A power amplifier circuit including a first transistor, a second transistor, and a power control circuit. The first transistor includes a first input and a first output. The second transistor includes a second input coupled in series with the first output of the first transistor. The input circuit is coupled to the second input of the second transistor. The control circuit includes a time delay circuit and a variable source.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to power amplifier circuits, and more particularly, to methods and systems for controlling the output power of a power amplifier circuit.
2. Description of the Related Art
Portable transmitting devices are becoming more and more common, led first by the popularity of cellular telephones and increasingly by wireless networking products such as under the "Bluetooth" and IEEE 802.11 type (802.11) specifications. Two requirements of these types of products is a small physical size and efficient, long term (e.g., multiple days') operation relying on only battery power source. Another important requirement is that they provide minimal interference with other, similar devices that may be nearby.
Often these types of transmitters are used in very close proximity with each other and their corresponding receivers. By way of example, an 802.11 transceiver (receiver/transmitter combination) typically has a maximum range of up to about 100 meters or more to a corresponding 802.11 transceiver. However, 802.11 transceivers can also be used in very close proximity such as with only one meter or two.
Devices that contain one or more of these types of transmitters must be very power efficient. The need is driven by the low cost, small size, light weight and minimal battery capacity requirements of such competitive portable devices (e.g., cellular telephones, personal digital assistants, headsets, etc.).
Examples of areas of power efficiency gains include adjusting the output power of the transmitters. By way of example, the output power of an 802.11 transmitter needs to be adjustable for the specific conditions of use (e.g., location, proximity to corresponding receiver). Ideally, the power output should be adjustable over a selected power range and with a selected resolution. Another aspect of the power efficiency gains that are possible in portable transmitters include minimizing the power consumption such as by ensuring the transmitter circuitry is as power efficient as possible.
Wireless communication devices inherently share frequency bands and typically several devices may be transmitting simultaneously on neighboring channels. The sharing of frequency bands drives the requirement that each transmitter not interfere with other transmitters such as minimizing the emitted energy outside the selected channel. An important source of unwanted emissions is an abrupt change in output power level. When the transmitted power output abruptly transitions either upward or downward, undesirable harmonics of the selected channel frequency can be emitted. The undesirable harmonics can interfere with other channels in the frequency band. By way of example, if a transmitter is abruptly turned off (or on), undesirable harmonics can be emitted. In view of the foregoing, there is a need for systems and methods of efficiently adjusting the power output of a portable transmitter in a manner that substantially minimizes emission of undesirable harmonics.

Systems and methods for ramping power amplifier output power


A press-nut is adapted to engage with the threads of a bolt by pressing the nut onto the bolt to receive the bolt in an insertion hole thereof. The press-nut comprises a plastic nut body, and a plastic tubular cap member adapted to be coupled to the nut body to contain the nut body therein and to provide the press-nut with its external appearance. The cap member has a wide opening at one end so as to receive and contain the nut body and a small hole at the other end, through which the bolt is inserted. The nut body comprises a base portion, at least two screw portions forming a nut as a whole and having threaded grooves on the inner walls thereof, and spring portions extending from the base portion and connected to the respective screw portions with each spring portion resiliently biasing the corresponding screw portion so as to be pressed upward from the base portion. The outer surface of each screw portion is tapered gradually to reduce the diameter towards the bolt insertion hole on the other end and the inner side of the cap member is also tapered to reduce the inner diameter thereof in accordance with the tapered surface of the screw portions.

The present invention relates to a press-nut adapted to engage with the threads of a bolt, by pressing the nut onto the bolt to receive the bolt in an insertion hole thereof.
A press-nut adapted to engage with the threads of a bolt by pressing the nut onto the bolt to receive the bolt in an insertion hole thereof is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 6-81830. The press-nut described in this publication comprises an outer shell body having a nut-like appearance and a tapered inner wall of which the inner diameter is reduced gradually towards an opening at one end thereof; a plurality of split nuts having tapered outer surfaces along the tapered inner wall of the outer shell body and threaded grooves formed on inner walls on the centre side thereof; and a coil spring to push the split nuts up onto the tapered inner wall of the shell body. Since this press-nut engages with the threads of a bolt when it is pressed onto the bolt so as to receive the bolt into an insertion hole, it moves directly to a clamping position when pressed forcefully onto the bolt, eliminating the previously required operation of rotating the nut to the clamping position. A press nut similar to the one described in the above publication is shown in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 6-147214, in particular in FIGS. 7 and 8, and in the related description thereof. Such a nut also eliminates any operation to be rotated to the clamping position.
Nevertheless, both of the above press-nuts take time in their assembly, that is, a plurality of split nuts have to be received in a hollow portion of the nut-like outer shell body and the coil spring to press up the split nuts then has to be inserted against the split nuts. These operations require time and labour. Besides, the assembly work requires skill as the coil spring sometimes falls off due to its resilient force. Further, in the nut described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 6-147214, there is a risk of the cover slipping off. Since this press-nut is made of metal as are previously available nuts, split nuts hit each other if vibrated violently to produce noise or to scratch each other. Its manufacture is also time-consuming and costly.


A semiconductor device includes, an alloy layer sandwiched between a first Ag layer formed on a mounting board or circuit board and a second Ag layer formed on a semiconductor element, wherein the alloy layer contains an intermetallic compound of Ag3Sn formed by Ag components of the first Ag layer and the second Ag layer and Sn, and wherein a plurality of wires containing Ag are arranged extended from an outside-facing periphery of the alloy layer.

In recent years, there is an increasingly growing demand of reliability for semiconductor devices, and in particular, there is a strong demand to improve reliability for a bonding portion between a semiconductor element and a circuit board having a large difference in thermal expansion coefficient therebetween. Heretofore, semiconductor elements whose base materials are silicon (Si) and gallium arsenide (GaAs) have been often used, and their operation temperatures are from 100° C. to 125° C. As soldering materials for bonding the semiconductor elements to electrodes of electronic circuits, there are used 95Pb-5Sn (mass %) for Si devices, 80Au-20Sn (mass %) for gallium arsenide devices, and the like, from viewpoints of: crack resistance against repetitive thermal stress due to difference in thermal expansion between a semiconductor element and a circuit board; high melting point to meet a multistage solder-bonding at the time of assembly; and further, contamination tolerance of the devices. However, from the aspect of reducing environmental load, 95Pb-5Sn containing a large amount of harmful lead (Pb) is problematic, and further, from a viewpoint of price-rise and reserve of novel metals, a substituent material for 80Au-20Sn is strongly demanded.
On the other hand, from the aspect of saving energy, devices whose base materials are silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN) have been under active development as next-generation devices. From the aspect of reducing power loss, they are required to have operation temperatures of 175° C. or more and it is said that the temperature will become 300° C. in future.
For dealing with the above requirement, a high-temperature soldering material (high-temperature solder alloy) is required that has a superior thermal resistance as well as a high melting point. Such a solder alloy has been hitherto a Pb-based solder alloy having a melting temperature of around 300° C. Its examples include Pb-10Sn (mass %), Pb-5Sn (mass %), Pb-2Ag-8Sn (mass %), Pb-5Ag (mass %) and the like, and hence, Pb is mainly given as a major component. The solidus temperature of Pb-10Sn is 268° C. and its liquidus temperature is 302° C. The solidus temperature of Pb-5Sn is 307° C. and its liquidus temperature is 313° C. The solidus temperature of Pb-2Ag-8Sn is 275° C. and its liquidus temperature is 346° C. The solidus temperature of Pb-5Ag is 304° C. and its liquidus temperature is 365° C.
Meanwhile, from the aspect of environmental protection, it has recently been required generally in soldering technology, to use a Pb-free solder alloy instead of the Pb series solder alloy. As a matter of course, with respect to the aforementioned Pb—Sn series high-temperature solder having been used for conventional semiconductor devices, it has also been required to instead use a Pb-free solder alloy.
However, while a variety of Pb-free solder alloys have been proposed hitherto, they consist mainly of Sn, so that there is no high-temperature solder alloy whose solidus temperature is 260° C. or more. For example, in an Sn—Ag series solder alloy whose solidus temperature (eutectic temperature) is 221° C., as Ag is increased, the liquidus temperature rises but the solidus temperature does not rise. In an Sn—Sb series solder alloy whose solidus temperature is 227° C., if Sb is extremely increased in order to make the solidus temperature higher, the liquidus temperature also becomes higher extremely. Further, it is unable to change such properties even if another element is added to them. Thus, it is conventionally thought that there is no Pb-free solder alloy that does not melt even at 300° C. and is thus usable as a solder.
For that reason, a bonding technology without using a high-temperature solder alloy has been under consideration. What has been considered as the bonding technology without using a high-temperature solder alloy is bonding methods by use of an intermetallic compound having a melting temperature higher than that of the Pb-free solder consisting mainly of Sn. Of these, in particular, a bonding method by means of an intermetallic compound of Ag and Sn (Ag3Sn) is promising in which Ag is used that diffuses quickly into Sn to thereby form the intermetallic compound at a relatively low temperature.
For example, in Patent Document 1, there is described a composite solder that is Pb-free and can be used for high-temperature-side solder bonding in a temperature-hierarchical bonding. In Patent Document 1, the composite solder has a configuration in which a metal net made of Cu is sandwiched and pressure-bonded between two solder foils, and such a fact is shown that when the metal net and the solder foils are thus-stacked and press-formed together, Sn of the solder foils is penetrated into apertures of the metal net, so that an intermetallic compound of Cu and Sn (Cu3Sn, Cu6Sn5) is formed after heating to thereby achieve enhancement in thermal resistance. Further, in Patent Document 1, there is shown that a net of Ag other than Cu is likewise an important candidate, and an Ag3Sn compound that is a high-melting-point intermetallic compound allows a joint connection that doesn't melt even at 280° C. There is also shown that, as another alloy series that is hard and has a low melting point like the above, a Cu—Sn series (for example, Cu6Sn5) can accommodate in a similar manner.
As another instance, in Patent Document 2, there is described a bonding sheet for bonding a chip (semiconductor element) and a die together. The bonding sheet in Patent Document 2 comprises an Ag sheet with shaped grooves or a mesh-like sheet by warp and weft knitting of Ag wires. An Sn plating of a thickness of 0.3-2.0 μm is applied on the surface of the Ag sheet, so that when subjected to pressing and heating, Ag is supplied thereto successively from the Ag sheet as a core due to melting or diffusion at the time of heating. Thus, the bonding sheet in Patent Document 2 is shown as being capable of raising the melting point of a finally formed Ag—Sn layer to 470° C. or more, to thereby provide a highly thermal-resistant bonding portion. Further shown is that the Ag sheet having in-groove spaces is so soft as to absorb thermal distortion, to thereby enhance reliability.

