When an order for photographic processing is placed from the customer, an operator, first, operates a keyboard to input the type of photographic processing ordered by the customer. Then, the operator causes a card reader to read customer identification information recorded on a card, and causes a bar code reader to read a bar code recorded on a cartridge and representing film information, and further, causes a film-data reading device to read film information magnetically recorded on the film. Further, when an order for extra prints is placed from the customer, the operator loads a print order slip on which information for extra prints is recorded, into a loading portion so that the information recorded on the print order slip is read by a mark-sheet reader. As a result, the information required for issuing order forms is obtained, and three sheets of order form for a customer, laboratory, and photo processing shop, are issued by a printer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for accepting an order for photographic processing, and particularly to a method and apparatus for accepting an order for photographic processing which is made by a customer (a user of a photographic film or the like).
2. Description of the Related Art
When a customer requests photographic processing such as development, making prints, and making extra prints, the customer brings a film or the like to be processed to a shop for accepting a photographic processing request (i.e., photo processing shop) and requests various photographic processing such as development, making prints simultaneously with development (referred to hereinafter as "simultaneous prints"), and making extra prints. The photo processing shop receives a film or the like which is brought in by the customer, and at the same time, asks the customer about their name and telephone number, and the contents of the requested photographic processing (e.g., development only, making prints simultaneous with development, or making extra prints, and when making prints is requested, a size of print, a kind of printing paper, or the like). Further, in the photo processing shop, a salesclerk enters, by handwriting, the information received from the customer, the expected date of delivery, and the like in an order form. In this way, the photo processing shop accepts a photographic processing request.
The above-described accepting order form is generally constructed of four sheets of paper. By entering various information in the order form by handwriting, the order form to be kept in the photo processing shop, a copy of the order form to be handed to the customer, another copy of the order form for placing the order for photographic processing with a laboratory (i.e., a development laboratory), and a statement of delivery are issued. The film received from the customer, or the like is sent to the laboratory together with the copy of the order form for placing the order for the above-described photographic processing. In the laboratory, a photographic processing operation in accordance with a customer's request is effected.
However, since entering various information in the order form is effected by handwriting as described above, an accepting operation of an order for photographic processing requires a great deal of time. For this reason, for example, if a large number of customers arrive at the same time many customers may be kept waiting for a long time. Further, since the information received from the customer is entered by handwriting, there is a possibility that errors occur. Moreover, there are also possibilities that, due to such errors, a film received from the customer cannot be returned to the customer properly, and the location of the film received from the customer becomes unclear. Further, in the laboratory, the requested contents may be misunderstood.
Further, designation of image frames for which the customer desires to make extra prints when extra prints are ordered is effected by directly entering a number of sheets or the like in a film package in which a film cut for several frames is contained. In this case, it is not possible to ascertain an exposure condition at the time of making prints simultaneous with development.
In the meantime, it has been proposed, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 3-175448, that a film taken out from a cartridge serving as a container of the film and subjected to photographic processing such as development is returned to the cartridge and is returned to the customer. In this method, since the film is contained in the container when extra prints are ordered, it is difficult to correctly accept an order of extra prints of image frames for which the customer desires.
Further, when the customer orders extra prints at a later date, the customer brings a developed negative film to the photo processing shop and tells a salesclerk to make extra prints.
A developed negative film is usually contained in a semitransparent package called a negative sheet (strip) in strips cut every six frames. The customer positions the negative film at a standard position (i.e., arranges the negative film at a right-hand end of the negative sheet), and enters an ordering number of extra prints on the negative sheet through which a negative image can be viewed, by a felt-type pen or the like. In this way, the customer designates image frames of extra prints and the ordering number of extra prints for each image frame.
In accordance with this order, in the laboratory, an operator visually confirms the contents entered by the customer and operates an input button, which corresponds to the negative sheet, on an input device, so as to input an image frame for which extra prints are made.
However, when the customer designates an image frame, since an image of the negative film is small and the density and color of an image is reversed, it is a time-consuming work to retrieve an image frame for which the customer desires to make extra prints among similar images. Further, mistakes often occur.
On the other hand, in recent years, a frame number of each image frame is printed on a reverse side of a printing paper, and the customer records the printed frame number on a memo note or the like and brings this memo note together with the negative film to the photo processing shop. In this ordering method, it is not necessary to retrieve an image for which extra prints are ordered, among indistinct negative images, so that the customer is not likely to make a mistake of an order.
However, even if any of the above-described ordering methods are used, in the laboratory, an operator retrieves and inputs negative images for which the customer ordered extra prints. For this reason, due to an operational failure at the time of inputting, mistakes can occur. Further, this input operation is complicated and requires a great deal of time. Accordingly, the charge for making extra prints is comparatively higher than that for making prints simultaneously with development.

Method and apparatus for accepting an order for photographic processing


The electroluminescent phosphor of this invention is comprised of zinc sulfide activated with copper and iodine and may produce an emission with an x color coordinate from 0.145 to 0.155 and a y color coordinate from 0.085 to 0.095. The phosphor preferably contains from about 0.08 to about 0.90 weight percent (wt. %) copper.

Electroluminescence (EL) is the emission of light under electric-field excitation. Based on this mechanism, EL lamps and displays are finding an increasing number of applications in the field of flat panel displays due to the growing demand for portable computers, communication equipment, and consumer electronic products. EL lamps also provide uniform light emission independent of viewing angle and they are insensitive to mechanical shock and vibration.
The two major EL lamp constructions are generally referred to as thin-film and thick-film. Thin-film EL lamps are made by depositing alternating thin layers of dielectric materials, phosphors and conductive oxides on a glass substrate using a vapor deposition technique such as CVD. By contrast, thick-film lamps are made by suspending powders in resinous materials and then applying them in layers onto a plastic film using conventional screen printing techniques. Hence, thick-film EL lamps can be thin, flexible and rugged thereby making them suitable for a wider range of lighting applications.
Most commonly, electroluminescent phosphors for thick-film applications are blue, blue-green, green or orange emitting. European Patent No. EP 1 006 170 B1 describes an electroluminescent phosphor with an emission spectrum having average CIE x,y color coordinates of 0.150 and 0.080, respectively.


A terminal apparatus that performs radio communication with a base station apparatus in a mobile communication system, including: a transmission mode information receiving unit configured to receive transmission mode information, from the base station apparatus, corresponding to a transmission mode that should be set in the terminal apparatus; a transmission mode setting unit configured to set the terminal apparatus to the transmission mode if the terminal apparatus can perform radio transmission in the transmission mode corresponding to the transmission mode information received by the transmission mode receiving unit; and a radio transmission unit configured to perform radio transmission in the transmission mode.

Currently, standardization on mobile communication systems is in progress in 3GPP and the like, and standards such as LTE are being drafted. In the standard such as the LTE, a terminal apparatus called UE (User Equipment) is designed and manufactured so as to meet the standard defined by a standard-setting organization and the like, and the terminal apparatus operates in conformity to the standard.
Also, a standard, that extends the LTE, such as the LTE-A (LTE-Advanced) and the like is being studied. A terminal apparatus conforming to such a standard includes functions that are more sophisticated and complicated than those of the terminal apparatus in the conventional standard, and it is assumed that radio transmission power of the terminal apparatus increases in order to increase transmission speed and to stabilize radio quality. Also, since the terminal apparatus includes sophisticated and complicated radio communication functions, there is a possibility that radio transmission requirements (to be also referred to as RF conditions) such as out-of-band radiation emitted to the outside by the terminal apparatus when performing radio communication are relaxed.

Terminal apparatus, base station apparatus, mobile communication system, and transmission mode setting method


A method of packaging a product by heat shrinking a low gauge, low shrink force, polyester shrink film to a rigid container. The lidding film engages around the outside of the container, thereby protecting the contents and providing evidence of tampering. The packaged product can be heated and will generally vent steam, while maintaining tamper resistance.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates broadly to packaging having a lidding film, which is resistant to tampering. More specifically, the present invention is directed to a particular type of polyester shrink film in combination with a particular type of tray or similar-type food support to provide a packaging system capable of venting steam while remaining tamper resistant.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Broadly speaking, consumers are very interested in having assurance that the packaged products they purchase have not been adulterated in some way. A need therefore exists for an effective and economical means for tamper resistant packaging comprising a lidding film. A further need often exists for such packaging to be tamper resistant even during (or after) subsequent warming or heating of the package contents, particularly when the package contents is a food.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,491,510 to Sternau and U.S. Pat. No. 3,508,380 to Nakamura show packaging machines which apply shrink film as a lidding to rigid containers.

