A copolymer of an aromatic anhydride and an aliphatic ester suitable for use in surgical devices and a process for making said copolymer.

This invention relates to copolymers of aromatic anhydrides and aliphatic esters. More specifically, it relates to copolymers of aromatic anhydrides and aliphatic esters particularly well suited for melt processing to prepare biomedical devices, especially wound closure devices.
Polymers of aliphatic and aromatic anhydrides have been extensively studied for many years. As long ago as the 1930's, Carothers had prepared a series of aliphatic polyanhydrides for use as fibers in the textile industry (see J. Am. Chem. Soc., 54, 1569 (1932)). Later, in the mid 1950's, Conix was able to synthesize aromatic polyanhydrides with improved film and fiber forming properties (see J. Polym. Sci., 29 343 (1958)). However, these early attempts to make polyanhydrides with outstanding properties were unsuccessful because these polyanhydrides exhibited poor thermal and hydrolytic stability. Therefore, during this time, no commercial applications of polyanhydrides were found.
More recently polyanhydrides with sustained drug release properties have been made. U.S. Pat. No. 4,757,128, and Domb et al., J. of Polymer Sci., 25, 3373 (1987), disclose the preparation of polyanhydrides from pure, isolated prepolymers of diacids and acetic acid under well defined polymerization reaction conditions of temperature and time, optionally in the presence of a coordination catalyst. The molecular weight of the polyanhydrides prepared from the isolated prepolymers is reported to be higher than that achieved when an unisolated prepolymer mixture is used. However, as stated by Domb et al., the polyanhydrides depolymerize to form a rubbery gel if the polymerization temperature is maintained at elevated temperatures for an extended period of time.
The synthesis techniques described by Domb have lead to the use of polyanhydrides as biodegradable matrices for the controlled release of biologically active substances. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,857,311, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,888,176. One of the factors which make a polyanhydride particularly well suited as a biodegradable matrix is that it breaks down into biocompatible degradation products based on the monomeric diacids when exposed to moist bodily tissue for extended periods of time. These biocompatible degradation products can be readily passed through the tissue without any significant tissue response or harm to the digestive or vascular systems.
Recent attempts have been made to optimize the synthesis of anhydride copolymers. Specifically, anhydride copolymers which will exhibit longer release and degradation times when used as a matrix for drug release have been studied. U.S. Pat. No. 4,789,724 describes preparing copolymers from individually prepared, isolated prepolymers. Domb, Macromolecules, 25, 12 (1992), describes preparing relatively low molecular weight (I.V.<0.45 dl/g) aromatic copolymers of anhydrides which are highly soluble in conventional solvents, and therefore suitable for the preparation of solvent cast drug release devices.
Although the extensive studies performed by Domb and his colleagues, as described above, have shown the feasibility of preparing cert in polyanhydrides which are suitable as matrices for drug release, this significant class of polyanhydrides are unsuitable for numerous biomedical applications, especially for the preparation of implantable devices for wound closure. Upon a careful review of Domb's work, it becomes apparent that Domb was able to prepare aliphatic polyanhydrides of high molecular weight, but the reported values for the molecular weight of polyanhydrides which are predominately aromatic are too low for conventional melt processing techniques required to make biomedical devices. Although it is possible to prepare drug delivery devices from aliphatic polyanhydrides, it is most likely that it would not be possible to make biomedical devices from the aliphatic polyanhydrides described in Domb due to their poor thermal stability. However, it would be highly desirable to fabricate devices from polymers which can withstand the effects of melt processing and sterilization using conventional melt processing and irradiation techniques. In this regard, the incorporation of aromatic functionality in the polymer chains of the polyanhydride is critical for the application of melt processing to fabricate biomedical devices or the application of irradiation to achieve sterilization. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,435,590, 4,510,295, and 4,546,152, which describe the preparation of polymers for biomedical applications with a high degree of aromatic functionality capable of withstanding the effects of irradiation for sterilization.
Other polymer compositions containing anhydride functionality have been described in the literature. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,414,381 describes the preparation of aromatic poly(ester-anhydride) copolymers. These copolymers are described as being melt processable, and useful for preparing fibers, films and molding powders. Unfortunately, these copolymers are not bioabsorbable, and therefore are unsuitable for numerous implantable, medical device applications.
The failure of Domb and others to synthesize bioabsorbable, aromatic polyanhydride polymers with high molecular weights limits the suitability of such polyanhydrides to their use as biomedical devices. Additionally, it would be highly desirable to develop aromatic polyanhydride containing polymers, such as aliphatic polyesters, which were quickly absorbable in vivo. In view of these deficiencies, it would be most desirable if an aromatic polyanhydride copolymer could be developed which was bioabsorbable. Accordingly, it would be desirable to prepare copolymers that contain an aromatic polyanhydride which exhibits the requisite bioabsorbability for the preparation of biomedical devices, especially using melt processing techniques such as injection or extrusion molding. Likewise, it would be desirable to prepare copolymers that contain aromatic polyanhydrides which have outstanding thermal and dimensional stability at elevated temperatures for prolonged periods, and the ability to maintain physical and biological properties upon sterilization using conventional irradiation techniques. All of these properties would be most beneficial in a bioabsorbable polymer which contains an aromatic polyanhydride for the preparation of biomedical devices, especially implantable wound closure devices and adhesion prevention barriers which are absorbable in bodily tissue without causing adverse tissue response or other adverse reactions.

Copolymers of an aromatic anhydride and aliphatic ester


A wind meter comprising a plurality of micro-electro-mechanical (MEM) differential pressure sensors positioned in a lobed housing, with an even number of circumferential ports arranged in an equally-spaced, circular pattern at the distal ends of the lobes of the housing, with tubes leading inward from the ports to the MEM sensors. The MEM sensors and other control system electronics are contained in the housing and are fully enclosed therein. The lobed housing structure does not impede or influence the movement of the wind as it passes and yet serves to prevent the ingress of moisture into the housing, thereby preventing fouling of the sensors. The tubular structures include an internal coating of hydrophobic material and are oriented at a slight angle from the horizontal in order to accomplish this protection. The openings at the ends of the tubular structures are positioned outside the fluid boundary layer.

1. Field of the invention
The present invention relates to devices for fluid flow measurement and, more particularly, to apparatus for determining wind speed/velocity and direction utilizing a plurality of MEMS differential pressure sensors.
2. Description of the Background
There are many existing devices that attempt to determine the direction and velocity of wind. The various approaches taken to date have met with varying degrees of success. While such devices may incorporate any one of a variety of sensing technologies, they may be generally categorized as follows:
(1) Rotating, mechanical devices that typically have either a set of three cups or a propeller that rotates at a speed proportional to the wind velocity. The rotation of the cups/propeller is then converted to electrical signals either in the form of pulses or a voltage. However, due to the mechanical nature of such devices, light wind conditions might not overcome the frictional component of the device. The result may be an increasingly incorrect and sluggish response to quickly changing conditions. Furthermore, the device can easily fail in severe weather conditions such as icing or snow.
(2) Acoustic or Doppler anemometers. These devices measure the speed or frequency of a pressure pulse and rely on the variation in the speed of sound as a function of wind speed. While they can measure the wind velocity in all three dimensions simultaneously, they are expensive, sensitive to environmental shock (e.g. loud noises such as gun shots), and extremely sensitive to the effects of ice accumulation.
(3) Hot-wire anemometers. These devices operate on the principle that wind passing over a heated wire will cool that wire by an amount that is proportional to wind velocity. As the wind speed increases, increased current flow is needed to maintain the wire at a given temperature. In and of themselves these devices are incapable of measuring wind direction, and they generally result in excessive power consumption.
(4) Differential pressure sensors such as pitot or pressure tubes. In these devices, the differential between upstream and downstream pressures is measured by a differential pressure transducer. Generally, the pressure differential is quite small, as is the resulting output signal.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,920,808 to Sommer and 6,279,393 to McLaughlin provide examples of this fourth family of devices.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,920,808 to Sommer describes a rotationally symmetrical flow body probe with at least two sets of peripherally spaced openings in regions of different thickness along the side of the body. The velocity of flow along the body is determined by differences in the static pressure measured in the openings. Static pressures are measured at two longitudinally different positions on a flow body of varying thickness and their difference is determined, or the difference between these static pressures is measured directly. A first measuring position is located at or near the thickest portion of the flow body and the other measuring position is located at a thinner position of the flow body positioned either upstream or downstream. The fluid flow velocity is then calculated mathematically. The types of sensors are not specified.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,279,393 to McLaughlin discloses a system for measuring wind direction and velocity utilizing a sphere which is capable of making differential orthogonal pressure measurements using pressure sensors located inside the sphere along apertures forming orthogonal axes of the sphere. The pressure differentials are measured at multiple ports of the sphere and are used to determine differential pressure magnitude vectors. The preferred embodiment applies the Bernoulli principle to determine wind velocity and direction. An alternative embodiment applies Reynold's principle by using a sphere, having no apertures therein, with mechanical sensors mounted on its surface.
The advent of solid state micro sensor technology, or "MEMS" also presents an opportunity for more effective and economical fluid flow measurement. MEMS pressure sensors have been used to measure the shear stress of the wind, and a MEMS- hot wire anemometer has been attempted. In addition, U.S. Pat. No. 5,515,735, to Sarihan, entitled Micromachined Flow Sensor Device Using A Pressure Difference And Method of Manufacturing The Same, describes a micromachined flow sensor using a pressure differential through a channel. This device is related to Venturi-type devices, and such a device must be placed directly in the fluid flow and cannot measure wind direction.
Unfortunately, none of the foregoing prior art patents suggest a MEMS-based differential pressure sensing technology capable of measuring both wind velocity and direction. Moreover, the prior art does not provide for the protection of the sensors by any means that will not impede/influence the movement of the wind as its passes the sensors. Protection of the sensors in this manner would prevent their fouling, thereby extending the reliability and useful life of the device. Consequently, it would be greatly advantageous to provide a wind pressure and direction measuring apparatus that: (1) includes angled, outwardly extending tubular ports with openings positioned outside of the fluid boundary layer and a hydrophobic material coating its internal surfaces; (2) incorporates a multi-lobed overhead cover/roof structure that does not impede/influence the movement of the wind as its passes the apparatus; (3) utilizes a wind velocity correction algorithm to correct for variations in ambient air density due to fluctuations in temperature, pressure, and/or humidity; (4) prevents ice accumulation via the use of strategically located heating elements; (5) significantly improves the utility of such apparatus via the geometry of its housing; (6) has no moving parts to be affected by extreme environments; (7) possesses a simple, yet scalable, design fabricated of durable, lightweight materials/devices; and (8) may be economically manufactured and sold to provide for widespread use.


