A machine motion trajectory measuring device for measuring the motion trajectory of a machine used in an apparatus which controls the position of the machine by feeding back a detected position obtained by converting the rotation angles of motors for a plurality of movable axes and then driving the motors such that the detected position follows a commanded position is provided. The machine motion trajectory measuring device includes accelerometers for measuring the acceleration of the machine; and a motion trajectory measuring unit that measures the motion trajectory of the machine by obtaining the position of the machine by integrating the acceleration twice and correcting the position of the machine such that the profile of the position of the machine coincides with the profile of the detected position or the profile of an estimated position estimated using a model for simulating the response of the position of the machine to the commanded position.

In a numerically controlled machine tool or robot, motors are driven to achieve machine motion along a plurality of movable axes so that the machine position is controlled to a commanded position as precisely as possible. In this case, an error may occur between the commanded position and the actual machine position because of the influence of machine vibrations and frictional force during reversal of the direction of motion. Therefore, the surface being machined, for example, may be damaged. If such a problem occurs, the machine motion trajectory is measured to find the cause of the problem, and various parameters of a controller for controlling the motors are adjusted. A plurality of methods of measuring and displaying the machine motion trajectory are known.
In the method shown in Patent Literature 1, two high-precision steel balls are connected through a displacement gage, and the displacement when the balls are moved such that the relative distance therebetween is held constant (i.e., along an arc) is read. This method is called a ball bar method and is widely used.
Non Patent Literature 1 shows a method of measuring a motion trajectory in a machine tool using a measuring device called a cross grid encoder. In the measurement using the cross grid encoder, a scale including two orthogonally intersecting optical gratings disposed on a glass substrate and a detection head including two light-receiving units disposed so as to be orthogonal to the respective optical gratings of the scale are used to allow the measurement of two-dimensional relative displacement.
With the method shown in Patent Literature 2, three pairs of an air slide and a linear scale are combined orthogonally to allow the measurement of three-dimensional relative displacement. Patent Literature 3 shows a method of measuring the error between a machine position determined expediently from feedback signals and a machine position designated by a control unit.

Machine motion trajectory measuring device, numerically controlled machine tool, and machine motion trajectory measuring method


A method for extracting company names from textual information uses a combination of heuristics, exception lists, and extensive corpus analysis. The method first locates company name suffixes (i.e., Company, Corporation) and attempts to locate the beginning of the company name. The method works on both mixed-case text and capitalized text. Upon identification of a company name, the method proceeds to generate variations of the name for later extraction.

The present invention relates generally to automated information retrieval, and more particularly to a system and method for extracting company names from text.
One of the major problems in the accurate analysis of natural language is the presence of unknown words, especially names. While names account for a large percentage of the unknowns in a text, they can also be the most important piece of information in a text; for what the text is about (topic analysis), for extracting information from text (data base generation), and for indexing a text for full-text retrieval.
Company names are particularly important for knowledge-based financial applications. With mixed case input, a program can easily extract company names by looking backward from a company name indicator (i.e., Incorporated, Corporation, etc.) to the first non-capitalized word. This simple heuristic fails to correctly identify approximately 10% of real company names and fails entirely with upper case input.
What is needed is a more accurate method which extracts company names from mixed case text and which also works for upper case text.

Method for extracting company names from text


This vehicle control device 10 is provided with: a current gear stage selection unit 13 which, on the basis of the travel resistance of the vehicle, selects a current gear stage, which is the gear stage of the vehicle in the current travel segment where the vehicle is traveling; a next gear stage selection unit 16 which selects a next gear stage, which will be the gear stage of the vehicle in the next travel segment, forwards in the travel direction of the vehicle, having a road slope different from that of the current travel segment; and a shift control unit 17 which, if during travel of the vehicle in the current travel segment in the current gear stage, the current gear stage selection unit 13 has newly selected a target gear stage higher than the next gear stage, controls shifting such that upshifting from the current gear stage to the target gear stage is suppressed and the current gear stage is maintained. If, in a state in which upshifting is suppressed, the engine rotation speed reaches or exceeds a prescribed value during travel in the current travel segment, the shift control unit 17 controls shifting so as to upshift to the target gear stage without suppression of upshifting.

There has been proposed a technique for setting a shift schedule, in which fuel consumption amount is minimized in a travel route based on road information of a travel route from a current position of a vehicle to a target position thereof and drive force of the vehicle in the travel route (see PTL 1).

Vehicle control device and vehicle control method


A system and method for correcting short term irradiance prediction for control of a photovoltaic power station includes an irradiance data manager that generates an observed irradiance curve based on irradiance measurements received from an irradiation sensor, and a reference curve generation engine that generates a reference curve representative of irradiance values for a clear sky day. An irradiance prediction engine generates an irradiance prediction curve based on image segmentation and motion filtering of cloud pixels in sky images. A prediction correction engine corrects the irradiance prediction curve within a short term future time interval based on probabilistic analysis of time segmented intervals of the observed irradiance curve, the reference curve, and the irradiance prediction curve.

A photovoltaic (PV) power station relies on accurate prediction of cloud obstruction of the sun for stability and efficiency of power delivery. The benefits of near-term or short term cloud forecast system is manifold. The power forecasts can be used as input for the Energy Management System (EMS) for optimizing the State of Charge (SoC) of the storage devices (e.g., batteries). Distribution System Operators (DSOs) and Transmission System Operators (TSOs) also rely on forecasts to handle the uncertainty and fluctuations of the PV distributed generators connected to their grids. Short term forecasts allow DSOs and TSOs to cope with the intermittent nature of PV plants, avoiding problems in balancing power generation and load demand, to enhance the stability of the system, and reduce the cost of ancillary services. Forecasting also helps in reducing the cost of operation of the entire power system by lowering the number of units in hot standby by allowing efficient solar energy trading and more efficient and secure management of power grids.
In high PV penetration systems (i.e., systems with a ratio of total peak PV power to peak load apparent power), short term intermittency due to clouds leads to disruptions and grid instability from sudden drops in PV output. The integration of short term cloud prediction technology with the solar power stations has been shown to increase the yield of off-grid solar power stations, allowing operators to increase PV output due to the knowledge that there will not be any short term drops due to cloud shadows. As a result, operators may reduce their reliance on expensive alternative options, such as batteries or ongoing spinning reserve from local diesel generators. In addition to upfront cost of these management strategies, inherent inefficiencies can reduce overall yield, such as the power lost in the recharge/discharge process when using batteries or the unused power that is created with running diesel generators for spinning reserve. In some cases when these backup solutions are not available, remote solar power stations have to reduce their overall output, regardless of the amount of solar resource, to ensure that there are no sudden solar power station output variances that may be detrimental to the local grid. With a reliable short term cloud forecast system, solar operators have an accurate understanding of the risk of sudden solar variance occurring in the next 2-5 minutes. Consequently, even without battery backup or extra spinning reserve, off grid power stations can operate without curtailment and with confidence that a cloud shadow will not cause a sudden drop in PV output in the near future.
Light cloud cover of the sun can reduce solar generated power by up to 30% as compared to cloudless conditions. In case of dense cloud cover of sun, the yield could decrease by as much as 75%. Unfortunately, the state-of-art geostationary satellite-based forecast approaches are restricted by their spatial and temporal resolution and are too coarse for very short term forecast applications. The cloud dynamics in a local area and within a short time horizon, say 20 minutes, cannot be accurately predicted by any state-of-the-art computational model. A camera-based system can potentially provide high temporal and spatial resolution hemispherical information of the cloud cover by taking the sky pictures continuously every few seconds.
To predict cloud coverage, computer vision techniques are a useful tool, such as image segmentation of cloud pixels. Due to variations in sky conditions, time of day and of year, etc., accurately identifying clouds in images is a very challenging task. A particularly difficult area for sky image segmentation is the region nearest the sun, where intensity saturation and optical artifacts (e.g., glare) are present. A generally adequate classifier that is good in general may not work well for this area. In many cases, glares are mistakenly identified as clouds while most of the sky is clear. These misclassifications disrupt the short term forecast and often lead to false alarms or missed detections in the control systems described above for PV installations.
For clear sky solar irradiance estimation, models and implementations have been proposed, ranging from considering only the geometric configuration and astronomical parameters to including atmospheric state such as air pressure, temperature, relative humidity, aerosol content, Rayleigh scattering ozone, aerosols, and perceptible water. Unfortunately, due to stochastic astronomical and atmospheric conditions and possibly unknown and unmodeled factors, the existing estimation methods for the solar irradiance are not accurate enough to avoid false alarms and to meet the above-described demands of a PV power station.