Packaging system capable of venting steam while remaining tamper resistant and methods relating thereto


A method of making steel comprising assembling a steelmaking furnace, a thin strip caster, and a mold caster, inputting to a computer data on demand and customer requirements for production output, raw materials, furnace availability and capacity, ladle treatment for casting, sequence schedules and through-put, capacities and variability, forecasting by processing by computer from the inputted data a production schedule for the steelmaking furnace and ladle treatment, and sequence schedules for the thin strip and the mold casters as a function of molten metal availability, the thin strip and mold caster sequence schedules and through-put, and demand for production output, directing production of molten metal alternatively to the delivery systems of the thin strip caster and mold caster responsive to said forecasting, and varying during casting the rate of metal delivery through the delivery system of the thin strip caster responsive to molten metal availability and the mold caster through-put.

Most steel is now made by slab caster, billet caster, bloom caster or thin strip caster, which forms the steel into a semi-finished slab, billet or bloom product or a near-finished strip cast product. Each of these casting processes involves continuous delivery of molten metal to the caster during the casting sequence for full production by the caster. If production is disrupted during the cast in making semi-finished product in a slab, billet or bloom caster, considerable downtime is required to clean or change out the cast mold and place dummy bars to start a new cast. Further, one or more strands of a billet caster can become plugged during the cast slowing the through-put of molten metal by the caster. Although precautions are taken to avoid such disruptions during a cast, such disruptions need to be anticipated and plans set for response when such a disruption occurs. Disruptions in casting of near-finished strip on a roll caster, on the other hand, generally involve simply restarting the cast without downtime or by a rapid change out of the casting rolls and/or refractories and restarting the cast. No cleaning of the mold or placement of a dummy bar is required to restart casting in making strip by roll caster.
In the past, these various casters have been serviced typically by a melt shop employing electric arc furnaces (EAF) or basic oxygen furnaces (BOF) to make hot steel compositions for casting. For slab, billet and bloom casting, the molten metal may be delivered directly to the caster, or delivered through a ladle metallurgy furnace (LMF) where the composition of molten metal from the melt shop is trimmed for the casting operation. Degassing is also less commonly used with slab, billet and bloom casters, but for certain grades of low carbon steel and steel stainless steel (where vacuum-oxygen decarburization (VOD) is typically used) degassing is used for control of the gases in the molten metal composition in preparation for casting. On the other hand, because of the nature of the strip casting process, it has been found generally necessary in all steel grades to control the amount of gases in the molten steel and to trim the composition of the molten metal in an LMF before delivery to a thin strip caster. Unlike slab, billet and bloom casting, continuously casting thin strip into a near-finished product involves forming the basic microstructure of the steel in milliseconds rather than minutes. For this reason, generally the time lapse to prepare the steel composition for casting between delivery of molten metal from a melt shop to strip caster is considerably longer than the time needed to prepare such molten metal for delivery to a slab, billet or bloom caster.
Another difference between making billet, blooms and slab by continuous mold caster and making cast strip by continuous strip caster is the rate of metal through-put. Billet, bloom and slab casters have a relatively limited ability to vary the through-put rate of the mold caster. The exception is in multiple strand mold casters such as the billet caster where one or more strands can become plugged during a cast and an unscheduled through-put of molten metal correspondingly decreased. Otherwise there is less ability to increase or decrease production during a casting campaign than in a continuous strip caster. A continuous strip caster, on the other hand, can substantially increase and decrease molten metal through-put rate by varying casting speed or varying thickness of the cast strip or both. The thinner the strip produced and the faster the strip caster operates, the more molten metal that can be processed by the plant in a given period of time.
As a result, the production of molten metal by the metal shop was generally driven by the needs of the particular caster being serviced. The time between completion of the making of the molten metal and the delivery of the molten metal to the caster have been coordinated so that the molten metal from the furnace on delivery to the caster had sufficient latent heat that the melt would not prematurely cool and disrupt the casting campaign. For this reason, the melt shop typically had more capacity than necessary to service the needs of the serviced caster. Moreover, although the capacity of the melt shop had to take into account the interim ladle treatment requirements for casting operation, the capacity of the melt shop was not matched to the particular need of the caster being serviced except in a gross way. Accordingly, the efficiency of the steelmaking plant was generally below capacity of the melt shop and governed by the through-put of the serviced caster.
The difficulty is compounded by the quite different market demand for, and profitability of, the semi-finished long product from the billet or bloom caster, the semi-finished slab product from the slab caster, and the near-finished strip product from the thin strip casters. In general, the product from the strip caster is more profitable and in higher demand because the product competes with cold roll sheet (which is more expensive to make with the rolling sequences involved). By contrast, semi-finished billets, blooms and slab are more plentiful and typically require further processing to produce a marketable product. Thus, market demand and profit margin of long products and slabs are generally lower than for thin cast strip. Yet, the production demands in making billets, blooms, beam blank, and slabs by continuous casters, with the need to avoid disruption of the casting campaigns, are considerably greater and quite different from the production demands in making thin cast strip.
Disclosed is a steelmaking plant that takes advantage of the full capacity of the melt shop, and produces both finished thin cast strip and semi-finished billets, blooms or slabs. The present steelmaking plant balances the needs and advantages of a strip caster with the operational demands of a billet caster, bloom caster or slab caster to produce both finished and semi-finished steel products in one plant and take use of the full capacity of the melt shop servicing the casters.
Disclosed is a method of making steel comprising the steps of:
(a) assembling a steelmaking furnace capable of melting and making molten metal for delivery to a first metal delivery system and a second metal delivery system,
(b) assembling a thin strip caster capable of continuous casting of steel strip having a thin strip production output, the thin strip caster comprising a pair of casting rolls having a nip there between for delivery of thin strip downwardly there from, and the first metal delivery system capable of providing molten metal forming a casting pool between the casting rolls above the nip with side dams adjacent the ends of the nip to confine the casting pool,
(c) assembling a mold caster capable of continuous casting of steel semi-finished products having a semi-finished production output, the mold caster comprising a casting mold capable of producing one or more strands and having the second metal delivery system capable of introducing molten metal into the casting mold,
(d) inputting to a computer data on raw materials for the steelmaking furnace, the steelmaking furnace availability and capacity for making molten steel, ladle treatment for casting in the thin strip caster and mold caster, thin strip caster and mold caster sequence schedules and through-put, capacities and variability of the thin strip caster and mold caster, and demand and/or customer requirements for thin strip production output and semi-finished production output,
(e) forecasting by processing by the computer from the inputted data a production schedule for the steelmaking furnace and ladle treatment, sequence schedule for the thin strip caster, and sequence schedule for the mold caster as a function of molten metal availability for casting, the thin strip caster and mold caster sequence schedules and through-put, and the demand for thin strip production output and semi-finished production output, and
(f) directing production of the molten metal from the steelmaking furnace and ladle treatment alternatively to the first metal delivery system of the thin strip caster and to the second metal delivery system of the mold caster responsive to said forecasting.
The steps of inputting the data to the computer and forecasting by processing by the computer may be done intermittently during steelmaking. Alternately, the steps of inputting the data to the computer and forecasting by processing by the computer may be done continually during steelmaking.
The steps of forecasting by processing by the computer and directing production of the molten metal from the steelmaking furnace takes into account changing the rate of metal delivery through the first metal delivery system and the second metal delivery system during casting.
The steps of forecasting by processing by the computer and directing production of the molten metal from the steelmaking furnace may take into account the variable speed of thin strip casting and/or capacity to vary the thickness of cast strip by the strip caster. Alternately or in addition, the steps of forecasting by processing by the computer and directing production of the molten metal from the steelmaking furnace may involve steps of determining a desired rate of metal delivery through the first metal delivery system to the strip caster as a function of the molten metal availability and a desired mold caster through-put rate, and selecting caster speed and strip thickness of the thin strip caster corresponding to the determined rate of metal delivery through the first metal delivery system to the strip caster, the determined rate of metal delivery through the second metal delivery system to the mold caster, or both. The ladle treatment may be done separately for the first metal delivery system and the second metal delivery system, or the ladle treatment may be done for the first metal delivery system and not for the second metal system as desired for the particular embodiment.
Specifically, the steps of forecasting by processing by the computer and directing production of the molten metal from the steelmaking furnace may include varying casting by the thin strip caster to provide molten metal to the second metal delivery system for continuous casting by the mold caster to avoid disruption of the casting by the mold caster during the casting sequence. Alternatively, the steps of forecasting by processing by the computer and directing production of the molten metal from the steelmaking furnace may include varying the mold caster through-put as a function of the molten metal availability and the desired rate of metal delivery through the first metal delivery system to the strip caster.
The steps of forecasting by processing by the computer and directing production of the molten metal from the steelmaking furnace may take into account the ladle treatment of the molten steel for casting by ladle metallurgical furnace, degassing the molten metal, or a combination thereof.
The step of forecasting production schedules may include taking into account profitability in making semi-finished production output and thin strip production output. Alternately or in addition, profitability may be a function of customer requirements.
The steps of forecasting by processing by the computer and directing production of the molten metal from the steelmaking furnace may take into account market parameters for semi-finished production output and thin strip production output. The market parameters may include at least one selected from a group consisting of product prices, market indices, market capacity for the products, and orders for semi-finished production output and thin strip production output.


