The present invention discloses a refrigerator and a humidity control method for the same. The refrigerator comprises a humidity controller to controllably maintain moisture and/or perform humidification. The humidity controller is configured to: set a target humidity value, measure an actual relative humidity value of a target space, and calculate a target water replenishing mass W based on a difference between the two values and a current temperature of the target space; measure and calculate a water replenishing time T, and adjust the humidity controller so as to maintain its maximum humidifying rate Vmax within the time T to achieve the humidification purpose; and adjust the humidity controller so as to maintain a humidifying rate consistent with a water vapor loss rate in the target space to achieve the moisture maintaining purpose.

Moisture maintaining methods or humidifying methods may be employed to prevent excessively dry conditions of refrigerating compartments of refrigerators. Isolating membranes may be used in such moisture maintaining methods. By locking moisture evaporated from food within certain areas using isolating membranes, the relative humidity in these areas can reach a saturated state to mitigate moisture evaporation of food. However, isolating membranes cannot lock moisture by 100%, and the relative humidity concentration in the areas is uncontrollable. Molecular sieves may be used in said humidifying methods, which may include placing water in a container and isolating a side of the container using a molecular sieve which only allows outflow of water molecules. However, humidifying methods using molecular sieves still cannot control the relative humidity concentration in the areas.
The relative humidity (RH) in the areas can be controlled using a combination of RH sensors and ultrasonic humidifiers. A preset RH value may be achieved by presetting an RH value in a certain area and controlling the switching on/off of the ultrasonic humidifier according to output signals of the RH sensor in that area. However, the ultrasonic method of automatically controlling the RH is too costly and requires a relatively large space.

Refrigerator and humidity control method


An exercising apparatus comprising a stationary frame, a wheel rotatably mounted to the frame; a first drive unit mounted to the frame, a second drive unit mounted to the frame and operatively connected to the wheel and a first clutch mounted to the frame and being operatively connected to the first drive unit and being selectively engaged with or disengaged from the wheel.

Over the years, there have been numerous exercise cycles developed. These devices have included a stationary cycle having a frame, with flywheel or a sprocket, and hand and leg cranks, which are attached to the flywheel via continuous chains, whereby the rotation of the hand cranks will rotate the flywheel, which in turn will rotate the leg cranks, or vice versa. Examples of some these devices that have been developed in the past, and devices related thereto, are disclosed in the following patents:
U.S. Pat. No. 583,920, issued Jun. 8, 1897; U.S. Pat. No. 3,572,699, issued Mar. 30, 1971; U.S. Pat. No. 3,964,742, issued Jun. 22, 1976; U.S. Pat. No. 4,436,097, issued Mar. 13, 1984; U.S. Pat. No. 4,402,503, issued Sep. 6, 1983; U.S. Pat. No. 4,705,269, issued Nov. 10, 1987; U.S. Pat. No. 4,846,156, issued Jul. 11, 1989; U.S. Pat. No. 5,035,419, issued Jul. 30, 1991; U.S. Pat. No. 5,044,627, issued, Sep. 3, 1991; U.S. Pat. No. 5,338,272, issued Aug. 16, 1994; and, U.S. Pat. No. 5,573,486, issued Nov. 12, 1996.
However, these attempts have failed to provide a user of a stationary exercising cycle with the ability to selectively and separately engage and disengage two separate drive units, namely hand and leg cranks.


A support for a play apparatus comprising a plurality of legs with each leg having an elongate base member for contacting the ground and an elongate support member arranged substantially perpendicularly to the base member. Each support member is hingably connected to another support member such that the legs are movable between an erected position, in which the support members define an opening for engagement with the play apparatus and the base members extend outwardly from the opening, and a folded position, in which the base members are substantially parallel to each other.

Large play apparatus such as roundabouts are conventionally intended for outdoor use due to the problem of storage. In particular, roundabouts typically remain erected once assembled. Conventional roundabouts are therefore manufactured to be resistant to erosion from the weather, which is often costly.
Storable roundabouts are difficult to produce principally because of the difficulty in producing a support for the roundabout that may be easily dismantled and stored, yet is also strong and durable enough to support a roundabout. In addition, the support must be large enough to give the roundabout stability in use.
Roundabouts have been produced which include a ratchet mechanism whereby a child can rotate the roundabout by exerting force on a lever whilst seated on the roundabout. Such roundabouts are not easily stored due to the large support required and the complex dismantling process.
There have now been devised improvements to supports for play apparatus and to play apparatus incorporating such supports, which overcome or substantially mitigate the above-mentioned or other disadvantages of the prior art.


A differential measurement probe has spring loaded probe assemblies and a pressure sensors disposed in a housing. The pressure sensors forms an electrical switch having an electrical AND function for passing an activation signal to a EOS/ESD protection control module in response to axial movement of the housing relative to the probe assemblies. First compressive elements produces first pre-loaded compressive forces and increasing compressive forces on the probe assemblies and second compressive elements produces second pre-loaded compressive forces and increasing compressive forces on the probe assemblies subsequent to the first increasing compressive forces on the probe assemblies.

The present invention relates generally to differential signal acquisition probes and more particularly to a differential signal acquisition probe having individually retractable double cushioned probing tips and electrical over stress (EOS) and electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection capabilities.
Ultra high speed sampling heads used in time domain reflectometry typically dictate extremely low capacitances. This introduces unique problems. Sampling devices are much more sensitive to static discharge residing on a device under test. The small geometry of the sampling diodes in the sampling head often dictate low breakdown voltages. The low parasitic capacitance at the sampling head input means that for a given device under test (DUT) static discharge, there will be a higher transient voltage at the sampler input because of the reduced charge sharing effect. It is therefore important to neutralize any static charge on the device under test before the sampling head input is coupled to the device under test.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,734,689 describes a measurement probe providing signal control for an EOS/ESD protection control module. The measurement probe has a spring loaded coaxial probe assembly and a pressure sensor that work in combination to provide an activation signal to the control module. The spring loaded coaxial cable assembly and pressure sensor are disposed in a probe housing. The spring loaded coaxial probe assembly has a semi-rigid coaxial cable with one end forming a probing tip and the other end having a threaded connector. A flexible coaxial cable is connected to the threaded connector and to the control module. A compression spring is positioned over the semi-rigid coaxial cable with one end secured to the semi-rigid coaxial cable and the other end engaging the probe housing. The compression spring is pre-loaded to apply an initial force to the spring loaded coaxial probe assembly as shown graphically in FIG. 1. FIG. 1 shows the forces applied to the probing tip of the spring loaded coaxial probe assembly during use where "F" is the force applied to the probing tip, k1 is the spring constant, and ΔX is the displacement of the spring from its equilibrium position. The pre-loading of the compression spring generates an initial force F1 on the coaxial probe assembly. The pressure sensor has one electrical contact attached to the outer shielding conductor of the semi-rigid coaxial cable which is connected to electrical ground via the flexible coaxial cable. The other pressure sensor electrical contact is mounted to the probe housing. An electrical conductor electrically couples the pressure sensor to the control module.
The control modules provides a ground circuit path for the signal conductor of the measurement probe when the activation signal is absent. When the probing tip makes contact with the device under test, any static electricity on the DUT is coupled via the signal conductor to ground via the control module. As downward pressure is applied to probe housing, the coaxial probe assembly retracts into the probe housing. The compression spring exerts increasing pressure on the coaxial probe assembly following Hook's Law of F=k1 ΔX where k1 is the spring constant. Continued downward pressure applied to the probe housing results in the pressure sensor contacts making contact. This results in the pressure sensor passing an activation signal which controls switching circuitry in the control module that removes a ground connection on the signal conductor of the measurement probe. Since the pressure sensor contacts are fixed to the semi-rigid coaxial cable and the probe housing, any continued downward pressure on the probe housing transfers the forces to the pressure sensor and the coaxial probe assembly as represented in FIG. 1 by the vertical force line. The excess forces on the pressure sensor and the coaxial probe assembly may result in damage to the pressure sensor or the coaxial probe assembly.
Another example of a signal acquisition probe for TDR applications is the CP400-04, manufactured by Candox System of Japan. This probe has a metal housing in which an insulated signal conductor is disposed. The metal housing has a threaded connector at one end for connecting a signal cable. The other end of the housing has apertures for receiving spring action pogo pins. One pogo pin is coupled to the insulated signal conductor and the other pogo pins are connected to the metal housing. Non-conductive stops are placed on the end of the housing with the pogo pins to limit the travel of the movable contacts to prevent damage to the pogo pins. Assuming that the retractable portion of the pogo pin is pre-loaded, the force on the retractable portion of the pogo pins is similar to that of FIG. 1. The pre-loaded retractable portion has an initial force F1. Downward pressure on the metal housing creates an increasing force on the retractable portion of the pogo pin as represented by line k1. As lone as the probe is vertical to the DUT the electrical characteristic of signal line and the ground lines are the same. If the probe is not normal to the DUT, the one or more of the pogo pins will not be retracted to the same extent as the other and the electrical characteristic of the signal or ground lines will change leading to inaccurate measurements. Further, this probe does not have EOS/ESD protection.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,704,670 describes a wideband measurement probe for single ended and differential active probing of devices under test. The measurement probe includes at least a first typically cylindrical probe barrel. The probe barrel is constructed of an electrically conductive material and extends partially outside of a probe unit housing. A probe barrel nose cone is attached to the exposed probe barrel. The probe nose cone is generally conical in form and made of an insulating material. The longitudinal axis of the probe barrel nose cone extends from the probe barrel at an offset angle from the longitudinal axis of the probe barrel. A typically cylindrical shaped probe tip extends partially out of the end of the probe barrel nose cone and is make of an electrically conductive material. A probe cable having an outer shielding conductor and a central signal conductor is connected to the probe barrel and the probe tip with the outer shielding conductor being connected to the probe barrel and the signal conductor being connected to the probe tip. An elastic compressible element engages the probe barrel and the probe unit housing allowing movement of the probe barrel into and out of the probe unit housing. For a single ended measurement probe, a retractable ground tip is attached to the probe barrel. For a differential measurement probe, two probe barrel and probe nose cone assemblies are positioned side by side in a probe unit housing. Individual elastic compressible elements are provided for each assembly. Individual coaxial cables are attached to each assembly.
The forces exerted on the probe barrel and probe nose cone assemblies are comparable to forces shown in FIG. 1. Assuming that the elastic compressible element or elements are pre-loaded, there in an initial force on the assembly or assemblies as represented by the force F1. Downward force on the probe unit housing exerts an increasing force on the assembly or assemblies until the elastic compressible element or elements are completely compressed or the assembly or assemblies engage a fixed stop as represented by the sloping line k1. Continued downward pressure on the probe unit housing transfers forces to the assembly or assemblies as represented by the vertical force line. The above described measurement probe is used for measuring signal from a device under test. As such, the probe has passive input circuitry that lessens the need for EOS/ESD protection. Therefore, these probes do not ground the signal input to discharge electrostatic voltages on the device under test.
What is needed is a differential measurement probe having EOS/ESD protection capabilities. The differential measurement probe needs to discharge static voltages on a device under test prior to the signal channels of the differential measurement probe being coupled to a sampling head. Further, the differential measurement probe should provide an indication to a user that adequate pressure has been applied to the probe so as to prevent damage to the probe.