Automatic generation of reference curves for improved short term irradiation prediction in PV power generation


A semiconductor device is formed by first providing a dual gate semiconductor device structure having FET pair precursors, which includes an nFET precursor and a pFET precursor, wherein each of the nFET precursor and the pFET precursor includes a dummy gate structure. At least one protective layer is deposited across the FET pair precursors, leaving the dummy gate structures exposed. The dummy gate structure is removed from one of the nFET precursor and the pFET precursor to create therein one of an nFET gate hole and a pFET gate hole, respectively. A fill is deposited into the formed one of the nFET gate hole and the pFET gate.

1. Field of the Invention
The field of the present invention is semiconductor fabrication, particularly CMOS semiconductor fabrication in which preformed dummy gates are selectively removed.
2. Background
One major drawback of fabricating metal gate CMOS semiconductors using replacement gate or semi-replacement gate methods is the challenges presented by ground rule requirements. Specifically, the n to p spacing, in an SRAM for example, makes removing the dummy gate from one FET while being selective to the other FET difficult at best. However, even with these challenges, certain CMOS fabrication processes may find replacement gate or semi-replacement gate methods advantageous, thereby enabling removal of the dummy gate from one FET while being selective of the other FET.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Self-aligned metal gate CMOS with metal base layer and dummy gate structure


The present invention relates to a fishing simulation method, a fishing simulation execution method, and a fishing simulator, and more specifically, to a fishing simulation method, a fishing simulation execution method, and a fishing simulator, in which a fishing activity procedure of detecting a fish school, gathering fish, and catching the fish can be realized in a three-dimensional virtual space of a computer, and a fishery environment and fishing activity simulated in the computer virtual space comes to be similar to a real fishery environment and fishing activity by simulating the behavior of the fish school, including an avoidance behavior of fish entities forming the fish school, responding to the movement of a fishing boat and a fishing gear, thereby enhancing learning effects on the fishery environment and the fishing activity.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a simulation method for fish detection and capture process, a fishing simulation execution method, and a fishing simulator, and more specifically, to a fishing simulation method, a fishing simulation execution method, and a fishing simulator, in which a fishing activity procedure of detecting a fish school, gathering fish, and catching the fish can be realized in a three-dimensional virtual space of a computer, and a fishery environment and fishing activity simulated in the computer virtual space comes to be similar to a real fishery environment and fishing activity by simulating the behavior of the fish school, including an avoidance behavior of fish entities forming the fish school, responding to the movement of a fishing boat and a fishing gear, thereby enhancing learning effects on the fishery environment and the fishing activity.
2. Background of the Related Art
Recently, simulators that implement a simulation target in a computer virtual space are developed and used in a variety of fields such as vehicles, airplanes, vessels, and the like in order to determine design conditions or improve operating capability thereof.
Since such a simulator has the characteristics of changing various conditions, as well as reducing time and costs, in designing, experimenting, and operating a simulation target, there occurs frequently the case where the simulator is particularly applied to a large-scaled target or a system more than a certain scale.
Particularly, trawl fisheries, seine fisheries, long line fisheries, and the like performed at costal and adjacent sea fisheries, deep sea fisheries, and the like are large-scale fisheries targeting a fish school larger than a certain scale, in which a fishing activity is performed by complexly associating fishery environment, fishing boat movement, fishing gear movement, fish school behavior, and the like with each other. In addition, fish should be caught by accurately controlling fishing gears in accordance to the behavior of the fish school. Therefore, acquisition of expertise on fishing boats and fishing gears and capability of operating those are important for effective fishing activities.
It is general that the ability of controlling a fishing boat and fishing gears is directly learned and acquired through actual experiences of fishing activities in the sea. However, since this needs to practice towing a fishing gear using a fishing boat, a large amount of time and cost is required, and although it is skilled to handle the fishing gears, the scale of a fishing gear varies depending on the volume of a fishing boat (net towing horse power), and each fishing gear has different features depending on the type of the fishing gear. Therefore, it is difficult to learn all of the fishing gears and acquire the ability of operating them.
Since it requires a long time period and expenditure of costs to learn and to be skilled in fishing activities as described above, development of simulators for fishing activities is in progress in a variety of forms. However, most of fishing activity simulators in the prior art are analog-based techniques using mechanical equipment and simply simulate fishing boat movement. Furthermore, fishing gear movement for catching fish is at a level of simply implementing the movement in a two-dimensional space, and fish school behavior responding to the fishing gears, which configures a fishery environment, is not simulated, and thus there is a problem in that it is difficult to simulate a fishing activity similar to a real situation.

Fishing simulation method, fishing simulation execution method, and fishing simulator


A reclosable dispenser is provided which includes a receptacle, preferably a unitarily molded plastic thermoform, for holding dry goods such as cotton swabs and a reclosable lid hingedly attached to the receptacle. The lid has a cover substantially co-extensive with the open top of the receptacle and includes a cover with a flap extension at an end thereof oriented perpendicular to the cover. A slot in the flap extension lockingly receives a rigid tab formed along a flange atop a front wall of the receptacle. The tab and slot arrangement allows for easy opening but secure closure of the dispenser.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention concerns a reclosable dispenser, especially for dispensing cotton swabs.
2. The Related Art
Cotton swabs and other types of multi-unit dry goods have been sold in a great variety of packages. Particularly common packaging for cotton swabs is a clear thermoformed blister pack with paperboard backing that closes an open face of the blister. Perforations in the paperboard allow upon tearing a consumer's entry into the package for removal of product. The flap formed by the tear along the perforation is difficult, if not impossible, to reseal.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,549,200 (Cowan et al.) provides one solution to this problem. A blister pack with totally peelable top face is placed within a clear, hard plastic outer case with movable lid. When empty, the blister pack is replaced with a refill. The outer box is retained for reuse. Although a significant advance, the outer box is expensive and heavy. This system is best utilized in institutions rather than in the low volume usage of individual consumers. Better dispensing systems are necessary.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a reclosable dispenser for use with many types of dry goods, but especially cotton swabs, which is relatively inexpensive to manufacture.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a reclosable dispenser for dry goods, especially cotton swabs, which in its open position allows access to more than a single unit or swab.
These and other objects of the present invention will become more apparent through consideration of the following summary and detailed discussion.

Chesebrough-Pond's USA Co., Division of Conopco, Inc.


A drilling casing includes a casing wall and several sand control apparatuses disposed on the casing wall in a spacing. Each sand control apparatus includes a sand control net, a sealing steel sheet and a sealing rubber plug. A plurality of mutually-paralleled sand control meshes are disposed on the sand control net. The sand control mesh exactly faces the sealing steel sheet. The sand control net is connected with the sealing steel sheet through a steel pin. Further, a method of performing fast drilling and completion of a large-borehole multilateral well by the drilling casing includes forming a main borehole by drilling to a destination well depth at one time with a large-size drill bit, drilling a lateral borehole in a natural gas hydrate reservoir by using the drilling casing, and taking out the drill bit for completion. The method is applicable to various natural gas hydrate extraction manners.

Natural gas hydrate is an ice-like solid formed by natural gas and water under the condition of a temperature and a pressure. The natural gas hydrate, commonly known as combustible ice, is mainly distributed in sediments at a depth of 0-1100 m under a seabed of a continental margin. The natural gas hydrate features wide distribution, a huge reserve and a high energy density, and thus has a broad development prospect as a potential energy capable of replacing a traditional fossil energy.
At present, the natural gas hydrate is mainly extracted by the following methods: a heat-transfer excitation extraction method, a depressurization extraction method, a chemical reagent injection method, a carbon dioxide displacement method, a solid-state fluidization extraction method, and the like. Due to complex formation of the natural gas hydrate deposit and complex geological conditions, mechanical properties of a hydrate-containing formation take change during the processes of well drilling, well completion and gas extraction performed with these methods, resulting in serious sand production problem. Further, during drilling or completion operations, collapse often occurs due to loose overburden rock layers, affecting progress of a work period. In this case, drilling and completion take longer work period, more time and more labor. At present, the above problem has to be solved urgently in order to perform safe and efficient extraction of the natural gas hydrate.
By searching existing technical patent literatures at home and abroad, it is found that there is no patent relating to well drilling and completion technology for completely solving the problem at present.

Drilling casing and method of performing fast drilling and completion of large-borehole multilateral well

CHINA UNIVERSITY OF PETROLEUM (EAST CHINA)


The present invention aims to solve problems involved in the formation of a conductive or insulating layer in a pattern form by photolithography, i.e., an environmental problem associated with handling a solvent and a problem associated with wastewater treatment in the development with an aqueous alkaline solution. A method for forming a conductive layer (an anode bus 3) or an insulating layer (a barrier 1) on a glass substrate by photolithography using a photosensitive slurry solution prepared by mixing a low-melting glass powder as a binder and a conductive or insulating powder into a PVA-based, water-soluble photosensitive solution, wherein the content of B.sub.2 O.sub.3 component in the whole low-melting glass powder is closely regulated to not more than 6% by weight. This enables coating without gelation of PVA. Unlike the conventional photolithography using a solvent type photosensitive slurry, the method of the present invention can solve the environmental problem associated with handling a solvent and the problem associated with wastewater treatment in the development with an aqueous alkaline solution.