A golf club head with a variable coefficient of restitution is disclosed and claimed. The club head includes a bias member that contacts and exerts a force against the interior surface of the face. The force exerted against the interior of the face lessens the face flexibility, and decreases the club head coefficient of restitution. The bias member can be adjusted from outside the club head, allowing the manufacturer to precisely adjust the club head coefficient of restitution.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a golf club, and, more particularly, the present invention relates to a golf club with a coefficient of restitution adjustment device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Golf club heads come in many different forms and makes, such as wood- or metal-type, iron-type (including wedge-type club heads), utility- or specialty-type, and putter-type. Each of these styles has a prescribed function and make-up. The present invention relates to hollow golf club heads, such as wood-type and utility-type (generally referred to herein as wood-type golf clubs).
Wood-type type golf club heads generally include a front or striking face, a crown, a sole, and an arcuate skirt including a heel, a toe, and a back. The crown and skirt are sometimes referred to as a "shell." The front face interfaces with and strikes the golf ball. A plurality of grooves, sometimes referred to as "score lines," may be provided on the face to assist in imparting spin to the ball. The crown is generally configured to have a particular look to the golfer and to provide structural rigidity for the striking face. The sole of the golf club contacts and interacts with the ground during the swing.
The design and manufacture of wood-type golf clubs requires careful attention to club head construction. Among the many factors that must be considered are material selection, material treatment, structural integrity, and overall geometrical design. Exemplary geometrical design considerations include loft, lie, face angle, horizontal face bulge, vertical face roll, face size, sole curvature, center of gravity, and overall head weight. The interior design of the club head may be tailored to achieve particular characteristics, such as by including hosel or shaft attachment means, perimeter weighting on the face or body of the club head, and fillers within hollow club heads. Club heads typically are formed from stainless steel, aluminum, or titanium, and are cast, stamped as by forming sheet metal with pressure, forged, or formed by a combination of any two or more of these processes. The club heads may be formed from multiple pieces that are welded or otherwise joined together to form a hollow head, as is often the case of club heads designed with inserts, such as sole plates or crown plates. The multi-piece constructions facilitate access to the cavity formed within the club head, thereby permitting the attachment of various other components to the head such as internal weights and the club shaft. The cavity may remain empty, or may be partially or completely filled, such as with foam. An adhesive may be injected into the club head to provide the correct swing weight and to collect and retain any debris that may be in the club head. In addition, due to difficulties in manufacturing one-piece club heads to high dimensional tolerances, the use of multi-piece constructions allows the manufacture of a club head to a tight set of standards.
The distance a golf ball travels after impact with a golf club is dictated by the magnitude and direction of the ball's translational and rotational velocities. Golf ball travel distance is a function of the total kinetic energy imparted to the ball during impact with the club head, neglecting environmental effects. During impact, kinetic energy is transferred from the club and stored as elastic strain energy in the club head and the ball. After impact, the stored elastic energy is transformed back into kinetic energy in the form of translational and rotational velocity of the ball as well as of the club. Since the collision is not perfectly elastic, a portion of the energy is dissipated as heat, club head vibration, and viscoelastic relaxation of the ball. Golf ball landing accuracy also is driven by a number of factors. Some of these can be attributed to club head design. Of primary concern are center of gravity and club face flexibility.
Recently, in an effort to increase the golf ball travel distance, especially among amateur golfers, wood-type golf clubs with large head sizes have been introduced. The increased head size allows the club to possess a higher moment of inertia (MOI), which translates to a greater ability to resist club twisting resulting from off-center hits. Inertia is a property of matter by which a body remains at rest or in uniform motion unless acted upon by some external force. MOI is a measure of the resistance of a body to angular acceleration about a given axis, and is equal to the sum of the products of each element of mass in the body and the square of the element's distance from the axis. Thus, as the distance from the axis increases, the MOI increases. As the MOI increases, the stability, playability, and forgiveness of the club head increases.
The weights of these large club heads typically have been kept within acceptable limits by using lighter materials and thinner shell thicknesses. The club head faces also have been becoming steadily thinner. Thinner faces maximize the Coefficient of Restitution (COR), which means that the face will rebound more upon impact and impart more energy to the ball, thereby increasing shot length. A corollary to COR is contact time (CT), which is a measurement of the duration of the contact between the club face and the ball. CT increases and decreases as COR increases and decreases. The COR and CT of typical golf club heads are results of the club head design, particularly face thickness, and are not adjustable.
The United States Golf Association (USGA) and the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews (R&A), the governing bodies of golf, have instituted limitations upon the COR of golf clubs. It is important that club heads not exceed these limitations. Customized COR's may also be desired. For example, a particular player (such as a Tour player) may desire a specific COR under the USGA and R&A limits. Thus, what is needed is a golf club head with an adjustable COR.


A system for providing a listener with an augmented audio reality in a geographical environment said system comprising a position locating system for determining a current position and orientation of a listener in said geographical environment; an audio track creation system for creating an audio track having a predetermined spatialization component dependent on an apparent location of an apparent source associated with said audio track in said geographical environment; an audio track rendering system adapted to render an audio signal based on said audio track to a series of speakers surrounding said listener such that said listener experiences an apparent preservation of said spatialization component; and an audio track playback system interconnected to said position locating system and said audio track creation system and adapted to forward a predetermined audio track to said audio rendering system for rendering depending on said current position and orientation of said listener in said geographical environment.

Humans and other animals have evolved to take in and process audio information in their environment so as to derive information from that environment. Hence, our ears have evolved to an extremely complex level to enable us to track accurately the position of an audio source around us.
Further, the provision of audio information is also a highly efficient form of information provision to humans. This is especially the case in the tourism industry where the provision of audio dialogue describing scenery is quite common.

Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation


Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a method, a device and a computer program product for controlling a game. The method comprises: in response to receiving an input of a user for a game at a terminal device, sending a message indicating the input to a network device; receiving a candidate game frame from a network device, where the candidate game frame is a game frame in the game that is possible to occur subsequent to a target game frame corresponding to the input, and the candidate game frame is determined by the network device based on a message indicating the input; and storing the candidate game frame in a game frame buffer. In such a manner, the embodiments of the present disclosure can reduce the delay of responding to an input of a user for a game.

With the development of computer technology, cloud gaming has become more and more popular in recent years. Unlike conventional gaming technology, the games of cloud gaming are running in the cloud without installing games on user terminals. The user's manipulation commands for the game are sent to the cloud, and images of the game (also referred to as "game frames") are sent to the user terminal for display. However, due to factors such as network delay, cloud gaming has a response delay, not expected by users.

Method, device and computer program product for controlling a game


A construction configuration for a building includes a fixture adhered to a framing structure with an adhesive system. The adhesive system has an outer pressure sensitive adhesive material, an inner pressure sensitive adhesive material, a bonding adhesive material, and at least one spacer material. The spacer material has at least one opening for containing a desired quantity of the bonding adhesive material.

