Disclosed are an apparatus and a method for efficiently transmitting a broadcasting channel by means of cyclic delay diversity in an OFDM mobile communication system. The method comprises the steps of setting each transmitter to have different delay values, the transmitter providing a service to adjacent service areas, generating OFDM signals including the broadcasting data by said each transmitter, delaying the OFDM signals by means of the different delay values, and transmitting the delayed OFDM signals by means of each transmitting apparatus.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplex Access (OFDMA)/Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) mobile communication system. More particularly, the present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for efficiently transmitting a broadcasting channel by means of cyclic delay diversity.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, an OFDM/CDMA mobile communication system, which is proper for high speed data transmission through a radio channel, uses a plurality of mutually orthogonal carriers.
An OFDM scheme has been adopted as a wireless standard scheme in such fields as Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB), and Digital Video Broadcasting-Terrestrial (DVB-T). In addition, the OFDM scheme is used in the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11a Local Area Network (LAN) standard, and the IEEE 802.11a Metropolitan Area Network (MAN) standard. Accordingly, an OFDM scheme is being discussed as a representative scheme in the 4G generation mobile communication and the next generation mobile communication systems.
Transmission of an OFDM symbol is performed by coding the symbol and the transmission is influenced by the previous symbol during transmission through a multi-path channel. In order to prevent interference between OFDM symbols, guard intervals longer than a maximum delay spread of a channel are inserted between continuous symbols. Accordingly, an OFDM symbol period is a sum of an effective symbol period during which data is actually transmitted and a guard interval. Further, a reception side removes the guard interval, extracts data during the effective symbol period, and performs a demodulation of the data. Herein, a guard interval obtained by copying signals of a last portion in an effective symbol interval is inserted in order to prevent orthogonality from being destroyed which may occur due to a delay of a sub-carrier. The guard interval obtained by copying signals of a last portion in an effective symbol interval will be referred to as a Cyclic Prefix (CP).
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a conventional OFDM system supporting a multi-carrier delay diversity modulation.
Referring to FIG. 1, a coder 100 codes an input data sequence and outputs the coded data sequence Xk to a serial-to-parallel converter 105. The serial-to-parallel converter 105 divides the data sequence into N sample data and outputs the divided sample data in parallel to an Inverse Fast Fourier Transform (IFFT) unit 110. The IFFT unit 110 inputs the N sample data output from the serial-to-parallel converter 105, performs an IFFT for the N samples of data, and outputs N number of OFDM data samples in parallel to a parallel-to-serial converter 115. The parallel-to-serial converter 115 receives the OFDM sample data output from the IFFT unit 110, converts the OFDM sample data into serial data, and outputs the serial data. The guard interval inserter 120 copies a G number of last OFDM data samples from the OFDM sample data in the OFDM symbol constructed from the N number of OFDM data samples, inserts the copied data sample as a guard interval prior to the OFDM symbol, and outputs the guard interval and the OFDM symbol. Herein, the OFDM symbol including the guard interval will be referred to as an OFDM transmission symbol. Accordingly, an antenna unit 125 receives the OFDM transmission symbol output from the guard interval inserter 120, converts the OFDM transmission symbol into analog signals, which are OFDM signals, and outputs the OFDM signals.
Herein, a base station generates different multi-path channels from the OFDM signal by using a predetermined delay, and this will be referred to as a multi-carrier delay diversity modulation scheme. According to the multi-carrier delay diversity modulation scheme, when the base station transmits signals through multiple antennas, each antenna delays the signals by a predetermined amount of time and then transmits the delayed signals. This scheme is different from a Space-Time Block Coding (STBC) scheme and a Space-Time Trellis Coding (STTC) scheme which improves transmit diversity using multiple antennas.
The multi-carrier delay diversity modulation scheme may flexibly perform a space-time coding regardless of the number of transmit antennas, as compared with the STBC scheme. Further, the multi-carrier delay diversity modulation scheme has low complexity and may operate without limitation in the number of transmit antennas, as compared with the STTC scheme.
In other words, the multi-carrier delay diversity modulation scheme may perform the space-time coding without being limited by the number of transmit antennas, and may maximize the diversity performance without greatly changing an existing transmission or reception scheme.
Further, the multi-carrier delay diversity modulation scheme may use an existing reception method for reception.
That is, a codeword sequence (x0, x1 . . . , xN-1) having a block length of N output from the serial-to-parallel converter 105 is modulated into N sub-carriers by the IFFT unit 110, and is then multi-carrier-modulated by Equation 1 below.
                                          X            n                    =                                    1                              N                                                                                ∑                                  k                  =                  0                                                  N                  -                  1                                                                                X                  k                                                                  ⅇ                                      j2π                                                                                kn                      /                      N                                                                                ,                  n          =          0                ,        1        ,        …                                          ,                  N          -          1                                    Equation                                                  1
In Equation 1, k represents a sub-carrier index, n represents a time domain sample index, Xk represents a frequency domain symbol sequence, and Xn represents a time domain symbol sequence.
Accordingly, in the multi-carrier delay diversity modulation scheme as illustrated in FIG. 1, signals transmitted through M transmit antennas may be expressed by a tapped delay line having a length of M−1. A delay interval is identical to a sample interval T of the sequence {Xn}. Further, a codeword may be expressed by Equation 2 below.
                    C        =                  (                                                                      x                  0                                                                              x                  1                                                            ⋯                                                              x                                      N                    -                    1                                                                                x                                      N                    -                    1                                                                                x                  0                                                            ⋯                                                              x                                      N                    -                    2                                                                                ⋮                                            ⋮                                            ⋰                                            ⋮                                                                                x                                      N                    -                    M                    +                    1                                                                                x                                      N                    -                    M                    +                    2                                                                              ⋯                                                              x                                      N                    -                    M                                                                                )                                    Equation                                                  2
In Equation 2, an Mth antenna unit 155 transmits signals (xN−M, xN−M−1, . . . ,xN−M+1) obtained by cyclically shifting the sequence (x0, x1, . . . , xN−1) by M times. The codeword C will be referred to as a cyclic delay codeword because of the cyclic delay shifting scheme as described above.
According to the multi-carrier delay diversity modulation scheme, a second guard interval inserter 140 receives the N number of OFDM data samples delayed by T, copies a G number of OFDM data samples from the last OFDM sample data of the OFDM sample data, inserts the copied G number of data samples as a guard interval prior to the OFDM symbol, and outputs the guard interval and OFDM symbol. Accordingly, a second antenna unit 145 transmits OFDM signals corresponding to xN−1, x1, . . . ,xN−2. Further, an Mth guard interval inserter 150 receives signals obtained by cyclically delaying once again signals already cyclically delayed (M−1) times, that is, signals (xN−M, xN−M−1, . . . , xN−M+1) obtained by cyclically shifting the sequence (x0, x1, . . . , xN−1) M times. The Mth guard interval inserter 150 copies G number of OFDM data samples, inserts the guard interval into the copied OFDM sample data, and outputs the OFDM sample data. An Mth antenna unit 155 transmits OFDM signals corresponding to xN−M−1, xN−M−2, . . . ,xN−M.
In the prior art, the OFDM signals delayed by T were cyclically delayed, thereby obtaining an additional frequency diversity gain. In other words, when the delay diversity is employed, a scheme of cyclically delaying only one sample according to each antenna has been used.
When the base station transmits a broadcasting channel, it is necessary to consider if delayed signals delaying only one sample as described above may cause a transmit diversity gain to a user terminal in a different cell. This is because a transmit diversity gain may occur or interference may increase due to a system characteristic such as the length of a guard interference interval, the cell type, the number of sectors, or the beam pattern. That is, it is necessary to provide a transmission scheme capable of transmitting OFDM signals more efficiently in a blanket area where reception of the broadcasting channel is poor, a hot spot area where user terminals are crowded, or an outskirt area where user terminals appear occasionally.

Apparatus and method for efficiently transmitting broadcasting channel utilizing cyclic delay diversity


Techniques for fabricating passive devices in an extremely-thin silicon-on-insulator (ETSOI) wafer are provided. In one aspect, a method for fabricating one or more passive devices in an ETSOI wafer is provided. The method includes the following steps. The ETSOI wafer having a substrate and an ETSOI layer separated from the substrate by a buried oxide (BOX) is provided. The ETSOI layer is coated with a protective layer. At least one trench is formed that extends through the protective layer, the ETSOI layer and the BOX, and wherein a portion of the substrate is exposed within the trench. Spacers are formed lining sidewalls of the trench. Epitaxial silicon templated from the substrate is grown in the trench. The protective layer is removed from the ETSOI layer. The passive devices are formed in the epitaxial silicon.

Employing an extremely-thin-silicon-on-insulator (ETSOI) field effect transistor (FET) device configuration is advantageous since having such a thin channel material allows for better control over short channel effects. However, it is difficult to form passive devices, such as diodes, eFUSEs and resistors, in an ETSOI wafer due to the limited amount of silicon and topography issues.
For example, silicidation is often used in forming the passive devices in the wafer. With an extremely thin (e.g., less than 10 nanometers thick) silicon layer, it is very difficult to control the silicidation process and often the metal consumes all of the silicon, which is undesirable.
As another example, an eFUSE requires enough semiconductor material underneath and between the contacts to function properly. With an extremely thin (e.g., less than 10 nanometers thick) silicon layer, it is almost impossible to control the FUSE property, which is undesirable for autonomic chips.
Therefore, cost-effective techniques for integrating passive device fabrication with ETSOI technology would be desirable.