An internal combustion engine includes a fuel system having a first fuel rail with an integrated diverter portion coupled to a high-pressure pump and separated from a common rail portion by a flow restriction device. The first fuel rail includes a pressure sensor coupled to the diverter portion at one end and a control valve coupled to the common rail portion at the other end of the same fuel rail. In V-engine embodiments, a second fuel rail communicates with the integrated diverter portion of the first fuel rail. In one embodiment, components including the first and second fuel rails, a pressure sensor, and a pressure or volume control valve are externally mounted outside the engine valve cover.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to multiple-cylinder internal combustion engines having a high-pressure common rail fuel system.
2. Background Art
High pressure common rail fuel systems typically include a high pressure fuel pump that delivers fuel to a fuel rail associated with a group of cylinders. The primary purpose of the fuel rail is to maintain sufficient fuel at the required pressure for injection while distributing fuel to the injectors, which all share fuel in the common rail. The rail volume acts as an accumulator in the fuel system and dampens pressure fluctuations from the pump and fuel injection cycles to maintain nearly constant pressure at the fuel injector nozzle.
Fuel system designs can be quite complex and are dependent upon a variety of considerations including connections or fittings to the fuel pump and injectors, connection points for the pressure sensor and regulator, and appropriate sizing to function as an accumulator. In "V" configuration engines, the high pressure fuel pump is often connected to both left and right common rails with each fuel rail associated with a corresponding cylinder bank. A pressure sensor and a pressure or volume control valve are used for closed loop feedback control of the rail pressure in response to commands from an engine or vehicle controller.
When the fuel injectors are actuated to inject fuel into the cylinder, a pressure wave travels from the injector inlet back through the high pressure lines or pipes to the associated fuel rail. This pressure wave may adversely affect the pressure control as well as the accuracy of the quantity of fuel delivered in a subsequent injection for the same cylinder for multiple injections per combustion cycle, and/or for subsequent cylinders in the firing order. Variations in fuel injection quantity and/or timing make it difficult to achieve desired emissions and performance goals. The high accuracy and small tolerances in injection quantity may require an appropriate volume in the fuel system to reduce pressure impulses from the high pressure fuel pump.
Package requirements have also become increasingly important as components are added and/or sized for increased performance, reliability, durability, and fuel economy while reducing emissions over the lifetime of the engine. Particularly for V-configuration diesel engines having a common rail system, multiple rails, fuel lines and connections present challenges for robustness to leaks while maintaining manufacturability.

Common rail fuel system with integrated diverter


Disclosed is a method of forming a metal interconnection line for a semiconductor device. A metal interconnection line for semiconductor device according to the present invention is formed by the following processes. A semiconductor substrate having a conductive layer thereon is provided and an insulating layer is formed on the semiconductor substrate. A contact hole is formed by etching a selected portion of the insulating layer existing on the conductive layer to expose a predetermined portion of the conductive layer. A barrier metal film is then formed on a surface of the contact hole and the insulating film. A first aluminum alloy film is uniformly formed on the barrier metal film and a metal film for use as a plug is formed on the first aluminum alloy film filling the contact hole wherein the contact hole is covered with the first aluminum alloy film. A contact plug is then formed by etching back the metal film to expose the first aluminum alloy film. A second aluminum alloy film is formed on the contact plug and the first aluminum alloy film.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of fabricating a semiconductor device, and more particularly to a method of forming a metal interconnection line for a semiconductor device by using a contact plug.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, with high integration of semiconductor devices, pitch between metal interconnection lines and area of a contact hole are decreased, and aspect ratio is increased. In the case of metal interconnection line formed by using the sputtering technique, the strength of a coating for the metal wiring can become weakened. Accordingly, the metal interconnection line can short-circuit. In addition, as the depth of a diffusion region becomes shallower, a contact resistance of the metal interconnection line is increased. In order to solve these problems, the failure of the metal interconnection line is prevented and the contact resistance is reduced by forming a contact plug according to the prior art.
FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a conventional semiconductor device, showing a metal interconnection line structure employing a contact plug.
As shown in FIG. 1, an insulating layer 3 is formed on a semiconductor substrate 1 having an impurity region 2 formed therein. A portion of the insulating layer 3 is then etched to form a contact hole. Afterwards, a Ti/TiN film 4 acting as a barrier metal film is formed on upper surface and sides of the contact hole and on the insulating film 3. A contact plug 5 is formed within the contact hole with the Ti/TiN film 4. An aluminum alloy film 6 is formed on the Ti/TiN film 4 and the contact plug 5, and thus, the formation of the metal wiring is completed.
In the formation of the above metal interconnection line, the contact plug 5 is formed by depositing a tungsten(W) film on the Ti/TiN film 4 in order to fill the contact hole and by etching-back the tungsten film in order to expose the Ti/TiN film 4. At this time, in order to minimize the loss of the Ti/TiN film 4 which is positioned below the tungsten film at the time that the wolfram film is etched, end pointing etching is performed. Thereafter, an over etching is performed in order to completely remove the wolfram film remaining on the upper surface of the Ti/TiN film 4. If the over etching is not performed, the metal interconnection line is bridged by the remaining tungsten film. When the over etching is performed, however, a shallow groove is formed in the center of the upper surface of the contact plug 5 due to a high etching ratio of the tungsten film and the Ti/TiN film 4, and as a result, the metal interconnection line can short-circuit. When the metal interconnection line is formed within the contact hole by using the Ti/TiN film 4 and the tungsten film, the resistance of the metal interconnection line in the contact hole is increased because the resistance of the tungsten is greater than that of the aluminum. That is, the resistance of the wolfram is about 6 to 15.mu..OMEGA..circle-solid.cm, and the resistance of the aluminum is about 2.7 to 3.0.mu..OMEGA..circle-solid.cm. Accordingly, the resistance of the metal interconnection line is increased 2 to 10 times.

Method of forming a metal interconnection line for semiconductor device

Hyundai Electronics Industries Co., Ltd.


A navigation system, a vehicle navigation apparatus therein, and a method for obtaining navigation information using the same are provided which can obtain navigation information quickly when a vehicle goes off-route by obtaining the navigation information required for route guidance of the vehicle through communications, thereby achieving reduction in communication time and cost. In a vehicle-mounted terminal connected in communication with a server for executing route guidance to provide a guidance route from the present position of the vehicle to a destination, when the vehicle reaches a point located at a predetermined distance before a fork representing the next turn on the guidance route, the server is accessed to set a communication means in a communication connection stand-by state. If the vehicle deviates from the guidance route, information needed for the vehicle to return to the guidance route is requested from the server. After the vehicle passes through the fork along the guidance route, the communication connection stand-by state is released.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to navigation systems, and more particularly, to a vehicle navigation apparatus adapted to effectively obtain navigation information in a navigation system which comprises a vehicle-mounted terminal (navigation apparatus) and a server connected in communication with the terminal for guiding a vehicle along a guidance route from a present position of the vehicle to a destination based on a requirement from the terminal, and to a method for obtaining navigation information using the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional navigation apparatus are provided with a CPU for controlling all procedures associated with navigation, a storage device, such as a CD-ROM or a DVD-ROM, for storing therein map data, a display device, a global positioning system (GPS) receiver for detecting a present position of the vehicle, a gyro and/or vehicle speed sensor for detecting the direction of travel and/or the traveling speed of the vehicle, and a vehicle information and communication system (VICS) receiver for receiving traffic information. With the CPU, map data including information about the present vehicle position is read from the storage device. Based on the map data, a map image covering the vehicle position and its surroundings is displayed on a display screen with a vehicle position mark indicative of the present vehicle position superimposed on the screen. As the vehicle travels, the map image is scrolled with the vehicle position mark fixed on the screen, or otherwise the vehicle position mark is moved on the image with the map image fixed on the screen, thus enabling a user to understand the present traveling position of the vehicle at first glance.
A vehicle navigation apparatus normally has a function of route guidance (route guidance function) that enables a user to easily travel an appropriate route to a desired destination without taking a wrong path. This route guidance function searches for the appropriate route with the CPU from a starting point (which is typically a present position of the vehicle) to the destination using the map data by simulation calculation, such as a lateral search method or a Dijkstra method. The searched route is stored as a guidance route, and then displayed on the map image in a manner distinguished from other roads (e.g. in a different color, or in a different line thickness) during the vehicle's traveling. Alternatively or additionally, when the vehicle is approaching a point located at a predetermined distance before an intersection where a next turn is to be made on the guidance route, a guidance map concerning the intersection (an enlarged view of the intersection, an arrow indicative of a traveling direction at the intersection, a distance to the intersection, a name of the intersection, or the like) is displayed on the map image, so that the user can understand on which road the vehicle should travel, or in which direction the vehicle should progress from the intersection. Such a navigation apparatus capable of performing route search using only the map data installed on the vehicle (i.e., "on board") is called "local navigation".
On the other hand, "communication navigation" proposed as another navigation type has recently attracted increased attention. This navigation type is designed to perform route guidance based on the result of route search obtained from outside of the vehicle by communications (i.e., "off board"). The typical communication navigation system sends positional data concerning the present vehicle position and the destination to a server (information center), which is connected to the vehicle through the Internet or the like, from the user's vehicle through a portable telephone. Based on the positional data, an appropriate guidance route (recommended route) to the vehicle is searched for or retrieved on the server side, and the result of searching is downloaded by communications, thereby carrying out route guidance of the vehicle.
In the case of communication navigation, the amount of data in a database installed on the center side is large, and the contents of the data are generally updated whenever necessary. The latest updated map data (road information, point of interest (POI) information, VICS information, or the like) is consistently kept in the database. Thus, this type of navigation has an advantage that the most accurate guidance information can be provided to the vehicle-mounted terminal (navigation apparatus). On the other hand, such a navigation system has the following disadvantages. On the vehicle-mounted terminal side, information needed for route guidance of the vehicle must be obtained from the center by communications, resulting in high communication costs. Additionally, the route guidance is carried out while downloading the necessary information. This communication requires much time, which leads to poor responsiveness of the navigation.
In such a known communication navigation apparatus, a measure has been developed to decrease the number of possible communications with the center so as to reduce the time and cost required for the communications. As an example, a new type of navigation apparatus has been proposed which is designed to obtain data about routes in starting route guidance, and then to carry out the route guidance after obtaining all route data.
As one approach associated with the above-mentioned "communication navigation", a communication navigation system is disclosed in JP-A-11-339182, for example, which can obtain the most appropriate route information according to the current condition of the vehicle, while achieving cost savings in communications and avoiding new complicated communication techniques.
The conventional "communication navigation" type of navigation apparatus is adapted to minimize the amount of information included in the map data (data about routes, data including a map associated with a surrounding area of the route, or the like) obtained from the center so as to decrease communications traffic. If the vehicle has deviated from the guidance route (that is, in the case of off-route), the apparatus must communicate with the center again to obtain navigation information needed for the vehicle to return to the guidance route (hereinafter referred to as "map data for rerouting").
In this case, however, it is necessary to take some time to access the center so as to establish communications (communication connection time), as well as some additional time to obtain the map data for rerouting from the center based on the access (data obtaining time). As a result, the operation speed of the apparatus becomes low (that is, the responsiveness thereof is reduced), which proves problematic from a practical viewpoint. That is, since the conventional communication navigation apparatus is designed to access the center when the vehicle goes off-route, the map data for rerouting (navigation information) disadvantageously cannot be obtained until the total time of at least the communication connection time and the data obtaining time has passed since the time of going off-route.
To deal with such inconvenience, some communication navigation apparatus are provided for previously obtaining map data with a predetermined map width. For example, the navigation is designed to previously obtain information on roads and POI located within a range of 300 m on each side of the guidance route, or the like. Since this communication navigation apparatus must obtain a relatively large amount of data, the communications traffic, in other words, communication time is increased, which disadvantageously results in high communication costs.