In the construction industry, various types of fixture materials or building covering materials include, but are not limited to, manufactured stone products and types of sheathing including gypsum, drywall, plywood, oriented strand board (OSB), cement board, foam board, metal, sheet molding compound, bulk molding compound sheeting and the like.
Both interior sheathing and exterior sheathing materials are traditionally attached to a framing structure using screws and nails that penetrate through the sheathing and into the framing structure. Framing structures include, but are not limited to, wood, metal or concrete structures. In addition to using screws and nails it is common to use a rubber mastic or bonding adhesive to initially attach the sheathing to the framing structure as the sheathing is being installed. Nails and screws are still required, however, because the adhesives or mastics alone cannot hold the sheathing in place during the curing or drying process. It would be advantageous if a construction configuration could be improved to have a high "Green Strength" in order to ensure that the sheathing does not move during the cure process.
In certain construction industries, various types of construction materials are at least partially assembled prior to being brought to the construction site. For example, in factory built or manufactured homes, the construction configuration is frequently assembled prior to being installed in the home. An adhesive is typically applied to the face of the studs and interior drywall is laid on top of the studs. Nails are then used to attach the drywall to the studs while the glue dries. After the plumbing, electrical and insulation installations are complete the outside sheathing is applied.
In another example, in the manufacturing of roof materials, the framing structure is assembled on top of a ceiling gypsum board. When the ceiling framing structure is complete the joists are adhered to the ceiling gypsum board with a polyurethane spray foam applied to the comer of the gypsum board and the joist. Nails or screws are not commonly used.
In another example, manufactured stone products are attached to a framing structure having multiple layers of materials. Typically, an OSB or plywood sheathing is attached to a wall. Then, a waterproof barrier is applied over the plywood. An expanded metal lathe is nailed onto the sheathing to give flexural stability. A coat of quickset mortar is applied to the expanded metal lathe and cured for 24 to 48 hours. After sufficient time has passed to insure curing of the quickset mortar, the manufactured stone is then attached to the wall with additional mortar.
It would also be advantageous if the use of the metal lathe and the mortar could be eliminated so that the installation of such product could be accomplished in one day. Without the use of the metal lathe and mortar, there is no need to wait for the first mortar coat to dry before returning to finish the installation.
It would also be advantageous if a construction configuration could be improved to make the installation of various construction materials easier to use while simultaneously providing increased immediate adhesive strength and long-term bonding strength to the construction configuration.
It would also be advantageous to provide a novel and improved construction configuration which, while entirely eliminating the need for fasteners such as nails and screws, enables a more secure construction configuration to be manufactured and installed.
The invention will be more readily understood from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof given, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings.


This is a thin film forming apparatus which is equipped with a target constructed of a thin film material, a cathode for generating a particulate thin film material from the target, a supporting member for supporting the substrate on which the particulate thin film material is to be deposited, a heater for heating the substrate, and a guide for introducing the particulate thin film material onto a surface of the substrate where the thin film material is deposited, wherein the supporting member supports the substrate so as to expose the first principal surface and its backside (second principal surface) of the substrate, the target is disposed in a position for producing the particulate thin film material in an extension of the first principal surface of the substrate, and the guide is disposed on the first principal surface and the second principal surface of the substrate.

Conventionally, as a method of forming a thin film on a dielectric, silicon, or other substrate, for example, there is a thin film forming method by making a material of the thin film (hereafter, this is called a thin film material) into particulates, and making the particulate thin film material on the substrate. As the thin film forming methods, depending on difference between methods of making the thin film material into particulates, methods of making it deposited, and the like, for example, there are a sputtering method, a CVD (Chemical Vapor Deposition) method, an MBE (Molecular Beam Epitaxy) method, a laser ablation method, a vacuum deposition method, etc.
In addition, generally, thin film forming systems which are used when forming a thin film using the sputtering method etc. are classified into systems called a parallel plate type and an opposed type according to positional relation between a substrate, on which the thin film is formed, and a target for generating the particulate thin film material.
The parallel plate type thin film forming apparatus is arranged, for example, as shown in FIG. 13, so that a first principal surface 1A of the substrate 1, and the target 2B may be in parallel. At this time, the target 2B is mounted on a cathode 3, and by supplying electric power to the cathode 3, the particulate thin film material 2A is sputtered out of the target 2B between the target 2B and the substrate 1. Then, for example, by applying an electric field between the target 2B and the substrate 1, introducing the particulate thin film material 2A in a direction of the substrate 1 with accelerating it, and depositing the particulate thin film material 2A on the first principal surface 1A of the substrate 1, the thin film 2 is formed. In addition, at this time, the substrate 1 is fixed to a heat stage 13, and is heated from a backside 1B of the first principal surface 1A of the substrate 1 (hereafter, this is called a second principal surface) as shown in FIG. 13.
In the case of the parallel plate type thin film forming apparatus, the particulate thin film material 2A which is accelerated and is in a high energy state collides at a nearly vertical angle to the thin film formation surface of the substrate. Therefore, while the film formation speed of the thin film 2 is fast and productive efficiency is high, there is a problem that a damage to the surface of the thin film 2 deposited on the substrate 1 is serious. In order to make the damage to the surface of the thin film 2 small, for example, there is a method of making an acceleration of the particulate thin film material 2A small. Nevertheless, when an acceleration of the particulate thin film material 2A is made small, film formation speed of the thin film 2 drops, and productive efficiency drops. Then, in recent years, for example, the opposed type thin film forming apparatus is proposed as a thin film forming apparatus which replaces the parallel plate type thin film forming apparatus.
The opposed type thin film forming apparatus is arranged, for example, as shown in FIG. 14, so that two targets 2B may face each other on an extension in a direction parallel to an in-plane direction of the first principal surface 1A of the substrate 1. Also at this time, the each target 2B is mounted on a cathode 3, and by supplying electric power to the cathode 3, the particulate thin film material 2A is sputtered out of the targets 2B. Since the particulate thin film material 2A which is sputtered out of the each target 2B gather between the two targets 2B facing each other, when the particulate thin film material 2A is accelerated by applying an electric field between the two targets 2B, and are introduced on the first principal surface 1A of the substrate 1, the thin film material 2 is formed by the particulate thin film material 2A being deposited on the first principal surface 1A of the substrate 1.
In the case of the opposed type thin film forming apparatus, since an incident angle at the time of the particulate thin film material 2A colliding with the first principal surface 1A of the substrate 1 is as small as about 0° to 45°, damage which the thin film 2 deposited on the first principal surface 1A of the substrate 1 receives is small when the particulate thin film material 2A collides with the first principal surface 1A of the substrate 1. Therefore, since it is possible to introduce and deposit the particulate thin film material 2A on to the first principal surface 1A of the substrate 1 in a high energy state, and it is possible to form the thin film 2 damage of whose surface is small without reducing productive efficiency.
In addition, since other methods such as the CVD method, MBE method, laser ablation method, and other film formation methods also form a thin film with principles and apparatuses similar to the sputtering method, detailed description is omitted.
The parallel plate type and opposed type thin film forming systems are used, for example, when producing microwave devices such as a GPS (Global Positioning Systems) array antenna and a microwave integrated circuit. In the microwave device, for example, as shown in FIGS. 15 and 16, a circuit pattern 2C is provided on the first principal surface 1A of the substrate 1, and a ground plane 2D is provided on the second principal surface 1B of the substrate 1. Here, FIG. 16 is a sectional view taken on line D-D′ in FIG. 15.
The microwave device is operated using a change of a magnetic field generated in connection with a leakage electric field generated between the circuit pattern 2C and the ground plane 2D, for example, as shown in FIG. 17. At this time, when the circuit pattern 2C and the ground plane 2D are oxide layer superconductors, for example, it is possible to obtain smaller surface resistance and higher operating characteristics in comparison with usual conductors. Therefore, recently, various microwave devices using the oxide superconductors have attracted attention (for example, refer to S. 0hshima, "High-temperature superconducting passive microwave devices, filters, and antennas", Supercond. Sci. Technol., 13, 2000, p. 103-108).
In a microwave device using the oxide superconductors, for example, a dielectric substrate such as magnesium oxide (MgO) or sapphire (A1203) is used for the substrate 1, and oxide superconductors such as YBCO or BSCCO are used for the circuit pattern 2C and the ground plane 2D.
When producing a microwave device using the oxide superconductors, first, as shown in FIG. 18, thin films 2C′ and 2D of the oxide superconductors are formed on the first principal surface 1A and the second principal surface 1B of the dielectric substrate 1, respectively. The parallel plate type and opposed type thin film forming apparatuses are used for formation of the thin films 2C′ and 2D. At this time, it is assumed that the target 2B is constructed of, for example, a material of YBa2CU3Ox, Y203, BaO, CuO, or the like which is used for formation of YBCO which is one kind of oxide superconductors. In addition, the dielectric substrate 1 is heated at, for example, about 800° C. at this time.
In addition, when forming the thin films 2C′ and 2D, for example, after forming the thin film 2C′ on the first principal surface 1A of the dielectric substrate 1, the dielectric substrate 1 is turned over, and the thin film 2D on the second principal surface 1B of the dielectric substrate 1 is formed. At this time, respective thin films 2C′ and 2D on the first principal surface 1A and second principal surface 1B of the dielectric substrate 1 are formed with composition of target 2B and conditions in an apparatus at the time of formation being fixed, for example, so as to become the same film quality and film thickness.
Next, as shown in FIG. 19, an etching resist 12 matched with the circuit pattern 2C is formed on one thin film, for example, the thin film 2C′ on the first principal surface 1A of the dielectric substrate 1. At this time, although illustration is omitted, a resist is formed, for example, also on the backside of the surface on which the etching resist 12 is formed, that is, the thin film 2D on the second principal surface 1B of the substrate 1. Then, unnecessary portions are removed by etching the thin film 2C′ on the surface on which the etching resist 12 is formed, and the circuit pattern 2C as shown in FIG. 15 is formed.
Nevertheless, when forming the thin films 2 in both sides of the substrate 1 by the conventional art, it is necessary to form single sides separately. Therefore, for example, while turning the substrate 1 over and forming the thin film 2 on the second principal surface 1B of the substrate 1 after forming the thin film 2 on the first principal surface 1A of the substrate 1, film quality of the thin film 2 formed on the first principal surface 1A of the substrate 1 may change. In particular, when forming the thin films 2C′ and 2D of the oxide superconductors like the microwave device, there was a problem that degradation of the film quality due to a timing change occurred easily.
In addition, even if thin films are formed under the same conditions using the same thin film forming apparatus, it is apt to generate difference between the film qualities of the thin film 2 formed at a time and the thin film 2 formed at a second time because of states of the target 2B, temperature unevenness at the time of heating, etc. Therefore, the conventional methods for forming a thin film had a problem that it was difficult to equalize the film qualities of the thin film of the first principal surface 1A and the thin film of the second principal surface 1B of the substrate 1.
In particular, the oxide superconductor used when producing the device is deficient in chemical stability. Therefore, when forming single sides separately at the time of forming the thin films 2C′ and 2D of the oxide superconductor on both sides of the substrate 1, degradation of the film quality and decrease of uniformity of the thin film 2C′ formed on the first principal surface 1A and the thin film 2D formed on the second principal surface 1B of the dielectric substrate 1 are apt to be generated. Therefore, for example, there was a problem that difference between electrical characteristics of the circuit pattern 2C, and electrical characteristics of the ground plane 2D arose and operation of the device became unstable.
In addition, upsizing of the substrate 1 used for manufacturing the microwave device etc. has been advancing recently. Therefore, when forming single sides separately at the time of forming thin films on both sides of the first principal surface 1A and the second principal surface 1B of the substrate 1, degradation and unevenness of film quality become remarkable. Furthermore, for example, there was a problem that time and energy consumption required for formation of the thin films increased.
Moreover, when the time required for the formation of the thin films became long, there was a problem that productive efficiency of the thin films dropped and manufacturing cost rose.
Hence, the present invention aims at providing a thin film forming method and a thin film forming apparatus which can reduce degradation and dispersion of film qualities of thin films of respective surfaces of the substrate when depositing a material, which is made into particulates, on both sides of a substrate, for example, when forming thin films of oxide superconductors or the like.
In addition, the present invention aims at providing a thin film forming method and a thin film forming apparatus which can reduce production cost at the time of forming thin films, such as oxides superconductors, on both sides of a substrate.