The present invention relates to a technique which can be applied mainly to a self-luminescent gas discharge display panel comprising a glass substrate bearing a conductive layer and an insulating layer and, further, to a thermal head comprising glass having a conductive layer and a heater used in a rear window of automobiles. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method for forming a conductive or insulating layer in a pattern form on a glass substrate by photolithography.
The present invention will now be described by taking a DC-type gas discharge display panel as an example.
FIG. 1 is an embodiment of the construction of a DC-type plasma display panel (hereinafter referred to as "PDP"). In the DC-type PDP, a flat front plate (not shown) and a back plate (not shown) each formed of an insulating material, such as glass, are provided parallel to and so as to face each other. A barrier 1 is fixed on the inner side of the back plate in a direction orthogonal to the back plate. This barrier 1 serves to provide a certain gap between the front plate and the back plate. A cathode 2 is formed on the inner side of the front plate. On the other hand, an anode bus 3 and a resistor 4 are provided on the inner side of the back plate in a direction orthogonal to the cathode 2. Further, a pad 5 is provided on the resistor 4, and a fluorescent screen 6 is provided adjacent to the side face of the pad 5. The anode bus 3 is generally formed of gold or silver, the resistor 4 is generally formed of ruthenium, and the cathode 2 is generally formed of nickel or the like.
In the DC-type PDP having the above construction, the application of a predetermined voltage from a direct current power supply across the pad 5 and the cathode 2 creates an electric field, causing discharge within each discharge cell 7 defined by the front plate, the back plate, and the barrier 1. The discharge produces ultraviolet light which renders the fluorescent screen 6 luminous, and a viewer perceives the light passing through the front plate.
Screen printing is known as a method for forming an anode bus 3 and a barrier 1 on a back plate of PDP having a structure shown in FIG. 1. Another method known in the art is photolithography wherein a low-melting glass powder and a conductive or insulating powder are added to a photosensitive solution using an organic solvent as a solvent system to prepare a photosensitive slurry which is then coated on a glass substrate, dried, exposed, and developed with an aqueous alkaline solution to form a desired pattern. Further, as a method for forming the anode bus 3, a technique is known wherein a conductive paste is screen-printed to provide a solid print which is fired and then etched.
In an attempt to increase the size and fineness in PDP, the possible finest anode bus and barrier attained by the conventional screen printing are about 100 .mu.m in width. Further, the conventional method has a problem that elongation and strain in a screen plate render the pattern inaccurate. This problem brings about a local difference in resistance between the anode bus and the pad, resulting in uneven discharge characteristics. On the other hand, the technique where an anode bus is formed by etching suffers from a complicated production process and, in addition, poses a problem of wastewater treatment involved in the etching.
In view of the above problems, photolithography is considered suitable for the formation of a conductive or insulating layer. The above conventional photolithography involves an environmental problem, which unavoidably occurs in handling a solvent, and a problem of wastewater treatment associated with the development with an aqueous alkaline solution.


A photodetector module that can achieve impedance matching and power saving. A photodetector (11) and an amplifier (12) for amplifying an electric signal from the photodetector (11) are mounted on a stem (14). A dielectric plate (18) is arranged between the stem (14) and a flexible substrate (20). To transfer an electric signal from the amplifier (12) to the substrate (20), a lead pin (15d) is provided to pass through the stem (14) and the dielectric plate (18). The output of the amplifier (12) includes a capacitance component, and the output impedance of the amplifier (12) is higher than the impedance that matches with the substrate (20). Further, the thickness d of the dielectric plate (18) is such that the inductance component of the lead pin (15d) includes an inductance component that is inductive, which cancels the capacitance component of the amplifier, and impedance matching with the substrate (20) can be achieved.

For photodetector modules, technology has been developed for achieving impedance matching with a substrate to which the photodetector module is connected. An example of such technology is described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, Laid-Open No. H11-238916 (hereinafter referred to as Patent Document 1).
In order to prevent degradation of a high-frequency response characteristic due to an inductance component of a lead pin (leading pin) for connecting such a module to a substrate, the Patent Document 1 proposes to remove the inductance component by placing a metal sleeve on the periphery of the lead pin to form a coaxial line consisting of the lead pin and the metal sleeve.

Photodetector module with impedance matching


Vectors are quantized by representing the vectors by quantized values using a codebook having granular regions which are based on a coset code, and which lie inside a boundary region which is based on another coset code, the boundary region being other than an N-cube and other than the Voronoi region of a sublattice .LAMBDA..sub.b =M.LAMBDA..sub.g of a lattic .LAMBDA..sub.g upon which the granular regions may have been based.