Navigation system, vehicle navigation apparatus, and method for obtaining navigation information


An aerobic exercise platform comprises a rigid base having a smooth and slick surface for practicing sliding exercises. Elastic or rigid holding elements are securable to a series of anchoring points located about the periphery of the base. An alternate embodiment of the invention combines a sliding exerciser with a stepping exercise stool. The stool is constituted by the two symmetrical halves of an enclosure housing a web wound around a drum. When the two halves of the enclosure are spread apart the web is deployed. The slick upper side of the web acts as a sliding surface.

The healthy popularity of aerobic and other forms of physical exercises has prompted the development of low-cost and practical devices to allow individuals to practice at home certain exercises that could formerly be practiced only with complex apparatuses found in health clubs, professionals' offices and physical therapy departments of hospitals. For instance, a sheet of plastic laid over a floor and a pair of sliding booties have been used to practice sliding exercises as a substitute for the walking exercises that can be done on treadmills.
Fitness enthusiasts do not usually limit their practice to one type of exercise, and thus are required to acquire several pieces of equipment. This multiplicity of exercising devices is not only costly, but also requires a great deal of practice and storage space.
There is a need for a more practical sliding/walking device which could more accurately simulate the function of a treadmill and other professional aerobic apparatuses.


An exemplary liquid crystal display device includes a liquid crystal panel configured for displaying images according to external image data. The liquid crystal panel comprising a plurality of sub-pixel regions and a controlling circuit. The sub-pixel regions are arranged regularly, each of the sub-pixel regions having either a positive polarity or a negative polarity when displaying images. The controlling circuit is configured to adjust a common voltage applied to the liquid crystal panel according to a relationship between variations of the common voltage and polarity information of at least a plurality of the sub-pixel regions during operation of the liquid crystal display device.

Because LCD devices have the advantages of portability, low power consumption, and low radiation, they have been widely used in various portable information products such as notebooks, personal digital assistants (PDAs), video cameras, and the like. Furthermore, LCD devices are considered by many to have the potential to completely replace cathode ray tube (CRT) monitors and televisions.
Referring to FIG. 4, a typical LCD device 10 includes a gate driving circuit 11, a data driving circuit 12, and a liquid crystal panel 101. The gate driving circuit 11 is configured for providing a plurality of scanning signals to the liquid crystal panel 101. The data driving circuit 12 is configured for receiving image data from an external source, and providing a plurality of gray scale voltages to the liquid crystal panel 101 accordingly.
The liquid crystal panel 101 includes a plurality of parallel scanning lines 13, a plurality of parallel data lines 14, a plurality of thin film transistors (TFTs) 15, a plurality of sub-pixel electrodes 151, and a plurality of common electrodes 152. The gate lines 13 and the data lines 14 cross each other and cooperatively define a plurality of sub-pixels 16 arranged in a matrix. The liquid crystal panel 101 also includes a layer of liquid crystal spanning the entire matrix. The liquid crystal contains liquid crystal molecules.
The TFTs 15 are arranged in a matrix respectively corresponding to the sub-pixels 16. Each TFT 15 includes a gate electrode (not labeled) connected to the corresponding gate line 13, a source electrode (not labeled) connected to the corresponding data line 14, and a drain electrode (not labeled) connected to a corresponding sub-pixel electrode 151. Each sub-pixel electrode 151 is opposite to a corresponding common electrode 152. All the common electrodes 152 are substantially connected to a common voltage source (not labeled), which has a predetermined common voltage applied thereto.
The sub-pixels 16 includes a plurality of red sub-pixels (R), a plurality of green sub-pixels (G), and a plurality of blue sub-pixels (B), which are arranged in a pattern of repeating RGB sequences in each row of the matrix.
Generally, when the LCD device 10 displays images, the common electrode 152 has the predetermined common voltage applied thereto, and the sub-pixel electrode 151 has a gray scale voltage applied thereto. Thus, an electric field is generated in the area of the liquid crystal molecules at each sub-pixel 16. A transmittance of light passing through the liquid crystal molecules is adjusted by controlling the strength of the electric field. Thereby, the desired transmittances of light obtained at all the sub-pixels 16 cooperatively produces an image viewed by a user of the LCD device 10.
Referring to FIG. 5, this is a schematic diagram of part of a testing image 30 for the LCD device 10. At each sub-pixel 16, the liquid crystal molecules in the electrical field are twisted such that light rays are allowed to pass through the sub-pixel 16. When the gray scale voltage is greater than the common voltage, the direction of the electrical field is from the sub-pixel electrode 151 to the common electrode 152, and the sub-pixel 16 has a positive polarity (+). Conversely, when the gray scale voltage is less than the common voltage, the direction of the electrical field is from the common electrode 152 to the sub-pixel electrode 151, and the sub-pixel 16 has a negative polarity (−). Moreover, when absolute values of the gray scale voltages applied to the sub-pixel electrodes 151 of two sub-pixels 16 are the same, and the gray scale voltages only differ in polarity, the gray scales of the two sub-pixels 16 are assumed to be the same. The liquid crystal panel 10 is a normal white mode panel. That is, the greater the gray scale voltage applied, the less the amount of light rays that can pass through the corresponding sub-pixel 16. When the gray scale voltage is great enough, the light rays cannot pass through the corresponding sub-pixel 16.
As shown in FIG. 5, each small square represents a sub-pixel 16. Each sub-pixel 16 has a polarity different from the polarity of the two adjacent sub-pixels 16 in the same row, and different from the polarity of the two adjacent sub-pixels 16 in the same column. Furthermore, squares that are not hatched represent sub-pixels 16 that have no light passing therethrough. When the testing image 30 is displayed, in the first row of sub-pixels 16, there are eight sub-pixels 16 having positive polarity that no light rays can pass through and ten sub-pixels 16 having negative polarity that no light rays can pass through. Therefore, among the sub-pixels 16 in the first row that having no light rays passing through, an amount of the sub-pixels 16 having positive polarity is less than an amount of the sub-pixels 16 having negative polarity. When the gray scale voltages are applied to the sub-pixels 16 in the first row which have no light rays passing therethrough, the gray scale voltages applied to the corresponding sub-pixel electrodes 151 are liable to drag down the common voltage of the first row of sub-pixels 16 due to a coupling effect. Thus, actual common voltages of the common electrodes 152 corresponding to the first row of sub-pixels 16 are slightly less than the predetermined common voltage.
Accordingly, the actual common voltages corresponding to other common electrodes 152 are dragged down or up immediately the gray scale voltages are applied to the corresponding sub-pixel electrodes 151, thereby generating common voltage variations.
Because the actual common voltages are not equal to the predetermined common voltage, the testing image 30 may be impaired by a so-called crosstalk phenomenon. That is, the testing image 30 may be visibly flawed. Further, when ordinary images are displayed, crosstalk may also occur when actual common voltages are not equal to the predetermined common voltage.
What is needed, therefore, is an LCD device that can overcome the above-described deficiencies.