Structure and method to form passive devices in ETSOI process flow


A representational object contains a visual representation of a character and a memory tag comprising a digital memory adapted to be read from when inductively powered. The digital memory contains digital content relating to the character represented visually on the representational object. At least a part of the digital content relates to function of the character in a game carried out by a gaming application and comprises executable code for execution in connection with operation of the gaming application.

Game cards and collectable cards are popular commercial items. In games such as Pokemon, the two genres combine. Other games include physical game pieces.
Current forms of gaming include computer gaming and conventional gaming. Computer gaming involves interaction between a player and a computer program through an appropriate user interface. Such gaming may involve multiple players over communication links. The computer gaming application or applications (which may be held locally to a player, held entirely at a server, or distributed between the two) implements game rules, provides the game environment, and holds game state. The virtual nature of such gaming can render it unsatisfying for some players as it engages only vision and sound. Conventional gaming (including conventional gaming and conventional board games) involves a collection of pieces and game rules associated with the game, and possibly a game board or other representation of an environment. Game state may include one or more of game piece location on a board, game resources physically held by a player, and game data held by a central arbiter (a non-playing referee). Game interaction can seem very natural to players, but in complex games much effort may have to be devoted to calculating and tracking game state.
"Wizards of the Coast" has published game cards in its NFL2000 title which contain digital data provided by barcode—the data relates to player skills. A special game coordinator is provided that manages fixed interactions between plays and players.
There is a continuing desire to enrich the experiences of gaming with game cards or game pieces and of collectable card collection. For example, it would be desirable to further develop the opportunities available for game play—it would be particularly desirable to create arrangements which allow natural user interaction but which not require complex assessments of game state by game players.

Physical representational objects with digital memory and methods of manufacture and use thereof

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


A multi-hip semiconductor package is proposed, in which a first chip and a second chip are mounted on opposing surfaces of a lead frame in a staggered manner. This staggered arrangement assures the die bonding quality for firmly disposing the second chip in the semiconductor package without being detrimental affected by the first chip. Moreover, as both opposing surfaces of the lead frame have chips mounted thereon, a mold flow of a molding resin used in a molding process can be balanced, so that turbulence the mold flow is decreased, and void formation can be avoided. In addition, the semiconductor package can incorporate a third chip in a stacked manner with respect to the first or second chip. This therefore further improves the functionality and performance of the semiconductor package.

The present invention relates to multi-chip semiconductor packages, and more particularly, to a multi-chip semiconductor package, in which two semiconductor chips are disposed in a staggered manner.
A conventional semiconductor package generally includes a metal lead frame having a die pad and a plurality of leads, for disposing a semiconductor chip on the die pad and electrically connecting the chip to the corresponding leads by bonding wires. The chip, the die pad and part of the leads are encapsulated in an encapsulant, in an effort to protect the semiconductor package from damp, dust or damage.
However, in accordance with higher demand for operational function and speed of electronic products, more semiconductor devices are employed on a motherboard, or integrated circuits with higher integration level are utilized on a semiconductor chip. Nevertheless, the motherboard needs to expand its surface area for accommodating the larger number of the semiconductor devices, and this is undesirable in response to a trend for developing low-profile electronic products. Increase in integration level for the semiconductor chip is possibly limited by present manufacturing technology and is cost-ineffective to implement. Thus, an effective solution is to incorporate two or more chips in one semiconductor package, so as to raise the density of integrated circuits, the memory capacity and the process speed.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,898,220 discloses a multi-chip semiconductor package. Referring to FIG. 1, the semiconductor package includes a first semiconductor chip 11, a second semiconductor chip 12 and a lead frame 10. The first and second chips 11, 12 each possesses a top surface 110, 120 (where electric circuits and electronic components are disposed) and an opposing bottom surface 111, 121, respectively. On each of the top surfaces 110, 120 there are formed two rows of bond pads 112, 122 at two opposite sides. The lead frame 10 is composed of a plurality of leads 14, wherein a surface of the leads 14 for mounting the first chip 11 thereon is referred to as a first surface 140, while a surface of the leads 14 opposing the first surface 140 is referred to as a second surface 141.
As shown in the drawing, a nonconductive first tape 150 is adhered to the first surface 140 of the leads 14, and then the top surface 110 of the first chip 11 is firmly attached to the first tape 150 by using a conventional jig (not shown) under heat and pressure. Further, a plurality of gold wires 16 are used to electrically connect the bond pads 112 on the top surface 110 of the first chip 11 to the first surface 140 of the leads 14. Similarly, the second chip 12 is attached to the second surface 141 of the leads 14 by means of a second tape 151, and the bond pads 122 on the second chip are electrically connected to the second surface 141 of the leads 14 by a plurality of gold wires 16. Finally, an encapsulant 17 is formed to encapsulate the first chip 11, the second chip 12, the gold wires 16 and a portion of the leads 14 close to the chips, so as to protect the semiconductor chips from outside moisture and pollutant.
In the use of the jig (as shown in FIG. 2 by a reference numeral 18), a heat source is provided for heating the tapes to firmly attach the semiconductor chips to the leads. However, as shown in FIG. 2, after completing the attachment of the first chip 11, due to heat blockage by the first chip 11 and the highly heat-resistant first tape 150, the second tape 150 receives heat in reduced transmission efficiency, and thus the second chip 12 is unable to be firmly bonded by means of the second tape 150, resulting in increase in the reliability concern for die bonding. Moreover, in order to successively bonding the gold wires 16 to respectively the first chip II and the leads 14, the second tape 151 needs to be dimensioned in thickness slightly larger than the height of wire loops of the gold wires 16. In consideration of replacing the second tape 151 with a conventional nonconductive adhesive for improving the problem of poor beat transmission as described above, however, an adhesive layer formed by the adhesive with high fluidity is hardly controlled in thickness, and thus the gold wires 16 may suffer suppression from the second chip 12, resulting in poor wire bonding quality.
In addition, in a molding process for the foregoing semiconductor package, as shown in FIG. 3, after a melted molding resin (not shown) is injected into a mold (not shown), a mold flow direction is perpendicular to gaps 142 between the leads 14, which are interposed between the first and second chips 11, 12. This therefore makes the molding resin hardly flow into the gaps 142, and the gaps 142 not completely filled with the molding resin easily have voids formed therein. Accordingly, a popcorn effect can be generated in the semiconductor package operating in a high temperature environment due to thermal expansion of air in the voids.
A primary objective of the present invention is to provide a multi-chip semiconductor package, in which chips are disposed in a staggered manner, so as to improve heat transmission efficiency of a jig in a die bonding process and thus maintain the die bonding reliability.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide a multi-chip semiconductor package, in which staggered chips allow a mold flow of a molding resin to be balanced and thus avoid void formation.
A further objective of the present invention is to provide a multi-chip semiconductor package, in which chips are simultaneously incorporated in lead-on-chip (LOC) and non-LOC manners.
A further objective of the present invention is to provide a multi-chip semiconductor package, in which chips are employed with no restriction on size.
A further objective of the present invention is to provide a multi-chip semiconductor package, in which no special jig is needed, and thus the fabrication cost is reduced.
According to the foregoing and other objectives, the present invention proposes a multi-chip semiconductor package, including: a lead frame having a front surface and an opposing back surface, and consisting of a die pad and a plurality of leads surrounding the die pad, wherein the die pad is firmly held at a position deviating from the center of the lead frame by a plurality of supporting elements; a first chip having an active surface and an opposing inactive surface, and bonded to the die pad on the front surface of the lead frame by means of an adhesive; a second chip having an active surface and an opposing inactive surface, wherein the active surface is attached to the supporting elements on the back surface of the lead frame and the leads formed around the supporting elements, so as to allow the first chip and the second chip to be spatially positioned in a staggered manner, a plurality of first conductive elements for electrically connecting the first chip to the leads; a plurality of second conductive elements for electrically connecting the second chip to the leads; and an encapsulant for encapsulating the first chip, the second chip, the first conductive elements, the second conductive elements and part of the leads.
The semiconductor package of the invention is advantageous in that at least two semiconductor chips are incorporated in the same package simultaneously, and the first and second chips are respectively attached to the front and back surfaces of the lead frame in a staggered manner. This staggered arrangement makes die bonding processes performed for the first and second chips without interfering with each other, so that the second chip can be firmly disposed in the semiconductor package. This is more advantageous than the prior art, in which bonding quality of a second chip is detrimentally affected due to heat transmission blocked by a first chip located vertically with respect to the second chip. As a result, a special jig used in the die bonding process of the second chip for avoiding damage to the first chip is not necessary, and the cost for preparing such a jig is substantially saved. Furthermore, in a molding process, the staggered chips disposed on the opposing surfaces of the lead frame can balance a mold flow of a molding resin, so that turbulence to the mold flow is decreased and void formation can be avoided.

Siliconware Precision Industries, Co., Ltd..