Differential signal acquisition probe having retractable double cushioned probing tips with EOS/ESD protection capabilities


In a flat type image forming apparatus formed by electron emitting devices, the invention is to provide a light emitting substrate, capable of relaxing influence of an abnormal discharge on the electron emitting devices. On a glass substrate 1, a resistor member 4 extending in X- and Y-direction, and a black member 6 extending in X- and Y-directions are formed. Phosphors 5 are positioned in apertures of the black member 6, and are covered by metal backs 7 divided in X- and Y-directions. The metal backs 7 and the resistor member 4 are electrically connected through the black member 6, and the resistance between the metal backs 7 is defined by the resistor member 4 in the Y-direction in which the adjacent metal backs 7 have a wider gap than in the X-direction.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a light emitting screen structure (light emitting substrate) for constituting an image forming apparatus such as an image display apparatus in combination with an electron emitting device, and to an image forming apparatus utilizing such light emitting substrate.
2. Related Background Art
An electron emitting apparatus utilizing an electron emitting device has been applied for example to an image forming apparatus. For example, there is known a flat type electron beam display panel, formed by arranging an electron source substrate provided with a plurality of cold cathode electron emitting devices, and an anode substrate provided with a metal back or a transparent electrode for accelerating electrons emitted from the electron emitting devices, and a phosphor in a mutually opposed relationship and by evacuating a gap between such substrates. The flat type electron beam display panel can achieve a lighter weight and a larger image size in comparison with the currently popular cathode ray tube (CRT). Also it can provide a higher luminance and a higher quality in the image, in comparison with other flat display panels such as a liquid crystal flat display panel, a plasma display panel or an electroluminescent display.
In such image forming apparatus of the type in which a high voltage is applied between the cold cathode multi electron source and the aforementioned metal back or transparent electrode for accelerating the electrons, a higher voltage application is advantageous for maximizing the luminance of the emitted light. Also, in certain device types, the emitted electron beam diverges before reaching the counter electrode, so that a shorter distance between the electrodes is preferable for realizing a display of a high resolution.
In such configuration, however, as a high electric field is inevitably formed between the opposed electrodes, a discharge may be generated to destruct the electron emitting device. Also in case of such discharge, a current is generated in a concentrated manner thereby causing a light spot phenomenon in a part of the displayed image.
For avoiding such drawbacks, it is required to reduce the frequency of discharge or to render the destruction by discharge less possible.
The destruction by discharge is assumed to be caused by a large current concentrated in a single position within a short time resulting in a heat generation which destructs the electron emitting device, or by an instantaneous increase in the voltage on the electron emitting device, leading to the destruction of the electron emitting device.
For decreasing the current causing the destruction by discharge, there is conceived a method of serially limiting a limiting resistor between the anode electrode and the power source, as shown in FIG. 7. However, in case of connecting devices of 500 units in the vertical direction by 1000 units in the horizontal direction with row and column wirings and driving these elements in a line-sequential mode, about 1000 devices are simultaneously turned on and such method leads to following drawbacks.
As about 1000 devices are simultaneously turned on with an emission current assumed as 5 μA per device, there results a current of 0 to 5 mA flowing into the anode. In case of externally inserting a serial resistance of 1 MΩ to the anode as shown in FIG. 7 and applying a voltage of 10 kV to the anode, there results a voltage drop of 0 to 5 kV depending on the number of devices turned on simultaneously. As a result, there will result an unevenness in the luminance of 50% at maximum.
Also as a high voltage is applied to the opposed flat plates (face plate and rear plate) 71, 72, it is necessary to also consider a charge accumulated as a capacitor. For example, in case the cathode and the anode shown in FIG. 7 have an area of 100 cm2 and a distance of 1 mm with a potential difference of 10 kV, the accumulated charge reaches 1×10−6 coulomb which causes a current concentration of 1 A in one position even when it is discharged in 1 μsec. Such discharge current leads to the destruction of the devices, so that the configuration of FIG. 7 cannot provide a sufficient solution to the drawback even if the aforementioned unevenness in luminance is absent.
For these drawbacks, the present applicant proposed, in Patent Reference 1, to divide an electrode for voltage application in a non-parallel manner to the direction of a scanning wiring and to provide a resistor between the electrode and accelerating voltage application means, thereby suppressing a discharge current generated between the mutually opposed flat plates.
FIG. 8 shows an example thereof and FIG. 9 shows an equivalent circuit thereof. In the drawings, there are shown a divided electrode 81, a resistor 82, a high voltage terminal 83, a high resistance area 84, a common electrode 85, a face plate 91 and a rear plate 92. Each divided electrode 81 (for example formed by an ITO film) is connected at an end thereof with the common electrode 85 through the resistor 82 (for example formed by an NiO film) whereby a high voltage can be applied from the terminal 83. In this configuration, the electrode at the side of the face plate 91 shown in FIG. 9 is divided, and a high resistor R1 is inserted in each divided electrode to reduce the capacity of the capacitor thereby reducing a discharge current Ib2. It is thus made possible to reduce an increase in the device voltage by a discharge current and to alleviate the damage at the discharge.
Also Patent Reference 2 discloses a cold cathode field emission display apparatus satisfying a relation Va/Lg<1 (kV/μm) between an anode voltage Va and a gap Lg between the anode electrode units. It is proposed, by such configuration, to suppress a discharge among the anode electrode units at an abnormal discharge, thereby suppressing the magnitude of the discharge.
Patent Reference 1: Japanese Patent No. 3199682 (EP866491A)
Patent Reference 2: Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2004-47408
As explained in the foregoing, in an image forming apparatus constituted with electron emitting devices, there is desired a further reduction of the discharge current in the light emitting substrate (anode substrate), in order to reduce the damage to the electron emitting device in case of an abnormal discharge. It is particularly desired, in case of an abnormal discharge between the anode and the cathode, to suppress a discharge secondarily generated between adjacent anode electrodes. On the other hand, it is desired to reduce a gap between the adjacent anode electrodes in order to obtain an image of a higher definition.