Liquid crystal display device having controlling circuit for adjusting common voltage


Disclosed are a magnetic recording and reproduction apparatus for a data processing unit, which includes a plurality of magnetic heads formed integrally by a thin-film forming technology, and a magnetic tape. A magnetic tape has a plurality of recording tracks corresponding to a plurality of independent data. The recording tracks are arranged in parallel to a moving direction of the magnetic tape and share the same starting position. A plurality of magnetic heads are arranged in parallel to a width direction of the magnetic tape to correspond to the recording tracks in a one-to-one correspondence, and are fixed at the starting position of the recording tracks. The magnetic tape is moved in a direction in which the starting position is away from the magnetic heads for data recording onto the magnetic tape and for data reproduction from the magnetic tape. Further, the magnetic tape is controlled to automatically and immediately move in an opposite direction to the previous direction until the starting position reaches the position of the magnetic heads in response to each of the end of the data recording and the end of the data reproduction. Thus, the starting position of the recording tracks is the same, i.e. at the position of magnetic heads upon the start of data recording and the start of data reproduction.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to magnetic recording and reproduction apparatus and magnetic tape for use in such apparatus and, more particularly, to a magnetic recording and reproduction apparatus employed as a storage apparatus requiring a faster recording function and a faster search and reproduction function, and a magnetic tape employed in such apparatus.
2. Description of the Background Art
For recording and reproducing digital data at a high speed, a hard disk, a rewritable type optical disk or the like is principally employed as a recording medium at present.
The hard disk is a magnetic disk using a disk-like aluminum substrate or glass substrate. Recording tracks of the magnetic disk are formed in a concentric form on the disk. Recording and reproduction of information for the hard disk is made by rotating the hard disk at a high speed, thereby to make magnetic heads trace on the recording tracks on the hard disk at a high speed. The rewritable type optical disk is an optical disk capable of recording and erasing data many times on the same track or the same sector. Recording tracks of the optical disk are also formed in a concentric form or spiral form on the optical disk. Recording and reproduction of information for the optical disk is made by irradiating the recording tracks of the optical disk with a laser beam while rotating the optical disk at a high speed. Optical properties of the recording layer or the rewritable type optical disk reversibly vary by irradiation with a laser beam. This enables rewriting of the information.
In general, a spindle motor is used for rotating such a disk-like recording medium as a hard disk or optical disk.
There are two types of recording and reproduction apparatus capable of recording and reproducing digital data: the one employs such a disk-like recording medium as represented by the hard disk or optical disk, and the other employs a tape-like recording medium. The recording and reproduction apparatus employing such a tape-like recording medium includes a recording and reproduction apparatus of an R-DAT system (Rotary Head Digital Audio Tape Recorder) in which data is recorded and reproduced on a magnetic tape by using a rotary head.
FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a track pattern on magnetic recording by the R-DAT system. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the state of a rotary drum system portion in the R-DAT type recording and reproduction apparatus. Referring to FIG. 7, magnetic heads (not shown) for recording and reproducing data for a magnetic tape 3 are attached on outer peripheries of a drum 6. Drum 6 is rotated at a high speed by a motor 7. Drum 6 is secured with an inclination of a definite angle (e.g., 7.degree. 50') relative to magnetic tape 3. Magnetic tape 3 is moved in its elongated direction. With drum 6 fixed with an inclination of a definite angle to magnetic tape 3, rotation of drum 6 causes the magnetic heads attached onto drum 6 to trace on magnetic tape 3 obliquely to the moving direction of magnetic tape 3. Thus, as shown in FIG. 6, parallel recording tracks 4 inclined at a definite angle relative to the moving direction of magnetic tape 3 are formed on magnetic tape 3. In general, two magnetic heads are mounted at respective positions which are 180.degree. apart from each other on outer peripheries of drum 6. The respective two magnetic heads have different azimuths in order to prevent occurrence of a phenomenon (cross talk) in which those magnetic heads pick up not only a signal of a recording track which is inherently to be traced but also a signal of a recording track adjacent to that recording track. Thus, the two adjacent ones of recording tracks 4 formed on magnetic tape 3 are traced by the respective magnetic heads having different azimuths.
For a recording and reproduction apparatus for recording and reproducing an audio signal as a digital signal, there is a tape recorder of an S-DAT system (Stationary Head Digital Audio Tape Recorder) in which information is recorded and reproduced on a magnetic tape by using a fixed multi track head not using a rotary head. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a track pattern on the magnetic tape by the S-DAT system. FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a fixed multi track head portion in the tape recorder of the S-DAT system. Referring to FIG. 9, a multi track head 8 is fixed at a position facing a recording surface of a magnetic tape 3 (corresponding to the back side of the sheet of FIG. 9). Magnetic tape 3 moves in its elongated direction.
Multi track head 8 includes a plurality of magnetic heads H1, H2, . . . , Hn (n is a natural number not lower than 2) arranged in parallel. The plurality of magnetic heads Hl-Hn are in general thin-film heads and integrated together. The thin-film heads are magnetic heads produced by a thin-film forming technology such as sputtering, evaporation, electrodeposition or the like and an IC process technology. Each of the magnetic heads has a magnetic core and a coil wound around the magnetic core. The thin-film heads are integrally formed including smaller and planar magnetic cores and coils in the same process as that of semiconductor devices. Heads Hl-Hn are arranged with a definite distance apart from each other. Thus, if magnetic tape 3 moves, then as shown in FIG. 8, recording tracks 1-1 to 1-n are formed with a definite spacing from each other on magnetic tape 3, corresponding to magnetic heads Hl to Hn. Portions 2 between any recording tracks 1-1 to 1-n, on which no information is recorded are called guards. A digital audio signal is recorded on each of recording tracks 1-1 to 1-n. A series of serial digital signals are recorded individually on recording tracks 1-1 to 1-n.
According to the S-DAT system, as described above, information is recorded in parallel on magnetic tape 3 separately for a plurality of channels. With multi track head 8 formed of the thin-film heads, each of heads Hl-Hn can be reduced in scale. This entails reductions in the width of each of recording tracks 1-l to 1-n and the width of each of guards 2. Thus, the number of channels in a single magnetic tape, i.e., the number of recording tracks formed in parallel to the moving direction of magnetic tape 3 can be increased with the reduction in the scale of heads Hl-Hn. For example, a tape recorder of the S-DAT system in which recording tracks of 20 channels or so are formed on a magnetic tape having a width of 3.81 mm is implemented for practical use at present.
In the case where each of sampled audio signal voltages is converted to 16-bit digital data when an analog audio signal is digitized in recording onto a magnetic tape, for example, if the number of channels of the magnetic tape is 16, then a digital audio signal is recorded on the magnetic tape so the data of respective ones of 16 bits may correspond to respective ones of recording tracks of the magnetic tape in a one-to-one correspondence. More specifically, digital signals indicating the sampled audio signal voltages are allotted to 16 channels for respective bits and recorded time-sequentially. Accordingly, the digital audio signal is recorded in parallel to the moving direction of the magnetic tape in real time.
As described above, the recording and reproduction apparatus using the disk as a recording medium has been mainly applied as a conventional recording and reproduction apparatus requiring a faster recording and a faster search and reproduction. This results from the following reasons.
When a disk is used as a recording medium, recording tracks are formed in the form of a concentric circle about the center of the disk, on a recording surface of the disk. Recording and reproduction of information for the disk is carried out, with a head supporter called an "arm" which has a head mounted on its tip end being moved in a radial direction of the disk. Thus, in order to search for necessary information from the disk, it is necessary to move the arm in the radial direction of the disk to find out recording/reproduction tracks on which the necessary information is recorded/reproduced. Thus, since the movement of the arm for searching for the information is not larger than the radius of the disk, the information is searched for at a relatively high speed.
On the other hand, when a magnetic tape is used as a recording medium, recording tracks are formed in parallel to the moving direction of the magnetic tape by a fixed head in accordance with the S-DAT system. Information is then recorded time-sequentially on the recording tracks. Thus, in order to search for necessary information from the magnetic tape, it is necessary to fast forward or rewind the magnetic tape to move a portion of the recording tracks, on which the necessary information is recorded, to the position of the fixed head. Therefore, a maximum value of the forwarding or the rewinding of the magnetic tape required for the search for the information is equal to the total length of the magnetic tape. It is thus relatively difficult to search for the necessary information from the magnetic tape at a high speed. For the same reason, it is more advantageous to use the disk as a recording medium than the magnetic tape in recording information at a desired position on the recording tracks at a high speed.
As described above, if the disk is employed as a recording medium, the head can be moved to an arbitrary recording track, skipping any recording tracks interposed therebetween only moving the arm in the range of a short distance, thereby enabling a faster recording and a faster search and reproduction.
There is also an R-DAT system for the magnetic tape recording system. In the R-DAT system, however, a plurality of recording tracks are formed obliquely to the moving direction of the magnetic tape. Thus, if a single head is mounted on a rotating drum, a second recording track does not start to be traced soon after a first one recording track is traced. More specifically, a definite time period corresponding to rotating speed of the drum is provided between time that the head reaches a tracing end position of the first recording track and time that the head reaches a tracing start position of the second recording track. Thus, information recorded on each of the recording tracks is liable to be discontinuous at junctions of the recording tracks. In order to decrease such a phenomenon, a plurality of heads are mounted on the drum, thereby reducing the period between the time that one recording track is traced and the time that the next recording track starts to be traced. However, also in the R-DAT system, information is recorded time-sequentially in accordance with the moving direction of the magnetic tape, and hence it is difficult to realize a faster recording and a faster search and reproduction.
For the above reasons, a disk is often employed as a recording medium in a recording and reproduction apparatus used for information processing such as a computer. Under such circumstances, a still larger recording capacity and a still faster access function have recently been required for a recording and reproduction apparatus for use in equipment having an information processing function.
In order to increase a storage capacity of the disk, it is necessary to increase a radius of the disk to increase the number of recording tracks. However, it is impossible for practical use to infinitely increase the radius of the disk. Thus, there is inevitably a limitation in the increase in the recording capacity of the recording and reproduction apparatus using the disk as a recording medium. On the other hand, in order to increase the capacity of the recording and reproduction apparatus using a magnetic tape as a recording medium, it is necessary to increase the length of the magnetic tape. Necessary alteration for the recording and reproduction apparatus in accordance with a change in the length of the magnetic tape is made with only respect to the size of a cartridge for use to lap the magnetic tape. Thus, the recording capacity of the recording and reproduction apparatus using the magnetic tape as a recording medium can be increased relatively easily without being limited for practical use as compared to the recording capacity of the recording and reproduction apparatus using the disk as a recording medium. That is, with regard to an improvement in recording capacity, it is more advantageous to use the magnetic tape as a recording medium.
As equipment having the information processing function becomes smaller and more portable, a lighter and smaller recording and reproduction apparatus is required for use in such equipment. As mentioned before, when a disk is used as a recording medium, a spindle motor for rotating the disk is necessary. In addition, the recording and reproduction apparatus of the R-DAT system using a rotary head requires a motor for rotating a drum on which a head is mounted (motor 7 of FIG. 7). Thus, the recording and reproduction apparatus using the disk as a recording medium cannot be designed in such a thin form that the height of the apparatus is lower than the height of the spindle motor. Similarly, with reference to FIG. 7, the recording and reproduction apparatus of the R-DAT system cannot be made thinner than the sum of L1 of the height of drum 6 and the height of motor 7 for rotating drum 6. That is, there is inevitably a limitation in reduction in the scale of the recording and reproduction apparatus. On the other hand, the recording and reproduction apparatus of the S-DAT system using a fixed head does not require such a motor as described above and hence, with reference to FIG. 9, the apparatus can be designed as thin as approximately the width L2 of head 8. Therefore, with regard to the reduction in the scale of the apparatus, the recording and reproduction apparatus of the S-DAT system is more advantageous than the apparatus of the R-DAT system. However, the recording and reproduction apparatus using the magnetic tape as a recording medium is disadvantageous in respect of the faster recording and the faster search and reproduction as mentioned above.