This invention relates to quantization.
Quantization is the process of approximating a sequence of continuous-amplitude samples by a quantized sequence that can be represented by a finite-rate digital data sequence (e.g., a bit sequence) for purposes of digital transmission or storage. The primary performance criteria in quantization are the average distortion between the original signal and the quantized sequence, and the average number R of bits used to represent each sample (the bit rate).
Scalar quantization is the simplest form of quantization. In scalar quantization, successive samples are quantized independently. In a uniform scalar quantizer, the discrete quantization levels are uniformly spaced along the real line. For a source characterized by a uniform probability distribution, the uniform scalar quantizer is the optimum scalar quantizer. But for a source with a nonuniform distribution, a nonuniform scalar quantizer can produce lower distortion by allocating more quantization levels to regions where the source samples are more likely to fall. A nonuniform scalar quantizer can perform significantly better than a uniform scalar quantizer, particularly at high rates and for sources whose probability distributions exhibit long tails. Optimum nonuniform scalar quantizers can be determined using a well-known iterative algorithm, described by J. Max in "Quantizing for Minimum Distortion", IRE Trans. Inform. Theory, 1960.
Even the best nonuniform scalar quantizer usually falls short of the best possible performance, called the rate-distortion limit described by T. Berger in "Rate Distortion Theory", Prentice Hall, 1971. In order to close this gap, multiple source samples must be quantized jointly; this is called vector quantization.
An N-dimensional, rate-R vector quantizer uses a codebook with 2.sup.NR quantization levels or codewords in N-space. Optimum codebooks must satisfy so-called Voronoi and centroid conditions. These necessary conditions can be used in iterative design algorithms (e.g., the K-means algorithm) to generate codebooks from training sequences as described by Linde, Buzo and Gray in "An Algorithm for Vector Quantizer Design", IEEE Trans. Communications, 1980. Such codebooks have local optimality properties, but they usually lack structure, and therefore their computational and storage complexities both grow exponentially with the rate R and dimensionality N.
A lattice quantizer uses a codebook whose codewords are the vectors from an N-dimensional lattice that lie within some region of N-space, called the boundary region. A lattice quantizer uses a minimum-distance decoding algorithm that finds the lattice vector that is closest to the source vector. Efficient decoding algorithms are known for many good N-dimensional lattices.
However, according to asymptotic quantization theory (A. Gersho, "Asymptotically optimal block quantization", IEEE Trans. on Information Theory, 1972), to reach the minimum achievable distoration at fixed dimensionality and asymptotically increasing rate, it is essential to use codebooks whose codeword density is approximately proportional to the source probability distribution. However, for lattice quantizers, the distribution of code sequences is more or less uniform within the boundary region. (For example, a uniform scalar quantizer is a one-dimensional lattice quantizer which is strictly inferior compared to the optimum scalar quantizer.) In higher dimensions this suboptimality tends to disappear because of the effect of the law of large numbers; for example, for memoryless Gaussian sources, `sphere-hardening` causes the source distribution to be approximately uniform over a sphere, in which case a lattice quantizer bounded by a sphere becomes approximately optimum. But if complexity considerations necessitate the use of lower dimensionality, lattice quantization techniques need to be modified if performance near the asymptotic quantization theory bounds is to be achieved.
Known application of lattices to quantization has been limited to memoryless sources with uniform distributions. In that special case the optimum boundary region is an N-cube, and it is not necessary to store the codewords. For nonuniform sources, however, lattice quantizers have not been widely used, because if optimum codebook boundaries are to be employed (e.g., spheres in the case of Gaussian sources), it becomes necessary to store all the codewords.
A method due to Conway and Sloane "A fast encoding method for lattices and quantizers", IEEE, Trans. Inform. Theory, 1983, addresses this problem, at the expense of increased computational complexity, by using the Voronoi region of a large-scale integer-multiple of the lattice as the boundary region. The resulting codebook is called a Voronoi code. The code sequences need not be stored; rather, there is a mapping algorithm that involves a decoding of the large-scale lattice. The Conway and Sloane method is limited to Voronoi regions that are scaled integer multiples of the granular quantization cell. More generally, while Voronoi regions can be good choices as boundary regions for memoryless Gaussian sources, they may not be appropriate for non-Gaussian sources.
Other types of structured codebooks have also been proposed for vector quantization in order to reduce implementation complexity.
In so-called binary tree-searched vector quantization, (Buzo, et al., "Speech coding based upon vector quantization", IEEE Trans. ASSP, 1980), the codebook is constructed with a tree of NR stages; the i'th stage defines a pseudo-codebook with 2.sup.i codewords and the last (NRth) stage represents the true codebook. Starting at the initial node of the tree, the tree-structured quantizer operates on the source vector in a stage-by-stage fashion by selecting the pseudo-codewords that minimize the distortion; it refines its decisions as it moves along the tree, until the true codeword is specified in the final stage. In this method the quantizing complexity is proportional to the rate-dimension product NR rather than to 2.sup.NR. Also, the performance of this method is usually close to that of full-search unstructured vector quantization. Unfortunately, its storage complexity is even worse than that of full-search vector quantization, because of the need to store the pseudo-codebooks, and this limits its practical application.
There are alternative structures that can reduce the computational as well as the storage complexity, but at the expense of increased distortion. One of these structures is called a multi-stage vector quantizer (Juang and Gray, Jr., "Multiple-stage vector quantization for speech coding", Proc. of ICASSP, 1982). In the simplest case of two stages, a multi-stage vector quantizer consists of a coarse quantizer of rate R.sub.1 and a granular quantizer of rate R.sub.2, typically both if dimensionality N, such that R.sub.1 +R.sub.2 =R. The source vector is first quantized by the coarse quantizer, and the resulting residual (quantization error) is then quantized by the granular quantizer. The sum of the outputs of the coarse and granular quantizers is the codeword. In a two-stage quantizer, the computational and storage complexities are both proportional to 2.sup.NR 1+2.sup.NR 2, which can be substantially smaller than 2.sup.NR. However, performance is typically not very good, for two reasons: a.) depending on the quantization level chosen by the coarse quantizer, the residuals can exhibit different statistics, which cannot be effectively quantized by a fixed granular quantizer; b.) different quantization levels of the coarse quantizer have different probabilities, so a variable-rate granular quantizer is necessary to exploit these variations.
A way to alleviate the first factor is to transform the residuals by a linear transformation that depends on the quantization level chosen by the coarse quantizer, at the expense of increased storage and computational complexity (Roucos, Schwartz and Makhoul "Segment quantization for very low-rate speech coding", Proc. ICASSP, 1982.)
A seemingly different quantization method known as piecewise uniform quantization can also be viewed as a form of multi-stage vector quantization (Kuhlman and Bucklew, "Piecewise uniform vector quantizers", IEEE Trans. Inform. Theory, Sept.. 1988, and Swaszek, "Unrestricted multi-stage vector quantizers" Inform. Theory Symposium, 1990), that can alleviate the second problem. A piecewise uniform quantizer is a two-stage vector quantizer in which the granular quantizer is a lattic quantizer, with a rate that is varied based on the output of the coarse quantizer. The implementation complexity of the granular quantizer is determined by the decoding complexity of the underlying lattice, and its codewords need not be stored, provided that the coarse quantizer has quantization regions that can be characterized as N-cubes.
Piecewise uniform quantization is effective when the rate and/or the dimensionality is high, so that within any coarse quantization region the residuals are approximately uniformly distributed. Then these residuals can be effectively quantized with a uniform quantizer whose points are chosen from a lattice and whose codebook boundary is an N-cube. But since the granular quantizer has variable rate, implementing piecewise uniform quantizers requires novel mapping rules for addressing codewords in a way that produces a constant bit rate. Also, sometimes it may be desirable to implement piecewise uniform quantizers with coarse quantizers whose decision regions are not simple N-cubes.
Another method for reducing the computational and storage complexities of full-search vector quantizers is product quantization. In this method, the input vector is written as the product of two components of dimensionality N.sub.1 and N.sub.2, and these are quantized at rates R.sub.1 and R.sub.2, either independently or sequentially.
An interesting form of product quantization is spherical vector quantization, where the norm of the source vector is quantized with a first quantizer (typically, scalar) and the orientation of the source vector is quantized with a second quantizer whose codewords lie on the surface of an N-sphere (Adoul and Barth, "Nearest Neighbor Algorithm for Spherical Codes from the Leech Lattice", IEEE, Trans. Inform. Theory, 1988). The encoding complexity of the spherical quantizer is simplified by observing that its codewords can be generated as permutations of a small number of so-called class leaders. Quantizing can be performed by first permuting the source vector so that its components are in descending order, and then computing the distortions only to the class leaders. Spherical quantization is practical for low-rate encoding of Gaussian sources. A similar technique, known as pyramid quantization, has been developed for Laplacian sources, Fischer, "A pyramid vector quantizer", IEEE Trans. Inform. Theory, 1986.
In a method called trellis-coded quantization (TCQ), (Marcellin and Fischer, "Trellis-coded quantization of memoryless and Gauss-Markov sources", IEEE. Trans. on Commun., 1990), the codewords are sequences chosen from a trellis code. In the simplest one-dimensional case, the trellis code is constructed from a scalar nonuniform quantizer with an expanded number of levels partitioned into subsets. A convolutional code specifies the code sequences, and a Viterbi algorithm decoder is used to select the code sequence that best matches the input sequence. By increasing the complexity of the trellis code, TCQ can provide good performance for uniform or Gaussian sources. For sources whose probability distributions exhibit long tails, alternative methods are necessary to improve the performance. This latter limitation of TCQ is due to the fact that it scales its granular regions based on the one-dimensional source probability distribution rather than multi-dimensional joint probability distributions, as would be required by the asymptotic quantization theory.


Method of optical measuring the microrelief of an object using a modulation interference microscope. An input coherent monochromatic polarized light flux is split into an object light beam exposing the object and a reference beam. The light flux intensity is redistributed between the object and reference beams. Thereafter, polarization modulation is performed separately for the object beam and the reference beam. The polarized object beam is reflected onto the object plane to expose the object field. Amplitude modulation is performed by changing the intensity ratio between the object beam and the reference beam. A fraction of the light at a pixel caused by the object beam with respect to the total light falling on the pixel is determined.

A method for visualizing an object microrelief is known, which method includes steps of: exposing the microobject field to a coherent, monochromatic radiation, and converting the radiation reflected from the object into electrical signals corresponding to image points (USSR Author's Certificate No 1734066, Int. Cl. G02B 21/00, 1992).
This method allows to achieve a spatial resolution exceeding significantly the resolution limit of classical amplitude microscopes.
However, it allows to obtain high spatial resolution only for a small number of relatively simple objects being monomaterial and having simple geometry.
The disadvantages of said method are as follows:                it is impossible to interpret sensibly an object phase image, even with a moderate resolution, in the presence of materials at the object surface, having different optical parameters;        it is impossible to investigate highly informative distribution of optical material constants of the microobject surface layer.
A micro-ellipsometer is known, which allows to perform a method for determining the object microrelief and surface layer optical features (Interferometrical Profilometry at Surfaces with Varying Materials, H. Jennewein, H. Gottschling, T. Ganz and T. Tschudi, Proceedings of SPIE: Metrology, Inspection and Process Control for Microlithography XIII, Vol. 3677 II (1999) p. 1009).
In the known method parameters of the microobject relief and a complex refractive index of the surface layer are measured simultaneously. The method allows to take into account and compensate for the particular case of stepped relief the effect of value of local complex refractive index to nominal values of relief height.
The disadvantages of this known method are as follows:                it has a low lateral resolution both in regard to the distribution of the refractive index and in regard to the relief parameters;        it is impossible to perform a procedure of the simultaneous research of the material and geometrical parameters for the common type relieves and for optically anisotropic materials;        the mentioned method has a low accuracy in determining optical constants.
The method closest to the proposed one by the technical essence is a method for determining the object microrelief and optical properties of the surface layer, which method includes steps of: performing a polarization modulation; splitting an input coherent, monochromatic polarized light flux into an object light beam exposing the object field through the microlens, and a reference light beam; performing a phase modulation of the reference beam; performing an interference mixing of the light beams; extracting two mutually orthogonal components of the polarization and obtaining an interferogram; selecting a minimum fragment (pixel) of said interferogram; converting an average illumination of said fragment into respective electric signals; determining phases and amplitudes of a variable component of the phase modulation signal; calculating the values of phases, amplitudes and polarization parameters of the light falling onto the pixel from the object beam; and calculating optical material constants of the surface layer of the object (Russian Patent No. 2029976, Int. Cl. G02B 21/00, 1995).
However, the known method has a low accuracy in determining the optical constants due to impossibility to ensure an exposure of the object to a polarized light with a high extinction, and in the case of dark and poorly reflecting objects this method has a low spatial resolution in determining both the relief parameters and optical material constant distribution caused by absence of possibility to equalize the pixel exposures from the reference and object beams.
The device closest to the proposed one by the technical essence is a modulation interference microscope comprising: a laser, a phase modulator, a polarization modulator, and also a telescope, analyzer and photodetector mounted along a single optical axis, and a control generator, a signal processing unit, a controller designed to be connected to a computer through an exchange bus. The signal processing unit comprises a meter of the signal variable component amplitude and a phase meter (Russian Patent No 2029976, Int. Cl. G02B 21/00, 1995).
However, the known microscope does not allow a high accuracy in measuring the optical constants due to a low extinction of the electrooptical polarization modulator, and additional decreasing of that extinction at the cost of twofold passing of the light beams through the lens system of the microlens and lack of possibility to ensure the optimum mode of modulation.
The known microscope has the resolution levels unbalanced by the phase and polarization, which does not allow to obtain a high spatial resolution of the optical constant distribution. The known microscope does not allow to perform the controlled redistribution of the light intensity in the object and reference beams, which does not allow to equalize the given pixel exposure from said beams, thereby decreasing the relative value of the modulation signal variable component and deteriorating all parameters of accuracy and resolution.
This disadvantage is particularly actual for dark objects and for objects having poorly reflecting surface, for example, for fluids.

