different than that for another input signal through the same circuit. This is typically due to the fact that some of the transistors are serially connected to receive the input signals in both the NAND gate circuit and NOR gate circuit. As can be seen in FIG. 3, transistor 45, for example, is connected between an output node 37a and ground via transistor 46. The gate of transistor 45 receives the A input signal while the gate of transistor 46 receives the B input signal. If output 37a of the NAND gate formed by transistors 43-46 is in transition from logical high to logical low due to the signal change of the B input signal (where the A input signal is already logically high), both output node 37a and the node between transistors 45 and 46 must be discharged through transistors 45 and 46. If, on the other hand, output node 37a is in transition from logical high to logical low due to the signal change of the A input signal (where the B input signal is already logically high), then only output node 37a needs to be discharged. Therefore, the propagation delay for the A input signal is less than that of the B input signal for the NAND gate formed by transistors 43-46.
Similarly, as can be seen from FIG. 4, transistor 51 is connected between the power supply and an output node 55a via transistor 52. The gate of transistor 51 receives the D input signal while the gate of transistor 52 receives the C input signal. If output node 55a of NOR gate formed by transistors 51 through 54 is in transition from logical low to logical high due to the signal change of the D input signal (where the C input signal is already logically low), both output node 55a and the node between transistors 51 and 52 must be charged through transistors 51 and 52. If, on the other hand, output node 55a is in transition from logical low to logical high due to the signal change of the C input signal (where the D input signal is already logically low), only output node 55a needs to be charged through transistors 51-52. Therefore, the circuits in FIGS. 3-4 both suffered from the unbalanced propagation delay between the input signals.

Decoder circuitry with balanced propagation delay and minimized input capacitance


An improved MEMS device and method of making. Channels are formed in a first substrate around a plurality of MEMS device areas previously formed on the first substrate. Then, a plurality of seal rings are applied around the plurality of MEMS device areas and over at least a portion of the formed channels. A second substrate is attached to the first substrate, then the seal ring surrounded MEMS device areas are separated from each other. The channels include first and second cross-sectional areas. The first cross-sectional area is sized to keep saw debris particles from entering the MEMS device area.

Microelectromechanical system (MEMS) gyro devices are manufactured with many-die-in-wafer form, and need to be sawed into individual die. The MEMS devices are designed to be unsealed. This allows sawing fluid, and the debris in the fluid, to come in contact with active parts of the device. Since this device has moving parts, debris particles can interfere with or damage the operation of the device. Reducing or eliminating saw related debris will increase yield and reliability.


A screen is used for an aquarium tank having a tank body, a filter unit disposed on the tank body, a case for the filter unit, and a pump mechanism having a water conducting section extending into the tank body from the underside of the case. The screen is configured so as to conceal the water conducting section at least from the front and opposite sides of the tank.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a screen for an aquarium tank and, more particularly, to a screen which is disposed in an aquarium tank for enhancing the appearance of the tank interior.
2. Description of the Prior Art
FIG. 5 shows a prior art aquarium tank. As shown, the tank comprises a tank body 51, over which a filter unit 52 is disposed. The filter unit 52 has a base frame 54 which is placed on an upper frame 53 of the tank body. A filter tank 55 and a pump mechanism 56 are mounted on the base frame 54. A filter chamber 57 and a float chamber 58 are formed in the filter tank 55. Water is drawn from the tank by the pump mechanism 56 and supplied to and filtered through a filter material 59 in the filter chamber 57, and the filtered water is returned through the float chamber 58 and down through a return pipe 60 into the tank. In the filter chamber 57, a drain board 61 is laid so as to be spaced apart from the bottom of the chamber. The filter material 59 is placed on the drain board 61. Over the filter material 59, a distributing trough 62 exends in the longitudinal direction (to the left and right in FIG. 5) of the filter chamber 57. Water discharged from a discharge nozzle 63a of a delivery pipe 63 of the pump mechanism 56 first flows into the distributing trough 62 to be distributed uniformly over the filter material 59 through many distributing holes (not shown) formed in the bottom of the trough. The filtered water from the filter material 59 flows through a passage formed between the drain board 61 and the bottom of the chamber 57 to enter the float chamber 58 and thence return through the return pipe 60 and an outlet 64 into the tank.
The pump mechanism 56, which pumps water from the tank body 51 to the filtering section (i.e., the filter chamber 57 with the filter material 59 placed therein) comprises a motor 65 mounted in the filter unit 52, a cylindrical member 66 through which a motor shaft (not shown) extends downward from the motor 65 into the interior of the tank body 51, an intermediate frame 67 provided at the lower end of the cylindrical member 66 and rotatably accommodating a vane (not shown) mounted at the lower end of the motor shaft, an extension pipe 68 extending from the intermediate frame 67 to communicate with the delivery pipe 63 and having its lower end open in the tank interior, and a strainer 69 mounted on the lower end of the pipe 68 and serving to prevent comparatively large particles from being drawn into the pipe 68. The water conducting section of the pump mechanism 56, which comprises the delivery pipe 63, the cylindrical member 66, the intermediate frame 67, the extension pipe 68, the strainer 69, etc., extends from the underside of the case of the filter unit 52 into the tank body 51. A heater 70 for regulating the temperature of the water in the tank is disposed at the bottom of the tank body 51 (for instance, on gravel spread on the tank bottom).
In the prior art aquarium tank described above, the water conducting section of the pump mechanism extends down from the filter unit case underside and therefore spoils the appearance of the tank interior. This detracts from the observer's aesthetic impression of the aquarium tank and the fish and plants kept in it.