Semiconductor device and method of fabricating same


A method and apparatus for separation of substances using a membrane separation device includes a housing which is mechanically coupled to a substance inlet and a permeate outlet. The housing also supports a membrane filter that includes a tubular structure that is at least partially porous and is constructed in a helical-type shape. The membrane separation device separates substances by receiving a mixture of substances at the substance inlet and passing the substance to the membrane filter. Due to the helical-type shape, centrifugal force aids in the separation process, by mining fouling, and does so in a relatively small space while maximizing the specific membrane area.

Liquid and gas separation processes are well known in the art. Most common separation processes involve a phase change, which increases the cost of the processes. Membrane separations, however, can achieve desired levels of separation without a change in the substances' phase. In essence, membrane separation selectively forces one or more substances through pores of a filter, leaving one or more larger substances behind. This is repeated until a satisfactory level of separation is achieved.
As is also known in the art, a satisfactory level of separation depends on the nature of the substances involved. For example, the purification of water has very strict governmental requirements to insure that public safety hazards are avoided. Industrial wastewaters must meet standards for a host of chemicals and compounds, including heavy metals and organics, before being allowed to enter public sanitary sewer systems.
Because of the increased popularity of membrane separation, there are a plurality of devices currently being used. For example, spiral wound membrane devices, sheet membrane devices, and straight tube membrane devices are all currently being used to achieve membrane separation. A spiral membrane device is constructed using a flat sheet of polymeric membrane, which, together with a mesh-type spacer is rolled around a perforated hollow tube. The liquid, therefore, must pass through several layers of membrane material before entering the perforated tube and exiting the separation device.
While the spiral membrane devices work well for some applications, they do have some limitations, such as susceptibility to fouling and, to a lesser degree, to extremes of temperature and pressure. Fouling is basically the clogging of the membrane over the duration of its use. Although the mesh-type spacer that is utilized reduces fouling, it can not totally eliminate this problem. Further, one method of restoring the integrity of the membrane is to apply a solution with either a high or low pH. This practice, due to its inherent corrosivity, reduces the life of the membrane.
Simliarly, sheet membrane devices work well in some applications, but have limitations, such as low membrane area and time consuming maintenance. Due to the size of these devices, it is difficult to provide the same membrane area as other membrane configurations. For example, a series of large flat sheets consume a larger space than a spiral wound membrane. Further, the cleaning and changing of the system involve disassembly of a large number of components.
Straight tube membrane devices work well in some applications, but have limitations, such as low membrane area and, to a lesser degree, fouling. In this configuration several long straight tubes, often made from ceramic materials, are housed in a large pipe. The materials used can usually withstand wider temperature and pH ranges but their shape and orientation does not allow for a large membrane area. There have been recent innovations which have attempted to increase the membrane area of the ceramic type of this class of devices; using one piece of straight ceramic tube and constructing numerous small "tubes" which run along its length. However, the performance of this configuration is limited by the pronounced fouling resulting from the small size of the "tubes".
Therefore, a need exists for a membrane separation method and apparatus that can withstand extremes in temperature and in pH, reduce the effect of fouling, while minimizing spatial requirements and maximizing specific membrane area.

Method and apparatus of membrane separation


By causing a mask and a wafer to continuously move once or more and irradiating a plurality of small areas contained within a specific range of the mask in time sequence with a charged particle beam during each such continuous movement, the pattern in each small area is selectively projected onto a projection target area contained within a specific range of the wafer. The pattern to be projected onto one projection target area is divided and formed on a plurality of specific small areas contained within a specific range of the mask, and when the reduction ratio of the pattern projected from the mask onto the wafer is at 1/M, the continuous movement speed of the mask is set to be (N.times.M) times the continuous movement speed of the wafer (N being a real number larger than 1) and the charged particle beam to be conducted to the wafer is deflected in the direction of the continuous movement at a speed so that a relative speed of the pattern image which is projected onto the wafer and the wafer itself becomes substantially zero.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a pattern projection method and a projection system employed for lithography and the like in the production of semiconductor integrated circuits and, more specifically, it relates to a method and a system whereby a mask pattern is projected onto a radiation sensitive substrate by using a charged particle beam such as an electron beam, an ion beam or the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
More and more research into electron beam exposure systems, which achieve both higher resolution and higher throughput in lithography, has been conducted in recent years. As an exposure method employed in this type of system, the method whereby projection is performed for one die (corresponding to one of the many integrated circuits formed on one wafer) or for a plurality of dies, has been examined in the prior art.
However, this method causes a number of problems that must be solved, such as the difficulty in producing a mask to be used as an original template for projection and the difficulty in keeping any aberration in the optical system within allowable limits in a large optical field of one die or more. As a solution, the partial projection method, whereby one or a plurality of dies are projected after being partitioned into smaller areas has been examined recently. In this case, pattern projection is performed by deflecting an electron beam by which specific locations on a mask and a radiation sensitive substrate such as wafer or the like are irradiated while continuously moving the mask and the radiation sensitive substrate. It is to be noted that the deflection of the electron beam is performed based upon the mask position and the radiation sensitive substrate position, which are detected by a detector such as a laser interferometer or the like.
With this method, since the irradiation range per shot of the electron beam is small, it is possible to perform pattern projection at a high resolution and with a high degree of accuracy by reducing the aberration in the optical system.
In the partial projection method described above, a mask provided with punched holes in correspondence to the pattern form, i.e., a so-called stencil mask, has been mainly used. However, as shown in FIG. 12, an island pattern, in which a beam limiting area 1 (the area where the charged particle beam is scattered or absorbed) is surrounded by a punched hole 2 for beam transmission, cannot be provided. In order to project such an island pattern, first, the punched hole 2 in FIG. 12 must be divided into two punched holes 2a and 2b, as shown in FIGS. 13A and 13B, and they must be separately formed on separate masks 3a and 3b respectively. Then, when projecting the patterns 2a and 2b of these masks 3a and 3b onto a radiation sensitive substrate such as a wafer, the projection patterns must be patched together on the radiation sensitive substrate to project the punched hole 2. In this case, the throughput is reduced due to switching of the mask 3a and 3b and the resulting activation and stoppage of the projection system.
In addition, in the projection method described above, a problem arises in that blurring occurs in the projection pattern in the following cases.
In the first such case, the ratio of the projection pattern projected onto a wafer and the pattern on a mask, that is the reduction ratio, and the ratio of the moving speed of the wafer stage and the mask stage, i.e., the drive devices for continuously moving the wafer and the mask respectively, do not match each other.
In the second such case, when irradiating a mask with a charged particle beam, the actual irradiation position deviates from the preset position resulting in the image of the pattern projected onto the wafer deviating from a specific position.
In the third such case, due to a delay generated between the time when the positions of the mask and the wafer are detected and the time when the electron beam is deflected, the image of the pattern projected onto the wafer becomes deviated from a specific position.

Pattern projection method with charged particle beam and charged particle beam projection system


A user device may connect to a wireless network despite the user device lacking the correct network credentials to access the wireless network. When the user device is unable to connect to a first network due to an incorrect network credential, the user device may automatically connect to a second network to obtain the correct network credentials associated with the first network. The network credentials associated with the first network may enable the user device to then connect and/or reconnect to the first network.

Wireless communication devices must be manually configured with a Wi-Fi service set identifier (SSID) and password of a Wi-Fi access point (AP) in order to access a network. In the event that the SSID or password is changed for the AP, each wireless communication device accessing the network through the AP must be manually reconfigured to regain access to the network. Manual configuration of wireless communication devices is a tedious task. Wireless communication devices need a way to connect to the AP in a manner that minimizes the impact of changes in SSIDs and/or passwords.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Methods and systems for automatically connecting to a network


The present invention provides certain cationic lipids containing stigmasterol, ergosterol and cholic acid groups. Compounds of the invention are useful, either alone or in combination with other lipid aggregate-forming components (e.g., DOPE, DOSPA, DOTMA or cholesterol) for formulation into liposomes or other lipid aggregates. Such aggregates are cationic, and able to form stable complexes with anionic macromolecules, such as nucleic acids. The cationic lipids of the invention are useful in methods of transfecting cells, particularly to introduce nucleic acids into cells. The invention also related to kits for the preparation of lipid aggregates and to lipid aggregates and compositions for transfection of cells.