An electro-magnetic flow sensor, which is arranged for measuring a flow rate of liquid, includes a micro controller and a liquid flowing apparatus communicatively linking to the micro controller. The liquid flowing apparatus includes a flow chamber housing having a flow chamber for receiving the liquid therein, a magnetic source communicating with the flow chamber housing for generating a magnetic field within the flow chamber so as to allow the liquid exposing in the magnetic field, and an array of electrodes alignedly integrated with the flow chamber housing for measuring a voltage magnitude of flow generated in the flow chamber when the liquid flows within the flow chamber under the magnetic field, wherein the micro controller reads the voltage magnitude and converts the voltage magnitude into the flow data of the liquid.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to the art of Fluid Flow Measurement and control for the contamination free environment. This invention is emphasis on Disposable Flow Chamber and Electro-Magnetic Flow Sensor. The Disposable Flow chamber allows isolation of contaminations between sessions. The invention device apply Electro-Magnetic field to the Disposable Flow Chamber then converts the responded signal and to flow speed. It finds particular application in conjunction with volumetric flow sensor, and will be described with particular reference thereto. However, it is to be appreciated that the present invention is also amenable to other like application. Though this invention is particularly suitable for medical drug delivery flow measurement, microelectronic or semiconductor industry, it is also applicable to other industries such as pharmaceutical, biotech industries and other industries, which employ fluid, flow measurement.
2. Description of Related Arts
Fluid flow measurement is used in many industries including water treatment, beverage industries, pharmaceutical industries, biotech industries, medical industries and other general industrial applications. It is critical in many processes to accurately measure small flow without the contaminant residue from previous measurement. This present invention practically and economically contemplates a new technique and apparatus for fluid measurement, which overcomes the problems of contamination.

Disposable flow chamber electro-magnetic flow sensor


The present application discloses a recirculating crushing and grinding device for crushing and grinding liquid-like materials or materials that contain liquid, said device comprises a motor, a hopper, a crushing and grinding part and a material recirculating part. Said crushing and grinding part includes a coarse-crushing section and a fine-grinding section, said fine grinding section comprises a pair of grinding components, and said material recirculating part comprises a pump and recirculating ducts provided downstream of said crushing-grinding part. The present application also discloses a soybean milk maker employing said recirculating crushing-grinding device, and a method for crushing and grinding a recirculated material and a method for producing soybean milk. The equipment disclosed in the present invention is easy to manufacture, with the advantages of a low noise during operation and low energy consumption.

In the conventional colloid mills used in the fields of medical, cosmetic, dope, fine chemical industry and food processing etc., which are either conical-structured or disc-structured, the milling movements are small due to the limitation of the size of the mill tool. In order to achieve a super-fine grinding of a material, the equipment is usually of bulky structure. Not only are the manufacturing processes of the rotating and stationary mill bodies thereof complicated and costly, but also the motor has to run at very high speed, generally around 8000 rounds per minute, resulting in a loud noise during operation and a large consumption of power.
In the prior art domestic soybean milk maker, in order to achieve miniaturization, the grinding device is driven by a high-speed motor so that the crushing blades hit and crush the beans in filter gauze, with soybean milk filtered through the gauze and then boiled for drinking. Notable disadvantages thereof are: requirement of high rotation speed of the blades, large noise caused during operation, a low production rate of soybean milk, small regulating range of soybean milk concentration and quantity, and difficulty in gauze cleaning. As disclosed in CN2273965Y, "an automatic cycle mini soybean-milk maker of assembled type", the grinding device thereof comprises a stator (i.e. a stationary grinder) and a rotor (i.e. a rotary grinder). The inventor believes that both the design and manufacture of the stator and the rotor are complicated and difficult, and it is impossible to obtain an integrated structure under conventional processes and technology, thus an assembled arrangement is employed for the stator and rotor, which results in a large number of mill parts, huge labor in assembling, and a high failure rate. Its operation principle is that material is pulled and pushed and thus crushed and ground by a cyclic force caused by the high-speed relative motion between the assembled stator and rotor, so that the material "escapes with high speed from the lower annular gap after being ground". Thus, the high rotation speed also brings about a disadvantage of large noises.

Crushing and grinding device, a soybean milk maker including said device and a method for making soybean milk


Method, apparatus and computer program product for detecting vulnerability in an industrial control system, predicting maintenance in an industrial control system, and defining authorization rules for peripheral devices based on peripheral device categorization are described herein.

In industrial control systems (ICS) and industrial internet of things (IIoT) environments, identification of vulnerable industrial computing product running in the computing environment has historically been difficult. In ICSs, resources for vulnerability analysis are often limited, for example, due to issues such as lack of Internet activity, interoperability issues, limitations on computing resources such as central processing unit (CPU), memory, input/output (I/O) constraints, or the like. Moreover, regular maintenance checkups that may address potential vulnerability in the ICSs are generally infrequent, at least in part because these maintenance checkups generally involve downtime that may lead to loss of productivity in the industrial production sites associated with the ICSs.

Methods and apparatuses for defining authorization rules for peripheral devices based on peripheral device categorization


An image pick-up lens system includes an aperture stop (10), a biconvex first lens (20), and a meniscus-shaped second lens (30) having a concave surface on a side of an object. The aperture stop, the first lens and the second lens are aligned in that order from the object side to an image side. Each of the lenses has at least one aspheric surface, and both lenses are made from a same plastic or a resin. The system satisfies the following condition: (1) 1<T/f<1.7, wherein f is a focal length of the system, and T is a length from the aperture stop to an image pick-up surface of the image side. The first condition (1) limits the total length of the system in order to provide compactness. The system also satisfies other conditions (2)–(5) as disclosed, in order to provide compactness and cost-effectiveness and to correct fundamental aberrations.

In recent years, camera modules for taking photos have begun to be incorporated in mobile terminals such as mobile phones and lap-top computers. Downsizing the camera modules is a prerequisite for enhancing the portability of these apparatuses. The camera module operates with an image pickup device such as a CCD (Charged Coupled Device) or a CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor). Recently, a pixel having the size of approximately a few micrometers has become commercially feasible, and an image pickup device with high resolution and a compact size can now be mass manufactured and marketed. This is accelerating the demand for downsizing of image pick-up lens systems so that they are able to be suitably used with miniaturized image pickup devices. It is also increasing expectations of cost reductions in image pick-up lens systems, commensurate with the lower costs enjoyed by modern image pickup devices. All in all, an image pick-up lens system needs to satisfy the oft-conflicting requirements of compactness, low cost, and excellent optical performance.
Compactness means in particular that a length from a lens edge of the lens system to an image pick-up surface should be as short as possible.
Low cost means in particular that the lens system should include as few lenses as possible; and that the lenses should be able to be formed from a resin or a plastic and be easily assembled.
Excellent optical performance can be classified into the following four main requirements:
First, a high brightness requirement, which means that the lens system should have a small F number (FNo.). Generally, the FNo. should be 2.8 or less.
Second, a wide angle requirement, which means that half of the field of view of the lens system should be 30° or more.
Third, a uniform illumination on the image surface requirement, which means that the lens system has few eclipses and/or narrows down an angle of incidence onto an image pick-up device.
Fourth, a high resolution requirement, which means that the lens system should appropriately correct fundamental aberrations such as spherical aberration, coma aberration, curvature of field, astigmatism, distortion, and chromatic aberration.
In a lens system which satisfies the low cost requirement, a single lens made from a resin or a plastic is desired. Typical such lens systems can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 6,297,915B1 and EP Pat. No. 1271215A2. However, even if the lens has two aspheric surfaces, it is difficult to achieve excellent optical performance, especially if a wide angle such as 70° is desired. Thus, the single lens system can generally only be used in a low-resolution image pickup device such as a CMOS. In addition, a thick lens is generally used for correcting aberrations. Thus, a ratio of a total length of the lens system to a focal length of the lens (L/f) is about 2. In other words, it is difficult to make the lens system compact.
In a lens system which satisfies the excellent optical performance requirement, three or even more lenses are desired. A typical three-lens system can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,940,219. A typical four-lens system can be found in U.S. Pat. Application Publication No. 2004/0012861. However, the addition of extra lenses increases costs proportionately.
In order to satisfy all the requirements of compactness, low cost and excellent optical performance, it is commonly believed that a two-lens system is desirable.
A well-known two-lens system is the retro-focus type lens system. A typical such lens system can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 6,449,105B1. The lens system comprises, from an object side to an image side, a first meniscus lens having negative refracting power and a convex surface on the object side, a stop, and a second meniscus lens having positive refracting power and a convex surface on the image side. The lens system helps correct aberrations related to wide angle of field of view. However, a shutter is positioned between the second lens and the image side, which adds to the distance between the second lens and the image side. Thus, the compactness of the lens system is limited.
In order to overcome the above described problems, an image pick-up lens system generally employs two lenses which are made from plastic or resin and which have four aspheric surfaces. A typical configuration of such system can be found in U.S. Pat. Application Publication No. 2004/0036983 and EP Pat. No. 1357414A1. The system can satisfy the compactness and low cost requirements. In addition, the system can provide a resolution of 300,000 pixels.
However, in U.S. Pat. Application Publication No. 2004/0036983, a ratio of a total length of such system to a total focal length of the lenses (L/f) is generally about 2. In addition, for correcting chromatic aberration, the Abbe constant ν1 of a first lens of the system must satisfy the condition ν1>50, and the Abbe constant ν2 of a second lens of the system must satisfy the condition ν2<40. In EP Pat. No. 1357414A1, a ratio of a total length of such system to a total focal length of the lenses is about 1.7; and such system must satisfy the condition ν1−ν2>25, wherein ν1 is the Abbe constant of a first lens of the system and ν2 is the Abbe constant of a second lens of the system. That is, in the two above-described systems, the smallest ratio obtainable is 1.7, which still constitutes a limitation on the compactness of the lens system. In addition, the two lenses must be made from different materials in order to correct chromatic aberration.
In one aspect, for perfectly correct chromatic aberration and to further improve optical performance, it is desirable that at least one lens of the system is made of glass. Glass is more expensive than other materials such as plastics or resins. Thus manufacturing costs are increased. In another aspect, molding is necessary for mass manufacturing of aspheric surfaces of the lenses. The different materials that need to be molded require different technical parameters to be applied during the molding process. This complicates the molding processes, and increases manufacturing costs. Further, plastic and resin materials are prone to absorb water. For example, the water absorbency of polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) is 1.5%, and the water absorbency value of polycarbonate (PC) is 0.4%. Among the plastic or resin materials which can be suitably used to make lenses, only zeonex materials (polyolefin resins or cyclo-olefin polymers) have relatively low water absorbency. These water absorbencies are less than 0.01%. Zeonex materials are available from the Japanese Zeon Corporation. Therefore unless the non-glass lens is made from a zeonex material, it is liable to absorb water and deform. As a result, the optical performance of the system is diminished.
On the other hand, a CMOS having a resolution of 300,000 pixels requires relatively low optical performance from an image pick-up lens system. There is a need for a relatively low optical performance lens system which can satisfy the requirements of a CMOS having a resolution of 300,000 pixels. Because the optical performance and resolution are relatively low, the cost of such lens system needs to be commensurately low.
In summary, a low cost image pick-up lens system which has a compact configuration and which can be used in products having 300,000 pixels resolution is desired.


