Electric connecting device for electrically controlled, so called pilot valves (21-25) connected to a corresponding number of valves (1-5) in a modular valve array. Each pilot valve has equally placed contact pins (26,27,28), which are connected to a common, flexible connecting cable (29) with a plurality of conductors (29) over an electric connecting module (30). Each connecting module (30) is constituted by a coupling plate (32) provided with on the one hand contact sockets (33,34,35) for connection to said contact pins (26,27,28) of the respective pilot valve, and on the other hand a multipolar contact means (37), which is connectable to a corresponding cable contact means (38), which is connected to conductors of the common connecting cable (29). The coupling plate (32) is provided with an array of preferably controllable electrical connections (36) for the desired connection between said multipolar cable contact means (37) and said contact sockets (33,34,35).

The present invention discloses generally an electric connecting device for electrically controlled fluid valves, and more specifically pilot valves connected to a corresponding number of main valves in a modular valve array. Each pilot valve has equally placed contact pins, normally three contact pins, which are to be connected to an inter-connecting cable with a plurality of conductors via an electric connecting module. By "a corresponding number" is meant either that each main valve (in particular a pneumatic, directional valve) has a single pilot valve or that at least two pilot valves are mounted on each main valve for controlling the function thereof.
In a known connecting device of a similar kind, the connecting modules are contained in a special plug-in-unit, which is mechanically fixed to the main valves and contains electrical connections, which are connected to the contact pins of the pilot valves in a predetermined manner. Thus, a plug-in-unit of this kind must be adapted to the dimensions of a particular valve array and the number of valves therein.

Electric connecting device for pilot valves in a valve array


Described are compounds of Formula I or Formula II: wherein: ring A is a 5- or 6-membered heteroaryl group; dashed lines are optional double bonds; X is N or O; Y is a carbon atom or an S or N heteroatom in ring A in any suitable location; and substituents are as given herein. Compositions containing the same and methods of using the same in treating cancers such as acute lymphoblastic leukemia are also described.

Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) is the most common malignancy in children and common varieties are cured by chemotherapy in 75%-85% of the cases. Collectively the less common T cell and rare B cell subsets represent less than 2000 cases yearly and thus can be classified as a rare disease; these subsets have a poorer prognosis. Unfortunately with either subset, resistance to and relapse from therapy is a major cause of pediatric cancer death. In addition, ALL chemotherapies can cause late complications that are increasingly recognized in pediatric survivor populations. In fact, in pediatric cancer survivors, the incidence of severe late effects (neurocognitive sequelae, auditory complications, cardiovascular dysfunction, gastrointestinal/hepatic dysfunction, growth delay, secondary malignancies, and infertility) directly related to therapy is approximately 25%. A better understanding of therapeutic resistance and its reversal could not only help those who relapse but may help lower the dose of chemotherapy needed in ALL patients thus reducing long-term toxicity for future survivors.

Pyrimidine compounds for the treatment of cancer

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill


A method of operating a bonding machine for bonding semiconductor elements is provided. The method includes the steps of: (a) measuring a time based z-axis height measurement characteristic of a bond head assembly during a model bonding process; (b) determining a z-axis adjustment profile for a subsequent bonding process based on the measured time based z-axis height measurement characteristic; and (c) adjusting a z-axis position of the bond head assembly with a z-axis motion system during the subsequent bonding process using the z-axis adjustment profile.

In certain aspects of the semiconductor packaging industry, semiconductor elements are bonded to bonding locations. For example, in conventional die attach (also known as die bonding) applications, a semiconductor die is bonded to a bonding location of a substrate (e.g., a leadframe, another die in stacked die applications, a spacer, etc.). In advanced packaging applications, semiconductor elements (e.g., bare semiconductor die, packaged semiconductor die, etc.) are bonded to bonding locations of a substrate (e.g., a leadframe, a PCB, a carrier, a semiconductor wafer, a BGA substrate, etc.), with conductive structures (e.g., conductive bumps, contact pads, solder bumps, conductive pillars, copper pillars, etc.) providing electrical interconnection between the semiconductor element and the bonding location.
In many applications (e.g., thermocompression bonding of semiconductor elements), solder material is included in the conductive structures. In many such processes, heat is applied to the semiconductor element being bonded (e.g., through a heater in a bond head assembly carrying the bonding tool). Heat may also be applied to the substrate (configured to receive the semiconductor element) through a support structure. Through the cyclical application of heat (e.g., through the heater in the bond head assembly), and through changes to the system based on time, expansion and retraction of elements of the bond head assembly may lead to an undesirable result.
Thus, it would be desirable to provide improved methods for operating bonding machines for bonding semiconductor elements.