Process for forming thin film and system for forming thin film


Disclosed is optical observation equipment for identifying the forming process of a malignant tumor, which is provided with a receiving space and a transparent front end. The optical observation equipment comprises: a light-guide fiber, a laser emitter, a focusing device, a white light emitter, an image sensor, a high gain amplifier and an encoding and emitting device, wherein the light-guide fiber extends to the transparent front end from the receiving space; the laser emitter emits laser with a wavelength of 340 nm±20 nm and an energy of 0.3˜0.5 mj/m2 in a pulsing mode; the focusing device is coupled to the output end of the laser emitter and used for focusing the laser to the input end of the light-guide fiber; the white light emitter is used for emitting white light, and the white light is guided into the input end of the light-guide fiber, wherein the laser emitter and the white light emitter are alternately turned on; the image sensor is used for acquiring an image of an area irradiated by light emitted from the output end of the light-guide fiber and converting a light signal into an electric signal; the high gain amplifier is coupled to the image sensor and is used for amplifying the electric signal generated by the image sensor; and the encoding and emitting device is coupled to the high gain amplifier and is used for encoding the signal output by the high gain amplifier and emitting the encoded signal.

Tumors, especially malignant tumors have becoming the greatest enemy of human health. Reducing "morbidity and mortality of malignant tumor" is universally recognized as the problem for tumor. To solve this problem, scientific guidance and correct strategies are needed. "Early detection, early diagnosis and early treatment of malignant tumors" is a scientific and correct strategy. The intention of the strategy is to actively protect and control malignant tumors, rather than passively treat the malignant tumors after they are formed. Once malignant tumors are formed, it is difficult to reverse and progress quickly, meanwhile during the treatment of a tumor after the malignant tumor is formed, a large number of normal healthy cells are also killed, which significantly reduces the success of treatment and the quality of patient's life. Therefore the efficacy of passive treatment after the formation of malignant tumor is very limited, which is difficult to achieve desired results.
One of the main reasons of the high incidence of cancer in the world is that diagnostic medicine still remains in the stage of morphological diagnosis method. Morphological diagnosis methods mainly depend on the experience of physicians. Although various equipments in modern technology are used, such as endoscope, confocal laser scanning endoscope (CLE), X ray, molybdenum target, ultrasonic imaging (type-B ultrasonic), CT, and nuclear magnetic resonance (MRI), the function of these equipments is only to obtain an image. Morphological diagnosis methods are used in the process of diagnosis according to the image, and the diagnosis is based on the physician's own clinical experience. After observing the video or image provided by the above diagnostic instruments, diagnosis is made according to the morphology of image, such as bulge shape, and sunken shape, irregular particles, and island mucosa. For the formed malignant tumor, its morphological characteristics are obvious. However, at the early stage of tumor, especially when the locus of malignant tumor is smaller than 5 mm, the morphological characteristics are not obvious, and some tumors even look the same as a normal, healthy tissue. In this case, diagnosis and identification can not be morphologically carried out only relying on the physician's experience, even if a clear image is obtained by the above instruments. Therapeutically, when the locus of malignant tumor is smaller than 5 mm, it belongs to micro invasive malignant tumors or is in the stage of precancerous lesion, and if timely treated, the cure rate and survival rate of malignant tumors will be significantly improved. One-third of them can be reversed through intervention, one-third of them can be cured and recovered, and one-third of them can be treated thereby prolonging life of patients.
At present, the main direction of the development of diagnostic instruments for malignant tumor, is to continuously improve the level of imaging, but the principle and basis for diagnosis is still morphological principle. After obtaining high-resolution images, physician's experience is still needed to make a judgment. According to the above analysis, such instruments can indeed improve the diagnosis rate of malignant tumors after middle stage, and the lifecycle of patients with malignant tumor can be extended to some extent. However, after the mid-term, it is difficult to reverse and cure the malignant tumor, therefore the target of reducing "the morbidity and mortality of malignant tumor" can not be effectively achieved by these instruments.
Taking the most widely used endoscope as an example, the endoscope is widely used in diagnosis since it can enter the human body and does not cause great damage. The endoscope is developed and applied for almost half a century, and the technology is very mature and still in the process of development. Magnifying endoscopy, and ultrasonic endoscope have been developed so far, and the latest technology is confocal laser scanning endoscope (CLE). The most advanced confocal microscopy technology and sectional slices technology are used in the confocal laser scanning endoscope (CLE). An image of quasi-cellular level can be obtained (The image is a black-and-white image with unclear gradation, therefore, it can not be deemed as cellular level, but only quasi-cellular level). Confocal laser scanning endoscope (CLE) can improve the imaging level of endoscope to a new standard, and theoretically, it should greatly improve the efficiency of tumor diagnosis, however, it is not the case in actual application. Even with the help of confocal laser scanning endoscope (CLE), doctors still can not detect malignant tumors smaller than 5 mm. The reason is that confocal laser scanning endoscope (CLE) only provides images, and the final judgments are still made by the doctors based on the morphological principle and their own experience. In addition, the imaging area of confocal laser scanning endoscope (CLE) is small when providing a higher-resolution image, due to the imaging capability of confocal laser scanning endoscope (CLE) at quasi-cellular level. This requires doctors to accurately select detecting points, and the selection of detecting points is also empirically made by a doctor based on some images of lower resolution, which, theoretically, is still results from morphological judgment. Therefore, tumors in the stage of precancerous lesion, especially the malignant tumors smaller than 5 mm, cannot be effectively detected only by the method of improving image resolution, since current diagnostic methods mainly remain at the morphological level.

Optical observation equipment and endoscope for identifying forming process of malignant tumor


There is disclosed a timing system for use in a microprocessor for initiating microprocessor outputs onto an input sampling from an external bus in synchronism with a bus timing clock. The timing system is operative in a first mode for internally generating the bus timing clock and in a second mode for being driven from an externally generated bus timing clock. In the first mode, the timing system generates first and second inverse phase timing clocks responsive to an external clock source and independently generates the internally generated bus timing clock with the rising edges of the bus timing clock coinciding with the rising edges of the first microprocessor timing clock and the falling edges of the second microprocessor timing clock. In the second mode, the timing system generates the first and second microprocessor timing clocks in response to the externally generated bus timing clock. In both modes, the timing system initiates an output onto the bus upon the common assertion of the first microprocessor timing clock and the bus timing clock and initiates sampling of an input from the external bus upon the inverse assertion of the second microprocessor timing clock and the bus timing clock.