Method for measuring the microrelief of an object and optical characteristics of near-surface layer, modulation interference microscope for carrying out said method


A gate forming process includes the following steps. A gate dielectric layer is formed on a substrate. A barrier layer is formed on the gate dielectric layer. A silicon seed layer and a silicon layer are sequentially and directly formed on the barrier layer, wherein the silicon seed layer and the silicon layer are formed by different precursors.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a gate and a gate forming process, and more specifically to a gate and a gate forming process relating to a silicon layer on a barrier layer.
2. Description of the Prior Art
With increasing miniaturization of semiconductor devices, various multi-gate MOSFET devices have been developed. The multi-gate MOSFET is advantageous for the following reasons. First, manufacturing processes of multi-gate MOSFET devices can be integrated into traditional logic device processes, and thus are more compatible. In addition, since the three-dimensional structure of the multi-gate MOSFET increases the overlapping area between the gate and the substrate, the channel region is controlled more effectively. This therefore reduces drain-induced barrier lowering (DIBL) effect and short channel effect. Moreover, the channel region is longer for the same gate length. Therefore, the current between the source and the drain is increased.
Poly-silicon is conventionally used as a gate electrode in semiconductor devices, such as multi-gate MOSFET devices. With the trend towards scaling down the size of semiconductor devices, however, conventional poly-silicon gates face problems such as inferior performance due to boron penetration and unavoidable depletion effect. This increases the equivalent thickness of the gate dielectric layer, reduces gate capacitance, and worsens a driving force of the devices. Therefore, work function metals that are suitable for use as a high-K gate dielectric layer are used to replace the conventional poly-silicon gate as the control electrode.
Multilayers on the high-K gate dielectric layer, such as work function metals or barrier layers between the work function metals and the high-K gate dielectric layer, will have ingredients diffusing toward the high-K gate dielectric layer which degrade the high-K gate dielectric layer. As the size of semiconductor devices is scaled down, these problems may decrease processing yields or even make a formed device unable to approach the electrical requirements.


An efficient auxiliary engine combustion system is capable of controlling the emission of exhausted carbon and other exhaust matter by improving the combustion efficiency of engines by installing the system to the air intake pipe or fuel feeding pipe or both. The auxiliary engine combustion system has a belt shaped cover in which a first metal plate, rubber plate, second metal plate, capacitor and third copper plate are therein aligned and contained. Between the first metal copper plate and second metal plate lies a capacitor. A first terminal of the capacitor is affixed to the first metal plate. A second terminal is affixed to second metal plate. Static electricity charges the capacitor to provide a positive charge to neutralize and decompose concentrations of negative ions entrained in the incoming air or fuel flow.

Carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, black smoke, and other undesirable materials are exhausted from various types of conventional internal combustion engines such as diesel, gasoline and other fueled engines installed on vehicles, aircraft, vessels and the like. Such exhausted gases and particulates are one of the causes of air pollution, and the control of these emissions poses a considerable problem.
Various negative ions exist in an electrically cohesive condition within the air inducted by the air intake lines and manifolds and within the fuel provided by fuel delivery lines. The negative ions in the air/fuel mixture are usually grouped together to form a relatively large structure. For example, O.sub.2 molecules in the intake air are often grouped in O.sub.12 molecular structures. Further, H.sub.2 O molecules often form H.sub.24 O.sub.12 structures. Moreover, hydrocarbons are well known to be collective and form large structures. As these negative ions flow into the combustion chamber in these large, collective structures, it is believed and understood that these electrically cohesive negative ions result in the incomplete combustion of the fuel and air mixture within the combustion chamber, as well as decreasing combustion efficiency, and thereby encourage the emission of carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, black smoke and other exhaust constituents sought to be controlled.

Efficient auxiliary engine combustion system


A mouse is provided with a slider which is used to control the scrolling of an image on a computer screen. The slider is preferably movable in two opposing directions from a rest position with the direction and amount of movement of the slider controlling the direction and rate of image scrolling.

The present invention relates to a computer mouse for entering data into a computer and more particularly to a computer mouse which has a slider control which regulates the scrolling of an image on a display screen of a computer.
The ubiquitous computer mouse has considerably enhanced the productivity of computer users. The functions and operations of a computer mouse are well known in the art and will not be repeated herein. However, some control functions of the computer which the mouse is capable of performing require conjunctive action such as the operation of a selection switch on the mouse coupled with movement of the mouse (so called drag and drop function) in order to scroll or move images on a computer screen. This conjunctive action is sometimes awkward for novice computer users or small children. Accordingly, efforts have been made to simplify the operations which a user is required to perform in order to have the mouse perform a scrolling operation.
Once such effort is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,530,455. This patent discloses a computer mouse having a roller ball thereon which is operable by a computer user to scroll a display image. However, a roller can be continued to be rotated far beyond a desired scrolled image on the screen thus potentially providing an incorrect or awkward scrolling function for a user. Accordingly, a simplified mechanism for scrolling a computer image would be desirable.
The invention provides a simplified mechanism for scrolling a mouse which employs a slider which slides along a body of a mouse and which is easily maneuvered by a finger of a user to scroll an image and without requiring a conjunctive operation of a selection switch and movement of the mouse body.
The slider, which moves relative to the mouse body, provides data signals representing the amount of movement of the slider relative to the mouse body as well as a direction of movement of the slider. This data is in turn provided to a mouse driver which interprets the data and provides scrolling data to an operating system of the computer which controls image scrolling.
With the invention a user merely needs to move the slider in a first or second direction to control scrolling in an upward or downward direction and can control the rate of scrolling by the amount of movement of the slider from its rest position.
These and other advantages and features of the invention will be more readily understood from the following detailed description of the invention which is provided in connection with the accompanying drawings.

Mouse with slider control for computer scrolling


The present invention relates to processes for the preparation of (3R, 5R)-7-[2-(4-fluorophenyl)-5-isopropyl-3-phenyl-4-[(4-hydroxy methyl phenyl amino)carbonyl]-pyrrol-1-yl]-3,5-dihydroxy-heptanoic acid hemi calcium salt.

(3R,5R)-7-[2-(4-fluorophenyl)-5-isopropyl-3-phenyl-4-[(4-hydroxy methyl phenyl amino)carbonyl]-pyrrol-1-yl]-3,5-dihydroxy-heptanoic acid hemi calcium salt acts an inhibitor of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase, a coenzyme catalyzing the intracellular synthesis of cholesterol, and thus is useful as hypolipidemic and hypocholesterolemic agent, as discussed in PCT Publication No. 04/106299.
Cardiovascular disease and its associated maladies, dysfunctions and complications are a principal cause of disability and the chief cause of death. One specific factor significantly contributing to this pathophysiologic process is atherosclerosis, which has been generally recognized as the leading health care problem both with respect to mortality and health care costs.
Atherosclerosis is characterized by the deposition of fatty substances, primarily cholesterol, resulting in plaque formation on the inner surface of the arterial wall and degenerative change to the arteries. It is now well established that cardiovascular disorders including myocardial infarction, coronary heart disease, hypertension and hypotension, cerebrovascular disorders including stroke, cerebral thrombosis and memory loss due to stroke; peripheral vascular disease and intestinal infarction are caused by blockage of arteries and arterioles by atherosclerotic plaque. Atherosclerotic plaque formation is multi-factorial in its production. Hypercholesterolemia, especially elevated levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL), is an important risk factor for atherosclerosis and arteriosclerosis and associated diseases.
The HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors (statins) have been used in reducing blood levels of LDL cholesterol. Cholesterol is produced via the mevalonic acid pathway. Reducing the formation of mevalonic acid, a precursor to cholesterol, leads to a corresponding decrease in hepatic cholesterol biosynthesis with a reduction in the cellular pool of cholesterol.
A synthetic procedure for preparing (3R,5R)-7-[2-(4-fluorophenyl)-5-isopropyl-3-phenyl-4-[(4-hydroxy methyl phenyl amino) carbonyl]-pyrrol-1-yl]-3,5-dihydroxy-heptanoic acid hemi calcium salt has been disclosed in PCT Publication No. WO 04/106299. The aforementioned procedure involves multiple steps involving selective hydrolysis of two chemically similar functionalities e.g. hydrolysis of methyl ester in the presence of tert. -butyl ester, and reduction with sodium borohydride in the presence of iodine or with borane dimethyl sulphide which are expensive reagents and are air- and moisture-sensitive, hence difficult to handle.