Methods of operating bonding machines for bonding semiconductor elements, and bonding machines


A multiple disc type engaging device which includes a rotatable member having a cylindrical outer surface and a hub with a cylindrical barrel portion coaxially arranged with respect to the cylindrical outer surface. The cylindrical barrel portion has at one end an annular flange which is bent radially inwardly toward the cylindrical outer surface. An outer surface of the cylindrical barrel portion is formed with a plurality of axially extending splines. Annular discs are coaxially disposed about the cylindrical barrel portion and have toothed inner ends axially movably engaged with the splines. A leading end portion of the annular flange is bent back into the interior of the barrel portion and secured to the cylindrical outer surface.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to multiple disc type engaging devices, such as multiple disc clutches, multiple disc brakes and the like, installed in an automatic transmission.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In order to clarify the task of the present invention, one conventional multiple disc type engaging device will be described, which is shown in "SERVICE MANUAL" volume 599 issued May, 1988 from NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
The device is a forward clutch of multiple disc type, which is partially shown in FIG. 3 of the accompanying drawings.
The forward clutch comprises a hub 01 which is constructed to have a cylindrical barrel portion 02. The barrel portion 02 has at its one end an annular flange 03 bent radially inwardly. An outer surface of the barrel portion 02 is formed with a plurality of axially extending splines 05 with which annular drive discs 04 are meshed. For this meshed engagement, each annular drive disc has a plurality of teeth. The annular flange 03 has a leading end portion 06 bent axially outwardly with respect to the barrel portion 02 and secured to an outer race 08 of a forward one-way clutch 07.
In order to increase the torque transmitting capacity of the forward clutch, the number of discs 04 is increased. Thus, in this case, the length of the barrel portion 02 should be increased. However, elongation of such barrel portion 02 is substantially impossible because of a limited space for the hub 01 in the transmission housing. Furthermore, if the length of the barrel portion 02 is increased, the axially extending part 06 of the annular flange 03 becomes short in length. This means a lowering of the connecting force with which the hub 01 is coupled with the outer race 08.


An embodiment described in examples herein provides a leak resistant cooking pan. The leak resistant cooking pan includes a body and a lid. The lid includes a grooved rim sized to fit over a top edge of a sidewall of the body, wherein the grooved rim includes a heat resistant elastomer, and wherein the heat resistant elastomer forms a seal between the lid and the body.

Transporting cooked foods is often difficult due to the likelihood of spilling hot food during movement. Disposable aluminum pans are available that have lids that can be placed on the edges of the pan, with an overlapping aluminum section that can fold over the lid. However, the seal of the aluminum pans is often poor, leading to spills, for example, when single pans are transported without a rack. Further, the flexibility of the aluminum pans increase the risk of spillage during cooking.


Technologies and implementations for Doppler frequency shift compensation are generally disclosed.

Unless otherwise indicated herein, the approaches described in this section are not prior art to the claims in this application and are not admitted to be prior art by inclusion in this section.
Communications between a moving vehicle and fixed terrestrial infrastructure may be subject to signal deterioration caused by Doppler frequency shifts. Conventional compensation techniques may require updated position and orientation information processed using complex geometries to determine Doppler frequency shift compensation.

Doppler frequency shift compensation for wireless communication


Embodiments of the present application provide a character recognition method and device. The method includes obtaining a target image to be analyzed which contains a character (S101); inputting the target image into a pre-trained deep neural network to determine a feature map corresponding to a character region of the target image (S102); and performing character recognition on the feature map corresponding to the character region by the deep neural network to obtain the character contained in the target image (S103). The deep neural network is obtained by training with sample images, a result of labeling character regions in the sample images, and characters contained in the sample images. The method can improve the accuracy of character recognition.