Lipid aggregates such as liposomes have been found to be useful as agents for delivery to introduce macromolecules, such as DNA, RNA, protein, and small chemical compounds such as pharmaceuticals, to cells. In particular, lipid aggregates comprising cationic lipid components have been shown to be especially effective for delivering anionic molecules to cells. In part, the effectiveness of cationic lipids is thought to result from enhanced affinity for cells, many of which bear a net negative charge. Also in part, the net positive charge on lipid aggregates comprising a cationic lipid enables the aggregate to bind polyanions, such as nucleic acids. Lipid aggregates containing DNA are known to be effective agents for efficient transfection of target cells.
The structure of various types of lipid aggregates varies, depending on composition and method of forming the aggregate. Such aggregates include liposomes, unilamellar vesicles, multilameller vesicles, micelles and the like, having particle sizes in the nanometer to micrometer range. Methods of making lipid aggregates are by now well-known in the art. The main drawback to use of conventional phospholipid-containing liposomes for delivery is that the material to be delivered must be encapsulated and the liposome composition has a net negative charge which is not attracted to the negatively charged cell surface. By combining cationic lipid compounds with a phospholipid, positively charged vesicles and other types of lipid aggregates can bind DNA, which is negatively charged, can be taken up by target cells, and can transfect target cells. (Felgner, P. L. et al. (1987) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 84:7413-7417; Eppstein, D. et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,897,355.)
Cationic lipids useful for transfection and intracellular delivery of macromolecules generally contain the following four structural elements:

The lipophilic group is a hydrophobic moiety which facilitates the insertion of the cationic amphiphile into the membranes of the cell or liposome. The lipophilic group serves as an anchor for the cationic group (usually ammonium) which is positively charged at neutral Ph, to attach to the surface of the cell or liposome. The spacer arm is typically a hydrophilic, 2 to 15-atom moiety which connects the cationic group to the lipophilic group via the linker bond. The linker bond is either an ether, ester, amide or other hydrolyzable bond.
A well-known cationic lipid disclosed in the prior art is N-[1-(2,3-dioleoyloxy)propyl]-N,N,N-trimethylammonium chloride (DOTMA). The structure of DOTMA is:
DOTMA by itself or in 1:1 combination with dioleoylphosphatidyl-ethanolamine (DOPE) is formulated into liposomes using standard techniques. Felgner, et al. supra demonstrated that such liposomes provided efficient delivery of nucleic acids to some types of cells. A DOTMA:DOPE (1:1) formulation is sold under the trade name LIPOFECTIN (Gibco/BRL: Life Technologies, Inc., Gaithersburg, Md.). Another commercially available cationic lipid is 1,2-bis(oleoyloxy)-3-3-(trimethylammonia) propane (DOTAP), which differs from DOTMA only in that the oleoyl moieties are linked via ester, rather than ether bonds to the propylamine. DOTAP is believed to be more readily degraded by target cells. A related group of prior art compounds differ from DOTMA and DOTAP in that one of the methyl groups of the trimethylammonium group is replaced by a hydroxyethyl group. Compounds of this type are similar to the Rosenthal Inhibitor (RI) of phospholipase A (Rosenthal, A. F. and Geyer, R. P. (1960) J. Biol. Chem. 235:2202-2206) which has stearoyl esters linked to the propylamine core. The dioleoyl analogs of RI are commonly abbreviated as DORI-ether and DORI-ester, depending on the linkage of the fatty acid moieties to the propylamine core. The hydroxy group can be used as a site for further functionalization, for example by esterification to carboxyspermine.
Another class of prior art compounds has been disclosed by Behr et al. (1989) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 86:6982-6986; EPO publication 0 394 111 (Oct. 24, 1990), in which carboxyspermine has been conjugated to two types of lipids. The structures of 5-carboxyspermylglycine dioctadecylamide (DOGS) is:
The structure of dipalmitoylphosphatidylethanolamine 5-carboxy-spermylamide (DPPES) is:

Both DOGS and DPPES have been used to coat plasmids, forming a lipid aggregate complex that provides efficient transfection.
The compounds are claimed to be more efficient and less toxic than DOTMA for transfection of some cell lines. DOGS is available commercially as TRANSFECTAM™ (Promega, Madison, Wis.).
A cationic cholesterol derivative (DC-Chol) has been synthesized and formulated into liposomes in combination with DOPE. (Gao, X. and Huang, L. (1991) Biochim. Biophys. Res. Comm. 179:280-285) The compound's structure is
Liposomes formulated with DC-Chol are said to provide more efficient transfection and lower toxicity than DOTMA-containing liposomes for some cell lines.
Lipopolylysine, formed by conjugating polylysine to DOPE, has been reported to be especially effective for transfection in the presence of serum, a condition likely to be encountered in vivo (Zhou, X. et al. (1991) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 1065:8-14).
Despite advances in the field, a need remains for a variety of improved cationic lipid compounds. In particular, no single cationic lipid to date has been found to work well with all cell types. Since different cell types differ from one another in membrane composition, it is not surprising that different compositions and types of lipid aggregates are effective for different cell types, either for their ability to contact and fuse with target cell membranes, or for aspects of the transfer process itself. Besides content and transfer, other factors are of importance, for example, ability to form lipid aggregates suited to the intended purpose, toxicity to the target cell, stability as a carrier for the compound to be delivered, and ability to function in an in vivo environment. In addition, lipid aggregates can be improved by broadening the range of substances which can be delivered to cells. The cationic lipid compounds of the present invention have improved function with respect to several of the foregoing attributes. Compositions of the invention comprising cationic lipids in combination with viral components or non-viral fusagenic compounds are particularly useful for enhancing the efficiency of transfection and/or the range of delivery capabilities.

Reagents for intracellular delivery of macromolecules


A method of constructing a radio network that enables the user to select an arbitrary radio communication apparatus as a control station and the thus selected radio communication apparatus preferentially constructs the radio network, wherein the radio communication apparatus that is desired to be arranged as a control station is set up so that it has the function of preferentially becoming a control station in advance. In case several radio communication apparatuses are designated as control stations, any of the radio communication apparatuses is selected as a control station based on the number of radio communication apparatuses with which the designated radio communication apparatus can communicate.

Conventionally, there have been proposed a variety of radio network systems in which a plurality of radio terminal stations are connected to each other via radio communication lines.
There is proposed a first-type radio network system, in which a control station has been determined in advance and thus previously determined control station manages communication among respective terminal stations. In this case, the control station works as a semipermanently fixed connection point called as an access point, which manages communication among respective terminal stations included in a radio network. Thus, in general, the configuration of the control station being an access point is different from those of other terminal stations.
There is also proposed a second-type radio network system called the ad hoc type radio network. The ad hoc type radio network is composed of a plurality of communication apparatuses which can communicate with each other. There is no specified access point in the ad hoc type radio network, and each of the communication apparatuses included in the radio network can make a connection with other communication apparatuses freely. Each of the communication apparatuses included in the ad hoc type radio network has the function of working as a control station, and all of the communication apparatuses may have the same configuration.
There is further proposed a third-type radio network system which is composed of a plurality of communication apparatuses, in which any of the plural communication apparatuses is caused to have the function of a control station. For example, any of the communication apparatuses is selected as a control station, and thus selected communication apparatus manages transmission resources.
In the first-type radio network system using a control station settled as an access point, it is difficult to construct a network freely since the access point is located at a semipermanently fixed position. For example, it is difficult for a terminal station which is located far away from the control station to enter into the radio network system since the terminal station cannot receive control signals from the control station. Furthermore, in the first-type radio network system, the configuration of the control station as an access point is different from those of other terminal stations. So, it is impossible to utilize a terminal station, other than the control station, as a control station.
Furthermore, in the first-type radio network system, in case of dividing a radio network into two or more radio networks, it is necessary to properly relocate control stations as access points at respective reconstructed radio networks. Also, it is necessary for respective relocated control stations in respective reconstructed radio networks to redo network management such as registration of newly connected terminal stations. Thus, there is undesirably raised complicated processing.
On the other hand, in the second-type radio network system of the ad hoc type, it is difficult to unitarily manage transmission line resources when respective communication apparatuses perform band reservation transmission since there exists no specified control station. Also, it becomes difficult to unitarily manage temporal resources when respective communication apparatuses perform time-division multiplexing transmission.
On the other hand, in the third-type radio network system using any of plural communication apparatuses as a control station, when a communication apparatus is automatically selected as a control station of the radio network, a communication apparatus, not desired by the user, may be selected as a control station since the communication apparatus is selected by simply comparing processing capability of the respective communication apparatuses. In this case, there is raised a problem that a network desired by the user cannot be constructed freely or an undesirable network which the user does not desire may be constructed.
Furthermore, in case there exist several communication apparatuses each of which can work as a control station in a communication space, there are undesirably constructed plural networks, and a problem is raised that one communication apparatus is included in a first network and another communication apparatus is included in a second network.