In a semiconductor device, a FET and an isolation are provided on a semiconductor substrate and a channel stop region is provided under the isolation. At least a region to which a high voltage is applied of a source region and a drain region of the FET is separated from the channel stop region, and a first buffer region doped with an impurity for adjusting the threshold level is provided therebetween. A region under a gate electrode and adjacent to the isolation serves as a second buffer region to which an impurity for adjusting the threshold level is doped. With the first buffer region, a depletion region at a boundary of the drain region and the channel stop region is ensured, obtaining a superior durability to high voltage of the source/drain region. With the second buffer region, leakage current between the source region and the drain region is prevented.

This invention relates to a construction of a semiconductor device having a field-effect transistor (hereinafter referred to it as FET), and a manufacturing method thereof.
A conventional semiconductor device having a FET (especially, MOSFET having a gate insulating Film) is shown in FIG. 12. In detail, a gate electrode 12 is provided on a silicon substrate 10 of a conductive type via a gate insulating film. A gate region 17 to which an impurity for adjusting threshold, namely an impurity of the same conductive type as that of the silicon substrate 10 is doped, is formed under the gate electrode 12 in the silicon substrate 10. A drain region 16 and a source region 15 are doped with an impurity of an inverse conductive type to that of the silicon substrate 10 and are formed on sides of the gate electrode 12 in the silicon substrate 10. Under such a construction, a current between source and drain is adjusted according to a bias voltage to the gate electrode 12. Each isolation 11 such as LOCOS is provided so as to electrically insulate a region Rfet at which the MOSFET is to be formed from other regions. Further, a channel stop region 13a to which an impurity is doped is provided under the isolation 11 to ensure the characteristic of isolation.
FIGS. 13(a)-(e) show a manufacturing process of an n-channel MOSFET of such FETs.
First, as shown in FIG. 13(a), a silicon nitride layer 31 open to a region 31a at which an isolation is to be formed is formed on a p-type silicon substrate 10 (or p-well), and a p-type impurity (boron, or the like) for forming the channel stop region is implanted.
Next, as shown in FIG. 13(b), the isolation 11 made of LOCOS is formed at the open part 31a of the silicon nitride layer 31 by thermal oxidation. At this time, the p-type impurity which is previously implanted is diffused to form the channel stop region 13a.
Then, as shown in FIG. 13(c), after removing the silicon nitride layer 31, a silicon oxide layer 33 is formed on the silicon substrate 10 and phosphorous, as an impurity for adjusting threshold, is implanted thereover. Wherein, the region at which other elements such as the p-channel MOSFET are to be formed is covered with a photoresist mask.
Then, as shown in FIG. 13(d), after removing the silicon oxide layer 33, a clean gate insulating film 18 (silicon oxide layer or double layer of silicon oxide layer and silicon nitride layer) is formed and a gate electrode 12 made of polysilicon is formed thereon.
Then, as shown in FIG. 13(e), an impurity, whose density is high, of the inverse conductive type to the silicon substrate 10, e.g. arsenic, is implanted to form a source region 15 and a drain region 16, using, as masks, the gate electrode 12 and a photoresist mask 32 open to a region surrounded by the isolation 11.
When the isolation 11 is wide and thick enough in such a MOSFET which is not so highly integrated, the impurity density of the channel stop region 13a is not necessarily so high, and about 5.times.10.sup.16 cm.sup.-3 is enough impurity density to obtain an excellent characteristic of element isolation. However, isolation becomes narrower accompanied by high-density elements, so that growth of the thick oxide layer in the narrower isolation is difficult and unfavorable in view of reduction of step difference. The oxide layer of the isolation should be thin. However, such a thin oxide layer of the isolation makes the isolation characteristic lowered unless the impurity density of the channel stop region 13a is high. For example, with 0.6 .mu. isolation width and oxide layer of 300 nm thickness, the impurity density of the channel stop region 13a must be higher than about 1.times.10.sup.17 cm.sup.-3 to ensure the characteristic of isolation. When the impurity density is about 5.times.10.sup.16 cm.sup.-3 a durability to high voltage at a boundary between the channel stop region 13a (p-type) and the drain region 16 (n-type), i.e. a P-N junction part is not lowered. However, when the impurity density of the channel stop region 13a is about 1.times.10.sup.17 cm.sup.-3 the durability to high voltage at the P-N junction part is lowered because a depletion region is prevented from dispersion.