Magnetic recording and reproduction apparatus for data processing unit and magnetic tape for use in such apparatus


A current mirror type bandgap reference voltage generator which can reduce variations of a reference voltage due to temperature variations, by separately generating a current proportional to an emitter-base voltage and a current proportional to a thermal voltage, and which also can reduce variations of the reference voltage due to variations of a power voltage, by using a current mirror. The current mirror type bandgap reference voltage generator includes: a first current generator for generating a first current proportional to the emitter-base voltage; a second current generator for generating a second current proportional to the thermal voltage; and a reference voltage generator for adding the first and second currents, and generating a constant reference voltage regardless of variations of the temperature and the power voltage. As a result, the constant voltage is generated regardless of variations of the temperature and the power voltage.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a current mirror type bandgap reference voltage generator, and in particular to an improved current mirror type bandgap reference voltage generator which is suitable for generating a constant reference voltage regardless of variations in temperature and power voltage, by making use of a current mirror having a large output resistance and a large swing width.
2. Description of the Background Art
In general, a reference voltage generator includes a reference voltage generator using a MOS transistor having a threshold voltage, and a bandgap reference voltage generator using a bipolar transistor. A CMOS bandgap reference voltage generator is discussed in IEEE Journal of Solid-State Circuit, Vol. 34, No. 5, May 1999, entitled by xe2x80x98A CMOS Bandgap Reference Circuit with Sub-1-V Operationxe2x80x99.
In a conventional reference voltage generator, the reference voltage changes due to variations of a power voltage VDD, a temperature and a threshold voltage of a MOS transistor. Accordingly, when the power voltage VDD, the temperature and the threshold voltage of the MOS transistor are varied, the conventional reference voltage generator is not normally operated, thereby causing a mis-operation.
A conventional bandgap reference voltage generator using a differential amplifier will now be explained with reference to FIG. 1.
The conventional bandgap reference voltage generator performs a normal operation only when the voltage of a node Va is greater than xe2x80x98VDSAT.MN23+VTN.MN22+DSAT.MN22xe2x80x99 in an actual DRAM process. But, since the voltage of the node Va is smaller than xe2x80x98VDSAT.MN23+VTN.MN22+DSAT.MN22xe2x80x99, the bandgap reference voltage generator cannot be normally operated. Here, xe2x80x98VDSAT.MN23xe2x80x99 is a drain voltage of an NMOS transistor MN23 in a saturated region, xe2x80x98VTN.MN22xe2x80x99 is a threshold voltage of an NMOS transistor MN22, and VDSAT.MN22 is a drain voltage of an NMOS transistor MN22 in a saturated region.
In addition, the conventional bandgap reference voltage generator using the differential amplifier has a minimum operation voltage VDDmin over 1.4V. Thus, it is not suitable for the DRAM having a low voltage tendency.
Although not illustrated, the conventional reference voltage generator has a disadvantage in that the reference voltage has a variation ratio of 0.44% in a period where the power voltage is 2.5V and the temperature ranges from 20 to 90xc2x0 C., and has a high variation ratio of 0.91% in a period where the power voltage ranges from 2.25V to 2.75V and the temperature is 25xc2x0 C. As a result, the conventional reference voltage generator cannot be relied upon to operate stably.
Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to reduce variations of a reference voltage due to variations of a power voltage, by using a current mirror.
Another object of the present invention is to reduce variations of the reference voltage due to temperature variations, by separately generating a current proportional to an emitter-base voltage and a current proportional to a thermal voltage.
Still another object of the present invention is to reduce a minimum operation voltage of a bandgap reference voltage generator by using a current mirror.
In order to achieve the above-described objects of the invention, there is provided a current mirror type bandgap reference voltage generator. A first current generator generates a first current proportional to a base-emitter voltage. A second current generator generates a second current proportional to a thermal voltage. A reference voltage generator adds the first and second currents, and generates a constant reference voltage regardless of variations in temperature and power voltage. Here, the first current generator includes a first current mirror for receiving the power voltage, generating and outputting the first current to a plurality of output terminals. The second current generator includes a second current mirror for receiving the power voltage, generating and outputting the second current to the plurality of output terminals.

Current mirror type bandgap reference voltage generator


An apparatus for diverting chad in a paper printer including a paper supply, a cutting mechanism for cutting the paper perpendicular to the path of the paper and a diverter flap positioned downstream of the cutting mechanism, the diverter flap being biased to reside in a first position defining a first path for chad to travel to be delivered into a receptacle, the diverter flap moving to a second position when a cut sheet falls thereon thereby allowing the cut sheet to travel a second path into a receiving tray.