With the development of image processing technologies, more and more information can be obtained from images. For example, such as the license plate number of a vehicle or a building sign in a monitoring image can be obtained by recognizing the image; or the tracking number of a delivery can be obtained by identifying the order for the delivery.
In an existing character recognition method, generally a character region in an image is detected according to artificially designed features. The character region is then segmented to obtain character blocks for each character. The character block is recognized by means of a classifier to obtain the characters in the image.
However, in the above method, detecting the character region in the image and segmenting the character region are performed based on the artificially designed features. In practice, qualities of images may vary greatly depending on different scenarios, different shooting conditions, or the like. The artificially designed features are not well adapted to images of various qualities. This results in low accuracy of character region detection and character region segmentation, and further leads to low accuracy of character recognition.

Character identification method and device

HANGZHOU HIKVISION DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.


In one embodiment, a processing apparatus includes a plasma chamber configured to house a plasma comprising first ions and second ions. The apparatus may further include a resonance RF power supply to generate a drive signal that is coupled to the plasma chamber, the drive signal having a drive frequency. The apparatus may also include a magnet assembly to generate a magnetic field in the plasma chamber, wherein the magnet assembly is configured to generate a first magnetic field strength that imparts a first cyclotron frequency for the first ions that matches the drive frequency of the drive signal, wherein the first magnetic field strength imparts a second cyclotron frequency for the second ions that does not match the drive frequency of the drive signal, and wherein the first ions are selectively driven into a chamber wall of the plasma chamber.

Ion implantation for treating a substrate is often performed using a beamline ion implanter, which may include various components to shape an ion beam and control ion beam energy and species. In order to control purity of species to be implanted into a substrate mass resolution may be performed by components that provide magnetic or electrostatic deflection in order to filter out ions of an unwanted species. However, beamline ion implanters occupy a large footprint that imparts a relatively large cost for treatment of ions using a beamline ion implanter.
Alternatives to beamline ion implanters include more compact apparatus such as plasma doping (PLAD) apparatus or plasma immersion apparatus, in which a plasma chamber or arc chamber from which ions are directed to a substrate is placed adjacent a substrate chamber or forms the substrate processing chamber itself. Such apparatus provide the advantage of a smaller footprint and have fewer optical components than a conventional beamline ion implanter.
However, in this type of apparatus and other PLAD type apparatus the throw distance through which ions travel from plasma to substrate may be on the order of millimeters or a few centimeters. Accordingly, it may not be practical to introduce components to perform mass resolution of ions produced by the plasma before the ions impact the substrate. Thus, in these compact apparatus substrates are treated with ions that are not mass analyzed and may therefore include unwanted ion species. Accordingly, in present day plasma or ion beam processing technology a tradeoff exists between purity of ions in an ion beam as afforded by a beamline ion implanter and compactness, among other factors, which is afforded by apparatus in which the plasma or arc chamber is adjacent the substrate chamber.
It is with respect to these and other considerations that the present improvements have been needed.

Apparatus and method for mass analyzed ion beam

Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.


In a plasma processing apparatus using electrostatic chuck, increase of plasma potential is prevented and abnormal discharge is avoided. The plasma processing apparatus comprises an RF source for generating plasma in a vacuum container, another RF source for applying an RF bias power to a sample, a sample stage having an electrostatic chuck electrode, a DC power supply for applying an electrostatic chuck voltage to the electrode, and a controller for shifting the electrostatic chuck voltage to negative by a potential difference of quarter to half of peak-to-peak voltage of the RF bias power for suppressing increase of plasma potential.