In order to solve this problem, Japanese Patent Application Laying Open Gazette No.3-283574 discloses a construction shown in FIGS. 14(a)-(d). FIG. 14(a)) is a plan view of the semiconductor device, FIGS. 14(b), (c) and (d) are respectively sections taken along lines XIVb--XIVb, XIVc--XIVc and XIVd--XIVd. Each figure shows that the channel stop region 13a is offset to a side of the isolation 11 by a set distance from the isolation 11, instead of the channel stop region 13a having comparatively high impurity density being provided on the whole region under the isolation 11. In other words, an offset region 20 having low impurity density over a set width is formed between the end part of the isolation 11 and the channel stop region 13a. In this way, by providing the offset region 20 of low impurity density, the dispersion of depletion region and the durability to high voltage at the P-N junction part are ensured.
Another proposal is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laying Open Gazette No.2-15672 as shown in FIGS. 15(a)-(d). FIG. 15(a) is a plan view of the semiconductor device, FIG. 15(b),(c) and (d) are respectively sections taken along lines XVb--XVb, XVc--XVc and XVd--XVd. Each figure shows that a part 22 adjacent to the drain region 16 of an overlap region 21 where the isolation 11 and the gate electrode 12 overlap each other is a part of the offset region 20 to which an impurity is lightly doped. Wherein, a part 23 adjacent to the source region 15 of the overlap region 21 is not a part of the offset region 20 but a part of the channel stop region 13a to which an impurity is comparatively-lightly doped.
The above semiconductor devices, however, have following problems.
Referring to the construction according to the former reference, in FIG. 14(c), at the overlap region 21 between the isolation 11 and the gate electrode 12, the low-density impurity (e.g. boron of p-type impurity in n-channel FET) in the offset region 20 is diffused into the isolation 11 to lower the density of a face-boundary of the offset region 20 when thermal oxidation of silicon is conducted to form the isolation 11. When an inversion layer is generated because of further lowering of the impurity density of the offset region 20, a leakage current may occur between the drain region 16 and the source region 15 via the overlap region 21. Also, in the process, a side wall spacer must be provided at each side wall of the silicon nitride layer 31 for forming LOCOS in order to form the offset region 20 (refer to FIG. 2(c) in the reference), which needs two additional steps for forming and removing the side wall spacer.
Referring to the latter reference, in the overlap region 21 where the end part of the isolation 11 and gate electrode 12 overlap each other, the channel stop region 13a is extended to a part 23 excepting a part 22 adjacent to the drain region 16, so that the inversion layer at the part 23 is prevented and the leakage current between drain and source is also prevented.
In this case, however, as well as in the case of the former reference, since the channel stop region 13a is formed in such a shape, a photoresist mask having a special shape must be formed, which needs an additional step. Further, in order to define the part 22 adjacent to the drain region 16 and the part 23 adjacent to the source region 15 in the overlap region 21 where the end part of the isolation 11 and the gate electrode 12 overlap each other, a mask for patterning the silicon nitride layer and a mask for forming the gate electrode must be aligned accurately. However, the gate electrode is getting narrower and narrower in width accompanied by micro-fabrication of transistor, which results in difficult alignment.

Semiconductor device and manufacturing method thereof

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


In various aspects of the disclosure, a semiconductor device including at least one semiconductor die; a dielectric layer adjoining the semiconductor die; geometric structures formed in the dielectric layer; and a conductive layer deposited over the dielectric layer, wherein the conductive layer is at least partially located over the geometric structures.

Today, fabrication of integrated circuit devices usually includes the formation of metal bond pads at the surface of the device. There are sometimes problems with adhesion of the metal bond pads to the underlying dielectric surfaces. It may be useful to improve the adhesion of metal bond pads to such surfaces.

Production of adhesion structures in dielectric layers using photoprocess technology and devices incorporating adhesion structures