Method of constructing radio network radio communication system, and radio communication apparatus


A CE apparatus (9) is a terminal capable of including apparatus authentication information therein with a high degree of safety. A management server (7) encrypts apparatus authentication information and transmits the encrypted apparatus authentication information to a factory (5). A factory worker links a connection means (10) to a connector of the CE apparatus (9). The encrypted apparatus authentication information transmitted by the management server (7) to the factory (5) is supplied to the CE apparatus (9) in a state of being encrypted as it is by way of the connection means (10). The CE apparatus (9) includes an embedded write module for decrypting the encrypted apparatus authentication information and storing the apparatus authentication information in a storage unit. That is to say, the apparatus authentication information supplied by way of the connection means (10) is decrypted by the write module and stored in the storage unit employed in the CE apparatus (9). Since the apparatus authentication information is supplied to the CE apparatus (9) in a state of being encrypted as it is, the apparatus authentication information can be stored therein with a high degree of safety.

In recent years, CE (Consumer Electronics) apparatus have been becoming popular and getting widely used. Examples of the CE apparatus are audio-visual apparatus such as a video deck, a stereo set and a television, household electronic appliances such as a rice cooker and a refrigerator and other electronic apparatus each including an embedded computer for deriving benefit from a service rendered through a network.
Services provided by servers include a service requiring that a CE apparatus be authenticated. For this reason, the CE apparatus includes apparatus authentication information embedded in advance at the factory as information used for authenticating the apparatus.
FIG. 18 is an explanatory diagram referred to in description of the conventional method to include apparatus authentication information in an apparatus. Apparatus authentication information to be included in CE apparatus is managed by a management server 107 of a management center 103.
The management server 107 transmits apparatus authentication information to a factory 105 serving as a factory manufacturing CE apparatus.
Since the apparatus authentication information is secret information that must be handled with strict confidence, the apparatus authentication information is transmitted to the factory 105 by making efforts to prevent the information from being leaked out to others.
At the factory 105, a connection means 110 is linked to a connector of a CE apparatus 109. The connection means 110 is a unit for receiving apparatus authentication information from the management server 107 and supplying the information to the CE apparatus 109.
The connection means 110 has an embedded function to decrypt encrypted apparatus authentication information. Thus, the connection means 110 is capable of decrypting encrypted apparatus authentication information received from the management server 107.
The connection means 110 then supplies the decrypted apparatus authentication information to the CE apparatus 109 to be stored in a storage unit employed in the CE apparatus 109.
As an invention for including apparatus authentication information in a CE apparatus as described above, there have been discovered an electronic-apparatus-manufacture system and an electronic-apparatus-manufacturing method, which are disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-134654.
In accordance with this invention, on the basis of a product serial number written on a barcode label seal pasted on a CE apparatus, apparatus authentication information of the apparatus is read out from a database and included in the apparatus.
By the way, with the conventional method, the connection means 110 decrypts apparatus authentication information. It is thus quite within the bounds of possibility that the apparatus authentication information is leaked out from the connection means 110.
In recent years particularly, there are many cases in which low-cost overseas producers are entrusted with manufacturing of products. It is thus necessary to provide a mechanism for including apparatus authentication information transmitted to the factory 105 in a CE apparatus 109 with a high degree of reliability without leaking out the apparatus authentication information to others.
It is desired to provide a terminal or the like capable of including apparatus authentication information in an apparatus with a high degree of safety.
It is desired to confirm that apparatus authentication information has been included in an apparatus properly in a state of handling the information with strict confidence.

Device authentication information installation system


A protocol chip and a bridge are connected to a first bus, while the bridge and a micro processor (MP) are connected to a second bus. The MP generates parameter information and writes it into a local memory (LM), and issues a write command which includes access destination information to this parameter information to a protocol chip. The bridge pre-fetches the parameter information from the LM using the access destination information within the write command which is transferred to the protocol chip via itself, and when receiving a read command from the protocol chip, transmits the parameter information which has been pre-fetched to the protocol chip via the first bus, without passing the read command through to the MP.

For example, the technique known in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication Heisei 9-231164 is per se known. In this prior art of the publication, a CPU is connected to a high speed bus and a low speed I/O device is connected to a low speed bus, and a bus bridge is connected between the two buses. When the CPU is to read data from the low speed I/O device, it writes the address of the low speed I/O device in which this data is stored to the bus bridge, and the bus bridge reads out the data in the address which has been written from the CPU from the low speed I/O device and stores it. By doing this, the data which the CPU wishes to read is pre-fetched to the bus bridge. The CPU is able to acquire data from the low speed I/O device by reading in the pre-fetched data in the bus bridge from the bus bridge.

Storage system, and storage control method


A thermoplastic resin composition contains from 5 to 98 parts by weight of a styrene resin (A) and/or a vinyl chloride resin (B) and from 95 to 2 parts by weight of a modificed olefin polymer (C) having, per from 2 to 1,000 olefin-derived repeating units, one structural unit containing at least one amido group (a) and at least one reactive group (b) selected from glycidyloxy group and glycidyl group. The composition can be used for producing shaped articles required to have high strength such as interior automotive parts, housings for office appliances, various machine parts, and electrical or electronic parts.

Recently, resin modifications are extensively studied which are based on the technique of alloying two or more polymers having different properties.
For example, known methods for modifying a resin blend comprising a styrene resin or vinyl chloride resin and an olefin resin include alloying the resin blend with an ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer (JP-B-60-36178) and alloying the resin blend with a compound modified with an ethylene-propylene-diene copolymer (EPDM) (JP-A-63-304039 and JP-A-1-165640). (The terms "JP-B" and "JP-A" as used herein mean an "examined Japanese patent publication" and an "unexamined published Japanese patent application", respectively.)
However, there has been a problem that these conventional techniques are able to produce only resins insufficient in mechanical strength such as impact resistance.

Styrene or vinyl chloride resin with glycidyl(oxy)/amido-modified polyolefin


A method for controlling automatically controlling the shifting of a transmission when operating the higher speeds so that a downshift is performed before a directional shift is made. A controller receives a directional signal, a mode signal, a transmission output speed signal. The signals and a shift sequence table is used to shift the transmission when the machine has reached an "on speed" point. The controller will perform a shift after a predetermined time without the machine reaching the "on speed" point.

A control system is usually provided for shifting the transmission of a machine. The control is set to automatically upshift or downshift the transmission at a predetermined machine speed and also performs a directional shift when such a change is required by the operator. One of the problems associated with such an automatic system is that performing a directional shift from a speed range in one direction to a the same speed range in the opposite direction at higher speeds could result in the operator feeling a jerk or jolt and the machine transmission could be damaged.
The present invention is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems as set forth above.

Control for high speed directional shift


A system for operating EUV mask stored in reticle SMIF pod and/or dual pod is provided, wherein the reticle SMIF pod and Dual pod are for storing EUV mask. The system can be a sorter for EUV mask transferred from reticle SMIF pod into dual pod, and vice versa, or an operating system for tools relating to EUV mask, wherein the tools may be EUV lithography, or inspection tool for inspecting EUV mask.

Reticle SMIF pod (RSP) is used for storing mask in a small housing with ultimate clean. However, for storing EUV mask or EUV reticle, requirement of clean is extremely crucial than conventional reticle SMIF pod and dual pod is therefore provided. As shown in FIG. 1, the dual pod 10 includes two pods, in which one is an outer pod 14 compatible to original reticle SMIF pod, and the other one is an inner pod 12 or EUV pod for storing EUV mask. The inner pod 12, just a little larger than the EUV mask, can be placed into the outer pod 14. Although the dual pod is better for storing EUV mask, however, in order to facilitate with dual pod, all equipments in a semiconductor industry will be designed again. That would induce much more cost.
Now, in semiconductor industry, some companies may need dual pod, but some other companies may not need dual pod. For the two kinds of pods, a sorter is used as an interface for operating the two kinds of pods. For example, if a vendor provides an EUV mask stored inside the dual pod while only conventional RSP is available in the manufacture company, or vice versa, the sorter can be used to place the EUV mask from the dual pod into the RSP, or vice versa.
A system 20 for processing mask, such as inspecting the mask or illuminating the mask in lithography process, with sorter is shown in FIG. 2, wherein the system 20 includes a sorter 22, a transfer chamber 32, and a processing chamber 36. The sorter 22, in air condition, includes a dual pod port 24 for loading/unloading the dual pod, a RSP port 26 for loading/unloading the RSP, an opener chamber 28 for opening inner pod of the dual pod, and a chamber that the dual pod port 24, RSP port 26, and opener chamber 28 connecting thereto. Sorter 22 is used for EUV mask transferred from reticle SMIF pod to dual pod or vice versa. If an EUV mask stored in a dual pod and will be transferred into RSP, a solid curve line indicates the EUV mask transferring procedure, or vice versa.
A load/lock 30 connecting to the chamber of the sorter 22 will provide an interface for reticle between the air condition and class 1 vacuum condition, or air condition and class 1 vacuum condition for ebeam inspection. A dash line in FIG. 2 across the load/lock 30 denotes the interface between air and vacuum. A transfer chamber 32, with an opener chamber 34 connecting thereto, connecting to the load/lock 30 for receiving EUV mask or inner pod of the dual pod before the EUV mask enters the processing chamber 36. Transfer chamber 32 is used for transferring EUV mask from reticle SMIF pod or dual pod into processing tool, such as lithography or inspection tool.
For EUV mask stored in reticle SMIF pod, a port for reticle SMIF pod is ready to load, and directly transferred into E-chuck via transfer chamber for litho use. As shown in FIG. 2, for an EUV mask stored inside the RSP, the RSP is loaded to the RSP port 26 and the EUV mask is then took off through the load/lock 30 into the processing chamber 36 directly. Such a procedure can be referred to the dash curve line in FIG. 2.
For EUV mask stored in dual pod, EUV mask is passed into opener chamber in the transfer chamber to open the inner pod. As shown in FIG. 2, for an EUV mask stored in the dual pod, the dual pod will be loaded on the dual port 24 and the inner pod will be loaded through the load/lock 30 to the opener chamber 34 connecting to the transfer chamber 32. Then, the inner pod is opened and the EUV mask inside the inner pod is then took off, and transferred to the processing chamber 36. This procedure can be referred to the dot-dash line in FIG. 2.
EUV mask, in lithography use, always faces down; however, the EUV mask has to be flipped for inspection purpose. Hence, a flipper should be included in the chamber of the sorter 22. Further, the EUV mask has a square outline, and has to be turned by angles. Therefore, a turn table is also included in the chamber of the sorter 22.
Although the system 20 as shown in FIG. 2 provides a good interface for both dual pod and RSP, it occupied too large footprint. Moreover, the system 20 is also too complex that will increase cost for foundry. Therefore, a new system is needed for small footprint with simple mechanism.