Process for preparation of (3R,5R)-7-[2-(4-fluorophenyl)-5-isopropyl-3-phenyl-4-[(4-hydroxy methyl phenyl amino) carbonyl]-pyrrol-1-yl]-3,5-dihydroxy-heptanoic acid hemi calcium salt


An installation of optical inspection of integrated circuits or the like includes a photographic system placed above a scene in a plane defined by a first and a second direction, the photographic system having several digital cameras each having an orthogonal array of pixels, all cameras having their respective optical axes inclined by a first angle with respect to a third direction perpendicular to the two others; and two projectors of determined patterns, these patterns being such that two straight lines projected by each of the projectors are aligned in the plane defined by the first two directions and are coplanar with a straight line interconnecting the optical centers of the two projectors.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to optical inspection systems and, more specifically, to systems for the in-line analysis of electronic circuits. The present invention more specifically relates to systems equipped with digital cameras.
2. Discussion of Prior Art
FIG. 1 schematically shows an installation of the type to which the present invention applies as an example. Electronic circuits IC, for example supported by a printed circuit board ICC, are placed, for example, on a conveyor of an in-line optical inspection installation. Such an installation comprises a system 2 of digital cameras, connected to an image processing computer system 3. Conveyor 1 is capable of moving in a plane X, Y (generally horizontal) and, for a series of photographs, in one of the two directions only, that is, direction X.
To decrease processing costs, it is generally desired to compensate for a limited quality of the images by a digital processing of these images. In particular, it has already been provided to compensate for a low camera resolution by taking several images, slightly offset with respect to one another in both directions of the plane and by implementing a so-called super-resolution technique.
For example, document WO2009/090633 describes an inspection installation using an array network of several digital cameras which is displaced with respect to the photographed object to implement a super-resolution technique. To increase the image resolution in both directions of the plane by means of such a system, a camera network must be used and displaced, either in both directions of the plane, or in an oblique direction with respect to the conveying direction. This complicates the system mechanism and increases its cost due to the accuracy required for the drive motors.
Another object of some optical inspection systems is to obtain three-dimensional images. An installation such as described in the above-mentioned document is not adapted to the reconstruction of three-dimensional images.
It would be desirable to have an installation for analyzing objects of integrated circuit type by image processing, which allows the use of a lesser number of cameras than conventional system, with no loss of resolution.
It would also be desirable to have an installation adapted to three-dimensional analysis.
It would also be desirable to have a system of low cost as compared with known solutions.

3D inspection using cameras and projectors with multiple-line patterns


A semifinished product with a sacrificial structure and two component carriers releasably formed on opposing main surfaces of the sacrificial structure. The sacrificial structure includes a central structure and releasing layers on or over both opposing main surfaces of the central structure The central structure includes a dummy core being covered, in particular fully, on or over both main surfaces thereof with a respective one of two spatially separated sections of separate material, in particular separate dielectric material.

Along with the development of electronic industries, electronic products have a trend towards miniaturization and high performance, and accordingly multi-layer boards are developed so as to increase the layout area for the layout through interlayer connection techniques, and meet demands for high-density integrated circuits and meanwhile reduce the thickness of packaging substrates.
Conventionally, a component carrier comprises a core board and built-up structures disposed on two sides of the core board. However, the use of the core board increases the length of wires and thickness of the overall structure. Accordingly, coreless component carriers are developed to overcome these drawbacks, thereby meeting the developmental trend of high frequency and miniaturization.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,227,711 discloses a coreless packaging substrate which includes a substrate body including an auxiliary dielectric layer having opposing first and second surfaces, an inner wiring formed on the second surface, and a built-up structure formed on both the second surface of the auxiliary dielectric layer and the inner wiring. A plurality of conductive bumps including metal pillars having opposing first and second ends and a solder layer formed on the first end are provided, wherein the second ends of the metal pillars are disposed in the auxiliary dielectric layer and electrically connecting with the inner wiring, and the first ends of the metal pillars with the solder layer protrude from the first surface of the auxiliary dielectric layer, thereby achieving ultra-fine pitch and even-height conductive bumps.
US 2007/0124924 discloses a method of manufacturing a wiring substrate including the steps of obtaining a temporary substrate from a prepreg, and concurrently attaching a metal foil onto at least one surface of the temporary substrate, by disposing the metal foil on a prepreg through an underlying layer interposed between them, in a way that the underlying layer is disposed in a wiring formation region on the prepreg, and the metal foil having a size larger than that of the underlying layer is caused to contact with an outer peripheral portion of the wiring formation region, and then by hardening the prepreg with heating and pressurization, forming a build-up wiring layer on the metal foil, and obtaining a wiring member in which the build-up wiring layer is formed on the metal foil, by cutting out a portion of structure in which the underlying layer, the metal foil and the build-up wiring layer are formed on the temporary substrate, the portion corresponding to a peripheral portion of the underlying layer, and thus by separating the metal foil from the temporary substrate.
JP 2006 332115 relates to the problem to provide a process for producing a coreless wiring board in which the surface of a substrate can be roughened easily, and to provide a coreless wiring board thus produced in which fluidity of underfill material is improved. In a correspondingly disclosed process for producing a coreless wiring board, a multilayer sheet body (with multilayer wiring portion) is formed on a reinforcement substrate, and then the multilayer wiring portion is stripped from the reinforcement substrate thus facilitating production. Since an adhesion Cu foil having a surface roughened through roughening is employed, a first dielectric layer provided in tight contact therewith also has a major surface of sufficient roughness.
Although existing methods of manufacturing coreless component carriers are powerful, there is still room for improvement in terms of increasing the reliability of the manufactured component carriers. More specifically, conventionally manufactured component carriers may suffer from undesired delamination or decontamination of individual layers of the component carriers.

Sacrificial structure with dummy core and two sections of separate material thereon for manufacturing component carriers


A forming die apparatus includes a first die on which a die surface is formed and a second die for pressing a workpiece placed on the first die. At least one of the first die and the second die is configured by assembling a plurality of die members. Each die member has a concave side surface facing another die member.

The present invention relates to a forming die apparatus that presses a workpiece using two dies that are brought toward and away from each other and to a die member of the forming die apparatus.
Typically, separators used in fuel cells are formed by, as shown in FIG. 6, providing a plate 31 made of a corrosion-resistance metal, such as titanium, with contiguous grooves and protrusions 32. The grooves and protrusions 32 define passages thorough which coolant or gas of hydrogen or oxygen flows.
When forming such a separator for a fuel cell, a forming die apparatus as shown in FIG. 7 is conventionally used, for example. The forming die apparatus includes a lower die 33 and an upper die 34. The lower die 33 has on the upper surface a die surface 331 with grooves and protrusions, and the upper die 34 has on the lower surface a die surface 341 on which grooves and protrusions are formed to correspond to the die surface 331 of the lower die 33. The upper die 34 is arranged above the lower die 33 to be brought toward and away from the lower die 33. With a plate 31, which is a workpiece, placed on the die surface 331 of the lower die 33, the upper die 34 is brought toward the lower die 33 to press the plate 31 between the die surfaces 331, 341 of the dies 33, 34, so that the grooves and protrusions 32 are formed on the plate 31.
When producing the lower die 33 and the upper die 34 of the forming die apparatus, the surface of a die material made of super hard metal, such as high-speed steel, is cut to form the die surfaces 331, 341 having grooves and protrusions. When forming the die surfaces 331, 341, a cutting tool is used to cut the die material along a direction in which the grooves and protrusions on the die surfaces 331, 341 extend. Since the die material is made of super hard metal, the cutting tool becomes dull at an early point due to wear. Thus, it is difficult to continuously cut a long distance in the extending direction of the grooves and protrusions on the die surfaces 331, 341. If a worn cutting tool is replaced by a new cutting tool in the middle of cutting operation, the shape of a surface being cut significantly changes between before and after the replacement. This is highly likely to degrade the accuracy of the die surfaces 331, 341.
To deal with such a problem, a forming die apparatus as illustrated in FIG. 8 has conventionally been proposed. The forming die apparatus has a lower die 33 formed by die members 35, which are separate rectangular columns. The die members 35 are assembled on a base 36 and fitted in a frame 37. According to this configuration, limited parts of the end faces of the die members 35 are cut individually. Thus, problems due to wear of the cutting tool are less likely to occur. In addition, the die surface 331 with grooves and protrusions can be easily formed by joining the cut surfaces. Although not illustrated, the upper die of the forming die apparatus is configured by assembling die members as in the case of the lower die 33.
On the other hand, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2008-296262 discloses a press machine of die-quench method, in which heated steel material is pressed by upper and lower dies. The lower die of the press machine is formed by separate die blocks, so that expansion and contraction of the lower die as a whole due to temperature changes are suppressed. The die blocks are arranged side by side on a base with a clearance between the die blocks. In press operation, thermal expansion of the die blocks is absorbed by the clearances between the die blocks.