A self-bootstrapping device for sufficiently bootstrapping a bias applied to the gate of a MOS transistor included in the decoder of a semiconductor memory device requiring a high integration degree so that the MOS transistor can transmit the potential from its drain to its source. The self-bootstrapping device includes a first NMOS transistor for a signal transmission, and a second NMOS transistor connected between the gate of the first NMOS transistor and an address decoder circuit, the second NMOS transistor being applied at its gate with a source voltage, wherein the second NMOS transistor comprises a first diffusion region formed at a required portion of a semiconductor substrate, a second diffusion region formed around the first diffusion region while being spaced apart from the first diffusion region by a desired distance, and a gate electrode formed on the semiconductor substrate between the first and second diffusion regions.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a self-bootstrapping device, and more particularly to a self-bootstrapping device for sufficiently bootstrapping a bias applied to the gate of a MOS transistor included in the decoder of a semiconductor memory device requiring a high integration degree so that the MOS transistor can transmit the potential from its drain to its source.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conventionally, self-bootstrapping devices have been used as decoders for decoding word lines of semiconductor memory devices in order to increase the integration of such semiconductor devices. Such self-bootstrapping devices also serve to boost an operating voltage to a level higher than the source voltage, thereby enabling word lines of memory devices to be effectively decoded.
NMOS transistors included in semiconductor memory devices, which may be those adapted to decode word lines or those included in pull-up drivers of data out buffers and coupled to the source voltage, need a gate potential higher than the sum of a drain potential and a threshold voltage.
In this connection, a scheme has been proposed, which uses a level shifter for boosting the potential at a particular node to a level considerably higher than the source voltage. This method is illustrated in FIG. 1 in which the level shifter is denoted by the reference numeral 10. The level shifter 10 serves to boost the output from an address decoder circuit 20. A boosted signal from the level shifter 10 is applied to the gate of an NMOS transistor Q1. In this case, the boosted voltage Vpp output from the level shifter 10 should be higher than the maximum potential at the source or drain of the NMOS transistor Q1, namely, the source voltage Vcc by a value corresponding to the threshold voltage. In this case, however, it is required to use a separate voltage supply source. Since the high level source voltage should be used at highly dense regions in this case, it may adversely affect the memory device. For example, the stability of the memory device may be degraded.
In order to solve such problems, another scheme has been proposed, wherein a self-bootstrapping device is used. In this case, two NMOS transistors are used, on of which serves to perform a signal transmission. To the gate of the signal transmission NMOS transistor, the other NMOS transistor is coupled at its drain. With such a construction, the signal transmission NMOS transistor has a gate voltage self-bootstrapped in accordance with a variation in its drain voltage.
Such a self-bootstrapping device is illustrated in FIG. 2. In this self-bootstrapping device, the signal transmission NMOS transistor, which may be that of FIG. 1, is supplied at its gate with the drain voltage of the other NMOS transistor in place of an externally input particular voltage. In FIG. 2, the NMOS transistor requiring the bootstrap is the transistor Q2. The other NMOS transistor Q3 is coupled at its source to the gate of the NMOS transistor Q2. The NMOS transistor Q3 is also coupled to an address decoder circuit 20. A gate capacitor C1 for the NMOS transistor Q2 is formed between the source and gate of the NMOS transistor Q2. A gate overlap capacitor C2 is also formed between the gates of the NMOS transistors Q2 and Q3. A junction capacitor C3 is also formed because both the gate of the NMOS transistor Q2 and the source of the NMOS transistor Q3 have N' diffusion regions formed in a P' substrate, respectively.
FIG. 3A illustrates the layout of a bootstrapping transistor used in conventional self-bootstrapping devices. FIG. 3B is a cross-sectional view taken along the line A--A' of FIG. 3A. This transistor includes a pair of n.sup.+ diffusion regions formed at desired portions of a semiconductor substrate and spaced apart from each other by a desired distance, and a gate electrode formed over the substrate between the n.sup.+ diffusion regions.
The operation of the self-bootstrapping device having the above-mentioned construction will now be described in conjunction with FIG. 2. When the address decoder circuit 20 operates in response to an address input signal Ai applied thereto, it outputs a signal having a level corresponding to the source voltage Vcc. As a result, the NMOS transistor Q2 is applied at its gate with a voltage corresponding to the difference between the source voltage Vcc and the threshold voltage Vth. When the drain potential of the NMOS transistor Q2 increases up to an optional voltage Vx less than the voltage difference between Vcc and Vth, the gate potential of the NMOS transistor Q2 is self-bootstrapped by the capacitor C1 formed between the gate and source of the transistor Q2. As a result, the source potential of the NMOS transistor Q2 increases. At this time, the NMOS transistor turns off because the potential difference between its gate and source becomes lower than the threshold voltage.
In this case, the level of the self-bootstrapped voltage is determined by the co-relationship among the gate overlap capacitor C2, the junction capacitor C3 and the gate capacitor C1 of NMOS transistor Q2. In other words, the self-bootstrapped voltage level is proportional to the value of C1/(C1+C2+C3).
On the other hand, the NMOS transistor Q2 has a compact size when it is used in highly densely integrated semiconductor memory devices. In this case, however, the NMOS transistor Q3 is difficult to be compact in proportion to the compactness of the NMOS transistor Q2 due to various reasons involved in the fabrication thereof. As a result, the junction capacitor C3 has a relatively increased capacitance, as compared to the capacitor C1. This results in a decrease in the value of C1/(C1+C2+C3), thereby dropping the bootstrapped voltage level of the NMOS transistor Q2.

Hyundai Electrinics Industries Co., Ltd.


The ubiquitin ligase, RNF5, regulates the gut microbiota composition and influences the immune checkpoint response to tumors. RNF5 deficient animals exhibit significant inhibition of tumor development as well as an altered gut microbiota composition. Methods of treating cancer by administering to a subject one or more selected bacterial species and/or one or more prebiotics that promote the growth of one or more selected bacterial species are disclosed. Also disclosed are methods of treating cancer by administering to a subject one or more selected bacterial species and/or one or more prebiotics that promote the growth of one or more selected bacterial species in combination with one or more anti-cancer agents.

The clinical efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors in several cancer types has demonstrated the importance of targeting this regulatory axis for cancer treatment (Sharma et al. (2015) Cell 161:205-14). However, most of the successes have been obtained with inhibitors that target only a few immune checkpoint receptors and ligands and are effective in a subset of tumor types (Palucka et al. (2016) Cell 164:1233-47). Thus, a greater understanding of the mechanisms underlying the selectivity of the tumor response, the control of immune checkpoint components, and the emergence of tumors resistant to this therapy is needed (Reddy et al. (2016) Current Oncology Reports 18:42).

Sanford Bumham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute

Technion Research & Development Foundation Ltd.


A working fluid composition for use in a refrigeration system which comprises a refrigerating oil comprising a compound having one or more ketone groups in the molecular structure as a base oil and a hydrofluorocarbon.