The present invention generally relates to a timing system for use in a microprocessor for initiating microprocessor outputs onto and input sampling from an external bus in synchronism with a bus timing clock on the bus. The present invention more particularly relates to such a timing system which is configurable for providing the external bus with the bus timing clock or being driven by an externally generated bus timing clock. The timing system of the present invention is configured to provide the bus with the bus timing clock and when so configured, is also arranged to minimize the time required to provide an output onto the bus (clock to output time). The timing system is also configured to be readily driven by an externally generated bus timing clock.
Processing systems which incorporate at least one processor and at least one device, such as a memory, external to the microprocessor generally include an external bus to permit the microprocessor to perform external accesses. When such external accesses are required, such as when the microprocessor provides an output onto the external bus or samples an input from the external bus, the external accesses must be performed by the microprocessor in synchronism with the bus timing clock which controls the timing of the external bus. Such synchronization is required because the bus timing clock may or may not be at the same frequency as the microprocessor timing clocks and, in either case, is generally not in phase with the microprocessor timing clocks. In addition, such synchronization is further required because the external bus timing generally only permits microprocessor outputs onto the external bus when the bus clock is in a predetermined portion of its cycle, such as when the bus clock is at a high level, and only permits input sampling from the external bus when the external bus timing clock is in another predetermined portion of its clock cycle, such as when the bus timing clock is at a low level. Hence, microprocessors generally require a timing system for synchronizing external bus accesses with the bus timing clock which controls the timing of the external bus.
In one microprocessing system, the synchronizing timing depends on the occurrence of the rising edges of the bus timing clock. Upon a rising edge of the bus timing clock, the external bus is ready to receive outputs, such as data, from the microprocessor. The time required for the microprocessor to provide an output from the rising edge of the bus timing clock is referred to as the clock to output time and is an important parameter since, as the clock to output time is shortened, the time that the external system has for sampling the microprocessor outputs is lengthened. Also of importance is the set-up time which is the time from when an input to be sampled by the microprocessor is provided by the external bus to the next rising edge of the bus timing clock. As the set-up time is shortened, the time in which the external bus must hold the input data valid is decreased. Also, a shortened set-up time gives the external system more time to sample a responsive output from the microprocessor, such as when the microprocessor must change the state of the bus during the next bus timing clock cycle.
Microprocessors are also often required to generate the bus timing clock for the external bus and the external system in addition to generating its own internal timing clocks. The timing system of one known microprocessor is adapted to be coupled to an external clock source having a frequency twice that of the bus timing clock and the microprocessor internal timing clocks. In this microprocessor, the timing system uses the external clock to derive an intermediate clock from which it generates the bus timing clock. The bus timing clock is then used to generate the internal microprocessor timing clocks. While this configuration is satisfactory, the clock to output time is lengthened since the rising edges of the internal microprocessor clock controlling outputs is necessarily delayed with respect to the rising edges of the bus timing clock.
The timing systems of microprocessors are also called upon to be driven by an externally generated bus timing clock, as for example in multiprocessor systems. The aforementioned prior art processor still generates its own internal timing clocks in response to the externally generated bus timing clock. Unfortunately, the implementation of this system leaves much to be desired. For example, required internal duty cycles, to satisfy microprocessor speed path requirements, must be met. This problem is aggravated by the requirement that the externally generated bus timing clock be a CMOS input requiring TTL (transistor-transistor logic) level translation which skews the duty cycles from which the microprocessor internal timing clocks are derived. This makes it difficult for duty cycle requirements of the internal microprocessor timing clocks to be met for high frequency microprocessor operation.
There is therefore a need in the art for a new and improved timing system for use in a microprocessor for synchronizing microprocessor external accesses to the bus timing clock of an external bus. Such a timing system should be configured to be readily implemented to be driven by an externally generated bus timing clock. Such a timing system should be further configured for providing the external bus with the bus timing clock and, when so configured, should additionally be capable of reducing the clock to output times.

Microprocessor synchronous timing system


An extended fin array has a main heat-dissipation module and an extended heat-dissipation module. The main heat-dissipation module and the extended heat-dissipation module are stacked to increase the effective convective area to increase the heat-dissipation effect. The extended heat-dissipation module is in the main heat-dissipation module when the heat amount generated by an electronic device is normal. The extended heat-dissipation module extends out from the main heat-dissipation module to increase the heat convection area when the heat amount generated by the electronic device is large.

1. Field of Invention
The invention relates to a fin array and, in particular, to an extended fin array.
2. Related Art
As the computer core technology improves continuously, the operating speeds of electronic devices such as the front bus of the processor and the display chip are increasing, especially for laptop computers. However, the heat generated during the operation also increases. Limited by the internal space of the laptop computer, no large heat-dissipation system can be installed to remove heat generated by the laptop computer. To increase the efficiency, one has to solve the serious heat-dissipation problem.
As shown in FIG. 1, the conventional heat dissipation system of the laptop computer uses a fan 100 to blow cool air into the fin array 200, thereby removing the heat generated by the electronic devices. When the operations processed by the electronic devices increase, the electronic devices generate more heat. The only way to improve the heat-dissipation efficiency is to increase the speed of the fan. Although increasing the fan speed can enlarge the cool air flux for better heat dissipation, it often results in large annoying noises. Therefore, it is imperative to provide a method or structure that can effectively increase the heat convection area of the heat-dissipation module in order to quickly remove heat generated by electronic devices inside the laptop computer.


An ice maker and method for making ice are disclosed. The ice maker includes a compartment, an ice-making tray disposed in the compartment to receive and make ice, and a fan installed on the ice-making tray to make ambient air pass along the surface of the ice-making tray. The method includes selectively supplying chilled air to a compartment according to conditions of the compartment, continuously blowing chilled air in the compartment to an ice-making tray disposed in the compartment regardless of the conditions of the compartment, and distributing blown air on a surface of the ice-making tray uniformly.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a refrigerator, and more particularly, to a method of controlling a refrigerator including an ice maker for making ice using chilled air.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Generally, a refrigerator is partitioned into a refrigerator compartment and a freezer compartment. The refrigerator compartment is maintained about at 3 degrees centigrade to 4 degrees centigrade such that food and vegetables can be stored in good condition for a long time, and the freezer compartment is maintained under zero degrees centigrade such that meat and other food can be stored at a frozen state.
Recently, the refrigerator includes various features such as an ice maker, a dispenser, or the like. Described in detail, the ice maker automatically performs a series of processes for ice-making without additional manipulations such that a user can conveniently obtain ice. Meanwhile, the dispenser allows the user to obtain ice or cool water at the outside of the refrigerator without opening a door of the refrigerator. FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate the above-mentioned ice maker equipped in a conventional refrigerator. Hereinafter, the ice maker will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
The conventional ice maker 10 includes an ice-making tray 11 for forming ice-making compartments in which ice is made, a water supply 12 formed at a side of the ice-making tray 11 to supply water to the ice-making compartments, a heater installed on the lower side of the ice-making tray 11, an ejector 14 for ejecting ice made in the ice-making tray 11 to the exterior, a driving device 13 for driving the ejector 14, and ice bank 20 for receiving and accommodating the ice made in the ice-making tray 11, and an ice-fullness sensor 15 for detecting the quantity of ice accommodated in the ice bank 20.
The water supply 12 is connected to a water source external to the refrigerator and supplies water to the ice-making tray 11 when an ice-making is demanded. The ice-making tray 11 has an approximate semi-circular cross-section and partitions for partitioning the ice-making compartment into several unit cells such that an adequate quantity of predetermined sized ice is made in the ice-making tray 11.
The heater 17, as shown in FIG. 2, is installed on the lower side of the ice-making tray 11 and heats the ice-making tray 11 to melt the ice such that the ice is separated from the ice-making tray 11.
The ejector 14 includes a rotation shaft installed to cross the central area of the ice-making tray 11, and a plurality of ejector pins 14a vertically protruded from the rotation shaft. Each of the ejector pins 14a is installed to correspond to each unit cell partitioned by the partitions such that the ice in every unit cell is discharged from the ice-making tray 11 when the ejector pins 14a rotate.
In the side where the ice is discharged from the ice-making tray 11, a slide 15 is installed in a downwardly oblique state near the rotation shaft of the ejector 14. Thus, the ice discharged from the ice-making tray 11 by the ejector 14 slides on the slide 16, falls down, and is eventually accommodated in the ice bank 20 disposed under the ice maker 10.
The ice-fullness sensor 15 moves up and down by the driving device 13 to check the quantity of the ice contained in the ice bank 20. If the ice bank 20 is full with the ice, the ice-fullness sensor 15 can not move down sufficiently, so that whether or not the ice bank 20 is full is detected by the ice-fullness sensor 15.
The ice maker of the conventional refrigerator freezes water in the ice-making tray using only chilled air that is supplied to the freezer compartment for cooling the freezer compartment. Thus, when temperature of the freezer compartment descends and the chilled air is stopped to supply to the freezer compartment, the speed of making ice in the ice-making tray become slowed. Due to this, the capacity of quantity of ice made per day of the ice maker is deteriorated. Moreover, when a large quantity of ice is required in a short time, the demand cannot be satisfied.
Additionally, in the conventional ice maker of a refrigerator, in order to detect whether or not the ice bank is full, the ice-fullness sensor must be rotated. Thus, since a wide space for the rotation of the ice-fullness sensor should be secured beside the ice-making tray, the size of the ice-making tray must be relatively small so that it is difficult to produce a large quantity of ice.