Light emitting screen structure and image forming apparatus


A method is provided for forming an amorphous carbon layer, deposited on a dielectric material such as oxide, nitride, silicon carbide, carbon doped oxide, etc., or a metal layer such as tungsten, aluminum or poly-silicon. The method includes the use of chamber seasoning, variable thickness of seasoning film, wider spacing, variable process gas flows, post-deposition purge with inert gas, and post-deposition plasma purge, among others, to make the deposition of an amorphous carbon film at low deposition temperatures possible without any defects or particle contamination.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to the fabrication of integrated circuits and to a method for depositing a layer on a substrate and the structures formed by the layer.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the manufacture of integrated circuits, chemical vapor deposition processes are often used for deposition or etching of various material layers. Conventional thermal CVD processes supply reactive compounds to the substrate surface where heat-induced chemical reactions take place to produce a desired layer. Plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) processes employ a power source (e.g., radio frequency (RF) power or microwave power) coupled to a deposition chamber to increase dissociation of the reactive compounds. Thus, PECVD processes allow deposition to be achieved at lower temperatures than those required for analogous thermal processes. This is advantageous for processes with stringent thermal budget demands, e.g., in very large scale or ultra-large scale integrated circuit (VLSI or ULSI) device fabrication.
The demands for greater integrated circuit densities also impose demands on the process sequences used for integrated circuit manufacture. For example, in process sequences using conventional lithographic techniques, a layer of energy sensitive resist is formed over a stack of material layers on a substrate. An image of a pattern is introduced into the energy sensitive resist layer. Thereafter, the pattern introduced into the energy sensitive resist layer is transferred into one or more layers of the material stack formed on the substrate using the layer of energy sensitive resist as a mask and a chemical etchant. The chemical etchant is designed to have a greater etch selectivity for the material layers of the stack than for the energy sensitive resist. That is, the chemical etchant etches the one or more layers of the material stack at a much faster rate than it etches the energy sensitive resist to prevent the energy sensitive resist material from being consumed prior to completion of the pattern transfer.
A hardmask can be over the exposed material stack to enhance patterning and etching of feature definitions in the material stack. The hardmask is resistive to damage and deformation. The hardmask protects the underlying material stack during subsequent material deposition and planarization or material removal processes, such as chemical mechanical polishing techniques or etching techniques, to reduce defect formation and feature deformation. The hardmask may then be removed following planarization prior to subsequent processing of the substrate.
One material of interest as a hardmask is amorphous carbon. Amorphous carbon has a low dielectric constant (i.e., k<4) and a sufficiently high resistance to removal from etching and polishing techniques for performing as a hardmask. The use of amorphous carbon in semiconductor processing is favorable because it provides good etch selectivity with oxides and metals and is also an anti-reflective coating (ARC) material at deep ultra-violet (DUV) wavelengths. In addition, it is easily stripped away after pattern transfer. Further, it enables gate lengths at less than 100 nm (e.g., less than 60 nm) and contact holes at less than 150 nm (e.g., less than 110 nm) with aspect ratios of more than 5:1 (e.g., more than 8:1).
When depositing an amorphous carbon film on a substrate at a lower deposition temperature, it was surprising to find carbon particles on the substrate surface, which are actually the reactive precursor compounds falling down or sticking onto the deposited carbon material. In contrast, the sources of particle contamination on a substrate for a typical deposition of a material layer typically come from degraded chamber wall, degraded chamber part components, degraded ceramics or metal parts, o-rings, and/or other film material before deposition.
As shown in FIG. 1, during the deposition of an amorphous carbon film on a substrate, it was unexpected to observe carbon particle contamination having a size of about 0.12 μm or larger or about 0.16 μm or larger at a deposition temperature of about 500° C. or lower, such as at around 400° C. or around 450° C. In contrast, at a deposition temperature around 550° C., no carbon particles are seen on the wafer. Therefore, as the processing temperature is decreased from about 550° C. to about 400° C., the number of particles resulting from the deposition increases. This is a problem when low temperature deposition is required to be suitable for various applications, such as aluminum applications.
The applications of using amorphous carbon as a hardmask are widened by adjusting the deposition parameters and thus the film property of the deposited amorphous carbon film. For example, it can be used in front end processing, such as polysilicon gate or oxide contact etch patterning. It can also be used for back end DRAM processing where the underlying material is aluminum, using a lower deposition temperature. However, particle contamination increases as processing parameters change. In addition, decreasing the deposition temperature decreases the absorbance of the film as shown in FIG. 2. FIG. 2 demonstrates the correlation between the deposition temperature and light absorption coefficient, k, of the deposited amorphous carbon film at two different light wavelengths of 248 nm (square dots) and 633 nm (diamond dots). In situations requiring a more transparent film, desired lower extinction coefficient (k) values for the absorbance of the film can be achieved by depositing at lower temperatures. This can be beneficial when performing wafer alignment in preparation for lithograthy because alignment marks may not be detectable if the carbon film is too absorbing. Also, in order to increase the deposition rate of amorphous carbon and thus the throughput of substrate processing, it is preferred to include a lower deposition temperature, as shown in FIG. 3. Thus, it is desired to develop a deposition process for amorphous carbon to reduce the particles generated on the surface of the substrate at a low deposition temperature.

Methods for the reduction and elimination of particulate contamination with CVD of amorphous carbon


Disclosure method that includes traversing a user instance distribution of user instances of a user on hosts in a cluster to detect whether a trigger condition for user scheduling of adjustment of the user instance distribution is satisfied; migrating the user instance to be migrated out from the one or more hosts from which the user instances are to be migrated out to the one or more second hosts to which the one or more user instances are to be migrated in if the trigger condition for user scheduling is satisfied. The implementations of the present disclosure may schedule resources based on user instance distributions of users on hosts and achieve a balanced distribution of user instances. The implementations further avoid placing user instances of all users into a small number of hosts, increase the ability to prevent risks, and enhance the user experience.

In the cloud industry, users can purchase a broad range of services according to their needs. As for the underlying cloud infrastructure industry, each service is a virtual machine or application allocated with certain resources according to user needs (CPU, memory, disk type and other consumable resources), also known as instances. These instances are carried on the actual distribution of a physical host. Most users have multiple same type or different types of services. Dynamic resource usages of instances result in a condition that host resource usages in a cluster are not balanced. High resource usages of the host lead to frequent failures due to resource competition, while low resource usages of the host lead to a waste of resources. An important question is how to rationally allocate these instances to make a cloud in a benign environment, to enable each host in a reasonably steady state, and to minimize risk when encountering abnormal situations. This question is important with respect to user experience and is a focus of resource scheduling.
However, conventional technology of cloud-computing-based resource scheduling generally does not take into account the distribution of user instances with the physical host and performs resource scheduling based solely on the current status of resources. Therefore, the conventional technology places user instances of all users into a small number of hosts. Once these hosts fail, all instances of the users would be affected. This cannot guarantee the quality of services and affect user experience.

Method and device for scheduling resources


The present invention provides a mobile terminal, comprising: a detection module for detecting the environment that the mobile terminal is in; and a display module for displaying corresponding control buttons according to detected environmental data. Accordingly, the present invention also provides a method of displaying according to environmental data. The technical solution of the present invention can effectively avoid users' misoperation of an incoming call and the like when the mobile terminal is put in a pocket or bag.

In related art, when a mobile phone in a state that its screen is locked receives an incoming call, the display interface is shown in FIG. 4, which displays incoming call information (the caller named Wang Xiaodan and the caller's number) and control buttons (a slide answer button and a slide hang off button), and a user answers the call through a slide answer control button and refuses the call through a slide hang off control button. When a mobile phone in a state that the screen is not locked receives an incoming call, the display interface is shown in FIG. 5, which displays incoming call information (the caller named Wang Xiaodan and the caller's number) and control buttons (an answer button, a hang off and send message button, and a hang off button). Touch screen mobile phones bring people more convenient operation experiences while still have some problems due to imperfections in design and etc. For example, answering or hanging off an incoming call with a touch screen mobile phone is usually conducted by ways of touching, sliding or etc., and when a user does not need to use the mobile phone, it is usually put into a bag or pocket, then if an incoming call is received in this situation, misoperation easily occurs, for example, the user hangs off the call through the slide hang off button unintentionally, and for further example, the mobile phone in the bag is unlocked due to misoperation, then the number of a contact person is dialed or some applications are initiated, this brings unnecessary trouble and loss to the user.
Therefore, a display technology is desired to avoid misoperation and improve users' experience.

Mobile terminal and method of displaying according to environmental data

Yulong Computer Telecommunication Scientific (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd.


Method for forming three-dimensional device structures comprising a second device having sub-groundrule features formed over a first device is disclosed. A layer having a single crystalline top surface is formed above the first device to provide the base for forming the active area of the second device. the sub-groundrule feature is formed using mandrel and spacers.

In device fabrication, insulating, semiconducting, and conducting layers are formed on a substrate. The layers are patterned to create features and spaces, forming devices, such as transistors, capacitors, and resistors. These devices are then interconnected to achieve a desired electrical function. The formation and patterning of the various device layers are achieved using conventional fabrication techniques, such as oxidation, implantation, deposition, epitaxial growth of silicon, lithography, and etching. Such techniques are described in S. M. Sze, VLSI Technology, 2nd ed., New York, McGraw-Hill, 1988, which is herein incorporated by reference for all purposes.
The dimensions of the features and spaces depend on the resolution capability of the lithographic systems. The minimum feature size (F) achieved by a given generation of lithographic systems is referred to as the lithographic groundrule. As device manufacturers are continually pressured to increase the density of devices per chip while decreasing chip size, the placement or layout of devices becomes more important. An effective technique of decreasing chip size without changing the design rule is to fabricate devices in a three-dimensional design layout instead of the conventional two-dimensional format. In the three-dimensional layout, devices are fabricated over other devices. As a result, vertical and horizontal integration of devices is achieved, thus utilizing chip area more efficiently than the two-dimensional layout which only integrates the devices horizontally.
Certain factors are taken into consideration in order to determine the layout of the devices. These factors include the type and quality of material on which the devices are fabricated. As an illustration, certain devices, such as an access transistor in a dynamic random access memory (DRAM) cell, are fabricated on single crystalline material with low defect density due to their performance needs. The high carrier mobility and low leakage currents associated with the single crystalline material having low defect density satisfies the performance requirements of such devices.
However, the need to fabricate certain devices on high quality single crystalline material limits the effectiveness of three-dimensional design layouts. Some devices, such as trench capacitors, are formed with polycrystalline (poly) material. Unfortunately, the poly does not provide an adequate base for devices with high operating performance requirements. Such devices, in conventional design layouts, are located in areas next to the trench capacitors where single crystalline material exists, thus limiting the size-reducing effect of three-dimensional design layouts.
From the above discussion, it is apparent that there is a need to increase the available area of high quality silicon for improved three-dimensional integration of devices.