New method for Image reproduction and recording is based on mechanical-guiding-apparatus-free operating methods, with flexible operations (hand, robot, vehicle), with the means for positioning, processing and controlling, and having exclusive plurality of uses. The system for image reproduction and recording based on this method includes these common apparatuses: head carrier, sprayer/reader or sprayer/reader array, and computer. Additional apparatuses used in wave-based positioning methods or relative-motion-based positioning methods, include operation-unit (OU) and communication-units (CU's), or operation-module (OM) and motion-detectors (MD), or respectively. The MD and OM provide the information of positioning for computer to determines the relative position and direction of the head array on head carrier. The CU's radiate and receive signal needed for determining distance information. The OU processes and converts the received signal into distance-related data and pass to computer. The computer determines the coordinates of each head in the head array from these data, and sends it back to OU or OM. Then the OU or OM sends the color data and spraying commands to head array, and provides power for head, or sends reading commands to head array for reading color data.

The conventional method for image reproduction and image recording s, such as the methods used in printing devices and scanning devices sold in the electronics store and those described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,968,271, 5,273,059, 5,203,923, 4,839,666, 5,707,689, 6,369,906, 5,642,948, 5,272,543[1-8] etc are based on the track-guided positioning systems. The spraying head or reading (recording) head is driven by electric motors and is limited on a track through the precise mechanical-apparatus for positioning. Therefore, they have limitation in size and service objectives, and they have no flexibility for plurality of applications, such as image on billboards, on the walls, with huge size or on a curved surface, etc. Also the conventional method is mechanical-apparatus based and is complex and costly. Therefore the motivation of this invention is to build the flexible hand-operated, or robot-operated or vehicle carried systems for image reproduction and recording. Due to the flexibility of operation, the image that will be reproduced or will be recorded can be arbitrary large, and can be used for either any flat surface, or any curved surface.

Method for image reproduction and recording with the methods for positioning, processing and controlling


A terry fabric having a plurality of longitudinally oriented ground warp yarns pairs, a plurality of longitudinally oriented pile warp yarns, and a plurality of weft yarns oriented substantially perpendicular to the ground warp yarn pairs. The terry fabric includes a repeated weave sequence comprising first and second interlacing arrangements.

Terry fabrics are manufactured for several different end uses, including as towels, bathrobes, blankets, cleaning products, carpets and the like. Terry fabrics are considered advantageous in view of the fast drying, softness, ability to pick up particles, and ability to absorb moisture.
Terry fabrics typically comprise a woven ground fabric comprising a plurality of substantially parallel ground warp yarns and a plurality of substantially parallel ground weft yarns (or picks)—wherein the plurality of ground weft yarns intersect the plurality of ground warp yarns substantially perpendicularly. Additionally, a plurality of pile warp yarns are interwoven into the ground fabric in a direction substantially parallel to the ground warp yarns—and the pile weave forms a plurality of pile loops or terry loops above and below the woven ground fabric.
Ground warp yarns are interwoven with ground weft yarns at a relatively high tension and forms the base or substrate of the terry fabric. The pile warp yarns are interwoven at a lower tension and are advanced or "let off" from the loom beam at a higher rate than the ground warp yarns. During weaving, a series of adjacent ground weft yarns are subjected to a partial beat-up or "loose beat-up", where the weft yarn(s) may be pushed partially together using a comb (or "reed") or where the fell of the cloth is moved forward to enable a partial beat-up, while the pile warp yarns are permitted to "float" over two or more adjacent ground weft yarns. On an ensuing ground weft yarn (at the conclusion of a weaving repeat), the previously partially beat up ground weft yarns as well as the ensuing ground weft yarn are subjected to a "fast beat up", where all ground weft yarns are pushed fully up to the fell of the woven fabric—resulting in the floating pile threads forming loops that extend away from the ground substrate. A common terry pattern comprises a 3 pick sequence, wherein pile loops are interwoven into the ground fabric in a repeating pattern such that pile loops are formed using (and repeated every) 3 ground weft yarns. Less commonly known are 4, 5, 6 and 7 pick sequences—where interweaving a pile yarn into the ground fabric comprises repeating a pile loop every 4, 5, 6, or 7 ground weft yarns.
FIGS. 1 and 2 respectively provide transverse and perspective views of a terry weave sequence 100 comprising a 3 pick sequence. Terry weave sequence 100 comprises a pair of ground warp yarns 102a and 102b interwoven with a plurality of ground weft yarns in a repeating sequence such that first and second ground weft yarns 104a and 104b are placed within a first shed 106a formed by the pair of ground warp yarns, and a third ground weft yarn 104c is placed within a second shed 106b formed by the pair of ground warp yarns. Said repeating sequence forms a ground fabric on ground substrate terry weave sequence 100 additionally comprises pile yarns 108a and 108b wherein each of said pile yarns are interwoven into the ground substrate in a sequence that repeats every 3 ground weft yarns. The 3 pick sequence can be observed in case of pile loop 110a which is formed over the sequence of ground weft yarns 104a, 104b and 104c, and in case of pile loop 110b which is also formed over the sequence of ground weft yarns 104a, 104b and 104c. It would be understood from FIGS. 1 and 2 that in forming pile loop 110a, pile yarn 108a passes between ground weft yarns 104a and 104b and thereafter forms a pile loop over ground weft yarns 104b and 104c (i.e. on the top surface/face surface of the ground substrate), before the next 3 pick sequence is commenced. Likewise, in forming pile loop 110b, pile yarn 108b passes between ground weft yarns 104a and 104b and thereafter forms a pile loop over ground weft yarns 104b and 104c (i.e. on the bottom surface/back surface of the ground substrate), before the next 3 pick sequence is commenced.
While prior art weave sequences have been widely used in the past, it is desired to increase pick density of terry fabrics beyond the pick densities permitted by prior art weave sequences, as well as to improve pull resistance, absorbency, softness and uniformity of texture of the terry fabrics.

Terry fabric weave and resulting terry fabric


A sandwich structure and method thereof is disclosed for double-sided cooling, EMI noise shielding and current carrying in mini-modules. The proposed structure comprises a top structure and a bottom structure to achieve double-sided cooling. Meanwhile, the top structure is configured to shield EMI noises as well. The proposed structure further comprises a first set of connecting structures for connecting devices of the mini-modules with the top structure and a second set of connecting structure for connecting the top structure with the bottom structure. The connecting structures are capable of carrying current.

A mini-module is a module with small size and low output power. Currently, wire bonding technology is widely used in mini-module packages. One drawback is that due to the relatively long wire connection, the wire resistance is large, causing power loss and low efficiency. This limits the ability to carry high current. Additionally, the bonding wire is thin, and this produces a parasitic inductance, which can cause a resonant ringing during switching. The resonant ringing causes an additional loss in the circuit and generates electromagnetic interference (EMI) noise. Furthermore, wire bonding technology can only dissipate the heat produced by the mini-module from the bottom side, so its cooling capability is limited. As the load current becomes higher, wire bonding technology is not optimum because of power loss and limited heat dissipation ability.
To reduce the EMI noise, most prior-art methods focus on improving the underlying electrical circuitry, which generally makes the circuitry more complicated and increases cost. Further, these prior-art methods often sacrifice the efficiency of the circuitry.

Sandwich structure with double-sided cooling and EMI shielding


An infrared radiation sensor has a bridge portion which bridges a cave portion formed in a sensor substrate. The bridge portion includes an infrared radiation receiving portion and support portions for supporting the infrared radiation receiving portion. The plane shape of the infrared radiation receiving portion is a square or a circle which has a greater side length or a greater diameter than the width of the supporting portions to increase the amount of infrared radiation received by the infrared receiving portion.