A megaphone comprises a rigid but bendable material with a tapered shape. When the material is folded, the produced megaphone has a small opening at one end and a larger opening at the other end. The megaphone has edges that form an opening along the side such that when pressure is applied to the edges the opening expands allowing the megaphone to be positioned on a person's arm or leg. Once positioned on the arm of leg the rigidity of the material causes the megaphone return to its original cone shape. The megaphone can enclose around a user's arm or leg for storage purposes during an event. Information can be displayed on the surface of the megaphone. The megaphone of the present invention can be folded and unfolded.

A megaphone, speaking-trumpet, bullhorn, blowhorn or loud hailer is a portable, usually hand-held, funnel cone-shaped device whose application is to amplify a person's voice towards a targeted direction. This is accomplished by channeling the sound through a funnel, which also serves to match the acoustic impedance of the voice cords to the air. The natural human voice tends to spread evenly in all directions, whereas when it is sent through a megaphone, the sound is concentrated in a given direction and the coupling of its energy to the air optimised. The trade-off is that if a listener is to the side, it is more difficult to hear what is being said. An electronic megaphone amplifies sound to a higher decibel level. It consists of a microphone an amplifier and a loudspeaker.
Megaphones have been used for many years to project the voice of the user. Many megaphones have a generally conically shaped horn configuration, with a relatively small mouth opening which flares outwardly to the outermost broadcast end. Although various powered-type megaphones have been developed, the simplest megaphone merely relies on the horn effect to transmit the sound of the user outwardly from the user. At public sports events, the spectators show their approval/disapproval of occurrences in play actions on a more or less continuous basis. The "home" field affect is well recognized in sporting events, wherein the home crowd which is generally the largest percentage of the spectators, can affect the outcome by verbally "getting into" the game. Thus, the cheering by the home spectators can psychologically affect the attitude and play of the home team. At such spectator events, one may see spectators forming their programs into a horn shaped configuration to more fully project their voice with that of the other spectators.
When people attend various events and in particular athletic events people show their support by making noise for their teams. One thing people do is roll up pieces of paper or cup their hands together to try and project their voices toward the field of play. Some times this approach does not work very well as the people that cup their hands together didn't accomplish much and the individuals that use rolled up paper ended up with a mess that they occasionally pick up. Sometimes individuals keep the rolled up paper in their hands tightly rolled up to hold on to it and not get it dirty by laying it on the ground or bleachers. There remains a need for a device that people can used to show support for their teams that can be conveniently stored when not being used.
Various designs of megaphones are used today. One design described in U.S. Pat. No. D559,830 to Lintern is a foldable megaphone. This mega contains handles at each edge. It appears that a person uses the handles to fold the megaphone and bring the ends of the megaphone together.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,940,984 to Carpenter describes a megaphone having: a microphone assembly including means for attachment to a user adjacent to the user's mouth for hands-free operation; a body pack provided with means for attachment to the users body and incorporating an output horn; and a flexible cable connecting the microphone assembly to the body pack.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,703,829 to Hardt describes a collapsible and portable megaphone formed from a self-supporting flexible plastic sheet. The sheet is wrapped with overlapping side edges to form a horn shaped member. The overlapping edges are releasably interlocked by edge slots and interconnecting edge arms. A separate mouthpiece has a tube, which telescopes into the narrow mouth end of the horn and has an outer shaped end for coupling to the user's lips. The plastic sheet may be rolled into a compact tubular roll. The mouthpiece is placed over the roll to maintain the rolled configuration for storage and transport. The horn sheets can be readily mass-produced by stamping and the mouthpiece by molding.
United States Patent Application 20060266579 to Stern et al. describes an inflatable acoustic megaphone that can be inflated into a substantially frustoconical shape for use and deflated and folded into a relatively small space when not in use, optionally providing text and/or graphics on its surface that can be used for advertising or promotions.
Even though there are many designs for the megaphone, there still remains a need for a megaphone that is storable on the arm of the person using the megaphone.

Sound projection device attachable to a user when not in use


A CMOS image sensor and fabricating method thereof enhances a light-receiving capability of an image sensor by preventing poor light-refraction characteristics at the peripheral part of a microlens. The CMOS image sensor includes at least one microlens formed by anistropic etching to have a focusing centerline, a central lens portion, and a peripheral lens portion, wherein the focusing centerline passes through the central lens portion and wherein the peripheral lens portion surrounds the central lens portion. The central lens portion has a first convex curvature based on a first radius and the peripheral lens portion has second convex curvature based on a second radius, wherein the second radius is greater than the first radius.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a CMOS image sensor and a method for fabricating the same. The present invention is suitable for a wide scope of applications, and is particularly suitable for enhancing a light-receiving capability of the image sensor.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Image sensors are semiconductor devices for converting an optical image into an electrical signal and include charge-coupled devices and complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) image sensors. A general charge-coupled device includes an array of photodiodes that convert light signals into electrical signals. Disadvantages of a general charge-coupled device include a complicated driving method, high power consumption, and a complicated fabrication process requiring a multi-phased photo process. In a charge-coupled device, integration of complementary circuitry such as a control circuit, a signal processor, and an analog-to-digital converter into a single-chip device is difficult. Thus, development of compact-sized or thin products is hindered. Examples of compact-sized or thin products that use such image sensors include digital still cameras and digital video cameras.
CMOS image sensors, on the other hand, adopt CMOS technology that employs a control circuit and a signal processing circuit as a peripheral circuit. CMOS image sensors also adopt switching technology that allows outputs to be sequentially detected using MOS transistors provided to correspond to a number of arrayed pixels, thereby detecting an image. Accordingly, a CMOS image sensor uses CMOS fabrication technology, i.e., a simple fabrication method using fewer photolithography steps, that enables an advantageous device exhibiting low power consumption.
In a CMOS image sensor of the related art, a photodiode is the active device that forms an optical image based on incident light signals by generating electrical signals according to the intensity and wavelength or color of incident light. In such a CMOS image sensor, each photodiode senses incident light and the corresponding CMOS logic circuit converts the sensed light into an electrical signal according to input wavelength. The photosensitivity of the photodiode increases as more light is able to reach the photodiode. In this instance, enhanced photosensitivity results from an increase in the levels of sensed light and corresponds to the light-receiving capability of the active device. One way of enhancing the photosensitivity of a CMOS image sensor is to improve its fill factor. The fill factor is the degree of surface area covered by the photodiodes versus the entire surface area of the image sensor. The fill factor is improved by increasing the area responsive to incident light, i.e., the photo-sensing portion. However, there is a limit to increasing the photo-sensing portion due to the required presence of the logic circuit portion.
Therefore, a device including a material exhibiting excellent light transmittance, such as a convex microlens having a predetermined curvature for refracting incident light, may be provided to redirect any light that may be incident on the image sensor outside the immediate area of the photodiodes. The convex microlens having the predetermined curvature concentrates or focuses the incident light on one or more of the photodiodes themselves. That is, the incident light, striking the surface of the convex structure of the microlens while in parallel to the optical axis of the microlens, is refracted by the microlens according to the curvature of the convex microlens. This refraction allows the incident light to become focused at a predetermined point along the optical axis. Accordingly, in a color image sensor, such a microlens may be provided over a color filter layer including red (R), blue (B), and green (G) color filter elements for passing the light of each wavelength or color to a photodiode area.
Meanwhile, CMOS image sensors are classified according to a number of transistors. For example, a 3T-type CMOS image sensor consists of one photodiode and three transistors, and a 4T-type CMOS image sensor consists of one photodiode and four transistors. An equivalent circuit and layout of a unit pixel of a general 3T-type CMOS image sensor are shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, respectively.
Referring to FIG. 1, a CMOS image sensor of the related art comprises one photodiode PD and three NMOS transistors, including a reset transistor Rx, a drive transistor Dx, and a select transistor Sx. The cathode of the photodiode PD is commonly connected to the drain of the reset transistor Rx and the gate of the drive transistor Dx. The drain of the driver transistor Dx is connected to the source of the select transistor Sx, whose drain is in turn connected to a read circuit. With the anode of the photodiode PD grounded, a reference voltage VR is applied via a power line to the source of each of the reset transistor Rx and the drive transistor Dx. A reset signal RST is applied via a reset line to the gate of the reset transistor Rx, and a select signal SLCT is applied via a column select line to the gate of the select transistor Sx.
Referring to FIG. 2, an active area 10 is defined for each unit pixel of the CMOS image sensor of FIG. 1. The active area 10 includes a photodiode area 20 comprising the bulk of the active area 10, which is overlapped by gate electrode areas 30, 40, and 50 of the three NMOS transistors, respectively. The source/drain region of each transistor is formed by performing an ion-implantation process with respect to the active area 10. Power (Vdd) is applied to the source/drain regions of the reset transistor Rx and the drive transistor Dx. The source/drain region of the select transistor Sx is connected to the read circuit, and each of the gate electrodes 30, 40, and 50 is connected to external circuitry (not shown) via a corresponding signal line having a pad provided at one end.
FIG. 3 diagrams the incidence of light at the juncture of dissimilar media, i.e., media exhibiting different densities, including a first medium 1 having a refraction index n1 and a second medium 2 having a refraction index n2. Incident light travels in the first medium 1 at an angle of incidence θ1 and then enters the second medium 2, and travels in the second medium 2 at an angle of refraction θ2. According to an optical refractive law:n1×sin θ1=n2×sin θ2 n1/n2=sin θ2/sin θhd 1for a first medium (e.g., air) that is optically less dense than a second medium (e.g., a lens). Therefore, by using a lens material exhibiting a high refractivity to reduce total reflection occurring near a perimeter of a microlens, that is, light incident nearer the perimeter or in a peripheral area of the microlens, the angle of refraction increases for greater angles of incidence. Thus, the intensity of focused light is increased.
Referring to FIG. 4, illustrating a CMOS image sensor and a method for forming a microlens thereof according to the related art, at least one photodiode 12 for generating an electrical charge according to the intensity of an incoming light signal is formed in a predetermined surface of a semiconductor substrate 11. An insulating interlayer 13 is formed on the semiconductor substrate 11 including the photodiodes 12. A color filter layer 14 includes a plurality of color filters, such as red (R) green (G), and blue (B) color filters, and is formed on the insulating interlayer 13 to transmit light according to its wavelength or band. The color filters are arranged to correspond to the photodiodes 12. A planarizing layer 15 is formed on the color filter layer 14. At least one microlens 19 is formed on the planarizing layer 15 as an array of microlenses corresponding to the at least one photodiode 12. Each microlens 19 is formed by depositing, patterning, and reflowing a photoresist to have a convex structure with a predetermined curvature for concentrating light onto one photodiode 12 via a corresponding color filter of the color filter layer 14. Structural characteristics of the microlens 19, including its curvature and height, are determined in accordance with various device factors such as focal length, specific photodiode arrangement, color filter size, etc.
FIG. 5 diagrams the incidence of light at the juncture of dissimilar media to illustrate an optical phenomenon of light incident near a microlens perimeter A of the CMOS image sensor shown in FIG. 4. As shown, when light enters a medium 3, namely, a surface of the planarizing layer 15, which is a relatively sparse medium optically, from the more dense medium 2 at increased angles of incidence near the microlens perimeter A, the refracted ray tends to travel along the surface of medium 3. Thus, the total refracted light, incoming via the microlens 19, is inefficiently focused on the photodiode 12. This prevents an optimum quantity of light from reaching the photodiode.