The use of dichlorodifluoromethane (CFC12) for refrigerators and automotive air conditioners has recently been legally regulated to protect the ozone layer, and will eventually be totally banned. The use of chlorodifluoromethane (HCFC22) for air conditioners will be regulated. Thus, hydrofluorocarbons (HFC) which do not destroy the ozone layer have been developed as substitutes for CFC12.
However, since the polarity of hydrofluorocarbons is higher than that of CFC12, the use of a conventional lubricating oil which has commonly been used as a refrigeration oil, such as naphthenic mineral oil, poly .alpha.-olefin or alkylbenzene, causes two-layer separation at a low temperature due to the poor compatibility between these lubricating oils and hydrofluorocarbons. Two-layer separation hampers oil return, which in turn interferes with heat transfer due to the deposition of a thick oil film around the condenser and evaporator as heat exchangers. It can also cause failures due to poor lubrication and foaming during the starting operation. Therefore, the conventional refrigeration oils cannot be used in the presence of these new refrigerants.
As for lubricity, CFC12 generates hydrogen chloride upon partial decomposition, which reacts on the friction surface to form a chloride coating, thereby improving its lubricity. On the other hand, the hydrofluorocarbons cannot be expected to have such an effect because they do not contain a chlorine atom, and therefore, the refrigeration oils used in combination with hydrofluorocarbons are required to have better lubricity than that of the conventional refrigeration oils.
In addition, the refrigeration oils used in combination with hydrofluorocarbons need to have good thermal stability in the presence of hydrofluorocarbons.
Moreover, since organic substances are present in compression refrigerating machines for electric refrigerators, for example, materials for motor components such as insulators and enameled wires, the working fluid comprising a hydrofluorocarbon and a refrigeration oil must not adversely affect these organic materials and must have a good insulating property.
Polyether compounds which can be used as refrigeration oils in combination with hydrofluorocarbons such as 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane (HFC134a) are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,755,316, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Nos. 198694/1989, 256594/1989, 259093/1989, 259094/1989, 259095/1989, 84491/1990, 102296/1990, 129294/1990, 132176/1990, 132177/1990, 132178/1990, 132179/1990, 173195/1990, 180986/1990, 180987/1990, 182780/1990, 242823/1990, 242888/1990, 258896/1990, 269195/1990, 276880/1990, 276881/1990, 272097/1990, 281098/1990, 305893/1990, 14894/1991, 28296/1991, 33192/1991, 33193/1991 and other publications.
Since the polyether compounds have a polarity higher than that of naphthenic mineral oils, their compatibility with HFC134a at a low temperature is very good. However, polyether compounds cannot be safely used as refrigeration oils, since they pose the problem of two-layer separation upon a rise in temperature, as stated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,755,316.
The polyether compounds involve other problems. One of them is that they have a poor insulating property. This is an extremely important problem which makes it impossible to use the polyether compounds for refrigerating machines used in electric refrigerators. Another problem is that they have high hygroscopicity. Due to the moisture in the polyether compound, the thermal stability in the presence of HFC134a is degraded, causing organic materials such as PET films to be hydrolyzed.
In order to eliminate the above-mentioned problems in the polyether compounds such as insulating property, hygroscopicity, etc., various ester compounds have been developed. For instance, as refrigerating oils which can be used together with 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane (HFC134a), mixed oils of polyether oils and ester oils are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,851,144 (corresponding to Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 276894/1990) and Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 158693/1990; and ester oils are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,261,541 and European Patent No. 406,479.
The ester compounds are excellent in compatibility with the hydrofluorocarbons, and they are also excellent in thermal stability in the presence of the hydrofluorocarbons. In addition, when compared with the polyether compounds, the ester compounds have a remarkably excellent insulating property and a considerably low hygroscopicity.
However, hydrofluorocarbon-ester oils are more likely to absorb moisture because of the increased polarity of hydrofluorocarbon and oil in comparison with CFC12-mineral oils, which constitute conventional working fluids, and the water which remains unremoved can hydrolyze the ester to form carboxylic acid, which may in turn corrode metals to cause wear.
As stated above, the presently developed hydrofluorocarbonpolyether oils have problems in hygroscopicity and insulating property, and the hydrofluorocarbon-ester oils have problems in hydrolysis resistance. In addition, when compared with the conventional CFC12-mineral oils, they are more likely to absorb water, which may cause a decrease in thermal stability and the deterioration of the organic materials, which may in turn corrode metals and cause wear. Therefore, these oils do not meet the requirement of a working fluid for refrigerating machines.

Working fluid composition having ketone-containing compound for use in refrigeration system


An adaptive closed loop transmit power control system which does not require extensive factory calibration of power control loop bandwidths and feedback detect path gain settings over the power transition ranges, frequency bands of operation, temperature, and supply voltage is disclosed. The system automatically compensates for any gain or slope variations in the analog feedforward and feedback paths to maintain system stability and meet performance specifications. The system achieves this by using an adaptive digital signal processing (DSP) system architecture within the feedback path of this closed loop power control system. The system eliminates the need for extensive factory calibration of such parameters as loop bandwidths and feedback detect path gain settings over power transition ranges, frequency bands of operation, temperature, and supply voltage.

1. Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure relates to power control systems, and more particularly to adaptive power control systems that do not require factory calibration of loop control parameters.
2. Description of the Related Art
In current power control systems, transmit (Tx) power ramp up and down curves are controlled by altering the control or bias voltage applied to a power amplifier or a voltage controlled amplifier (VCA) modulator integrated circuit. For example, the controls to meet power control specification requirements, such as power versus time and transient adjacent channel power masks for GSM-FracN, WCDMA, and Cartesian IQ multiple access modes, are typically performed by a closed loop power control system.
Current closed loop power control systems require extensive factory calibration because the control voltage applied versus the transmit power output characteristics of the power amplifier or VCA stage as well as that of the power detection feedback path vary depending on the frequency band of operation, the input power level to the power amplifier, and variations in temperature and battery voltage.
Because of tri-band requirements (GSM, DCS or the PCS bands) of some systems, the slope of the control voltage versus the transmit power out characteristics changes with each frequency band of operation. In addition, the power amplifier transmit power versus the detected power characteristics of the power detector also vary with the different bands of operation.
The slope of the control voltage versus transmit power output curve varies with respect to input power levels (dBm) at the power amplifier. Prediction of variations of the power input to the power amplifier and programming of corresponding system parameters is difficult. The slope of control voltage versus the transmit power output curve also changes with temperature and battery voltage variations.
In order to meet loop stability and performance requirements including power versus time mask and switching transient specifications, different AOC system parameters, for example, loop bandwidths and the analog feedback gains, have to be programmed for each frequency band of operation, for different power inputs, and for different temperature and battery voltage variations. Typically, pre-calibrated fixed settings for the loop bandwidths during transmit ramp up and ramp down are used. The factory calibration of the power control loop bandwidths is a complex task which has to be performed as a function of the frequency band of operation, input power levels to the power amplifier, initial and final target power level, temperature, and supply voltage. Factory calibration is time intensive and costly.
A transmit power control system which does not need extensive factory calibration of power control loop bandwidths over the power transition ranges, frequency bands of operation, temperature and supply voltage is desired.
The use of the same reference symbols in different drawings indicates similar or identical items.


A sliding screen frame for a closure assembly having an opening and an existing track for mounting a screen, the screen frame has framing sections with both inner and outer side edges, and a housing from which a screen is payed out and accumulated. The framing sections are adapted on the outer side edge to interfit with the existing track of the closure assembly to enable the sliding screen frame to slide across the opening of the closure assembly and the frame sections also being adapted on the inner side edge thereof to support and guide the free end of the screen between a fully payed out and a fully accumulated position. The screen frame has a mitreless corner connector for connecting adjacent framing sections without the need for mitre cuts thereof to establish continuity between the corner connector and the adjacent framing sections.