1. Field of The Invention
The present invention relates generally to an infrared radiation sensor for measuring the temperature of a subject, such as a tympanic membrane, without contact therewith. More specifically, the invention relates to an infrared radiation sensor having a bridge structure on which a thermally sensitive portion is formed.
2. Description of The Background Art
In thermal type infrared radiation sensors, the temperature of a substance is measured on the basis of the temperature increase of a thermally sensitive portion which is heated by infrared radiation radiated from the substance. Various technologies for making the sensors compact and highly-sensitive have been proposed. In particular, when the temperature of a substance is substantially equal to or less than room temperature, the amount of infrared radiation received by the sensor is very small. Therefore, it is necessary to decrease the heat capacity of the sensor and to prevent the energy of the received infrared radiation from being scattered and lost as much as possible.
In recent years, various infrared radiation sensors reduced in size to decrease their heat capacity and having a bridge structure to prevent heat from being scattered and lost due to conduction of heat, have been proposed (JP-A 57-178149, 62-277528 and JP-A 3-136379). These sensors are designed to decrease heat capacity by compacting using semiconductor fine patterning or micromachining, and they have a thermally sensitive portion on a bridge structure which does not make contact with a substrate in order to prevent heat from being scattered and lost due to conduction of heat.
The infrared radiation sensors disclosed in JP-A 57-178149 and JP-A 62-277528 are obtained by forming on a silicon substrate or a metallic substrate an insulating film of a laminated film consisting of a silicon oxide film (SiOx) and a silicon nitride film (SiNy), transcribing a pattern of a bridge portion on the insulating film by a photolithographic technique, forming and patterning a predetermined wiring and thermally sensitive portion on the insulating film which has not been etched, and selectively etching a part of the substrate to form a caved portion. These methods are referred to as "anisotropic etching" or "isotropic etching" in accordance with a manner for selectively etching a part of the substrate.
The infrared radiation sensor disclosed in JP-A 3-136379 is obtained by accurately forming a caved portion which is to be arranged below a bridge portion, on a substrate at a predetermined region prior to the formation of the bridge portion; filling in the caved portion with a metallic film which serves as a sacrificial layer for forming the bridge portion, to make the surface of the substrate even; forming on the whole even surface an insulating film of laminated film of a silicon oxide film and a silicon nitride film, or an insulating film of an organic material; forming a pattern of a bridge on the insulating film by photolithography and etching; patterning metallic wirings and a thermally sensitive portion; and selectively etching only the sacrificed layer.
However, since these conventional infrared radiation sensors are provided to improve the yield of t he formation of a bridge portion, the dimensional accuracy thereof, the uniformity of thermal characteristics of each sensor element and the accuracy of temperature measurement, they are not designed to increase the amount of received infrared radiation to improve the sensitivity of the sensor.
For that reason, these infrared radiation sensors can not achieve fully high-sensitive measurement of temperature since the shape of the bridge portion is not designed to be optimized in view of the amount of received infrared radiation energy and the amount of energy lost due to heat conduction of the bridge portion in order to increase the temperature increase of the thermally sensitive portion on the bridge portion.


A cosmetic applicator includes a container for containing a product to be dispensed and a tip threadably retained on the container. The tip includes an application surface including a thermal member and an opening in the application surface in fluid communication with the container through which the product is dispensed. A cosmetic applicator includes a container containing a product to be dispensed, a dispensing tip disposed on the container having a tip application surface, and a cap selectively engageable with at least one of the container and the dispensing tip to selectively cover the tip application surface. The tip application surface is configured to contact a user's skin to apply the product to be dispensed and an opening in the application surface through which the product to be dispensed is dispensed from the reservoir. The cap includes a cap application surface configured to contact a user's skin to apply the product to be dispensed. At least one of the dispensing tip or the cap includes a thermal member.

Devices for dispensing cosmetics and medicinal products are known. One conventional configuration includes an outer tubular shell or housing having a reservoir containing a product and an applicator tip disposed on a distal end of the shell or housing. In the medical industry, applicators are used for applying products such as ointments to portions of the body. In the cosmetic and personal care industries, applicators may be used to apply lipstick, lip balm, creams, and lotions to portions of a user's body.
In many cases, the medicinal and cosmetic products include skincare substances, such as aloe or lanolin, that provide a healing or therapeutic effect to heal damaged skin or that maintain healthy skin. In addition, these products may include therapeutic substances, such as topical anesthetics, analgesics, fragrances, or menthol.
Conventional application of conventional products to the skin is sufficient in many instances, but in other instances it also is desirable to provide a thermal treatment to the skin contemporaneously with application of the product. For example, it may be desirable to apply a cooling or heating sensation via the applicator. In some instances, it may be desirable to have the applicator provide either a heating or cooling sensation, which may offset or enhance a thermal sensation from the product or be completely independent of the product.

Dispenser with threaded tip/dispenser with removable cap


An embodiment of a system includes a power source and at least two electrode assembles. The power source that an output current that alternates between a maximum current value and a minimum current value; a pair of electrode assemblies. Each electrode assembly is configured to be held in contact with a skin layer of a user. Additionally, each electrode assembly includes an electrode that is coupled to the power source to receive the output current from the power source. At least one of the electrode assemblies in the pair includes a medium that carries an active agent having a charge, the medium being provided on the at least one electrode assembly to enable the output current to repel the active agent into the skin layer for a duration in which the output current has a polarity that is the same as a polarity of the active agent.

Iontophoresis is a non-invasive method of propelling high concentrations of a charged substance, known as the active agent, transdermally by repulsive electromotive force using a small electrical charge. This method has been used for the transdermal delivery of various compounds including therapeutic agents. Traditionally, direct current has been used to provide the driving current for iontophoresis. However there are a number of short comings associated with the use of direct current including limitations on the total amount of current that can be delivered over time without causing injury to the skin, as well as the build up of capacitive charge in the skin layer which can oppose the electromotive driving forces thus reducing the rate and total amount of compound delivered over time. Also direct current can cause a local anesthetic effect to the skin resulting in burns and other thermal damage to the skin because the user doesn't feel the injury to the skin occurring at the time. Thus there is need for improved methods for delivering various therapeutic agents using transdermal iontophoresis.

Iontophoretic system for transdermal delivery of active agents for therapeutic and medicinal purposes


Fly Balls repel files because flies are frightened and confused by the multiple thousands of reflective images they see whenever they are in a Fly Balls' no flies zone. A combination of a flies 4,000 eyes; faceted bead(s) reflections; and multiple water molecule reflections create a visual reflective predator threat to a fly.

Generic flies are a world-wide annoyance that are generally attracted to human food among other sources of heat, moisture and areas prone to quick development of bacteria. Flies land on and come into contact with a wide range of decaying organic substances either in search of food or a place to lay their eggs and the fly can easily transfer bacteria or disease on those substances to the next landing place. Thus, the spread of bacteria or disease from flies coming into contact with human food or human surroundings is a major health concern. Other annoyances and concerns are: the sound of the buzzing of the flies' wings, landing on the skin or hair, and visual distraction of the flies' flight.

Reflective fly repellent ball device of bead facets and multiple water molecules that repel flies


A diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) delivery system includes a tank for DEF, usually a urea aqueous solution, and a pump receiving the DEF from the tank for pressurization and delivery through a nozzle to the exhaust system of a work machine. A breather assembly is provided for the DEF tank and includes a housing having an inlet for ambient air and a particle filter adjacent the inlet for filtering particles. A hydrophobic membrane is interposed between the particle filter and an outlet leading to the tank for preventing outflow of DEF vapor and condensate.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) delivery systems, and, more particularly, to breather assemblies for such systems.
2. Description of the Related Art
As the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations covering combustion engine emissions are applied to ever more applications, the agricultural art and more broadly work machines are being required to comply with the EPA emissions limits already applied to on-highway vehicle applications. Many approaches have been proposed, but a cost-effective one is utilizing diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) injected into the exhaust stream of a diesel engine and providing a chemical reaction with the exhaust stream to enable a downstream SCR to produce appropriate reductions in nitrous oxide emissions.
One of the keys to this approach is the DEF delivery system. Current systems include a tank for the DEF, a pressure pump and a nozzle for injecting the DEF into the diesel exhaust system. Typical systems incorporate a control system for coordinating the injection of DEF with appropriate engine duty cycles so that the proper chemical reactions may take place. The DEF is typically a urea-aqueous solution that, while nonflammable, poses several application challenges.
The tanks for the DEF are rigid and as a result must include a breather assembly to permit ingress of air as the DEF is depleted from the tank. While this approach has been relatively straightforward for on-highway applications, the use in a work machine such as an agricultural combine presents unique problems. These problems are associated with the ambient air which has significant particulate contaminants of both a microscopic and macroscopic size. Existing systems may utilize hydrophobic membranes on the breather assembly to prevent outflow of the DEF vapors and condensate. However, such a system does not take into account the particulates that may be drawn into the breather assembly and clog the hydrophobic membrane. Such a restriction can cause the interior pressure of the DEF tank to be lowered to a point where proper delivery of the DEF to the exhaust flow is inhibited.
Likewise, breather assemblies that use a particulate filter permit DEF vapors and condensate to permeate the filter, thus causing crystal buildup and eventual clogging.
What is needed in the art, therefore, is a system for breather assemblies that operates efficiently and effectively in the work machine environment.

Diesel exhaust fluid tank breather assembly


A position detection method employed in a position detection system for detecting the position of a terminal of a radio communication system is provided which determines propagation times of a signal between the terminal and a plurality of access points located around the terminal by the principle of trilateration, thus permitting reduction in position detection time. The invention comprises means for determining a movement velocity of the terminal from a temporal history of positional information about the terminal obtained by position detection with the trilateration, means for grouping the terminals with low relative velocities based on the terminal movement velocities, a control database including the terminal position information, the terminal movement velocities, and the group information as components, and means for determining a detection cycle of the terminal of interest for position detection using the control database. A representative terminal of the terminals grouped is subjected to a position detection procedure by sending a transmit signal for the position detection, while the terminal other than the representative terminal of the group has its position estimated by its relative velocity, thereby permitting reduction in the position detection time per terminal.