CMOS image sensor and method for fabricating the same


A method of forming a duct liner from a duct insulation board includes cutting a plurality of parallel grooves into duct boards with a plurality of rotary saw blades which are spaced on 1.57 inch or 3.14 inch centers. The saw blades have peripheral teeth which project outwardly on both sides of the saw blades to form grooves in a first major surface of a duct board which are wider than the saw blades. The grooves have sidewalls which extend perpendicular to the first major surface of the duct board and have a depth from 70% to 90% of the thickness of the duct board. The first major surface is typically coated and a second major surface of the duct board normally has a facing adhered thereto. After the duct board is grooved, the duct board can be curved to conform to the curvature of a tubular metal shell, with the parallel grooves of the duct board extending parallel to the axis of curvature, and placed in the tubular metal shell as a liner to form an insulated air duct.

The present invention is directed to an apparatus for and a method of cutting a plurality of grooves in faced duct insulation boards (glass fiber or foam duct insulation boards) and forming the grooved, faced duct insulation boards into tubular liners which can be used to internally line large diameter round and flat oval metal ducts and the grooved duct insulation boards and the large diameter ducts formed thereby.
Heating, ventilating and air conditioning systems found in large building structures, such as, convention centers, sports domes, etc., require large diameter, high capacity, insulated round or flat oval air ducts for conveying conditioned air from air conditioning units to locations throughout the building structure and for returning air to the air conditioning units for heating or cooling and recirculation. These large diameter, insulated round or flat oval air ducts typically range from about twenty inches to over one hundred inches in diameter.
Presently, the most commonly used internally treated, air ducts for such large, high capacity heating, ventilating and air conditioning systems are double wall insulated metal-ducts, such as, the air duct 100 shown in FIG. 11. These large diameter, high capacity, metal air ducts 100 comprise an outer tubular metal shell 102, an inner tubular metal liner 104 (which is typically perforated), and one or more layers of glass fiber or other insulation 106 intermediate the outer tubular shell and the inner tubular liner. These tubular air ducts normally have either a round or a flat oval transverse cross section. Due to their construction, which in essence, comprises a first tubular metal duct contained within a second tubular metal duct, and the labor required to both assemble the first metal duct within the second metal duct and insulate the space between the ducts, these double wall, insulated metal air ducts are costly.
A second insulated air duct 110, currently in use, is shown in FIG. 12. This insulated air duct 110 comprises a round, tubular metal shell 112 internally lined with a round tubular, preformed, self-supporting, molded, glass fiber insulation 114 sold by Schuller International Inc., under the trademark "SPIRACOUSTIC". This air duct system exhibits good thermal and acoustical insulating properties and eliminates the need for the costly perforated metal liner 104 of the air duct 100. However, this system has only been used with tubular metal shells having internal diameters of twenty-four inches or less.
Recently, large diameter, high capacity, air ducts, comprising tubular metal shells lined with coated, glass fiber duct boards, were installed in a high capacity heating, ventilating and air conditioning system. By eliminating the inner tubular metal liner 104 of the double wall, insulated metal air ducts 100 and the labor involved in assembling the tubular metal liner 104 within the outer tubular metal shell 102, the cost of the large diameter, high capacity air duct used in the heating, ventilating and air conditioning system was reduced.
The elimination of the inner tubular metal liner was accomplished by forming a plurality of parallel grooves or kerfs in the airstream surfaces of the duct boards that enabled the duct boards to be curved (about an axis parallel to the grooves or kerfs) to conform to the interior surfaces of the tubular metal shells. The glass fiber duct boards were four feet wide by ten feet long. Where the tubular metal shell being lined had an internal circumference equal to or less than the length of the duct board, the duct board or a portion of the duct board was formed into a tube and inserted into the tubular metal shell to form the insulated air duct. Where the tubular metal shell had an internal circumference greater than the length of one duct board, a first duct board was taped to a second duct board or portion of a duct board to obtain the required length, the joined duct boards were then formed into a tube, and the tube was inserted into the tubular metal shell to form the insulated air duct.
The parallel grooves or kerfs cut into the airstream surfaces of the duct boards were narrow and had sidewalls extending substantially perpendicular to the airstream surfaces. The airstream surfaces of the duct boards were coated to encapsulate the fibers and/or particles of the duct boards within the duct boards. By forming narrow grooves with substantially perpendicular sidewalls in the airstream surfaces, the mouths of the grooves or kerfs closed when the duct boards were curved to conform to the interior surfaces of the tubular metal shells thereby keeping the fibers in the groove or kerf surfaces from being exposed to the interior of the air ducts and the high velocity air stream being conveyed through the air ducts. Vee grooves did not close when the duct boards were curved to conform to the interior surface of the tubular metal shells, exposing fibers in the groove surfaces. Accordingly, vee grooves were not used in the duct boards.
A duct board grooving apparatus using a plurality (thirty or more) of evenly spaced rotatably driven, saw blades was used to cut the grooves or kerfs in the airstream surfaces of the duct boards. The saw blades were mounted on a drive shaft and manually spaced along the drive shaft. The drive shaft had a round transverse cross section. Accordingly, after the saw blades were manually spaced along the drive shaft, the saw blades had to be affixed to the drive shaft by set screws so that the saw blades would rotate with the drive shaft and maintain their axial spacing.
To groove duct boards for lining tubular metal shells of different diameters, the spacing between the numerous saw blades was adjusted, through trial and error, until a spacing was found that allowed the duct boards to be curved to the particular curvature required for the tubular metal shell being lined. Thus, the numerous saw blades each had to be loosened, moved and reaffixed to the drive shaft, a very time consuming operation.
The saw blades used for cutting grooves or kerfs in the duct boards had peripheral teeth projecting radially outward from the saw blades in the planes of the saw blades whereby the sidewalls of the saw blades radially inward of the teeth engaged the sidewalls of the grooves or kerfs creating drag.
The saw blade drive shaft was offset from the axis of a backup roll used to support the duct boards beneath the saw blades as the grooves or kerfs were cut into the airstream surfaces of the duct boards. Accordingly, the duct boards could be deflected somewhat during the grooving operation causing a variation in the depths of the grooves formed across the lengths of the duct boards. In addition, the saw blade drive shaft was supported laterally from an existing tool bar which aggravated the deflection problem.

Method of forming large diameter duct with liner and the product formed thereby


A multi-chip module development substrate (12) contains embedded test circuitry (30). Vias (38) connect I/O channels (Cn) of the test circuitry with conductive runs in interconnect layers (16,18) that are part of an interconnect structure (17) of the development substrate. Integrated circuit chips (14) are then mounted on the multi-chip module development substrate in selected electrical contact with the conductive runs. The embedded test circuitry includes multiple timing analyzer circuits (TAn) and multiple analog probe circuits en). In a preferred embodiment, these timing analyzer circuits and analog probe circuits are provided in redundant pairs, with a pair of each associated with each of the I/O channels. Multiple pairs of each kind of circuit are grouped within test cells (70) physically arranged in rectangular areas. Adjacent test circuit cells may be rotated with respect to each other to achieve more efficient connections to interconnect structure. After verification testing for proper operation of the multi-chip module circuitry, production versions of the multi-chip module are fabricated on multi-chip module production substrates not containing the test circuitry, thereby removing the extra cost and complexity associated with the development substrate.