A voice recognition apparatus is provided which includes a first detection circuit for receiving an electric signal corresponding to voice. The first detection circuit detects a voice termination point representing a time at which the input of the electric signal corresponding to the voice is terminated based on the electric signal. The apparatus further includes a second detection circuit for determining a speech period, the speech period being a period in which the voice is uttered within a whole period in which the voice is input, based on the electric signal. In addition, the apparatus includes a feature amount extracting circuit for producing a feature amount vector, on the basis of a part of the electric signal corresponding to the speech period. A memory is provided for storing feature amount vectors for a plurality of voice candidates which are previously generated. The apparatus further includes a circuit for recognizing the input voice, by comparing the feature amount vector from the feature amount extracting circuit with each of the feature amount vectors of the plurality of voice candidates stored in the memory. The speech period is determined by a detection of a speech period start point representing a time at which an utterance is started and a detection of a speech period termination point representing a time at which the utterance is terminated.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a game apparatus which can be operated by voice, an input device for inputting an image of a mouth or lips and/or voice, and a voice response apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 34 shows an example of a conventional game apparatus. In accordance with this game apparatus, an operator uses a remote controller including a radio transmitter at his/her hand in order to operate an airship 7 including a radio receiver. As shown in FIG. 34, such a conventional game apparatus generally employs joy sticks 161 incorporated in the remote controller, with which the operator operates the desired object (airship) 7. When the operator moves the joy sticks 161, the respective angles thereof are detected by angle detection sections 162 and 163, and are converted into electric signals so as to be input to a control section 164. The control section 164 outputs a radio control signal for controlling the movements of the airship 7 in accordance with the angles of the joy sticks 161.
However, the use of the joy sticks 161, as required by conventional game apparatuses, does not allow a natural operation by humans (operators). This has presented problems in that it takes time for an operator to acquire proficiency in the operation and that quick reaction cannot always be achieved as required. In another instance of a game apparatus such that an operator operates a balloon equipped with a driving apparatus rather than an airship, the movements of the balloon are also controlled in the above-mentioned manner so that there is a problem in that the movements become non-animate or inorganic, thereby ruining the "human" feel inherent to balloons.
On the other hand, there has been proposed an apparatus for recognizing the voice of an operator by inputting an image of the mouth or lips of the operator. However, such an apparatus requires sophisticated optical system lenses, thereby increasing the size and scale of the entire apparatus as well as being expensive.

Voice recognition and voice response apparatus using speech period start point and termination point

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


A polycarbonate resin composition comprising 1 to 99% by weight of a branched polycarbonate having a branched nucleus structure derived from a branching agent represented by the general formula: ##STR1## wherein R is a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group having 1 to 5 carbon atoms, and R.sup.1 to R.sup.6 are hydrogen atoms, alkyl groups having 1 to 5 carbon atoms or halogen atoms, respectively, and 99 to 1% by weight of a thermoplastic polyester resin. The polycarbonate resin composition is excellent in fluidability, solvent resistance and moldability.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a polycarbonate resin composition, and more particularly to a polycarbonate resin which has an improved fluidability and solvent resistance in addition to the mechanical properties of conventional polycarbonate resin compositions, and is excellent in moldability, particularly in blow moldability.
2. Description of the Related Arts
Processes for production of polycarbonate using phloroglucine or trimellitic acid as a branching agent have heretofore been known, as disclosed in for example, Japanese Patent Publication Nos. 17149/1969, and 11733/1985. Use of these branching agents, however, suffers from a disadvantage in that a trace amount of unreacted matter is apt to cause coloring.
In Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 45318/1984, 1,1,1-tris(4-hydroxyphenyl)ethans is proposed to be used as a branching agent. However, the specification of U.S. Pat. No. 4,415,723 discloses that the polymer obtained by using this branching agent is colored to pals yellowish green in Comparative Example A, and suggests the use of a branching agent such as 1,1,2-tris(4-hydroxyphanyl)ethans and 1,1,2-tris(4-hydroxyphenyl)propane. Yet the process disclosed in the above U.S. Pat. No. 4,415,723 cannot completely solve the problems of coloring.
It is known that when a polycarbonate is branched for blow molding, its impact resistance decreases. Accordingly, development of a branched polycarbonate with high impact resistance had been required.
The present inventors' group had investigated from such points of view, and succeeded in solving the problem of hue to develop a branched polycarbonate suitable for blow molding which have acetone-soluble matter of not more than 3.5% by weight and an improved impact-strength (Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 182524/1991).


This drop tube loading arm assembly is adaptable for loading asphalt into tank trailers at marketing terminals. The telescoping drop tube employs guides made of steel rollers of polymers such as fluorocarbon polymers and aluminum. The guides are located in the annular space between the tubes in combination with increased radial clearance between the tubes or sleeves and in combination with protection for the overfill probe. With the addition of vapor control systems and overfill protection probes, the telescoping drop loading spouts are less susceptible to cold weather sticking problems.

The present relates to volatile liquid storage tanks and more particularly to such tanks having apparatus for reducing vapor generation when the tank is filing from the upper or top side of the tank. These tanks could include asphalt terminals, tank trucks, above ground petroleum fuel tanks, chemical storage tanks, mobile liquid storage containers, and the like. The focus of this invention will be on filling tank trucks from asphalt terminals. The invention, however, has application with other tank types as well.
Tanks can be mounted on tanker trucks or located underground at service stations. Tanker trucks are typically filled with the fluids using pumping equipment at the loading racks of marketing terminals, and underground storage tanks are typically gravity-filled from the trucks. An overfill protection device is used with each tank to disable the pumping equipment at the marketing terminals or to close a truck-mounted flow valve at the service station when the limit of the recipient tank's capacity is reached.
Detection probes are placed near sources such as gasoline or asphalt storage tanks. The probes are connected by wires to a central monitoring station which monitors the probe status. These detection probes include overfill probes.
Asphalt loading arms have a history of cold weather sticking problems. Two and three stage telescoping drop tube loading arms have been used in the past to meet this problem. Both trailers and spouts could be positioned in marketing terminals to save lane time. The telescoping drop spouts were less susceptible to cold sticking problems due to the geometry being a direct drop.
With the addition of vapor control systems and overfill protection probes, the telescoping drop loading spout configuration became more complex. The vapor control telescoping loading spouts frequently had smaller annular clearances between tubes. In colder weather, sticking problems occurred due to the smaller annular clearances. Other problems surfaced as well.


A refrigerator having a door that includes a liquid dispensing system. A gas cylinder mounted on the refrigerator provides regulated gas flow to ports on the dispensing system. A bottle with a dispense head attached then can have liquid displaced by utilization of a valve component of the dispense head.

Currently, refrigerators are increasingly incorporating devices to provide added functionality to users. For example, refrigerator or freezer doors now may be found with lights, ice and water dispensers, access hatches to allow quicker access to snack supplies, display screens, etc. There remains a strong motivation to provide increased functionality for home refrigerators.
One such functionality is beverage dispensers. For example, many consumers drink wine. Given that some wine can be quite expensive, users commonly take some care to make sure that the wine is properly stored. For example, if a bottle of wine is opened, the wine will react with the air, which can degrade the wine. Some devices are currently in use to preserve wine after a bottle has been opened. Such devices commonly displace the air within the bottle with a gas (for example, Nitrogen) that will not react with the wine or alter the taste of the wine. Beverage dispensers have been developed that can both ensure that the wine is stored such that the wine does not react and degrade, and allow the wine to be dispensed. For example, Napa Technology (Santa Clara, Calif.) makes a wine dispensing machine sold under the name WINESTATION®. This system is described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,712,631 which is hereby incorporated by reference for all purposes herein. This system allows preservation of the wine to minimize degradation of the wine, and allows a controlled dispensing of selected quantities of wine.
It is an object of the invention to provide a refrigerator with wine dispensing functionality.