There are many printing systems that use cutting mechanisms to trim the paper either before or after printing. One example is the Kodak Photo Printer 4720 sublimation dye thermal printer. In that printer, a cutting mechanism is used to trim non-printed areas (chad) from a pre-cut sheet. Another example is the Kodak Photo Printer 6400 sublimation dye thermal printer. In that printer, a cutting mechanism is used to trim each final print. The non-printed area is cut off while the printed area is still attached to the remaining roll of paper supply. Then the final print is cut from the roll. In any case, it is desirable to collect the chad in a receptacle within the printer for later removal. It is also desirable to avoid a build up of chad from interfering with the printing process. Therefore, there exists a need to direct the chad away from the print path towards a receptacle.
One approach is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,474,885. In that device, the chad is allowed to fall onto a tray cover while the print is directed towards the exit of the printer by a set of rollers. A roller built into the tray cover moves the chad along towards the collection area and avoids a buildup of chad from blocking the print path. Another approach to waste removal (U.S. Pat. No. 4,445,409) simply allows the waste to fall through an opening that is bigger than the waste but smaller than the work piece. However, this arrangement requires some mechanism to move the work piece after the cutting operation has been performed.
Yet another approach is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,728,920. In that apparatus described therein, a diverting system is taught in which a controller energizes a deflector system to direct waste towards a receptacle and printed documents toward an exit.


The present invention provides a system that enhances the experience of using a portable device such as mobile phones, smart phones, Personal Digital Assistants PDA etc. To improve the user experience in the use of a portable device, techniques are used for “context characterization, i.e., from a range of conditions possible to detect by the system, such as time (date/time), current location, motion, etc., as well as the historical use of the device, a certain grouping of actions and settings, called “context” are selected automatically or manually, modifying and setting from that moment the way of user interacts with the device.

The document U.S. 2008/0201350 (Context-Based Information Retrieval), published on Aug. 21, 2008, proposes a system and method for searching contextual information. The term "context" in accordance with the teachings of said document U.S. 2008/0201350 does not follow the same definition of the patent described here because it represents a combination of meta-data (or tokens) with other existing data. The object of said system is the medical field, particularly through diagnostics using images. In this field, the devices responsible for obtaining the images produce a huge amount of data that includes the function performed and the day on which the action occurred, errors, important and/or critical parameters, numerical results from sensors or a combination thereof. The document U.S. 2008/0201350 therefore offers an advanced search technique upon these data to optimize and simplify the detection of failures in maintenance of machines, using the "context" of the meta-data.
The document U.S. 2004/0172460 (Context Filter), published on Sep. 2, 2004, also proposes the assignment of meta-data to pre-existing data. In particular, the document U.S. 2004/0172460 describes methods for quickly searching to find the data through the metadata. The document U.S. 2004/0172460, however, after the detection of context, specifies only a "pointer" to the context in a database. In that document U.S. 2004/0172460, the end result includes a list of concepts common to the context identified.
The document U.S. 2008/0005679 (Context Specific User Interface), published on Jan. 3, 2008, proposes techniques that modify the operation of a device based on the context in which it is inserted. Examples of contextual attributes include the physical location of the device, an accessory connected to the device, some attribute related to connecting to a data network, any attribute linked to the behavior identified of use of the user, the execution state of other applications and/or the state of the user. Based on these contextual attributes, the software undergoes changes in order to adapt to the current context, with all configuration done through the contextual attributes of a remote computer, not forcing the user to make changes on the device itself.
The document U.S. Pat. No. 7,792,795, published on Sep. 7, 2010, presents a centralizing and pooling of resources, serving as a facilitator of access to data from other applications. Additionally, the term context in U.S. Pat. No. 7,792,795 refers only to data such as name, address, attributes of a person, a user's preferences, device data (e.g. GPS location), and so on. However, there is no reference to the control of hardware components.

System for organizing and guiding a user in the experience of browsing different applications based on contexts


Described herein are building products comprising crimped bicomponent fibers and a non-woven fabric, which demonstrate, inter alia, improved acoustical performance. Methods of making and using the building products are also described.

Conventional acoustic ceiling tile is a non-woven structure which may include a core composed of base fibers, fillers, and binders combined to form the ceiling tile structure. The base fibers can be natural or synthetic materials, e.g., mineral fibers. Typically mineral fiber substrates of acoustical ceiling panels are wet-formed and fall within the density range of 9-25 lb/ft3. Their porosities range low from 50-89% and therefore sound absorption is lower with NRCs ranging 0.50-0.75 after finishing and decorating the surfaces. They are usually wet-formed, bound with starch, and require large amounts of energy to remove residual water from the forming process. Surfaces must then be sanded smooth and material is wasted.
There are existing dry-formed mineral fiber and fiber glass acoustical ceiling products in which the web is in the density range of the invention; however these webs are poorly formed with irregular formation and require expensive face scrims and back scrims to impart adequate product surface quality and sufficient rigidity for the panel to be self-supporting in the ceiling grid. Most often such webs are bound with a phenolic resin that emits formaldehyde in the manufacturing process and some residual from the product. Other non-formaldehyde reactive resins, i.e. acrylic acid esters, are beginning to be used as well, but they require excess heat to drive off solution water and to drive the reaction. They are difficult to apply and often complicate the web forming process.
Thus, there remains a need for highly acoustically absorptive ceiling tiles with sufficient rigidity and acceptable surface quality, which can be easily cut or molded into complex shapes or embossed with surface patterns; and also avoid the challenges provided by the use of certain binding resins. Embodiments of the present invention are directed to this and other ends.


In an oxide semiconductor layer, a degree of oxidation S1 of a portion located on the side of the gate insulating film, and a degree of oxidation S2 of surface layer portions located in connection regions with source and drain electrodes have a relation of S2<S1 within a range in which the oxide semiconductor layer has predetermined electric resistance, and a degree of oxidation S3 of a surface layer portion of the channel region is made higher than the degrees of oxidation S1, S2 of the other regions within the range in which the oxide semiconductor layer has the predetermined electric resistance, by annealing the oxide semiconductor layer in an oxygen-containing atmosphere after formation of the source electrode and the drain electrode.

In recent years, in TFT substrates forming LCD devices, TFTs using a semiconductor layer comprised of an oxide semiconductor (hereinafter referred to as the "oxide semiconductor layer") and having satisfactory characteristics such as high mobility, high reliability, and a low off-state current have been proposed as switching elements of pixels as a minimum unit of an image, instead of conventional TFTs using a semiconductor layer comprised of amorphous silicon (a-Si).
A typical TFT with a bottom gate structure includes a gate electrode formed on, e.g., a glass substrate, a gate insulating film provided so as to cover the gate electrode, a semiconductor layer provided on the gate insulating film so as to overlap the gate electrode, and source and drain electrodes provided on the gate insulating film so as to partially overlap the semiconductor layer with a gap between the source and drain electrodes, and a channel region is formed in a portion of the semiconductor layer which is exposed between the source and drain electrodes. A TFT using an oxide semiconductor layer also has a similar structure. In a TFT substrate, the TFT is covered by a protective insulating film, and a pixel electrode formed on the protective insulating film is connected to the drain electrode via a contact hole formed in the protective insulating film.
Such a TFT substrate having a TFT with a bottom gate structure can be manufactured by repeating a series of steps of sequentially forming an etching film by a sputtering method, a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method, etc. and a photosensitive resin film by a coating method on, e.g., a glass substrate, exposing the photosensitive resin film via a photomask and then developing the photosensitive resin film to form a resist pattern, and patterning the etching film exposed from the resist pattern by dry etching or wet etching.
A channel etch TFT is known as such a TFT with a bottom gate structure. The number of photomasks required to form the channel etch TFT is smaller than that required to form an etch stopper TFT that includes a channel protective film functioning as an etch stopper, because the channel etch TFT does not have the channel protective film. Accordingly, the channel etch TFT is advantageous in terms of manufacturing cost. A channel etch TFT is also disclosed in, e.g., Patent Document 1 as a TFT using an oxide semiconductor layer.
Patent Document 1 discloses a configuration that uses an oxide semiconductor layer having a region where specific resistance varies in the thickness direction. In this configuration, the oxide semiconductor layer has lower specific resistance on the side of a gate insulating film than on the side of source and drain electrodes. Patent Document 1 describes that a TFT having stable characteristics such as a threshold voltage can be obtained by this configuration.


A radio communication device includes a first antenna, a second antenna, a phase varying section that varies a phase of a first RF signal received by or transmitted from the first antenna, and a phase control section that causes the phase varying section to vary a phase amount, which is a varied amount of the phase of the first RF signal received by or transmitted from the first antenna. Thus, it is possible to prevent the size of a device configuration from increasing and avoid the lowering of a reception electric field level in a localized area.