Three-dimensional device layout with sub-groundrule features

International Business Machines Corporation


Methods for depositing low resistivity tungsten in features of substrates in semiconductor processing are disclosed herein. Methods involve using a germanium-containing reducing agent during tungsten nucleation layer deposition to achieve thin, low resistivity nucleation layers.

Deposition of tungsten-containing materials is an integral part of many semiconductor fabrication processes. These materials may be used for horizontal interconnects, vias between adjacent metal layers, contacts between first metal layers and devices on the silicon substrate, and high aspect ratio features. In a conventional tungsten deposition process on a semiconductor substrate, the substrate is heated to the process temperature in a vacuum chamber, and a very thin portion of tungsten film which serves as a seed or nucleation layer is deposited. Thereafter, the remainder of the tungsten film (the bulk layer) is deposited on the nucleation layer. The bulk layer is generally deposited more rapidly than the nucleation layer.
Increasingly thin tungsten electrical connects having very low resistance will enable smaller critical dimension devices. Although conventional methods are able to deposit nucleation layers, their ability to provide nucleation layers for the deposition of low resistivity tungsten in small critical dimension features is limited. For example, the formation of logic contacts has become more challenging as aspect ratios grow to more than 10:1. Void-free fill in aggressive features like these is problematic using conventional tungsten deposition techniques.

Tungsten deposition process using germanium-containing reducing agent


Various methods are provided for facilitating map update to an environment map using gradient thresholding. One example method may include detecting an observed feature associated with a first feature decay and generating an interpolated feature that approximates the observed feature associated with a second decay. The method also includes determining a gradient difference between the interpolated feature and a stored map feature. The stored map feature represents an encoding of the observed feature associated with a third decay associated with an environment map. The method also includes determining a relationship between the gradient difference and a feature gradient update threshold, and, based upon the relationship, updating the environment map by at least replacing the map feature representation associated with the environment map with the approximated feature representation.

To function properly, various applications, for example autonomous vehicle navigation and control, require accurate environment maps. Environments are constantly changing and subjected to feature decay, and thus environment features may appear visually distinct from their corresponding map versions. To trigger a map update, a change in an environment feature must be identified as severe enough to require the map update.

Method and apparatus for updating maps using gradient thresholding


A controller stores preference information related to an initial configuration of wireless access points (WAPs). Based on the preference information, the controller initially activates or deactivates the WAPs to form a wireless local network (WLAN). The WLAN is monitored and operation of the WAPs may be modified based on the monitoring of the WLAN. For example, the controller may monitor an activity level associated with an active group of the WAPs and may compare the activity level to a threshold. The controller may activate an additional WAP if, for example, the activity level is above an upper threshold, and the controller may deactivate one of the active WAPs if the activity level is below a lower threshold.

Wireless access points (WAPs) may be used to enable client devices to access a data network via a short-range wireless network, such as wireless local area network (WLAN). The WAPs may allow the client devices to access the data network without clients having a wired connection to the network. WAPs may be used inside and outside a building to provide access to the data network with minimum costs and construction. Furthermore, additional bandwidth and services may be provided by installing additional WAPs within the building or the covered area outside of the building. Typically, WAPs deployed in an environment, like an office, are powered at all times even when the WAPs are not in communication with client devices, therefore causing power to be wasted.

Automatically configuring wireless networks


A power combining and outphasing system and related techniques for simultaneously providing both wide-bandwidth linear amplification and high average efficiency is described. Providing linear amplification encompasses the ability to dynamically control an RF output power level over a wide range while still operating over a wide frequency bandwidth. The system and techniques described herein also operate to maintain high efficiency across a wide range of output power levels, such that a high average efficiency can be achieved for highly modulated output waveforms.

As is known in the art, radio-frequency (RF) power amplifiers (PAs) are important in numerous applications, including RF communications, medical imaging, industrial heating and processing, and dc-dc power conversion among many others. PAs are often required to provide linear amplification, which encompasses the ability to dynamically control an RF output power over a wide range. This becomes particularly challenging when wide-bandwidth control of an output signal is required. It is also often desired to maintain high efficiency across a wide range of output power levels, such that high average efficiency can be achieved for highly modulated output waveforms. Simultaneously achieving both of these requirements—wide-bandwidth linear amplification and high average efficiency—has been a longstanding challenge.
As is also known, one concept that has been explored for achieving both linear operation and high efficiency is referred to as outphasing. This technique is also sometimes referred to as "Linear Amplification with Nonlinear Components" or LINC. As shown in FIG. 1, in conventional outphasing, a time-varying input signal Sin(t) is decomposed into two constant-amplitude signals S1(t), S2(t) which can be summed to provide a desired output signal Sout(t). A variable envelope output signal is created as the sum of two constant-envelope signals S1(t), S2(t) by outphasing of the two constant envelope signals. Because the two signals S1(t), S2(t) are of constant amplitude, they can be synthesized with highly-efficient PAs including partially- and fully-switched-mode designs such as classes D, E, F, E/F and current-mode D, Inverse F, φ, etc. These amplifiers can be made highly efficient in part because they needn't have the capability to provide linear output control. Combining the two constant-amplitude outputs S1(t), S2(t) in a power combining network enables the net output amplitude to be controlled via the relative phase of the two constituent components S1(t), S2(t).
One important consideration with outphasing is how the power combining is done, particularly because many high-efficiency power amplifiers are highly sensitive to load impedance, and their performance and efficiency can heavily degrade due to interactions between the power amplifiers. As shown in FIG. 2, one conventional approach is to combine the constant-amplitude signals S1(t), S2(t) using an isolating combiner. An isolating combiner provides a constant (resistive) loading impedance to each PA independent of the outphasing angle, eliminating any interactions. A consequence of this, however, is that each PA operates at a constant output power level. Power that is not delivered to the output must instead be delivered elsewhere, usually to an "isolation" resistor R which dissipates power in the form of heat. Thus, a portion of the total constant output power from the PAs is delivered to the output (at the sum port of the combiner); the remainder is delivered to the difference port and is lost as heat in the isolation resistor. This leads to a rapid degradation of efficiency as output power is decreased, diminishing the attractiveness of this approach. This problem can be partially offset by recovering power not delivered to the output through a rectifier. Thus, in some implementations, power not delivered to the output is instead recovered back to the dc supply via a rectifier.
Referring now to FIG. 3, a different conventional approach is to use a lossless combiner, such as a Chireix combiner or related methods. (By "lossless" we mean a combiner including only reactive components or energy storage components such that ideally there would be no loss, while recognizing that all real components have some degree of loss. We also refer to a "lossless" combiner as a reactive combiner.) Benefits of the Chireix combining technique, which is non-isolating, include the fact that the combiner is ideally lossless, and that the real components of the effective load admittances seen by the individual power amplifiers vary with outphasing (and power delivery) such that power amplifier conduction losses can be reduced as output power reduces. However, the reactive portions of the effective load admittances (Yin,1, Tin,2) are only zero at two outphasing angles, and become large outside of a limited power range (see the example plots in FIG. 3). This limits efficiency, due both to loss associated with added reactive currents and to degradation of power amplifier performance with (variable) reactive loading. Stated differently, the reactive impedances +jXc, −jXc of the combiner compensate for the effective reactive loading on the PAs due to interactions between them. However, because the effective reactive loading due to PA interactions depends upon operating point (outphasing angle), compensation is imperfect over most of the operating range. This can thus lead to loss of efficiency and PA degradation when operating over wide ranges.
Accordingly, the above-described challenges with power combining are among the principal reasons that outphasing is not a more dominant architecture in RF applications.
It would, therefore, be desirable to provide a power combining and outphasing modulation system for use in RF applications that overcomes the loss and reactive loading problems of previous outphasing approaches by providing ideally lossless power combining, along with substantially resistive loading of the individual power amplifiers over a very wide output power range, enabling high average efficiency to be achieved even for large peak-to-average power ratios (PAPR).