In the art there exists numerous devices which provide screening to prevent insects from entering open windows and patio doors. These screening devices may be placed in position within a channel provided with the frame sections of typical window or door assemblies with the screen frame of a predetermined thickness so as to easily fit within the channel. Patio door screens may be slideable in a channel on a track assisted by rollers and moveable to and from the position wherein the screen blocks the opening when the door is in the open position and prevents insects from entering the dwelling, to a position away from the opening wherein the screen does not block the opening.
More recently, roll out screen assemblies have been provided which include after-market products which are permanently fixed in position on or near an exterior frame section adjacent to the door opening. At this position when desired the screen may be rolled out from its housing at a fixed position and extend across the door opening when the door is in an open position. The screen of course may be accumulated on a roller in the housing and thereby provide the occupant with a clear unobstructed view of their yard. But such a construction has difficulty in providing an adequate barrier to insects. They are unsightly and are also costly and may be beyond the level of skill for a homeowner installation.
Other efforts therefore have been made to make roll screen constructions more invisible and yet functional. Such constructions may be found in Applicant's prior granted patent, U.S. Pat. No. 6,267,168 which teaches the use of a roll screen cassette contained within a framing section of a closure assembly which provides guides in the header and sill frames for the leading edge of the roll screen. This construction improves the barrier against insects but raises other issues. Applicant is also aware of U.S. Pat. No. 6,167,936 that addresses a similar concept. However, such hidden constructions do require that the window frames be manufactured to required specifications to include a void wherein the roll screen may be inserted. Conceptually these patents provide a valuable approach but in one respect from an economic standpoint they require that existing window constructions be re-tooled for the required framing sections with the void for the hidden screen. Most manufacturers do not want to do this because of the cost of moulds and dies. There is therefore, still an unmet need yet unsatisfied which provides a screen construction which does not require an extensive amount of re-tooling.
Attempts have been made to provide roll screen constructions within its own frame for fastening to an existing window or door frame; for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,479,979; U.S. Pat. No. 6,082,432; and finally U.S. Pat. No. 6,070,642. Particularly referring to U.S. Pat. No. 6,070,642 as by way of example, there is taught a roll screen assembly which has a support frame which is fixed into position with the upper member (30), as best seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, including a compartment wherein the roll screen accumulates and pays out. The entire frame section therefore is fixed into position upon a typical frame for a door or a window which is adapted to the existing framing structure proximate the inner peripheral of the window or door frame. The roll screen frame is permanently fixed in position therefore and does not utilize any existing mounting portions available with the homeowner's windows or doors. Further in the case of a patio door the roll screen frame does provide an obstacle at the threshold which will be discussed hereinafter.
Another example is found in such a fixed structure in relation to U.S. Pat. No. 6,082,432 wherein the roll screen frame, as best seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, is fixed in position and the roll screen is also fixed in position within the chamber compartment (40) on the brackets (41 and 46) wherein the screen pays out and accumulates. The handle portion or as it is referred to in the patent, the pulling posts (25) extends across the frame portions (28 and 28b) which are positioned in fixed relationship to span the door. Nothing within the reference teaches that the frame section supporting the roll screen may also move in relation to the door in a sliding motion as is with a typical planar screen door for a patio door (which typical screen does not include a roll screen component).
Some of the problems experienced with these prior art constructions include, with respect to the roll out doors, that a framing section is provided at the threshold of the assembly. This is true, for example, for screen doors manufactured by the Phantom Manufacturing Limited under the trademark "PHANTOM"™ and by Monroe Tool and Die, and/or KSG Products for "MIRAGE"™ door screens. Typically, these products resemble U.S. Pat. No. 6,082,432 and require supplementary frame sections that extend around the door assembly which provide the obstacle adjacent to the threshold of the assembly. When the roll out screen is accumulated into the roll tube housing, the threshold remains as an obstacle to block the egress of an individual and particularly for those using wheel chairs, walkers and the like. People without particular challenges may simply step on the threshold obstacle and disform it to prevent the screen from rolling out and requiring an expensive repair. Further, such installations require expensive labour for installation and may be quite expensive in comparison to a typical sliding screen door which is not fixed in position.
When attempting to join the framing sections for a conventional frame such as those described above, it is the convention to have mitre joints at 45° angles on the individual framing sections so that each section meets flush. These sections are attached to one another with the use of a "L" shaped connector or bracket. Such a joint is established and the adjacent sections being joined, as seen in applicants own Ser. No. 10/115,084, must be cut to a predetermined angle to attach the frames proximate the mitre joints. This requires additional manufacturing time. Attempts have been made to overcome this deficiency by the use of corner brackets such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,827,648. These corners however are intended for engagement with a planar member proximate slots provided in the side members of the corner bracket. However they cannot be used to join adjacent frame sections.
Applicant is also aware of a product SCREEN AWAY™ for retractable roll screen assemblies manufactured by Superior Building Products which provides such a device which includes approximately 18 to 24 parts and 22 steps involved in assembling the kit of components provided. Although the product may be esthetically pleasing once assembled, the threshold obstacle is evident which must be present to provide support for the leading edge of the roll screen as it moves across the opening.
However, a typical known sliding screen frame, for installation adjacent a patio door, when positioned across the patio door opening blocks the occupants view of the yard and may be esthetically displeasing. If the screen door is slid to the opposite position away from the opening then the opposite glass pane is obstructed as well. Typically roll screens have a retraction mechanism in the form of a tensioned spring that biases the screen to the retracted position. Braking detents may be provided with a roll blind which engage and brake the mechanism described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,188,992. However this construction is cumbersome and bulky and provides no compatible simple braking surfaces separate from the shaft provided with a free wheeling bushing and compatible bracket.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,099,906 teaches the use of a centrifugal clutch based braking device that is mounted on the interior of the roll screen which is complicated to assemble and manufacture.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,188,992 above-mentioned also discloses a centrifugally based braking system. This particular braking system is ineffective for vertically oriented screen rolls since the braking action forces are parallel to the screen roll itself and would be counteracted by gravity if mounted vertically.
Another cumbersome braking device for a horizontal system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,838,333.
Known roll screens as in the case with the Applicant's prior construction, that pay out horizontally, are not guided in channels except at the ends of the screen near the handle. There are no means of retaining the edges of the screen cloth in place against the forces generated by the wind blowing on the screen. If the wind forces are high enough, this can cause release of the screen from the guide channel that can allow insects to pass. Attempts have been made to overcome this type of problem by providing bead like wind retaining devices attached at the edges of the screen cloth that are carried along a guide or groove contained within the frame. Though solving the problem of securing the motion of the screen at all sides of the framework it poses another problem in that the screen will not properly accumulate on the roll. That is it will not lie flat when accumulated and will tend to go out of round. Further if the beads do not release from the guide channel the screen cloth may be torn resulting in costly repairs occurring when greater forces than that of the wind such as the force of a pet jumping up against the screen. The screen should easily release from the guide channel and not be preventing from properly retracting.
One such example of an attempt to solve this problem is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,934,353. This solution is overly complicated and requires gripping surfaces within a guide channel to engage the screen edge.
None of the prior art constructions identified above known to Applicants addresses the issue which Applicants' current invention focuses in upon. That is with all of the knowledge of those designing roll out screen assemblies which are bolted in place whether or not in a frame, none of the inventors including Applicant's prior construction take advantage of the existing channels and tracks within windows and patio doors to allow for simplicity of installation to easily fit within known constructions for windows and patio doors.
Applicant therefore is providing a roll screen frame construction, which is standardized at its perimeter to mate and interfit with well known channels, tracks and hardware and improvements thereof including braking mechanisms, wind retainers, and mitreless corners. In doing so the present roll screen design makes replacement and installation much simpler. In spite of the numerous efforts made to provide an acceptable roll screen for windows and doors there still remains a long felt need left unaddressed in the art for a roll screen assembly and improvements thereof which may be simply and easily installed by the homeowner. Nowhere within the prior art is such a roll screen frame provided which may be merchandised as an OEM as well as an after-market product and which will fit the same constraints provided with windows and doors such as for example the well known planar screen frame which slides in a track in a frame adjacent to a patio door. These particular known frames are inexpensive. Further nowhere in the art is there taught, a simplified braking system which is integrated into the roll screen assembly, a simple wind retainer for engaging the edges of the screen cloth at predetermined intervals, a mitreless joint for framing sections, and other components which improve the performance of the roll screen of the parent application.
It is therefore a primary object of the invention to provide a roll screen frame construction, which is standardized at its perimeter to mate and interfit with existing well known channels, tracks and hardware for windows and doors.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide a sliding screen frame with integral roll screen housing which frame may be slid across the opening of a closure frame and which frame is also used to support the free end of the roll out screen as well.
It is another object of the invention to make such a roll out screen assembly affordable.
It is yet a further object of the invention to provide a screen assembly in a fully assembled or alternative knock down kit form which is easy to assemble and/or install.
It is yet a further object of the invention to provide a screen assembly which may be provided as a kit of components.
It is yet a further object of the invention to provide a wind retaining device on the edge of the screen portions cloth to assist with guiding the cloth to and from the retracted position without preventing the screen cloth from accumulating on the screen tube at the fully retracted position.
It is yet a further object of the invention to provide for a corner bracket that obviates the need for mitre joints when joining adjacent framing sections.
It is yet a further object of the invention to provide a simple speed control braking device for the roll screen for substantial elimination of the uncontrolled hazardous rewinding on retraction of the roll screen.
It is yet a further object of the invention to provide a screen assembly which is cost effective.
It is yet a further object of the invention to provide a torque tube designed to improve the interfit thereof with both a screen tube and a support bracket, and further provide braking element guides therewith.
It is still another object of the invention to provide a bracket for carrying both the screen tube and for assembling the screen frame, which provides housing of a speed control braking system.
Further and other objects of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art when considering the following summary of the invention and the more detailed description of the preferred embodiments illustrated herein.

Screen frame with integral roll screen compartment and improvements thereof


A system for holding at least one of sample and reagent for analysis. The system includes a pair of parallel covers, at least one of which is light transmissive, of which pair a light transmissive cover forms a top, and of which pair the other forms a bottom. A frame is disposed between the covers to define, in relation to the covers, an interior volume. The frame and the covers are associated with one another to form a case, the case being substantially tight to liquids. A microfluidic array is disposed in the interior volume. The array includes a sheet of material having a pair of opposed surfaces, a thickness, and a plurality of through-holes running through the thickness between the surfaces, the through-holes containing at least one of sample and reagent.