A conventional position detection method typically involves measuring a position of an object using signals transmitted from a satellite, such as a GPS.
Another known position detection method involves receiving signals transmitted from a plurality of access points at a terminal, and calculating the position of the terminal from differences in times of reception of the signals.
More specifically, a method for detecting the position of a mobile terminal in a cellular phone system has been proposed which includes calculating the differences in the reception times of signals transmitted from the access points to the mobile terminal (e.g. differences in propagation times of the signals from the respective access points to the mobile terminal T1−T2 and T3−T2), and multiplying the propagation time differences by light velocity to calculate differences in propagation distances of the signals from the mobile terminal to the respective access points, thereby determining the position of the terminal, in the following manner (see patent document 1).D1−D2=c(T1−T2)D3−D2=c(T3−T2)
Another method for detecting a position of a node in a wireless LAN system has been proposed which includes calculating differences in reception times of a signal (differences between the reception times at the respective access points Ti−Tl), which has been transmitted from the node (terminal) and received at the access points, and multiplying the reception time differences by light velocity to calculate differences between propagation distances of the signal from the node to the respective access points ({[P−Pi]−[P−Pl]}=c (Ti−Tl), i=2, . . . , n), thereby detecting or determining the position of the node, in the following manner (see patent document 2).    [Patent document 1] JP-A No. 181242/1995    [Patent document 2] JP-A No. 101254/2004

Position detection method, position detection system, and position detection server equipment


A flexible container (80) includes a reservoir part (82) that reserves a liquid and a discharge passage part (81) that communicates with the reservoir part (82) to take out the liquid. A discharge pump includes a plurality of roller parts (50) that press the discharge passage part (81) and an endless transfer mechanism unit (60) that has the plurality of roller parts (50) attached at a predetermined interval and causes the roller parts (50) to go around. The endless transfer mechanism unit (60) has an arrangement including a straight-line portion in which the roller parts (50) linearly move, in a path of the go-around movement. An attachment interval of the plurality of roller parts (50) is set to such an interval that before a certain roller part (50) going around reaches a position where the certain roller part (50) does not press the discharge passage part (81), a subsequent roller part (50) is able to reach a position where the subsequent roller part (50) presses the discharge passage part (81). Each of the roller parts (50) linearly moves sequentially in a discharge direction of the liquid with respect to the discharge passage part (81) while pressing the discharge passage part (81).

As a conventional beverage supply device of a cup dispenser type, which provides a liquid beverage such as coffee or juice by pouring the liquid beverage into a container such as a paper cup, it is common to adopt a so-called bag-in-box (BIB) system. In the BIB system, a raw material liquid (concentrated liquid) of a beverage is filled and sealed in a bag-shaped container (bag) formed of a deformable material such as a soft synthetic resin. This container is stored in a paper-made box such as a cardboard box to make it possible to handle the container together with the box. The raw material liquid is supplied by a proper amount from the container in the box attached to a supply device. When all of the raw material liquid is taken out from the container, the container is exchanged together with the box.
In such a beverage supply device, when a raw material liquid containing water and nutrients comes in contact with a component itself of the device, there is a possibility that germs or the like may propagate and it may reach a state of being unsanitary. Therefore, in many cases, a sterile container with a thin tube making elastic deformation as a passage for taking out a liquid is used and a tube pump capable of pumping the liquid in the tube in a non-contact manner with the outside air is adopted.
In this case, the conventional beverage supply device has a plurality of tube pumps installed, for each type of containers filled with raw material liquids, below a storage space that stores a box containing the containers. Under these tube pumps, drinking containers such as paper cups are placed. Then, the box containing the containers is stored in the storage space of the beverage supply device, and tubes integrally provided in the containers are respectively drawn out from the bottom of the box and attached to the respective tube pumps, and each tip of the tubes is put into a state of being positioned above the drinking containers.
In use, the beverage supply device operates, when receiving a command to supply a designated beverage by a user's operation, a corresponding tube pump to discharge a proper amount of raw material liquid through the tube to a drinking container positioned therebelow. At the same time, such a mechanism is made that a proper amount of water, carbonated water or the like for diluting the raw material liquid is separately supplied and discharged into the drinking container to provide a beverage diluted at a predetermined ratio.
In particular, with regard to a configuration for discharging a liquid, Patent Literature 1 discloses an example of a technique for discharging a liquid in a tube using a caterpillar pump. The technique disclosed in Patent Literature 1 is such that: a plurality of rotation rollers 8 are mounted on an endless transfer member 12 to be moved around on an orbit including a linear portion, causing the rotation rollers 8 to move linearly while pressing the side of a discharge tube 3; an openable and closeable guide 17 for holding the discharge tube 3 with the rotation rollers 8 is provided on one side opposed to the rotation rollers 8 to make the rotation rollers 8 press the discharge tube 3; the rotation rollers 8 are made to run approximately in parallel to the guide 17 in a state where the discharge tube 3 is pressed, by a guide part 19 provided opposed to the linear orbit portion of the transfer member 12; and holding recesses are formed in the rotation rollers 8 to restrict the movement of the discharge tube 3 in an axial direction of the rotation roller 8.


There are described photographic elements containing novel release compounds which release a blocked photographically useful group, such as a blocked development inhibitor. The blocking group is removed during processing as a result of reaction with sulfite ion contained in one of the processing baths.

Images are formed in silver halide color photographic materials by reaction between oxidized silver halide developing agent and a dye forming compound known as a coupler. It has become common practice to modify the photographic properties of the image, such as sharpness, granularity, contrast and color reproduction, by the use of an image modifying compound commonly referred to as a development inhibitor releasing (DIR) compound. Such materials were first described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,148,062 and 3,227,554.
More recently, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,248,962; 4,409,323; 4,684,604; 5,034,311; and 5,055,385; and European Patent Application 0 167 168 have described release compounds from which a development inhibitor, or another photographically useful group, is released from an intervening group, called a timing group, after that group is released from the carrier portion of the compound. The use of a timing group provides a way to separate the release function from the carrier function and permits these separate functions to be separately designed into the compound.
In addition to development inhibitors, other photographically useful groups may desirably be released during photographic processing. Such groups include development accelerators, bleach accelerators, bleach inhibitors, complexing agents, toners, stabilizers, etc. Photographically useful groups typically are released during the development step in an imagewise manner. On occasion, depending upon the particular photographically useful group and the purpose it is to serve, it may be desired to release the group, in its active form, at a stage in the processing of the photographic element other than the development step, or in a uniform manner, or both.
A problem with the known release compounds is that the known timing groups are required to have high enough electron density to release the photographically useful group through either an intramolecular nucleophilic reaction or via an intramolecular electron migration. This requirement limits the choice of carrier groups to those whose pKa's are low enough to compensate for the high electron density of the timing group.
It would be desirable to provide release compounds which allow independent choice both of the photographically useful group and of the carrier group from which it is released. In addition it is desirable to have the release of the photographically useful group occur only when the timing group has been released from the carrier. Likewise, it is desirable to have the release of the photographically useful group not require an additional oxidation step.

Photographic elements containing sulfite releasable release compounds


A method for referencing a polyphase stepper motor by monitoring the current step response in at least one driven phase is presented. The coil current step response is compared to past step responses in order to determine when an increase in or maximum load is present. A combination of step to step variance, step response variance from mean current magnitude, and average current magnitude variance, as well as other measures can be combined to create an algorithm output. The output is compared to a pre-determined threshold and if the value is greater than the threshold, the motor is commanded to halt its position, which remains magnetically synchronous. This position is then used as a reference point to zero, or to home the motor.

There are many applications in which stepper motors need to be referenced to a fixed position such as a zero point or home position. These include instrumentation gauges used in automotive clusters, steppers used in medical equipment and positioning steppers used in industrial controls.
Stepper motors are typically run in an open loop position mode, where there is no position feedback from the motor shaft, the system output shaft or otherwise to determine the position of the motor. A stepper motor in this configuration is assumed to be magnetically synchronous at all times. Thus, the motor position is determined by the number of commanded pulses or commanded electrical angle movements. The simple and low cost operation of the stepper motor without position feedback is ideal for many applications such as automotive instrument cluster gauges, medical or scientific measurement systems, computer peripherals such as hard disk drives and printers and many industrial applications.
Since steppers are mostly run in an open position loop, a reference point is required to determine the initial start position of the motor. This position is determined by a mechanical hard stop, a proximity sensor or other equivalent sensor. In systems that do not use a sensor, the reference position is created by methods that may compromise the accuracy of the system. For instance, the motor is continuously run into a hard stop for a fixed time period to guarantee its position near the hard stop. This method suffers from several problems. First, there is time lost to guarantee that the motor has reached the hard stop. This is because the command must be at least equal to the entire length of travel for the stepper motor. Second, there is no guarantee that the motor has rested correctly at the hard stop.
Another method for homing a stepper motor monitors the back-EMF in a non-driven phase of the motor to detect a stall condition. This method is disadvantageous because it waits for the motor to lose synchronism. Depending on the motor and gearing system, the motors rotor could kick back or become unstable at this point. Thus it might incur a position error. This back-EMF detection method could stop the motor before it loses synchronism. However, this sensing depends on a flexible plastic gearing system and a very sensitive threshold value, which is not immune to noise. In a method using a simple fixed threshold, a transient noise spike could cause a false detection point. For small motors with low back-EMF constants, stall detection requires being able to detect tens of millivolts. This requires a high signal to noise ratio in the measurement system.
Homing of a stepper motor is significant to normal operation. For instance, a speedometer must present the correct speed, where the pointer is referenced to a marking on the instruments display. An industrial labeler must place a label at the correct location. Position errors, homing sequence time and system cost and complexity of required sensors could be alleviated by an accurate and robust method for stepper referencing.