Physical layer quality of service is provided for a wireless communication system by operationally adapting the physical layer format to the quality of service requirements of transmitted data. The physical layer formats for the data packets are selected based on the quality of service requirements of the data packets. Control information defining the formats is transmitted across the wireless communication link and the data packets are transmitted using the selected physical layer formats.

Wireless communications is becoming increasingly important, with wireless systems finding their way into every growing numbers of applications. At the same time, increasing demands are being made on wireless communications systems. Modern telecommunications systems are often expected to handle a wide variety of data types. For example, communications systems may be asked to carry voice, computer data, image files, video, and similar types of data. Such communications systems are sometimes referred to as multimedia communications systems. In some cases, communications systems that were initially designed to carry only one type of data are being asked to carry additional types of data. For example, cellular voice systems have extended to include data transmission (e.g., text messaging and email) and are now being further extended to provide internet access and video transmission.
The differing data types in a multimedia communication system often have different requirements as to how they are handled by the system. For example, voice data is typically quite sensitive to latency, and end-to-end transport delays of less than about 150 milliseconds are often desirable. Voice data is also relatively tolerant of errors, and thus occasional transmission errors are typically acceptable. In contrast, computer data can have widely varying requirements, depending on the application. Some data is relatively time insensitive, and delays of many seconds are acceptable, while other data is worthless if not received within fractions of a second. Computer data must often be transferred error free. In additional to latency and error rate, other performance characteristics are often important in a communication system.
The term "quality of service" (QoS) refers to system performance characteristics that are desired. For example, QoS requirements can be defined in terms of performance characteristics such as data rate, transport delay, transport delay variability (jitter), data (packet) loss probability, data bit error probability, undetected error rate, round-trip delay, or like characteristics. While the foregoing parameters are primarily applicable to digital data, QoS characteristics can be defined in terms more traditionally associated with analog signals, such as signal-to-noise ratio, signal-to-interference ratio, transport channel frequency response, level of echo, and like characteristics. The foregoing list is not intended to be exhaustive, and other performance characteristics not mentioned above may be included within the definition of a particular QoS.
Wireless communications systems can prove particularly challenging when used for multimedia communications. The wireless communication channel is inherently unreliable and changing, and can experience errors, loss of data, interference, as well as significantly differing conditions on paths to different sources and destinations. Considerable research and development has been expended in addressing these challenges. While optimal solutions are known to some theoretical communications problems, most systems designs have generally represented a number of sub-optimal compromises. In particular, most wireless system designs have been optimized for one particular type of data, and provide sub-optimal performance when used for other types of data. Most wireless systems deployed to date use a fixed physical layer format, which is optimized for one data type, and other data types are made to fit within the system characteristics. While such designs have achieved significant market success, there is increasing desire for wireless communications systems to provide good performance for a mixture of data types.

Physical layer quality of service for wireless communications


A cardiac probe employs a dynamic mounting element that supports one or more electrodes at its distal end in relatively constant surface contact against the expanding and contact endocardial surface.

Cardiac mapping is used to locate aberrant electrical pathways and currents emanating within the heart. The aberrant pathways cause the contractions of the heart muscle to take on peculiar and life threatening patterns or dysrhythmias.
Intracardiac mapping requires the careful positioning of an array of multiple electrodes within the heart. Various structures for these multiple electrode mapping arrays have been developed or proposed.
For example, Hess U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,573,473 and 4,690,148 and Desai U.S. Pat. No. 4,940,064 show the use of generally planar mapping arrays. Chilson U.S. Pat. No. 4,699,147 shows the use of a three dimensional basket mapping array. Gelinas U.S. Pat. No. 4,522,212 shows a spring apart array of electrode supporting fingers.
Regardless of the type of mapping array used, the physician is called upon to remotely move and manipulate the array within the heart in various ways. First, the physician must maneuver the array through a main vein or artery into a selected heart chamber. Then, the physician must locate the array at the desired endocardial location. Then, the physician must further move the array at the desire location to assure that all aberrant electrical pathways, if present, are located.
The development of prior mapping arrays has focused upon the requirements of mapping function itself. The prior development has overlooked the important need to continuously and variously move and manipulate the mapping array before, during, and after the mapping function.

Cardiac probe with dynamic support for maintaining constant surface contact during heart systole and diastole


In a radio optical fusion communication system with the integration of an optical fiber transmission path and a radio propagation path, wherein by first and second light sources, an intermediate-frequency signal generating means for generating a modulating signal at an intermediate frequency band, a modulator for modulating an optical signal from the first light source into an SSB modulated optical signal using the intermediate-frequency signal, and an optical mixer for mixing the modulated optical signal with the optical signal from the second light source to obtain an optical transmission signal in a base station, the frequency of either of the optical signals is controlled such that the difference in frequency between the optical signals is a desired frequency of a modulated radio signal, thus switching the frequency channel of the modulated radio signal in the radio propagation path.

The present inventors have researched and proposed a radio optical fusion communication system with an integration of optical fiber transmission and a radio communication. Particularly, in a method proposed by the present inventors, optical signals are generated using a first laser light source and a second laser light source of different wavelengths, the first optical signal is modulated into an unsuppressed-carrier single-sideband (SSB) or double-sideband (DSB) modulated optical signal using an intermediate-frequency signal, the modulated signal is mixed with the second optical signal, and the resultant optical signal is transmitted.
The optical signal is opto-electrically converted to generate an unmodulated carrier and a modulated radio signal. In a radio propagation path, upon receiving, multiplication components of the unmodulated carrier and the modulated radio signal are obtained to extract an intermediate-frequency converted signal and the signal is then demodulated.
In the above-described self-heterodyne transmission method, a received signal can be stably reproduced. In addition, signals can be transmitted from a base station to an antenna station over a several-km optical fiber transmission path with low loss. Accordingly, a preferred communication system can be realized.
FIG. 10 is a diagram of the structure of a radio optical fusion communication system based on the above-described method. As shown in the diagram, the system includes a base station (100), a remote antenna station (110), and a receiving terminal (120). The base station (100) is connected to the remote antenna station (110) via an optical fiber transmission path (130). The remote antenna station (110) is connected to the receiving terminal (120) via a radio propagation path (131).
The base station (100) includes a first laser light source (101) for single-mode oscillation at an oscillation frequency f1 (Hz), a second laser light source (102) for single-mode oscillation at an oscillation frequency f2 (Hz), and an intermediate-frequency signal generator (103) for generating an intermediate-frequency modulating signal, which is modulated based on information signal data to be transmitted.
An intermediate-frequency signal having an intermediate frequency f_m (Hz) generated from the intermediate-frequency signal generator (103) is supplied as a modulating signal to an optical modulator (104) in the base station (100). The optical modulator (104) modulates a first optical signal from the first laser light source (101) into signal light. In this structure, a suppressed-carrier optical single-sideband (optical SSB) modulator is used as the optical modulator (104). Accordingly, an image suppressed signal with carrier is obtained.
A second optical signal from the second laser light source (102) is supplied to an optical mixer (105) without being modulated. The optical mixer (105) mixes the second optical signal with the optical signal supplied from the optical modulator (104). An optical spectrum (140) in the optical fiber transmission path (130) is shown in the figure. In other words, the spectrum includes a second optical signal (141) having the frequency f2 (Hz), a first optical signal (142) having the frequency f1 (Hz), and a modulating signal (143) having a frequency f1+f_m (Hz).
In the remote antenna station (110) connected to the base station via the optical fiber transmission path (130), an opto-electric transducer (111) performs squared detection on the received optical signal. An amplifier (112) amplifies the resultant signal. The amplified signal is released from an antenna (113) into the air.
A spectrum (144) of this radio signal is shown in the figure. In other words, the signal is an image suppressed signal with a carrier frequency of f1-f2 (Hz) (e.g., a millimeter-wave frequency).
In the present method, the remote antenna station (110) does not need a radio-frequency filter for eliminating a lower sideband and the receiving terminal (120) does not require an oscillator, leading to a reduction in cost.
In the receiving terminal (120), the signal is received through an antenna (121) and is supplied to an amplifier and a band pass filter which are not shown. A detector (122) detects the signal using squared detection and supplies the detected signal to a signal demodulator (123). Multiplication two components of an unmodulated carrier (145) and a modulated radio signal component (146) of the radio signal (144) is obtained, so that an intermediate-frequency signal is reproduced. The intermediate-frequency signal is supplied to the signal demodulator (123) and is then demodulated, thus obtaining the information signal data.
To utilize the above-described radio optical fusion communication system in a multi-cell environment, it is preferred to reuse frequencies and switch a radio frequency channel in terms of interference between adjacent cells. However, there is no proposed method for switching a radio frequency channel.
The present invention is made in consideration of problems of the above-described related art and an object of the present invention is to provide a technique for easily switching a radio frequency channel at high speed.

Method for changing frequency and base station in radio optical fusion communication system

National Institute of Information and Communications Technology, Incorporated Administrative Agency