Rapid, sensitive, specific, and cost-effective biochemical assays are needed for a variety purposes. For example, the recent emergence of Sudden Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and national security bio-threats indicate the need to identify infectious agents or toxins for appropriate therapeutic intervention. It would be valuable to be able to simultaneously detect and identify in clinical samples a broad range of infectious agents such as the corona virus responsible for SARS. Another example is the need for more sensitive, specific, accurate, reliable, easy to use, and inexpensive research tools to measure RNA expression patterns of small cell numbers, such as might be obtained from a laser-capture microdissection.
One primary challenge for bio-defense and diagnostic applications is the early detection of infections, which typically requires increasing assay sensitivity. Presently, the most sensitive and widely used molecular diagnostic methods are based on real-time Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) methods such as TaqMan® for amplifying pathogennucleic acids. However, these methods suffer from several limitations:
1) The cost of the assays and amount of sample needed are often too prohibitive to run large numbers of assays against a patient sample.
2) The assays amplify but do not concentrate nucleic acids. For example, if there are 10 copies of SARS RNA in a patient sample, performing assays against 20 viral sequences involves a significant risk of obtaining a false negative test result.
3) Multiplexing numerous assays is quite difficult due to the need to harmonize reaction conditions and separate results into different optical channels. A typical problem in PCR multiplexing is the competition between the many primers.
4) Screening for potential bio-terrorism agents tend to be done only at the state and federal level, and not at the clinic or local level. That is because even with an assay that was 99.9% accurate, the numerous false positives that would occur with widespread screening would result in unreasonable expense as well as economic and political disruption. Thus, there is a need for a great increase in the reliability of such tests.
Some of these problems can be addressed by using parallel microfluidic assay arrays. One example of such an array is the Living Chip™ marketed by Biotrove, Inc. of Woburn, Mass. In function and purpose, the Living Chip™ is similar to 96- and 384-well microtiter plates currently used in high-throughput screening and diagnostics. However, the approximately 35 nl sample volume held by each sample well in the Living Chip™ is roughly 2000 times less than that in a 96-well plate, and 200 times less than a 384-well plate.
FIG. 1 shows a cut away view of a typical microfluidic sample array of through-holes. Such an array is described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,387,331 and U.S. Patent Application 20020094533, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. The sample array 10 includes a sheet of material 14 having a pair of opposed surfaces and a thickness. The sheet of material 14 may be a platen, otherwise referred to herein as a chip, and may made of, for example, conductive silicon, or other types of rigid materials, such as metal, glass, or plastic. A large number of through-holes 12 run through the thickness from one of the surfaces 14 to the other opposing surface (not shown).
The sample array 10 typically may be from 0.1 mm to more than 10 mm thick; for example, around 0.3 to 1.52 mm thick, and commonly 0.5 mm. Typical volumes of the through-holes 12 may be from 0.1 picoliter to 1 microliter, with common volumes in the range of 0.2-100 nanoliters, for example, about 35 nanoliters. Capillary action or surface tension of the liquid samples may be used to load the sample through-holes 12. For typical chip dimensions, capillary forces are strong enough to hold liquids in place. Chips loaded with sample solutions can be waved around in the air, and even centrifuged at moderate speeds without displacing samples.
To enhance the drawing power of the through-holes 12, the target area of the receptacle, interior walls 13, may have a hydrophilic surface that attracts a liquid sample. It is often desirable that the surfaces be bio-compatible and not irreversibly bind biomolecules such as proteins and nucleic acids, although binding may be useful for some processes such as purification and/or archiving of samples. Alternatively, the sample through-holes 12 may contain a porous hydrophilic material that attracts a liquid sample. To prevent cross-contamination (crosstalk), the exterior planar surfaces 14 of chip 10 and a layer of material 15 around the openings of sample through-holes 12 may be of a hydrophobic material. Thus, each through-hole 12 has an interior hydrophilic region bounded at either end by a hydrophobic region.
The use of through-holes 12, as compared to closed-end well structures, reduces the problem of trapped air inherent in other microplate structures. The use of through-holes together with hydrophobic and hydrophilic patterning enables self-metered loading of the sample through-holes 12. The self-loading functionality helps in the manufacture of arrays with pre-loaded reagents, and also in that the arrays will fill themselves when contacted with an aqueous sample material.
It has been suggested that such arrays can be utilized for massively parallel PCR analysis of a given sample. For example, International Patent Application WO 01/61054 (incorporated herein by reference) suggests that sample probes and PCR reagents can be dried onto the walls of the sample wells. One problem that has been observed with this approach is that when the array is immersed in a sample liquid to load the through-holes, the dried probes and reagents can dissolve and float away out of the sample wells that they were loaded in.
Additionally, with PCR, a series of heating and cooling cycles is used to replicate a small amount of DNA into a much larger amount. Thermal cyclers are devices that generate such a series of heating and cooling cycles. Current thermal cycling approaches are not well suited for thermal cycling of sample arrays such as the one shown in FIG. 1. Unlike standard microtiter plates having closed-end storage wells, the sample arrays with through-holes cannot be simply set on a temperature controlled thermal block because some or all of the samples can be wicked out of their storage channels onto the supporting plate. Nor are such through-holes suitable for immersion in a temperature controlled circulating fluid because the fluid would be free to enter the hole openings and could mix with or extract the contents of the through-holes. Also, if fluid flow is used to produce a temperature change, pressure differences within the fluid can cause the sample to leave the through-holes.
The great densities and small volumes for the through-holes 12 of the sample array pose further challenges to implementing various complex assays in such systems. Such challenges include risks of (i) chemical and physical interactions between adjacent through-holes, (ii) loss of sample below an amount permitting reliable assay, (iii) non-uniformity of assay from through-hole to through-hole, so as to impair the reliability of assays using such systems, (iv) the ability to load samples into the array, and (v) inhibitory or otherwise unfavorable interactions between the surfaces of the array and the reagents or samples in the reactions.

Assay apparatus and method using microfluidic arrays


Disclosed is a light emitting device. The light emitting device includes a body having a cavity; first and second lead frames spaced apart from each other in the cavity, a gap part between the first and second lead frames, an adhesive material extending from at least one of sidewalls of the cavity to a top surface of at least one of the first and second lead frames, a light emitting chip on at least one of the first and second lead frames, and a molding member adhering to the adhesive material in the cavity.

The embodiment relates to a light emitting device and a lighting system having the same.
A light emitting diode (LED) is one of a light emitting device that converts electric energy to light. In comparison with other light sources such as a fluorescent lamp and an incandescent lamp, the LED is advantageous because of low power consumption, a long lifetime, a fast response time, safety, and environment-friendliness. Accordingly, many studies and researches to substitute the existing light sources with the light emitting diode have been carried out. In addition, the light emitting diodes are increasingly used as light sources of a variety of lamps used in indoor and outdoor places and lighting devices such as liquid crystal displays, electronic display boards, and streetlamps.

Light emitting device, adhesive having surface roughness, and lighting system having the same


The method of cleaning of spills of oil and oil products from different surfaces, including water surface and land, includes treatment by a composite adsorbent--aluminosilicate material exposed to water-repellent treatment. The absorbent (for example, an aluminosilicate material), which is a first waste product, is waste formed at burning dust coal in industrial furnaces with liquid slug removal. Water repellent is a second waste product of oil industry, wood chemistry, containing hydrocarbons, mass relationship of the first and second waste products is approximately between 1:0.001 to 1:0.25. The method for obtaining the absorbent includes a treatment of aluminosilicate material by water emulsion or water solution of water-repelling agent, at mass relationship of aluminosilicate material, water and water repellent 1:1-5:0.001-0.25 respectively, while stirring at temperature 80-85.degree. C. (40-96.degree. C.) for 30 minutes with further drying to constant wight at temperature between 105.degree. C. to 120.degree. C. After cleaning the surfaces, the used absorbent is regenerated by mixing the absorbent with 1-25% solution of ammonia at temperature 20-90.degree. C. with further extraction of floated up aluminosilicate material for repeated use. The method provides 99% cleaning of water surfaces while using an accessible cheap adsorbent with an adsorption capacity of 1 to 10 grams of oil product per 1 gram of the adsorbent.

Among the most important tasks in the field of cleaning of oil and oily products pollutions from different surfaces are creation of a highly efficient and cheap method of gathering oil, of an adsorbent, and also a method of producing an adsorbent, providing for localization of spills of oil and oil products by binding a spill into a lumpy mass. This lumpy mass can be easily gathered by mechanical means, kept on the surface, and is not significantly moved. In case of a land spill, the method must provide a localization of the spill, binding the spill into another lumpy mass that is easily removable by mechanical means, so that the oil is prevented from reaching the underground water. Such method must provide the degree of cleaning of water surfaces of up to 99%. The method must also allow a possibility of regeneration of oil or oil product that is gathered by the adsorbent. Implementation of this method should not require any special new technology. The method enables long preservation of the adsorbent, besides, a necessary quantity of the adsorbent can be prepared where it is applied.
Conventional methods of cleaning of oil and oil products from water surfaces, are based of on a use of adsorbents.
These conventional methods utilize adsorbents having porous construction materials (slag, expanded perlite, brick crunib, expanded clay aggregate, vermiculite) treated for water repellency by vapors of residual fuel oil, tar, bitumen, or technical oils.
Conventional methods which use the above-described adsorbents provide a high degree of cleaning of oil products from water surfaces.
When these conventional methods are used, the adsorbent is regenerated by transmitting a gaseous heat-transfer agent at 180-350.degree. C. within 30 minutes.
A disadvantage of the conventional methods which use construction materials and wastes that are treated for water repellency is a use of substantively complicated technology, including both the process of water repellency treatment, and a complexity of applying the adsorbent to a spill of oil or oil products, especially if a spill is large enough.
This conventional method suggests using water-repellency treatment process in the immediate are of a catastrophe site.
Another conventional method uses an adsorbent such as a glass wool made of liquid glass and impregnated by silicon oil which contains SiOH group to increase affinity of silicon oil and glass.
However, this conventional method is very costly.
Another method uses as an adsorbent empty glass microspheres, with density 50 to 200 g/cm.sup.3. The empty glass microspheres treated for water repellency by 2-20% solution of methylchlorinesilane, dimethyidichlorinesilane, mineral acids or a mix of these products for a total neutralization of alkaline groups of glass.
A method of gathering of oil spills and oil products based on this type of an adsorbent is very expensive and technically complicated because empty glass microspheres are produced using thermal blowing-out process under a pressure of liquid glass with predetermined relationship and predetermined density, and then further processing by expensive products (silanes).
Another conventional method of cleaning oil products from oil surfaces is a transmission of water with an addition of residual fuel oil through an adsorbent, an aerosilica, a gel exposed to water-repellency treatment by gasified marine residual oil, bitumen, or technical oils transmitting a gaseous heat-transfer agent at 180.degree. C. for 80 minutes. The oil leaks out of the adsorbent for 40 minutes. Residual fuel oil capacity of the adsorbent decreases 4%.
The above described conventional method is disadvantageous in that a complicated equipment is utilized, and high power intensity of the adsorbent is required.
Another conventional adsorbent adsorbs oil pollutions, which represents a homogenous mixture of an aluminosilicate material (bloated vulcanized glass), cellulose fiber material (newsprint or craft-paper, flax combings, wood chip) and water repellent impregnator (bitumen, pitch, siloxane, or silane).
This composition can be also used to clean the oil from water surfaces or can be used as a strata through which water polluted with oil is filtrated. The efficiency of this composition is not high enough and not all the ingredients are always available.
Another conventional method of producing an adsorbent for cleaning oil from water surfaces uses sawdust which is infused by melt of hydrophobic filler, being an emersion oil which is a waste of thermal processing of wood is used as a filler.
The infusion is performed by mixing hot (50-80.degree. C.) original ingredients taken in mass relation oil : sawdust 0.5-2:1. A waste that has not been previously used is utilized in this adsorbent, but its efficiency is not enough for gathering oil from water surfaces.