Method for stepper motor position referencing


An apparatus for setting a circular component into a close fitting circular opening consists of an elongate body having a longitudinal axis. One end of the body engages a circular component adjacent a circumference of the circular component, such that the circular component is centred upon and maintained transverse to the longitudinal axis and is supported evenly around the circumference. An anvil is centered on the longitudinal axis at an opposed end of the body. A blow delivered to the anvil passes along the longitudinal axis causing a setting force to be exerted evenly upon the circumference of the circular component.

It is difficult to set a circular component into a close fitting circular opening as, unless care is taken to exert pressure evenly, the circular component will bind in the opening. The present invention was developed primarily for use in the automotive field. There are many applications in the automotive field in which circular components must be fit into a close fitting circular opening. Examples of such applications are the setting of axle caps, the setting of seals with circular housings and the setting of bearings. With seals and bearings great care must be exhibited as they can be damaged by excessive force. If the circular housing of a seal is damaged it will leak. If the race of a bearing is damaged, there will not be free movement of the bearings. With axle caps, the concern is not so much that of damaging the axle caps but of the time it takes to correctly set them. Axle caps have a radially projecting circumferential rim. Installation is presently effected by carefully tapping along the circumference of the rim to gradually work the axle cap into the opening.

Apparatus for setting a circular component into a close fitting circular opening


Closing module for an optical arrangement, in particular for an objective for microlithography, comprising an optically active closing element (3) having a first axis (3.1) and a holding device (2) that fixes the closing element (3) at least in the direction of the first axis (3.1), the holding device (2) being configured for radial clamping of the closing element (3).

The present invention relates to a closing module for an optical arrangement. The invention can be used in connection with the microlithography utilised in the manufacture of microelectronic circuits. It therefore also concerns a lens barrel which is suitable, in particular, for use in a microlithography device, and a microlithography device including such a lens barrel.
Lens barrels composed of a plurality of modules are used in a large number of optical applications, in particular in the field of microlithography mentioned above. The individual modules include, as a rule, one or more optical elements such as lenses, etc. The end of such a lens barrel in the direction of its optical axis is generally formed by a closing module having an appropriate optical closing element. Such a closing module may serve the purpose, among others, of sealing the interior of the lens barrel from the environment.
In particular in the field of microlithography it is necessary to position the optical elements used in the lens barrel, for example, the lenses, with the greatest possible spatial precision with respect to one another, in order to achieve appropriately high imaging quality. The high demands for accuracy are not least a result of the constant need to increase the resolution of the optical systems used in the manufacture of microelectronic circuits to drive forward the miniaturisation of the microelectronic circuits to be manufactured.
With increased resolution there are increasing demands not only for the positional accuracy of the optical elements used, but also for the accuracy of the optical elements themselves. The latter must be maintained as fully as possible in the installed state throughout operation. It is especially necessary to keep the optical element as free of stress as possible during operation to avoid imaging errors caused by deformation of the optical element. In addition, there is a need in this context to achieve the most favourable possible dynamic behaviour of the optical system used, with the highest possible resonant frequencies.
For the optical elements, i.e. the lenses, etc., inside the lens barrel a number of measures for achieving a mounting as stress-free as possible are known. For example, a comparatively complex and expensive mounting for such a lens inside the lens barrel is known from U.S. patent application Ser. No. 2002/1063741 A1. Patent DE 101 39 805 C1 and patent application EP 1 094 348 A2 also disclose variants for the mounting of lenses inside the lens barrel.
However, the above-mentioned closing elements present a problem in this context. They are in general mounted in a sealed manner in a corresponding mount, together with which they form the closing module. The closing elements, which are often plane-parallel plates, are often adhesively bonded to the mount. This type of fixing has the disadvantage, firstly, that it is not free of stress, so that deformations of the closing element which impair the imaging quality of the system can occur. Secondly—even with closing elements originally mounted in an almost stress-free manner—such undesired deformation can occur as a result of the unavoidable thermal expansion of the system in operation. Finally, subsequent adjustment of the closing element is, in particular, extremely difficult.
It is therefore the object of the present invention to make available a closing module of the type mentioned initially which does not have the above-mentioned disadvantages or at least has them to a lesser degree, and, in particular, makes possible a reliable mounting of the closing element which is precise and free of stress in operation.


A paperless recorder for recording pressure and alarm condition data from a fire controller for a fire pump control system. The fire pump is connected a pipe network which has a pressure sensor for sensing pipe pressure. The recorder is connected to the pressure sensor and checks for pressure changes. When a pressure change is detected, it is stored in an electronic memory. Pressure readings are also periodically stored in the electronic memory. The recorder may also monitor alarm voltages and alarm contacts which may also be stored in the electronic memory. The stored data may be transmitted to a computer via modem or port connection for further analysis.

Fire control systems typically have one or more diesel or electrical fire pumps to boost the water pressure to sprinkler heads attached to the system. Under normal operation, the sprinkler heads do not let water flow and thus the water is under a constant pressure. When a sprinkler head opens, the water pressure in the sprinkler system drops and trips a pressure sensor in a fire pump controller which in turn starts the fire pump so water may be delivered to the sprinkler or sprinklers to extinguish the fire.
The fire pump controller is thus connected to the fire pump to constantly monitor the pressure of the sprinkler system as well as possible alarm conditions from the system. Both during a fire and otherwise, the loss of water pressure and subsequent system pressure readings tell a great deal about the operation of the fire sprinkler system. In fact the monitoring of this data is required by the National Standard For Fire Pumps, NFPA20, which requires a pressure recorder on fire control systems. In the aftermath of the fire, the output recorder is used for evaluating system performance as well as loss analysis. Also, in order to maintain the reliability of the fire control system as well as provide warnings of possible deleterious conditions, the fire pump controller must be able to record pressure and alarm conditions during normal stand-by service. Furthermore, such records must be permanently kept for purposes of safety analysis.
In present systems, a paper recorder is connected to the fire pump controller. Present paper recorders have a plotting pen for recording alarm conditions and pressure data on a paper chart. The paper charts used in pressure recorders require weekly replacement. These recorders also require replacement of ink cartridges. Most recorders require the winding of a seven day chart drive spring movement. Additionally, the seven day charts are typically six inches in diameter which make them difficult to read. Data is typically lost due to a lack of chart replacement, running out of ink, or neglecting to wind the clock movement. Also, the recording may be unreliable as the plotting pens often blur or smudge the record when wide variations of recorded values occur in a relatively short period of time.
Another present method of recording pressure involves periodically printing numeric values on adding machine paper (typically once a minute). This rate is too often during stand-by and far too infrequently during a fire. This method requires paper replacement and also has some of the same problems as the recorder described above.
Finally, present recorders must be located in close proximity to the controller, making analysis and monitoring of fire control systems from remote locations difficult. Often, the paper charts or rolls are lost and with them the system's historical data, making analysis and evaluation impossible.
Thus, a need exists for a paperless recorder to provide a reliable and permanent record of pressure and alarm conditions from fire pump controllers. Further a need exists to provide a recorder which is capable of transmitting data for analysis to a remote location.


A microwave combustion system is presented that can replace the conventional spark plug in an internal combustion engine. One or more microwave pulses are provided to a microwave feed in a plug that sits in the cylinder. A microwave generated plasma generated by the plug in the vicinity of a fuel mixture can provide for highly efficient combustion of the fuel-air mixture.

In internal combustion engines, both the efficiency and pollution characteristics of the engine are highly dependent on the efficient combustion of the fuel-air mixture in the cylinders. Inefficient combustion results in loss of power (i.e., efficiency) and greater pollution due to incomplete fuel usage.
In conventional gas engines, the fuel-air mixture is ignited by a spark plug that provides a spark to the mixture when a high voltage (i.e. 10-30 kV) is applied across a spark gap of a spark plug. The application of the high voltage is timed for when the cylinder volume (and therefore the fuel-air mixture) is close to as low a volume as possible, i.e., close to Top-Dead-Center (TDC) or just before or after TDC. In that characteristic location, the fuel-air mixture is compressed as much as possible and the spark from the spark gap can ignite a flame that propagates through the volume of the cylinder. As is well known, multiple cylinder engines operate by timing the combustion of a fuel-air mixture in each cylinder appropriately.
In a conventional diesel engine, the fuel-air mixture is ignited by compression of the mixture in the cylinder to reach a flash point. Glow-plugs or other devices may be utilized to assist combustion, at least until the engine is warm enough that the fuel ignites at or near the end of the compression stroke alone.
Utilization of RF or microwave energy to enhance combustion has been proposed. (See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 3,934,566 to Ward). In the proposal of Ward, a continuous wave (CW) of RF or microwave energy can be supplied through a spark plug or glow plug while ignition of the fuel-air mixture is accomplished conventionally, i.e. by applying a high voltage across a spark-plug gap or by compressing the fuel-air mixture to its ignition point. Such a system is highly complicated as it requires both a microwave system and a conventional high-voltage delivery system to the spark plug.
Therefore, there is further need for systems that enhance the combustion of a fuel-air mixture in an internal combustion engine.

Microwave combustion system for internal combustion engines