1. Field of the invention
The invention relates to a plasma processing method and plasma processing apparatus for a sample, the method and apparatus being suitable to suppressing damage, due to increase of plasma potential, to the inner wall of a vacuum process container of a semiconductor surface processing apparatus utilizing plasma such as a plasma etching apparatus.
2. Description of the related art
A method of holding an object with electrostatic action is used, in particular, to transfer a wafer in a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, and to fix a wafer during various processes. As compared to mechanical holding methods using clamps or the like, the method using electrostatic force, known as electrostatic chuck, has more advantages such as being free from wafer contamination due to contact and easy to control wafer temperature because the wafer is attached with the entire surface of its rear side. In this way, electrostatic chuck has many advantages as a method of holding a wafer. For this reason, it is widely used for wafer processing electrodes in dry etcher, CVD or other apparatus. In general, electrostatic chuck systems include the monopole configuration that typically provides a single electrode subjected to a chuck voltage, and the dipole configuration that provides two or more electrodes subjected to chuck voltages with generally different polarities.
In the conventional art described above, a processing apparatus for plasma etching a semiconductor wafer, for example, has the following problems. As processed devices continue to shrink in recent years, there arises the need to eliminate as much of trace heavy metals contaminated in the processing plasma as possible. In this respect, surface insulating material such as high-purity quartz, alumina ceramics, or surface anodized aluminum is widely used instead of conventional conductive material such as SUS. More specifically, the inner wall surface of the process container exposed to plasma is typically covered with insulating material having high plasma resistance, which allows plasma in the process container to be nearly floating with respect to direct current. In this environment, for the purpose of electrostatic chuck, a positive chuck voltage, for example, is applied to the electrode for mounting a semiconductor wafer, and plasma is generated for processing the semiconductor wafer. Minute DC leak current then flows into the plasma (electrons flow out of the plasma) via a dielectric coating on the electrode surface and the semiconductor wafer, and consequently charges up the plasma to a higher positive potential.
Various factors are relevant to the value of the leak current. It is known that the leak current significantly depends on the potential difference between the potential of the wafer surface (negatively charged by injection of electrons from the plasma) and the potential on the output side of the electrostatic chuck power supply. When the positive charge up of the plasma is advanced by the leak current and the plasma potential exceeds a certain level, dielectric breakdown of the insulator layer on the inner wall surface of the process container may cause spark-like abnormal discharge, for example, on a portion of the inner wall surface of the process container, particularly on the surface of anodized aluminum material. Such abnormal discharge may affect the discharge stability of plasma. In addition, metal particles scattered by the abnormal discharge may lead to the increase of device defects and metal contamination of the semiconductor wafer.
The foregoing phenomenon is an example where a positive chuck voltage is applied in the monopole configuration. On the other hand, in the dipole configuration, two electrically isolated electrodes, for example, are subjected to voltages of different polarities (e.g., +500 V and −500 V), respectively, for electrostatic chuck action. As with the monopole configuration, leak current occurs from the positive voltage electrode to the plasma. In the same manner as in the monopole configuration, the wafer surface is negatively charged by electrons supplied from the plasma. The value of leak current flowing from the plasma to the negative electrode via the dielectric layer is smaller than that flowing from the positive electrode to the plasma. This advances charge up of the plasma to a higher positive potential and increases the plasma potential, which eventually leads to dielectric breakdown of the insulator layer on the inner wall surface of the chamber.

Plasma processing method and plasma processing apparatus


The present invention provides novel monocyte activating cytokine (MAC) and a polynucleotide encoding MAC. The invention also provides for genetically engineered expression vectors and host cells comprising the nucleic acid sequence encoding MAC. The invention also provides for the production and use of substantially purified MAC in pharmaceutical compositions for the treatment of cancer and disease of the immune system. The invention also describes diagnostic assays which utilize the polynucleotide to hybridize with the transcripts encoding MAC and antibodies which specifically bind to MAC.