A radio (wireless) band of Sub-GHz band including 900 MHz band or 2.4 GHz band can provide inexpensive radio communication devices which perform radio communication in which relatively wide areas can be covered. For this reason, it has been studied that radio communication devices capable of performing radio communication in the radio band of Sub-GHz band or 2.4 GHz band are incorporated into apparatuses or equipment.
For example, it is considered that such radio communication devices are incorporated into home electric appliances such as air conditioners and laundry machines for household use and thereby home networks are constructed, to provide advantages such as power saving, improved convenience, monitoring of failures, etc. In the electric home appliance home networks, communication can be performed between each electric home appliance and an access point attached in the vicinity of a pull-in position of Internet.
In recent years, attention has been paid to a smart meter which attains a higher function by adding a communication function to an electric power meter, a gas meter, a tap water meter, etc. Using the smart meter, communication can be performed between a radio communication device attached to a meter at home and an access point provided outdoors, for example, on an electric pole or on a building.
In systems such as the above stated home electric appliance home network, there is a problem that each radio communication device is provided in a fixed position and cannot be transported easily, or a radio wave propagation path becomes a multi-path environment due to presence of many obstacles such as walls or floors, and a reception level significantly degrades in a localized area due to fading (see FIG. 31). The reception level is a value decided based on an intensity (electric field intensity) of a radio wave signal (RF signal) being received. Whether or not the reception level is good is decided on the basis of a reception sensitivity, i.e., a minimum radio wave intensity required to ensure a reception quality necessary for the communication.
FIG. 31 shows a transmitter provided in a multi-path environment and a fluctuation (change) in a reception electric field level in a receiver provided (on a circumference) at an equal distance from the transmitter.
The reception level is significantly different depending on a location in the case where the receiver is provided on the location (localized area) on the circumference at an equal distance from the transmitter. This is due to the fact that a so-called fading phenomenon occurs, in which electric field levels are cancelled from each other or summed up, due to multi-paths of the radio waves. As can be seen from a cumulative probability distribution graph in FIG. 32, there exist an area in which the reception level is lower than a median value of the reception level by 8 dB or higher occupies 10% of the total, and an area in which the reception level is lower than the median value of the reception level by 18 dB or higher occupies 1% of the total.
For example, in the case of a radio (wireless) terminal used in mobile communication, such as a cellular phone, a communication environment changes as it moves. Therefore, a possibility that its reception level continues to be lowered in a localized area for a long period of time is low.
By comparison, the radio communication device incorporated into an electric home appliance or a radio communication device attached to a meter does not move, and therefore, its communication environment changes less. Therefore, there is a possibility that the reception level continues to be low for a long period of time. In this case, if the radio communication device fails to receive a communication packet, restoration from a discommunication state is difficult even though the communication packet is re-transmitted (transmitted subsequently). This must be addressed by using a diversity antenna.
Regarding the diversity antenna, there are a selective diversity method in which an antenna with a better reception level is selected from two antennas and a maximum ratio composition diversity method in which signals received by two antennas are input to two demodulation circuits, respectively, and two demodulated signals are composited optimally such that their phases conform to each other and their amplitudes conform to each other (e.g., see Patent Literatures 1˜5).
Typically, in the case of using the selective diversity method, the lowering of the reception level of the cumulative probability 1% in a location can be improved by about 5 dB.    Patent Literature 1: Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application Publication No. Hei. 4-304036    Patent Literature 2: Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application Publication No. Hei. 5-284435    Patent Literature 3: Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application Publication No. Hei 8-8633    Patent Literature 4: Japanese Examined Patent Application Publication No. Sho. 59-6536    Patent Literature 5: International Publication No. 2006/103758

PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.


A pumping method of discrete elements solid state laser systems pumped by semiconductor laser diodes, which sends a pump beam through an active medium, comprising a first face first crossed by said pump beam, and a second face met as second by the pump beam, a pumping axis being associated to the pump beam, the active medium being inserted in a cavity to which a cavity propagation axis is associated. The pumping axis coincides with the cavity propagation axis inside the active medium, and is perpendicular to an optical surface met by the pump beam after crossing the active medium, the optical surface being at least partially reflecting at the wavelength of the pump beam.

The present invention relates to a pumping method of discrete elements solid state laser systems pumped by semiconductor laser diodes, which sends a pump beam through an active element comprising a first face first crossed by said pump beam, and a second face met as second by said pump beam, a pumping axis being associated to the pump beam, the active element being inserted in a cavity to which a cavity propagation axis is associated to.
An apparatus developed according to the above method is also described by way of a non limiting example. Operation of such an apparatus can be in a continuous wave or pulsed regime through appropriate modulation of the electromagnetic field in the cavity.
According to the conventional side pumping scheme of active crystal elements in solid state laser systems, the pumping light propagates and is absorbed into the active material along the crosswise direction to the propagation direction of the laser mode; the need of a long enough crosswise path of the pump light in the active element to warrant a high pump light absorption, i.e. efficient pumping, generally involves the energetic activation of a much larger section of the active element than the cross-section of the fundamental eigenmode of the stable cavity in which it operates and a consequent operation of the laser oscillator on several higher modes, which saturate power extraction. Once the absorption efficiency requirement of the pump light has been established, the laser systems so conceived do not ensure control of the number of higher order modes being excited, and consequently of the beam quality.
On the other hand, a so-called longitudinal pumping or end pumping technique is known, which ensures concentration of the gain area in the active medium inside the volume occupied by the fundamental mode, so as to cause oscillation on the mode TEM0,0, the propagation of which occurs at the diffraction limit.
Thus, the pump energy is concentrated in a very restricted volume of active material with a length nearly equal to the absorption length of the pumping beam, with a cross section generally equalling the size of the focal spot. Through appropriate design provisions of the laser cavity, pumping optics and choice of the active material it is often possible for the volume activated by the pump energy to be included in the volume of the cavity fundamental mode TEM0,0 and cause oscillation of the laser cavity on the cavity fundamental mode, or TEM0,0, with a maximum energetic extraction efficiency as possible.
The rich literature available on the matter indicates that for limited pump powers (about <2 W), the optimal active volume for selecting TEM0,0 in active media with strong thermo-optic or thermo-mechanical effects is nearly totally contained inside the fundamental mode itself, and the ratio between the laser mode diameter and the pump beam diameter in the active crystal may exceed the unit. These diameters are evaluated as the double distance from the propagation axis to the point where the beam intensity reaches 1/e2 times the peak value. Should it be wished, vice-versa, to increase the pump power, it would be necessary to reduce the ratio between the laser mode diameter and the pump beam diameter below the unit for limiting the strong losses due to the optical aberration on the edges of the so-called "thermal lens", which is due to the heat generated by the pump power absorbed in the active material. Thus, only the most external and energetically less significant circle of the cavity laser mode is subject to a non parabolic phase modulation and to the losses caused by repeated passes in the resonant cavity.
However, the value of the above overlaying ratio should remain next to the unit for selecting the fundamental mode TEM0,0 and avoid oscillation of higher order modes. For a pumping power ranging between 20 W and 50 W, some sources specify a ratio of about 0.83 as the optimal value for selecting the fundamental mode. Based on this value, these sources indicate differential efficiencies (the ratio between the output power change and the pumping power change when the laser operates over the threshold) over 0.4 for operation on the fundamental mode utilizing Nd:YVO4 as the active medium at 1064 nm laser wavelength.
At equivalent laser power being generated, the longitudinal pumping will be the most efficient one for producing solid state laser sources with a high beam quality, measured through the parameter M2, i.e. operating near diffraction limit, with M2 about 1, therefore featured by a high brightness. The source brightness (radiant power per surface unit per unit of solid angle) is proportional to the intensity (power per surface unit) obtainable by focusing the laser beam; therefore, it is a basic feature in the applications involving interaction with the materials, such as the ones of laser micro-machining, marking and engraving. In these material processing applications, a high source brightness will ensure:                a high interacting performance with various materials through the high irradiance that can be obtained;        a high spatial resolution of the machining details through the high beam quality;        high execution speed due to the high power available.
The ratio between the power available and the minimum size of the focal spot indicates the brightness of the laser source, defined as the power per unit of solid angle and surface. Quite generally, a high brightness laser will be more efficient than a low brightness laser when interacting with the material.
Therefore, solid state laser sources with a very high brightness are required, which are designed for their easy reconfiguration, in order to stress the beam quality or source average power feature for the specific requirements of the application they are used for.
It is particularly important to obtain such laser sources using Neodymium doped crystalline active materials, such as Nd:YAG, Nd:YVO4, Nd:YLF, Nd:YAP, Nd:GdVO4, Nd:BYF, Nd:SFAP or Ytterbium doped ones, such as Yb:YAG, Yb:YLF, Yb:SFAP.
Providing such a source entails some critical factors, which may represent some drawbacks and limit the extraction of the average powers required in the range between 2 and 100 W or compromise the beam quality required at such operating powers.
A first more relevant drawback is due to the pumping process and laser action, which deposits residual heat in the active material. In particular, the above phenomenon of thermal lens deteriorates laser power extraction, since the most external portion of the laser mode passing through the active material undergoes phase aberrations, which cause a net reduction of power circulating in the cavity, as well as a worsening of the laser beam quality.
In addition, operating a laser apparatus with an intensive thermal lens in a giant pulse operation, i.e. a repetitive Q-switching regime, may prove difficult.

Laser cavity pumping method and laser system thereof