Multiway lossless power combining and outphasing incorporating transmission lines


The invention provides exemplary monitoring systems and methods for their use. In one exemplary method, a person is provided with a transmitter having an actuator. The actuator is operated to transmit a wireless signal of about 900 MHz. The signal from the transmitter is sensed with a receiver/caller unit which sends a digital signal over a telephone line to a monitoring center. This alerts the monitoring center of the actuation of the transmitter. A return signal is sent over the telephone line from the monitoring center to a speaker of the unit to verbally inquiring regarding the actuation of the transmitter.

This invention relates generally to the field of monitoring and in particular to the monitoring of individuals with health concerns. More specifically, the invention relates to the use of a wireless transmitter that may be operated by a user to notify a monitoring center of the need for assistance.
There is currently a widespread need for individuals with health problems to be monitored. For example, many elderly people live alone and may be unable to reach a telephone and dial an emergency number in the event of a medical emergency. Even if capable of operating a telephone, many elderly people do not wish to be tied to the immediate vicinity of a telephone in case assistance is needed.
A variety of monitoring systems have been proposed for such circumstances. For instance, some systems include transmitters which are operated to send signals to a receiver which in turn calls a monitoring center. However, such known prior art transmitters transmit relatively weak signals, typically near 300 MHz. Due to the relatively weak signal, the user must stay relatively close to the receiving unit or else the signal will be unable to be detected. As such, if the user moves away from the receiver and requires assistance, the monitoring center will be unable to be notified.
Another problem with many such monitoring systems is that they are not very robust. For example, many systems employ a conventional 9 volt backup battery which has a relatively short life. Hence, in the case of a power loss, the receiver will quickly become disabled. Such systems may also be unable to detect if the transmitter is operational. Further, such systems may be limited in their programming abilities to limit the functionality of the system.
Hence, it would be desirable to provide an improved monitoring system and methods for its use which has a transmitter with a relatively large operating range. The system should also be robust so that it can operate for a significant amount of time during a power outage. Further, the system should have a wide range of programming capabilities to improve its versatility.


A converter for supplying a regulated voltage from an input to a load is disclosed. The converter supplies a regulated DC voltage from an input to a load using a power switch driven by a gate driver. It also includes a control loop for carrying a load condition signal and a control signal. The converter also includes a controller located on the control loop that generates the control signal based on the load signal. The controller is located on a first integrated circuit. The gate driver is located on a second integrated circuit. The load condition signal is encoded on the first integrated circuit and is decoded on the second integrated circuit.

DC to DC (DCDC) converters convert a source of direct current (DC) from one voltage level to another. They are important in portable and non-portable electronic devices including, for example, cellular phones, laptop computers, industrial controls and wireless base stations. Such electronic systems often contain several sub-systems, each with its own voltage level requirement different from that supplied by a battery or external supply. In any circuit arrangement, noise arises from high speed data lines, fast clock edges or inductive magnetic coupling that may affect other circuitry. As circuits and their connections become more highly integrated either on dense printed circuit boards (PCBs) or in integrated circuits (ICs), noise becomes more problematic due to the close proximity of neighboring circuits and lines. In applications requiring high frequency circuits, problems associated with noise become even more pronounced. As demand for faster speeds and ever more highly integrated systems grows, noise has an increasing impact and becomes a limiting factor. These kinds of issues are prevalent in DCDC converters in which ever more precise voltages are needed with low output noise as load voltages are reduced to lower system power and fast signal transitions create a rich environment for noise related design problems.

Noise resistant regulator including an encoded control signal


A multiple component mounting system includes a first carrier including a base. A plurality of first component coupling members are located on the base and define a first component channel. At least one of the first component coupling members include a first resilient member that is operable to engage a first component when the first component is located in the first component channel in order to secure the first component to the base free of the use of a tool. A plurality of second component coupling members are located on the base and define a second component channel. At least one of the second component coupling members include a second resilient member that is operable to engage a second component when the second component is located in the second component channel in order to secure the second component to the base free of the use of a tool. A plurality of second carrier coupling members are located on the base and operable to secure the base to a second carrier that may then be mounted to an information handling system chassis.

The present disclosure relates generally to information handling systems, and more particularly to a multiple component mounting system in an information handling system.
As the value and use of information continues to increase, individuals and businesses seek additional ways to process and store information. One option is an information handling system (IHS). An IHS generally processes, compiles, stores, and/or communicates information or data for business, personal, or other purposes. Because technology and information handling needs and requirements may vary between different applications, IHSs may also vary regarding what information is handled, how the information is handled, how much information is processed, stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the information may be processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in IHSs allow for IHSs to be general or configured for a specific user or specific use such as financial transaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage, or global communications. In addition, IHSs may include a variety of hardware and software components that may be configured to process, store, and communicate information and may include one or more computer systems, data storage systems, and networking systems.
Many IHSs include slots for components such as, for example, storage drives. In some situations, it may be desirable to provide multiple storage drives in the IHS. In one example, the IHS includes a plurality of slots for housing components. A 3.5″ storage drive is typically secured to a 3.5″ storage drive carrier using screws, and that carrier is then positioned in one of the slots and coupled to the IHS. The provision of multiple storage drives in such a system raises a number of issues.
A common solution is to simply couple additional 3.5″ storage drives in the free slots on the IHS. However, such solutions use up valuable volume in the IHS and result in a relatively high power consumption compared to the situation where only one storage drive is used. Furthermore, because each of the multiple 3.5″ storage drives must first be screwed to their respective carriers, the manufacturing time of the IHS increases as well.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide for mounting multiple components to an IHS which avoids the issues discussed above.


Nonvolatile semiconductor memory devices and methods of manufacturing the same are disclosed. A disclosed nonvolatile semiconductor memory cell includes a semiconductor substrate; first and second semiconductor cells positioned on the semiconductor substrate at a distance from each other; a first source and a second source adjacent the first and second semiconductor cells; a first drain contact between the first and second semiconductor cells; first and second cap dielectrics formed on the first and second semiconductor cells, respectively; first and second sidewall spacers formed on sidewalls of the first and second semiconductor cells, respectively; an inter metal dielectric layer covering the first and second cap dielectrics and the first and second sidewall spacers, a drain contact hole exposing the drain; and a second drain contact connected to the first drain contact through the drain contact hole.

Typically, semiconductor memory devices are classified into one of two categories, namely, volatile memories and nonvolatile memories. Volatile memory devices such as dynamic random access memory (DRAM) and static random access memory (SRAM:) are capable of retaining information only when supplied with power. In contrast, nonvolatile memory devices such as the read only memory (ROM) retain the data they store even when they are not supplied with power.
Currently, nonvolatile memory devices are classified as either a floating gate type or a metal insulator semiconductor (MIS) type. MIS type devices are formed so as to be double or triply layered by two kinds of dielectric layers.
The floating gate type of memory device is implemented with storage characteristic using potential wells. Flash electrically erasable programmable read only memory (EEPROM) is an example of the floating gate type of memory device. Flash EEPROM has an EPROM Tunnel Oxide (ETOX) cell structure and split gate type structure.
However, the ETOX cell has a drawback. In particular, the available cell size increases even though its simple layered structure is implanted in a small size since the drain contact should be formed along a bit line. That is, since the drain contact should be formed for each cell, a large area is required to secure the contact area and an overlap area between the contact and active region per cell.
The split gate cell has 2 transistors per cell, (i.e., a select transistor without a floating gate and a storage transistor with the floating gate that are serially connected with each other). However, the split gate cell also has drawbacks. In particular, the cell size increases by adding the select transistor to each cell, and the cell size further increases to secure the margin for self-aligning the channels of the select transistor and the storage transistor with the respective gates.
To clarify multiple layers and regions, the thickness of the layers are enlarged in the drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawing(s) and accompanying written description to refer to the same or like parts. As used in this patent, stating that any part (e.g., a layer, film, area, or plate) is in any way positioned on (e.g., positioned on, located on, disposed on, or formed on, etc.) another part, means that the referenced part is either in contact with the other part, or that the referenced part is above the other part with one or more intermediate part(s) located therebetween. Stating that any part is in contact with another part means that there is no intermediate part between the two parts.