Cytokines are active in cell proliferation, differentiation and movement. At picomolar to nanomolar concentrations, they effect such activities as leukocyte migration and function, hematopoietic cell numbers, temperature regulation, acute response to infections, tissue remodeling and cell survival. Since cytokines are produced in groups and in patterns characteristic of a particular stimulus or disease, studies using antibodies or other drugs to modify the activity of a particular cytokine are beginning to elucidate the roles of individual cytokines in pathology and physiology.
Endothelial-monocyte activating polypeptide II (EMAP-II) was first identified by Kao J et al (1994 J Biol Chem 269:25106-25119) in the supernatant of murine methylcholanthrene A-induced fibrosarcomas (METH A) where it functions to activate host cells. The full length cDNA which Kao et al cloned has 1086 bp and three ATG codons. Using Kozak's rules, Kao et al selected the second ATG, at position 64, as the most probable start codon and predicted that translation would produce a polypeptide of 310 amino acids and 34 kDa.
The mature EMAP-II is a unique, leaderless, single chain polypeptide with a predicted molecular mass of 20 kDa which most likely results from processing of the larger polypeptide. Using a fragment of the murine cDNA as a probe, Kao et al identified a human cDNA from a monocyte library with 86% identity. Both the designated start codon and the upstream ATG are conserved in the human cDNA.
The processing of the mature murine and human EMAP-II proteins appears to be conserved and shared among several other processed cytokines including interleukin-8 (IL-8), IL-1.beta., and in von Willebrand antigen II. IL-1.beta., which is approximately the same size as EMAP-II, also lacks a classic signal peptide and must be cleaved by the cysteine protease IL-1.beta.-converting enzyme at a conserved aspartate residue in the P-1 position to yield the secreted, biologically active 17-kDa form. Both murine and human forms of EMAP-II display an aspartate in the P-1 position. Processing of EMAP-II in this manner would produce a 18 kDa polypeptide with 165 amino acids.
Kao et al (supra) reported that EMAP-II promotes thrombohemorrhage and increases the vascular permeability of tumors. Purified, recombinant mature EMAP-II activates endothelial cells (ECs) and results in elevation of cytosolic free calcium concentration, release of von Willebrand factor, induction of tissue factor, and expression of the adhesion molecules, E-selectin and P-selectin. Neutrophils (PMNs) exposed to EMAP-II also demonstrate elevated cytosolic free calcium concentration as well as myeloperoxidase generation and chemotactic mobility. EMAP-II also activates mononuclear phagocytes (MPs) by inducing expression of tumor necrosis factor-.alpha. (TNF), increasing MP tissue factor activity, stimulating chemotaxis, moderately inducing elaboration of IL-8 and slightly elevating cytosolic free calcium concentration. In addition, preliminary evidence indicates that MPs produce EMAP-II when treated with LPS which suggests that EMAP-II plays a role in endotoxin-mediated host responses and the proinflammatory cytokine cascade.
Mice given a systemic infusion of 10 .mu.g EMAP-II derived from Meth A tumors developed the following: 1) systemic toxicity, including lethargy, decreased food/water intake, and ruffled body hair; 2) pulmonary congestion, including labored, rapid respiration and arrest of circulating leukocytes and other inflammatory cells in the pulmonary vasculature with concurrent increase of myeloperoxidase activity; and 3) the appearance of TNF.alpha., interleukin-1 and- 6 in the plasma. In another study, Kao et al found that a single intra-tumor injection of EMAP-II into Meth A sarcomas induced acute thrombohemorrhage in 67% of the animals, infiltration of tumor with PMNs, and partial tumor regression. Although local injection of EMAP-II alone into a TNF-resistant murine mammary carcinoma had no effect, when injection of EMAP-II was followed 15 h later by systemic administration of TNF, the tumor regressed following acute inflammatory infiltration by PMNs and thrombohemorrhage. In pilot studies, Kao et al found that a similar priming effect occurred when the tumor bed of B16 melanomas and human fibrosarcomas was treated with EMAP-II.
Kao et al (1994 J Biol Chem 269: 9774-82) further suggest that the amino terminus of cytokines may have a role in chemoattractant activity and the mobilization of intracellular calcium. For instance, mutagenesis of amino acids in the NH.sub.2 -terminus of IL-8 rendered the molecule incapable of mobilizing calcium in neutrophils and lowered its ability to compete with native IL-8 for neutrophil IL-8 receptors. Kao J et al created a synthetic oligopeptide comprising 15 residues from the N-terminal region of EMAP-II. This peptide induced directional migration and elevation of cytosolic free calcium concentration in MPs and PMNs and stimulated peroxidase release in PMNs. In addition, oligopeptide-albumin conjugates injected into the mouse footpad elicited infiltration of inflammatory cells. In contrast, a peptide from the C-terminus of EMAP-II had no effect.
In binding assays, the NH.sub.2 -terminal oligopeptide bound specifically to MPs. Binding of I.sub.125 -labeled oligopeptide was saturable and blockable using either unlabeled EMAP-II derived peptides or intact EMAP-II. However, other peptides such as IL-1, TNF, and formyl-methionyl-leucinyl-phenylalanine had no blocking effect. When cross-linked to human MPs, I.sub.125 -EMAP-II derived peptide demonstrated a band, approximately 73 kDa, on reduced sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis supporting the existence of a specific receptor. In addition, specific binding of the derived peptide to human PMNs and murine RAW cells was demonstrated.
Cytokines could satisfy a need in the art by providing new ways to treat cancers. The systemic infusion of cytokines appears to destroy specific cell types in the vasculature of B16 melanomas and fibrosarcomas. This destruction results in diminished blood flow, increased permeability to host effector cells and increased thrombohemorrhage. Utilization of the response to cytokine infusion is of particular therapeutic interest and has great value in the treatment of those cancers which are resistant to conventional treatments.