Method of cleaning of spills of oil and oil products from surfaces, an adsorbent for cleaning of surfaces, and a method for making the adsorbent


A camera can display, record and play image data after converting a captured image into the digital data. The camera comprises a guidance display setting means for causing a hierarchical guidance display to be made in order to set at least a control of a shooting operation, an item selection means for selecting an item displayed in the set guidance display, a shooting control setting means for setting a control which corresponds to the selected item, and a display control means for displaying information about a setting when the setting of the control is made.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a technique for implementing an operation and a control, which suits the intention of a user, and more particularly, to a technique for causing, for example, a user unaccustomed to a camera to simply and intuitively make a shooting control setting of the camera.
2. Description of the Related Art
With the recent enhancement and complexity of functions of a digital camera, a large amount of information has been provided to a camera user in order to set the operation state or the operation conditions of the digital camera. Additionally, as a way of providing information to a camera user, a technique for setting a necessary function by displaying guidance information that describes operation members, an operation method and the like has been recently known (see the following Patent Document 1).
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the operations flow of a camera that sets a necessary function while being guided in accordance with conventionally displayed guidance disclosed by Patent Document 1. With this camera, guidance information about an operation member can be displayed when any of a plurality of operation members is operated. If a FUNC button (not shown) is operated in S11 in FIG. 1, the flow goes to S12 where a control circuit (not shown) displays guidance information on a liquid crystal panel (not shown). Then, for example, in electronic sound setting mode, an electronic sound is switched between ON and OFF (S14) each time an electronic dial is operated (S13). If the FUNC button is operated at this time (S15), the control circuit switches to a mode corresponding to another function, displays guidance information corresponding to the switched mode, and makes detailed settings in the mode set at that time.    [Patent Document 1] Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application No. 2003-330057


Provided is a magnetic recording medium which maintains high vertical orientation of a vertical magnetic layer, and which is capable of realizing high recording densification. In the magnetic recording medium, at least a soft magnetic underlying layer (30), seed layers (31, 32), an orientation control layer (33), and a vertical magnetic layer are laminated in this order on the non-magnetic substrate. The soft magnetic underlying layer (30) has an amorphous or microcrystalline structure. The seed layers (31, 32) include a first seed layer (31) formed from a metal oxide or a metal nitride, and a second seed layer (32) which is formed on the first seed layer and is formed from a metal formed with an island-shape or a net shape. In the orientation control layer (33) and the vertical magnetic layer, respective crystal grains constitute columnar crystals that are continuous in a thickness direction based on the second seed layer (32).

A hard disk drive (HDD) that is a type of a magnetic recording and reproducing device is currently increased in recording density at a rate of 50% or more a year, and it is said that this trend will continue in the future. According to this trend, development of a magnetic head and a magnetic recording medium which are suitable for high recording densification is in progress.
At present, a magnetic recording medium that is mounted on a commercially available magnetic recording and reproducing device is a so-called vertical magnetic recording medium in which the axis of easy magnetization in a magnetic film is primary oriented vertically. A vertical magnetic recording medium is reduced in the influence of a diamagnetic field at a boundary region between recording bits even with high recording densification, and therefore, a clear bit boundary is formed. Accordingly, an increase in noise is suppressed. Furthermore, a reduction in recording bit volume along with high recording densification is small, the vertical magnetic recording medium is also resistant to the heat fluctuation effect. In light of this, recently, a magnetic recording medium has attracted attention, and there is proposed a structure for a medium suitable for the vertical magnetic recording.
In addition, recent studies have been directed to the use of a single-pole head having high ability for writing to the vertical magnetic layer so as to cope with a demand for high recording densification of a magnetic recording medium. To correspond to such a single-pole head, there is suggested a magnetic recording medium in which a layer, which is called a backing layer and is formed from a soft magnetic material, is provided between a vertical magnetic layer that is a recording layer and a non-magnetic substrate so as to improve magnetic flux entry and exit efficiency between the single-pole head and the magnetic recording medium.
However, in a magnetic recording and reproducing device using a magnetic recording medium in which the above-described backing layer is simply provided, recording and reproducing characteristics, heat fluctuation resistance, or magnetic resolution during recording and reproduction may not be satisfactory, and thus a magnetic recording medium excellent in these characteristics is desired.
Particularly, a high S/N ratio in which the ratio of reproduced signal to noise (S/N ratio) is increased, and improvement in heat fluctuation resistance are important as recording and reproducing characteristics; and in the future, these two items will be necessary for high recording densification. However, these two items are in a trade-off relationship, and thus when one of these items is improved, the other is degraded, and thus achieving a high level of both these items is a primary problem.
To solve the problem, there is suggested a magnetic recording medium in which three magnetic layers are joined by AFC (Anti Ferro Coupling) using a non-magnetic layer or the like, and thus a decrease in the S/N ratio is not caused while enjoying an advantage of a decrease in synthetic Mrt and PW50 (for example, refer to Patent Document 1).
Specifically, Patent Document 1 discloses a magnetic recording medium provided with a substrate, a first lower ferromagnetic layer which is disposed on the substrate and has a residual magnetization Mr, a thickness t, and a product Mrt of a residual magnetization and thickness, a ferromagnetic coupling layer disposed on the first lower ferromagnetic layer, a second lower ferromagnetic layer which is disposed on the ferromagnetic coupling layer and has an Mrt value, an antiferromagnetic coupling layer disposed on the second lower ferromagnetic layer, and an upper ferromagnetic layer which is disposed on the antiferromagnetic coupling layer, and which has an Mrt value larger than the sum of the Mrt values of the first and second lower ferromagnetic layers.
On the other hand, to improve the recording and reproducing characteristics and the heat fluctuation characteristics of the vertical magnetic recording medium, there is suggested a technology in which multi-layered magnetic layers are formed using an orientation control layer, and crystal grains of the respective magnetic layers are made into continuous columnar crystals, thereby increasing the vertical orientation of the magnetic layers (for example, refer to Patent Document 2).
In addition, there is disclosed a technology in which as an orientation control layer, for example, Ru is used. Ru has a dome-shaped convex portion at an apex portion of the columnar crystals. Accordingly, Ru has an effect in that crystal grains of the magnetic layer or the like are allowed to grow on the convex portion, a separation structure of the grown crystal grains is promoted, the crystal grains are isolated, and magnetic particles are grown in a columnar shape (for example, refer to Patent Document 3).
In addition, there is suggested a technology in which a NiW alloy layer as a seed layer is provided between a soft magnetic layer and an orientation control layer for refinement of the columnar crystal that constitutes the orientation control layer (For example, refer to Patent Document 4).
In addition, there is suggested a magnetic recording medium having a structure in which a soft magnetic layer, an intermediate layer, a vertical recording layer, and a protective layer are provided on a substrate. In the magnetic recording medium, from a side close to a substrate, a first intermediate layer is a metal layer containing at least one kind of element selected from a group consisting of Pd, Pt, Au, Ag, Rh, Ru, and Ti as a main component, a second intermediate layer is an oxygen-containing layer, a third intermediate layer is a metal layer containing at least one kind of element selected from a group consisting of Pd, Pt, Au, Ag, Rh, Ru, and Ti as a main component, a fourth intermediate layer is a metal layer containing at least one kind of element selected from Co, Cr, Ru, and Ti as a main component, and the vertical recording layer contains Co as a main component and also contains oxygen (for example, refer to Patent Document 5).
In addition, paragraphs [0010] to [0011] of Patent Document 5 disclose that oxygen is allowed to be contained in a recording layer using a four-layered intermediate layer. In the four-layered intermediated layer, vertical orientation is controlled by the first intermediate layer, an island-shaped isolated structure (convex structure) is formed in the oxygen-containing layer that is the second intermediate layer, and the metal layer that is the third intermediate layer, the fourth intermediate layer having a hexagonal close packing structure is further formed using the convex portion as a nucleus. According to this, a coercive force and a squareness ratio of the recording layer are improved, a media-noise is reduced, and heat-resistant demagnetization characteristics are improved.

Magnetic medium with an orientation control layer