After thinning an input image (drawing), a primitive is extracted. First, a rough primitive is extracted, and then the rough primitive becomes a primitive in a merge-split process according to a greedy strategy. Based on the primitive and the spatial correlation among primitives, an attribute graph describing the contents and the structure of the drawing is generated. The attribute graph is generated using a modified Delaunay triangle and an attribute set. An attribute graph having an attribute set is generated for each of an inquiry drawing and a comparison drawing which are compared with each other, thereby perform drawing comparison.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for comparing drawings.
2. Description of the Related Art
With the development of IT technology and the digitized representation in daily life, the efficient management and retrieval of drawings are important problems to be solved. According to the statistical data, the number of drawings reached 3.5 billion at the start of 1990s in the USA and Canada only, and about 2,600 drawings are newly added every year. The annual cost of filing, copying, accessing, and preparing the drawings for distribution has exceeded one billion dollars. Recently, there are a number of individuals who have started studying methods of electronic management of drawings specifically by automatically generating and recognizing a DAC file from a drawing of a hard copy with a view to enhancing the efficiency and reducing the maintenance cost. Particularly in this method, a drawing similar to an inquiry drawing is automatically retrieved from a database. The retrieval of a drawing is performed by comparing the contents of drawings.
The comparison of drawings based on the contents brings about a valuable effect on applications. When an engineer designs a new type of product, it is common that many prior drawings are referred to. However, to search for related drawings, each document is to be searched. Therefore, it is a time and labor intensive technology. To solve the problem, a retrieving method has been proposed using text as ancillary means. That is, comment text is labeled in each drawing for use in retrieving a keyword. However, this method requires a laborious step in assigning text to a number of drawings, and text only cannot sufficiently represent the contents of the drawings. Therefore, this method may not output acceptable retrieval accuracy. If an automated comparison and retrieval technology can be developed, the efficiency of the operation of a designer can be remarkably improved with the designing and maintenance cost considerably reduced.
Recently, some individuals have been enthusiastically studying the comparison of drawings based on the contents, and have proposed a number of effective methods.
One of the disclosed methods is to compare the primitives of drawings proposed in the F-signature by S. Tabbone (refer to Nonpatent document 1). In this method, the drawings are retrieved after comparison with each other using the primitives taken from drawings, and no partial detection or comparison can be realized. Therefore, it is used in restricted applications.
Another disclosed method is to retrieve a drawing containing a characteristic portion using a combination of text and graphic structural information. Refer to Patent document 1. In this method, text is input for retrieval and compared with a geometric model stored in a model database, and finally a drawing is retrieved based on the shapes of the text and the model. Therefore, this method mainly depends on the retrieval mode of text, and mainly applied to the assemble engineering drawing.    [Nonpatent document 1] S. Tabbone, L. Wendling, K. Tombre, Matching of graphical symbols in line-drawing images using angular signature information, International Journal of Document Analysis and Recognition, volume 6, issue 1, Jun. 2003    [Patent document 1] U.S. Pat. No. 5,845,288
The conventional method of comparing drawings based on the contents of the drawings is insufficient as mentioned above, and a more complete drawing comparison apparatus or method based on the contents of drawings is demanded.


The foot switch includes a pedal, an output command signal generating section for transmitting, when the pedal is operated, an output command signal to an apparatus which has a function of producing active output, a storage battery for supplying electrical power to the output command signal generating section, a condition-detecting section for detecting a remaining capacity of the storage battery, and a notifying section for making notification of an amount corresponding to the remaining capacity detected by the condition-detecting section. The condition-detecting section can detect the remaining capacity based on the remaining voltage of the storage battery.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a foot switch which transmits a signal for commanding generation of active output to an apparatus main body having a function of generating active output, and relates to an output system including such a foot switch and an apparatus main body.
2. Related Art
One example of such an output system is an ultrasonic surgical system disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 05-023347. An apparatus main body of this ultrasonic surgical system includes a main unit for generating drive signals (high frequency voltage signals). A handpiece having a probe at a tip thereof and gripped by the operator is electrically connected to the main unit through a cable. The handpiece includes therein an ultrasonic transducer which converts the drive signals into mechanical vibration (ultrasonic band signals). The ultrasonic vibration generated by the ultrasonic transducer is transmitted to the probe while being amplified. A water supply/suction path is provided in the handpiece and the probe. The system is so arranged that when the water supply/suction path is connected to a water supply/suction device, water supply/suction treatment can be effected through an opening formed at an end face of the probe and its vicinity.
More specifically, treatment can be performed by destroying and emulsifying tissues such as of liver parenchyma while performing perfusion through the opening formed in the ultrasonically vibrating probe, and by sucking/removing the debris together with the superfusate through the supply/suction path. An electric knife system may be used together with such an ultrasonic surgical system. Hemostatic treatment or the like can be effected by connecting the electric knife to the handpiece to make a high frequency output through the handpiece of the electric knife.
Since the treatment device including the handpiece or an electric knife is gripped by the operator during surgery, it is appropriate that on/off operation of the treatment device is performed through a foot switch except for a case where a pinpoint operation is particularly required (for example, when hemostatic treatment is performed by the electric knife). That is because, since depressing a switch for a long time with fingers to keep a treatment device in an on-state is a great burden to the operator, employing a foot switch which enables the operator to keep depressing the switch by the operator's weight is desirable from an ergonomical point of view.
It is to be noted that in order to enable selection from among different output types, for example, selection between water supply operation and suction operation, a plurality of pedals are generally disposed in a foot switch. A foot switch is required to have an excellent user-interface design so that the operator can readily distinguish the plurality of pedals.
A foot switch is typically electrically connected to an apparatus main body through a cable to transmit the operational statuses of the foot switch pedals to the apparatus main body through the cable. When using a plurality of different output systems in surgical operation (e.g., when using an ultrasonic surgical system and an electric knife system), a plurality of foot switches are used. The plurality of foot switches are placed close to the operator's feet, and used while there locations are permutated depending on the progress of the surgical operation. In such a case, however, the cables of the plurality of the foot switches sometimes tangle with each other, which significantly lowers the operator's convenience since appropriate locations of the foot switches cannot be ensured. Particularly, in advanced manipulation in which the operator often keeps moving around the operating table during a surgical operation, since the locations of the foot switches are required to be changed following the operator's movement even in a particular case, the chance of the occurrences of the cable tangling increases that much.
In order to prevent surgical operation from stopping due to such tangling of cables, it is known as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,074,388, for example, to transfer the operational statuses of the pedals of a foot switch to an apparatus main body by means of radio communication. The foot switch in the surgical system described in the '388 patent incorporates a battery as a power source, and is arranged such that a warning is displayed in a display device at an appropriate time, so as to prevent interruption of a surgical operation by the low output voltage of the battery resulting from electrical discharge of the battery. The foot switch is also provided with an auxiliary battery.
In this surgical system, however, the operator cannot know how long the battery is able to supply power before the warning is displayed, and how long the battery is able to supply power after the warning is displayed. In other words, in this surgical system, it is not until when the warning is indicated that an operator is informed of the insufficiency of the remaining capacity of the battery, causing a problem of bad usability. In addition, since a foot switch of this surgical system incorporates an auxiliary battery, the size and weight of the foot switch become unavoidably large, and thus a problem of poor portability is also an issue.

Foot switch and output system having foot switch


A developer for light-sensitive material capable of processing in common a negative-working light-sensitive lithographic printing plate and a positive-working light-sensitive printing plate as well as a developing agent-containing type silver halide photographic material, is disclosed. The developer comprises an alkali agent, an anionic surface active agent, an antifoggant for a silver halide photographic material, and an alkylene oxide addition product (molecular weight of from 130 to 1200) of an aromatic amine or an aralkyl amine, and has pH of the range of from 11.5 to 13.5.