Testing of multi-chip modules (MCM) is made difficult by a number of factors; the density of chips on the modules leaves little space for any test circuitry, the close spacing of leads or pads on chips and the corresponding interconnects on the substrate complicates routing between test points of the MCM and the test circuitry, and the method of mounting and electrically connecting chips on an MCM can make some desired test points virtually inaccessible.
One attempt at solving these problems included placing the testing circuitry on the chip to be tested. Although this can provide access to test points internal to the chip, it also adds overhead to the chip, increasing its size and cost. Furthermore, the testing circuitry adds complexity to the chip which may not be removed when the chip is put into full production.
What is needed is technique for testing high-density multi-chip modules that can access test points hidden under chips and within areas of tightly spaced leads without adding cost or complexity to the modules when they are put into production.


A method and apparatus for reserving an appointment in a communications network is described. In one embodiment, a request is received from a caller to schedule an appointment with an enterprise customer, wherein the request is processed in accordance with a media server in the communications network. A scheduling calendar is then accessed. Afterwards, the appointment is reserved with one of a plurality available appointment time slots.

1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to telecommunications systems and, more particularly, to a method and apparatus for scheduling an appointment in a communications network, such as a packet network, e.g., a voice over internet protocol (VoIP) network.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, telecommunications systems provide the ability for two or more people or machines (e.g., computerized or other electronic devices) to communicate with each other. A telecommunications system may include various networks for facilitating communication that may be generally organized into packet networks and circuit-switched networks. An exemplary circuit-switched network includes a plain old telephone system (POTS), such as the publicly switched telephone network (PSTN). Exemplary packet networks include internet protocol (IP) networks, asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) networks, frame-relay networks, and the like. One type of packet network is a voice-over-internet protocol (VoIP) network.
Small to mid-sized business owners are increasingly employing packet networks, e.g., VoIP networks, to utilize alternative business class telephony applications, such as IP Centrex. At present, however, enterprise customers are not able to designate call treatment preferences that can be configured into service logic that processes incoming calls for handling appointment scheduling.
Thus, there is a need in the art for a method and apparatus that enables and enterprise owner to define incoming call service logic for handling appointment scheduling.

Method and apparatus for automated calendar selections


A component mounting machine which deals with a component remaining on a nozzle of a mounting head includes a board conveyance device conveying a board to a predetermined position, a component supply device accommodating multiple components therein, a component mounting device on which a mounting head which picks up and holds a component by vacuum pumping of a suction nozzle is installed and which mounts a component which is taken out from the component supply device onto a board which is conveyed by the board conveyance device, and a control device controlling each of the devices. The component mounting device performs lowering of the component, releasing the component with respect to the suction nozzle of the mounting head, a first lifting of the component to a middle height, a component pickup performed at the height of the first lifting, and a second lifting after the component pickup.

For example, a mounting head that is provided with a suction nozzle for mounting an electronic component onto a circuit board is installed in an electronic component mounting machine, and an electronic component to be picked up and held by the suction nozzle is taken out from a component supply section and mounted onto the circuit board. The picking up and holding of the electronic component by the suction nozzle is performed by applying negative pressure inside the nozzle via vacuum pumping after a suction port has contacted the electronic component. The electronic component which is taken out from a component supply device by such pickup and holding is moved to the circuit board by the movement of the mounting head, and after the electronic component has been placed at a predetermined position on the circuit board, the electronic component is released by the vacuum pumping at the suction nozzle being canceled.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Component mounting machine for preventing release fail of a component


The parking brakes at the drive wheels of a zero turning radius mower are automatically set when a pair of drive levers used for determining speed, steering and forward or reverse travel are placed in their neutral positions and swung outwardly to widespread, operator dismount positions. When the drive levers are widespread, switches associated with a control circuit are opened, allowing air cylinders to immediately exhaust pressurized air so that tension springs may actuate the brake assemblies to set the brakes. When the drive levers are returned to their operating modes and the ignition is turned on, the control switches are closed, energizing the control circuit to pressurize the air cylinders and release the brakes against the bias of the tension springs.

Zero turning radius mowers are typically provided with twin drive levers that are manipulated by the seated operator to regulate the speed, turning, and forward or reverse operations of the mower. In a typical such mower, the ground-engaging drive wheels utilize reversible hydraulic motors that are supplied with hydraulic fluid in variable amounts by pumps linked to the drive levers. Steering of the machine is accomplished by speeding up or slowing down one of the hydraulic motors relative to the other through the appropriate manipulation of the drive levers. In some instances, one of the motors may be reversed relative to the other to turn the machine about a zero turning radius. Mechanical drive mechanisms have also been utilized in lieu of the hydraulic pumps and motors.
The drive levers are moveable independently of one another along fore-and-aft paths of travel to control the pumps and hydraulic motors. However, when the levers are aligned with one another in side-by-side relationship in neutral, they can be swung outwardly to widespread positions to make it more convenient for the operator to dismount the mower. In the present invention, through use of an electrical control circuit, swinging of the drive levers to their widespread positions causes the parking brakes or other wheel retaining mechanisms to be automatically applied, holding the mower against further movement. The electrical control circuit is also such that when the ignition is turned off for any reason, even if the drive levers are not in their widespread positions, the parking brake or retaining mechanism will be automatically applied as a safety means.

Electrically released parking brake for zero turn radius mower


A prism optical system for use as an ocular optical system of a visual display apparatus, which has a compact size as a whole, causes a minimal reduction of the light intensity in the ocular optical system, provides a wide field angle and a large exit pupil diameter, and is effectively corrected for off-axis aberrations. The prism optical system has two transparent surfaces (6 and 7), and two reflecting surfaces (2 and 3). The space between the first transparent surface (6) and the second transparent surface (7) is filled with a medium having a refractive index not smaller than 1.3. Assuming that a light ray which emanates from the center of an image surface (1) and is perpendicularly incident on a pupil position (5) is defined as a chief ray, the two reflecting surfaces (2 and 3) are disposed such that both the reflecting surfaces are tilted with respect to the chief ray, and that the two reflecting surfaces (2and 3) are tilted relative to each other so as to diverge toward the image surface (1) or the pupil position (5) in a plane in which the optical axis bends. At the same time, the two reflecting surfaces (2 and 3) are disposed so that a light ray emanating from the image surface (1) approximately intersects a light ray which emanates from the second transparent surface (7) and enters the pupil position (5).

The present invention relates to a prism optical system. More particularly, the present invention relates to a prism optical system for use as an ocular optical system of a visual display apparatus which comprises a two-dimensional image display device for displaying an observation image, and an ocular optical system for projecting the displayed image in the air as an enlarged image. The prism optical system has a compact size as a whole, causes a minimal reduction of the light intensity in the ocular optical system, and provides a large exit pupil diameter.
FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing the arrangement of an optical system of a conventional visual display apparatus proposed in Japanese Patent Application Unexamined Publication (KOKAI) No. 3-221934. In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes a two-dimensional image display device, 2 a first reflecting plane, 3 a second reflecting plane, 4 a lens having positive refracting power, and 5 an observer's pupil position. In this case, display light emanating from the two-dimensional image display device 1 is successively reflected by the first reflecting plane 2 and the second reflecting plane 3 in the mentioned order and converged by the positive lens 4 to form an image displayed on the two-dimensional image display device 1 at a distance. The image is re-formed on the retinal of the observer's eyeball via the observer's pupil position 5, thereby allowing the observer to see the displayed image.
In the prior art, only the positive lens 4 has refracting power. Therefore, the principal point of the ocular optical system lies in the vicinity of the lens 4.
In general, if the observer's pupil is placed in the vicinity of the exit pupil position of an optical system, the quantity of light eclipsed is minimized. Accordingly, if the observer's pupil is placed in the vicinity of the exit pupil position 5 in FIG. 2, the focal length of the ocular optical system becomes approximately equal to the eye point distance because the principal point of the ocular optical system lies in the vicinity of the positive lens 4.
Further, an image to be viewed by the observer cannot be projected at a distance unless the two-dimensional image display device 1 is disposed in the vicinity of the front focal point of the ocular optical system. That is, the length of the optical path that extends from the two-dimensional image display device 1 to the positive lens 4 via the reflecting planes 2 and 3 also needs to be approximately equal to the focal length of the ocular optical system.
Accordingly, if no sufficiently long eye point distance is provided, it will be impossible to ensure a space sufficient for light from the two-dimensional image display device 1 to enter the positive lens 4 by being reflected by the first reflecting plane 2 and the second reflecting plane 3, giving rise to a problem that light rays are eclipsed by the plane mirrors 2 and 3 and the two-dimensional image display device 1.
However, if the focal length of the positive lens 4 is increased in order to prevent an eclipse of light rays, the eye point distance becomes excessively long, making it difficult to realize a compact ocular optical system.
Meanwhile, it is important to increase the exit pupil diameter of the ocular optical system with a view to preventing an eclipse of the observation image caused by rolling of the observer's eyeball and also to providing an image display apparatus which needs no adjustment of the interpupillary distance or the like, and which is easy to see. However, it has heretofore been difficult to increase the exit pupil diameter of the ocular optical system, that is, to reduce the F-number, in the optical system which comprises only the positive lens system 4.