Hitherto, the composition of a developer for developing a negative-working lithographic light-sensitive printing plate differs from the composition of a developer for developing a positive-working light-sensitive lithographic printing plate, and each light-sensitive lithographic printing plate can be suitably developed with each specific developer only.
If each light-sensitive lithographic printing plate could be developed using a developer which is not the specific developer for the light-sensitive lithographic printing plate, a lithographic printing plate having a sufficient performance is not obtained and thus it was substantially impossible to develop well in common a negative-working light-sensitive lithographic printing plate and a positive-working light-sensitive lithographic printing plate with a developer having a same composition.
However, recently, photosensitive resins being used for negative-working and positive-working light-sensitive lithographic printing plates and a developer therefor are improved and a developer which can develop well both the negative-working light-sensitive lithographic printing plate and the positive-working light-sensitive lithographic printing plate with a same composition has been developed as shown below.
That is, examples of the developer which can develop well both negative-working and positive-working light-sensitive lithographic printing plates with a same composition are disclosed, e.g., in JP-A-60-130741, JP-A-237442, JP-A-62-187855, JP-A-63-200154, JP-A-1-270050, JP-A-1-282549, JP-A-157846 (the term "JP-A" as used herein means an "unexamined published Japanese patent application"), U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,913,183 and 3,913,141 and European Patent 279,630.
However, the developers illustrated in the above publications can not always develop in common all sorts of negative-working and positive-working light-sensitive lithographic printing plates and the processing effect of the developers is largely influenced by the characteristics of the negative-working and positive-working light-sensitive lithographic printing plates being processed. In other words, the various characters such as the composition ratios and the polymerization degrees of the binder resins and photosensitive resins (e.g., o-quinoneazido compounds and diazo resins) which are constituting compositions for each of a negative-working light-sensitive lithographic printing plate and a positive-working light-sensitive lithographic printing plate are well-balanced such that both the light-sensitive lithographic printing plates are developed well with a same developer. Hence light-sensitive materials being processed with a developer are restricted.
The developer which can be used for both a negative-working light-sensitive lithographic printing plate and a positive-working light-sensitive lithographic printing plate is an alkaline aqueous solution and thus it is considered that the developer can be used as an activator for a developing agent-containing type silver halide photographic material. In fact, images of a developing agent-containing silver halide photographic material are obtained only in the case of using a developer having pH of at least 13 for developing a positive-working light-sensitive lithographic printing plate or using a developer having high pH for both of negative and positive light-sensitive lithographic printing plates. Moreover, the images obtained are negative images having a very soft tone (low contrast) and such images can not be practically used as plate-making photographic images. As described above, the conventional developers which are used for developing both a negative-working light-sensitive lithographic printing plate and a positive-working light-sensitive lithographic printing plate can not be used as a good activator for a developing agent-containing type silver halide photographic material.
On the other hand, examples of an activator which can provide good negative images by processing a developing agent-containing type silver halide photographic material are disclosed, e.g., in JP-B-56-30848, JP-B-60-12624, JP-B-15264, JP-B-15265, JP-B-60-47578, JP-B-61-48696, JP-B-62-4700, JP-B-62-12498, JP-B-62-12499, JP-B-1-17140 (the term "JP-B" as used herein means an "examined Japanese patent publication"), U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,330,617, 4,385,108, 4,429,036, and 4,447,522.
The activators being used in the foregoing examples are alkaline aqueous solutions having various compositions and in the case of processing developing agent-containing type silver halide photographic materials using these activators, good negative images are obtained. However, in the case of developing a negative-working light-sensitive lithographic light-sensitive plate or a positive-working light-sensitive lithographic printing plate with each of the foregoing activators, an aluminum plate which is the base plate thereof is corroded or the development is inferior, whereby a good printing plate can not be obtained.
As described above, hitherto, the developer which can develop a negative-working light-sensitive lithographic printing plate and/or a positive-working light-sensitive lithographic printing plate can not develop a developing agent-containing type silver halide photographic material and also the activator for developing a developing agent-containing type silver halide photographic material can not develop a negative-working light-sensitive lithographic printing plate and/or a positive-working light-sensitive lithographic printing plate.
However, we previously found a developer capable of solving the foregoing problem, that is, capable of developing well a negative-working light-sensitive lithographic printing plate and a positive-working light-sensitive lithographic printing plate and further a developing agent-containing type silver halide photographic material and have filed as Japanese Patent Application No. 2-306680.
By using the developer, the foregoing three kinds of the light-sensitive materials can be developed well but the use of the foregoing developer is accompanied by the following problems. That is, since alkanolamine is used, a nasty smell is strong which causes a trouble for handling the developer, since a large amount of alkanolamine is required during processing, there is an economical problem, since the negative images obtained have a sufficient quality as line works but have a considerably insufficient quality as dot works, and since the printing impression of the printing plates obtained by the development is as low as about 30,000 prints.
Also, JP-A-1-279245 discloses that a negative-working light-sensitive lithographic printing plate is developed well using a developer containing a compound shown by the following formula (II): ##STR1## wherein R.sub.5 represents a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, an alkyl group, or an alkoxy group; R.sub.6 represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, or --(CH.sub.2 CR.sub.7 HO).sub.k --H; R.sub.7 represents a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group having 1 or 2 carbon atoms; and j and k each represents an integer of from 1 to 3.
However, in the case of developing a developing agent-containing type silver halide photographic material using the developer, the formation of fog is severe and the contrast is low, thereby good results can not be obtained.


A perpendicularly magnetized magnetic tunnel junction (p-MTJ) is disclosed wherein a boron containing free layer (FL) is subjected to a plasma treatment with inert gas, and a natural oxidation (NOX) process to form B2O3 before overlying layers are deposited. A metal layer such as Mg is deposited on the FL as a first step in forming a Hk enhancing layer that increases FL perpendicular magnetic anisotropy, or as a first step in forming a tunnel barrier layer on the FL. One or more anneal steps are essential in assisting B2O3 segregation from the free layer and thereby increasing the FL magnetic moment. A post-oxidation plasma treatment may also be used to partially remove B2O3 proximate to the FL top surface before the metal layer is deposited. Both plasma treatments use low power (<50 Watts) to remove a maximum of 2 Angstroms FL thickness.

Perpendicularly magnetized MTJs (p-MTJs) are a major emerging technology for use in embedded magnetic random access memory (MRAM) applications, and standalone MRAM applications. P-MTJ MRAM technology that uses spin-torque (STT-MRAM) for writing of memory bits was described by J. Slonczewski in "Current driven excitation of magnetic multilayers", J. Magn. Magn. Mater. V 159, L1-L7 (1996), and is an increasingly promising candidate for future generations of non-volatile memory to replace embedded flash memory and embedded cache memory (SRAM).
Both MRAM and STT-MRAM have a p-MTJ cell based on a tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) effect wherein a stack of layers has a configuration in which two ferromagnetic layers are separated by a thin insulating tunnel barrier layer such as MgO. One of the ferromagnetic layers called the pinned layer has a magnetic moment that is fixed in an out-of-plane direction such as the +z direction when the plane of each layer is laid out in the x-axis and y-axis directions. The second ferromagnetic layer has an out-of-plane magnetization direction that is free to rotate to either the +z-axis (parallel or P state) or the −z-axis (antiparallel or AP state) direction. The difference in resistance between the P state (Rp) and AP state (Rap) is characterized by the equation (Rap-Rp)/Rp also known as DRR or the MR ratio. It is important for p-MTJ cells to have a large MR ratio, preferably higher than 100%, as the MR ratio is directly related to the read margin for the memory bit, or how easy it is to differentiate between the P state and AP state (0 or 1 bits).
Another critical requirement for p-MTJs is thermal stability to 400° C. that is a typical temperature during back-end-of-line (BEOL) processes when fabricating embedded memory devices in complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) products. A general trend has been to introduce a second metal oxide/free layer (FL) interface similar to the tunnel barrier/FL interface thereby enhancing PMA and Hk within the free layer, and improving thermal stability. Thermal stability (Δ) is a function of the perpendicular anisotropy field as shown in equation (1):
                    Δ        =                                            M              S                                                  VH                                                k                  eff                                ,                ⊥                                                          2                                      k              B                                    T                                              (        1        )
where MS is the magnetic saturation value, Hkeff, ⊥ is the out-of-plane (perpendicular) anisotropy field, V is the volume of the free layer, and where kB is the Boltzmann constant, and T is the temperature.
The perpendicular anisotropy field (PMA) of the free layer is expressed in equation (2) as:
                              H                                    k              eff                        ,            ⊥                          =                                            -              4                                    π                                                                                M              s                                +                                    2                                            K                U                                  ⊥                                      ,                    s                                                                                M                s                                          d                                +                      H                          k              ,              χ              ,              ⊥                                                          (        2        )
where d is the thickness of the free layer, Hk,x,⊥ is the crystalline anisotropy field in the perpendicular direction, and KU⊥,s is the surface perpendicular anisotropy of the top and bottom surfaces of the free layer. Thus, PMA is increased with the introduction of a second free layer/metal oxide interface, which enhances the surface (interfacial) perpendicular anisotropy component. Higher PMA is especially important to allow data retention at small device sizes.
Typically, a Fe rich alloy is used as the free layer, and MgO as the tunnel barrier and Hk enhancing layer to enable lattice matching between the layers, and the use of MgO as a spin filtering element, providing an optimum MR ratio and excellent read signal for the device. Moreover, boron is commonly included in the Fe rich alloy that is CoFeB, for example, to allow an amorphous free layer to be deposited that crystallizes during a subsequent anneal to promote lattice matching with the MgO tunnel barrier and Hk enhancing layer. Unfortunately, the presence of boron in the free layer leads to a lower moment (MS) and reduced PMA. Although boron segregates to a certain extent from the magnetic element(s) in FeB or CoFeB during annealing, the desired MS value of an as-deposited Fe or CoFe layer is never realized. Moreover, the lower MS value of the boron containing free layer favors a non-uniform reversal mechanism of the free layer during switching from a P to AP state, or vice versa, which in turn lowers the energy barrier for switching and causes lower thermal stability.
An improved process for fabricating a free layer in a p-MTJ is needed so that the advantage of depositing an amorphous boron containing free layer for optimum lattice matching may be retained without leading to a lower MS and compromising PMA and thermal stability after an anneal step is performed.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Magnetic layer for magnetic random access memory (MRAM) by moment enhancement

TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.


An orchestral string instrument, comprising a resonant chamber and housing defined by a back member, curved sides and a front member having a pair of f holes positioned on opposing sides of a bridge support location on the front. The housing also includes a sound peg disposed between the front and back and a central axis extending between the f holes from an upper end of the housing to an opposing lower end. A fingerboard and neck are attached to the upper end of the housing and include a longitudinal central axis in a laterally offset position from the central axis of the housing. A nut is provided for supporting strings of the instrument above the fingerboard, wherein the nut is coupled to a distal end of the fingerboard and neck. A tail piece is attached to a lower end of the housing in a comparable offset position with the offset position of the fingerboard and neck, the tail piece being configured for supporting lower ends of the strings. Finally, a scroll with string pegs laterally positioned in sides of the scroll for adjustably supporting upper ends of the strings is attached to the nut in alignment with the fingerboard.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to orchestral string instruments such as violins, violas, cellos and basses. More particularly, the present invention relates to a reduced size viola.
2. Related Art
The evolution of ensemble and orchestral music was significantly advanced with development of stringed instruments (violin, viola, cello and bass) that were collectively voiced to provide a full range of audio experience to the listener. FIG. 1 shows a traditional viola configuration 10, representing the basic components of the family of orchestral strings. Typically, these instruments have four strings 12, 14, 16, and 18 that are tuned at four sequential intervals separated by a musical fifth scale of notes. The four strings enable the player to play a continuous scale of notes by progressively depressing the strings against the fingerboard 20 at appropriate intervals. An upper harmonic range also exists where the strings of the instrument are not fully depressed against the fingerboard, but are merely touched by a finger to impose a stationary node along the string's length. By using a combination of depressed and harmonic tones, the string player can perform a very broad range of pitches with varying tone qualities on any one of the various stringed instruments.
The principle components of a typical orchestral stringed instrument include a scroll 22 that provides support for tuning pegs 24 coupled to each of the four strings. A nut 26 positions the strings above the fingerboard 20, which provides the fingering surface of the instrument. The fingerboard is supported by an elongate neck member 30 that is attached to the body 32 of the instrument. This body provides a resonant chamber for amplifying tones generated by plucking or bowing the strings. The body includes front 34 and back 35 members and sides 36 that collectively define the sound chamber. The sides include an upper bout 37, a lower bout 38 and an intermediate C-bout 39. A bridge 40 correctly positions the strings above the fingerboard and is located near f holes 42 and 44 which assist in projecting the sound beyond the instrument. The bridge is supported by a sound peg (not shown) positioned within the chamber below the bridge and between the front and back members. The strings connect to a tail piece 46, which in turn is coupled to a bottom end 48 of the instrument body.
As shown in FIG. 1, these components are classically configured symmetrically on opposite sides of a central axis 50 of the instrument. Specifically, the fingerboard, front and back, sides, f holes, tail piece and strings are spaced equally on opposite sides of the central axis in a substantial mirror image. This symmetry has been perpetuated for many centuries, preserving a classical shape that is well recognized by the public. More significantly, string players have become accustomed to this classic configuration and are generally inclined to expect stringed instruments to comply in shape with this expectation.
Aside from use as solo instruments and in chamber ensembles, these stringed instruments are most commonly found in the string section of an orchestra. The lowest audio frequencies within the string section of the orchestra are developed by the string bass, with low pitches extending down to a low E, almost three octaves below middle C (440 cps). To achieve such low tones, large diameter strings are used having a vibrating length of approximately 46 inches. This vibrating length is the distance between (i) the lower, supporting bridge positioned on the face of the instrument and (ii) the upper nut located at the upper end of the fingerboard. The nut and bridge serve to elevate the strings in close proximity above the fingerboard to allow the player to comfortably depress the string into contact with the fingerboard, thereby changing the associated pitch by the vibrating length measured between the bridge and the depressed position.
The upper range of the bass instrument generally extends into the several octaves below middle C. This upper range overlaps with the lower pitch range of the cello, which is the next instrument in the quartet of stringed instruments of the orchestra. The cello strings are tuned to C, G, D and A at separated fifth intervals immediately below middle C. The open string vibrating length is approximately 26½ inches. Accordingly, the space between notes of the scale on the cello is a shorter distance than on the bass. The pitch range of the cello extends approximately the same as the human voice, and much higher when including harmonic tones. The larger size of the bass and cello requires that the player address the instrument in an upright position, with the performer in a standing or seated position, The hand and fingers of the player are applied to the fingerboard from one side of the instrument, while the bowing hand approaches the strings from an opposite side of the instrument, moving the bow across one or more strings between the bridge and the fingerboard.
The upper strings of the string family are the viola and violin. The viola has a open string length of approximately 14¼ inches, slightly more than half the length of the cello and has a voice range that starts at C below middle C, and extends up through the sequential pitches of G, D and A respectively one octave above the cello strings. The vibrating string length of the violin is slightly shorter at approximately 13 inches, with the low string tuned to G above middle C. The three upper strings extend through the range of fifth intervals from D, A and E. The body of the violin is significantly smaller in volume than the viola and consequently has a higher, usually thinner sound quality.
The beauty of the viola, particularly within the blend of the orchestra, is its deeper, rich tone quality. Naturally, this is partially the result of the larger volume within the housing or resonant chamber of the instrument. Both the violin and viola are played in a raised, horizontal position, with the lower part of the instrument captured between the shoulder and chin of the player. Both the fingering hand and the bow hand are applied to the strings from the same side of the instrument, in contrast to the bass and cello.
Because of the similar size of the viola and violin, violinists are often requested and/or inclined to play the viola. For example, viola players are fewer in number than violinists and may be recruited from a more numerous violin section of the orchestra. Although technique is approximately the same, the greater length of the viola requires a noticeably larger spacing fingering positions than on the violin. This larger size also imposes an unnatural extension of the fingering hand and arm for a violinist. This awkward position can cause tendonitis, carpel tunnel syndrome or other maladies with continuous playing. Furthermore, it makes interchange of the instruments more difficult because of the required adjustments in hand position for the longer viola. In other words, when a violinist plays a viola, the intricate fingering movements of the performer must not only be adjusted to a slightly wider pitch interval due to longer string lengths, but the player must make these adjustments at a displaced hand distance from his body that extends beyond his violin position by an additional inch or two. This additional distance mandates changes in position for the shoulder, elbow and wrist, as well as fingers.
In view of the enumerated challenges attendant to interchanging use between the violin and viola, some attempts have been made to reduce viola size. Typically, however, a reduction in viola length has resulted in loss of rich tone quality. It has been found, for example, that merely reducing the length of the fingerboard and neck on the viola seriously affects the quality of the rich viola sound. Similarly, reducing the size and length of the viola body compromises the deeper tone quality of the viola. Accordingly, the traditional size differences of the violin and viola have been maintained down through the centuries, requiring violinists to manage the limitations of interchanging performance with both violin and viola as best they can.

Stringed instrument with offset structure


A method and apparatus for encoding/decoding between interchange format data and structured data utilizes a scripting language. The structure of the data can be controlled by the sequence of commands in the script and changes to the structure can be implemented by changing the script. A parser/interpreter is the only software necessary to implement the technique.

Computer programs often need to share information contained in data structures. Various interchange formats have been developed to provide a means to share information stored in data structures. One widely utilized format is ASN.1, developed as formal notation for describing data transmitted by telecommunications protocols, regardless of language implementation and physical representation of these data, whatever the application, whether complex or very simple.
ASN.1 sends information in any form (audio, video, data, etc.) anywhere it needs to be communicated digitally. ASN.1 only covers the structural aspects of information and is not a programming language.
Typed, structured interchange format data (e.g., ASN.1 encoded data) is usually encoded and decoded using a library of functions. Each time a message is sent it must be ASN.1-encoded by the sender and decoded at the receiver.
In the most general sense, the sender is the program that needs to encode data into the shared data format and the receiver is the program that needs to decode the data in the shared data format.
Each library function knows how to encode/decode a particular object. The library functions are assembled into a program, either by hand or by a compiler, that represents the structure of the data to be dealt with, which reads the structure definition, and produces a program from it.
The problems with this are:
Modifying the encoding or decoding (for example, adding a new object in the data structure) requires a recompile. Additionally, the use of library functions results in a lot of code, which takes up a lot of space.
Doing ASN.1 by hand requires significant knowledge of both ASN.1 and the library functions that deal with the objects. Using a compiler often requires some hand-tweaking, which requires knowledge of the ASN.1 compiler vendor's library functions that deal with the objects.
Accordingly, the industry needs efficient techniques for decoding between interchange format data and data structures.

Scripting language for processing typed structured data


A method for making a corrugated fiber reinforced preform for a corrugated channel is disclosed which involves the sequential application of fiber plies to a shaping tool, each of the plies individually formed to the contours of the shaping tool, using a corrugating tools, restraining means used to maintain the plies in conformance with the tool. The plies are then subjected to debulking and heated to stabilize the fiber plies in their shaped condition, with additional plies applied thereover using the same steps of application, forming, restraining and stabilizing to produce a thick debulked fiber preform which avoids wrinkling of the fibers at the radius between the web and side portions of the corrugated channel.

Current methods of forming fiber reinforced corrugated channel preforms have been generally unsuccessful. A typical channel, such as an I-beam, has a web section and upper and lower flange sections. In a corrugated composite channel, the web section is not planar, but has undulations with peaks and valleys, which provides strength characteristics with particular application in aircraft because of their unique structural properties. The term "corrugated channel" refers to such a structure.
To produce a fiber reinforced composite channel, it is typical to use multiple layers or plies of fiber, with each flat ply of sufficient width and length to form the web and flanges from the same fibers. A "preform" is a group of fiber plies having the shape of the finished part, with the plies being suitably debulked and stabilized for placement in a closed mold for resin injection in accordance with a resin transfer molding process.
However, significant difficulties arise in forming a corrugated channel as when one attempts to form the undulations and flange sections from multiple fiber plies, significant wrinkling or waviness occurs particularly at the radius between the web and flange portions. Such defects are unacceptable because they provide weaknesses in the finished part.

Method for fabricating a corrugated composite channel

Dow-United Technologies Composite Products