DNA encoding a monocyte activating cytokine


A snow diverter mechanism for deflecting snow being thrown by a snow plow, away from such objects as driveways, fire hydrants and mail boxes. The snow diverter is positioned inside the concave curve of and a predefined distance from the curved side edge of the snow plow blade to avoid snagging the snow diverter mechanism on a curb or other obstacles.

A long standing problem in snowy areas reoccurs when a snow plow throws plowed snow objects such as the end of driveways, in front of mailboxes and on top of fire hydrants. Most attempts to solve this problem involve a snow diverter of various designs attached to the edge of a snow plow blade. One problem with most of these designs is that if any portion of the diverter protrudes from the locus of the moving snow plow blade, it may snag on a curb or other obstruction. For example see patents U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,249,992, 6,681,505, 7,481,011, 7,681,337, 7,730,644, 7,493,710, 7,100,311 or US patent application 2005-0246926. Some other designs involve a diverter paddle that swings down to divert the plowed snow. While this design should not snag (unless mounted on the side of the blade), the cantilevered paddle in the up position like a flag pole will cause problematic vibration forces on the structure (see U.S. Pat. No. 8,051,587). Some of these designs also require a complex mechanism that increases the risk of mechanical problems. Plowing strategies that eliminate a snow diverter and attempt to manually change the plow blade angle for every object encountered require increased skills and attention resulting in added time and cost to the plowing process.


Electromagnetic noise absorbing material and filter, which are small, light, and effective even with respect to unwanted electromagnetic waves of a few hundred MHz or more, are provided. A small and flexible electromagnetic noise filter cable and tape-shaped electromagnetic noise filter, as well as a manufacturing method and manufacturing apparatus therefor, are also provided. The electromagnetic noise absorbing material has a thickness or particle diameter of the alloy magnetic substance which is within a range of from 1/10 to 10 times the skin depth thereof, and thereby, a large eddy current loss can be generated, so that it is possible to manufacture electromagnetic noise filters having various shapes, which are small, light, and which realize a large electromagnetic noise suppression effect as a result of eddy current loss, and these possess a large relative magnetic permeability even at levels of a few hundred MHz or more. According to the thin film manufacturing method and apparatus, it is possible to easily manufacture an electromagnetic noise absorbing material having small hysteresis, possessing a hard axis of uni-axial magnetic anisotropy, which is superior in high-frequency response, and has a large electromagnetic noise suppression effect.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electromagnetic noise absorbing material and an electromagnetic noise filter, and to a manufacturing apparatus and method for a tape-shaped electromagnetic noise absorbing material.
2. Background Art
Recently, in concert with the spread of high-speed digital devices, the phenomenon in which unwanted electromagnetic waves generated by such devices cause interference with other devices (the electromagnetic compatibility problem, known as the EMC problem) has become a new environmental problem. For example, unwanted electromagnetic waves within a range of 30-1000 MHz generated when common mode noise current is placed on cables of a digital communication apparatus causes interference with respect to televisions and the like, and this is seen as a problem.
Conventionally, electromagnetic noise filters were employed which used magnetic substances as electromagnetic noise absorbing materials.
The relative magnetic permeability .mu..sub.r (f) of a magnetic substance is obtained by the following formula. EQU .mu..sub.r (f)=.mu..sub.r '(f)-j..mu..sub.r "(f) (1)
Here, .mu..sup.r ' represents the effective relative magnetic permeability, .mu..sub.r " corresponds to the loss, j equals (-1).sup.1/2, and f represents the frequency.
Elect romagnetic noise filters employing magnetic substances make use of electromagnetic noise suppression effects resulting from the loss of the magnetic substance; it is necessary that the impedance and resistance with respect to electromagnetic noise be large. Accordingly, it is necessary that .vertline..mu..sub.r .vertline., the absolute value of .mu..sub.r, and .mu..sub.r " be large, and that .mu..sub.r " be greater than .mu..sub.r ', in such electromagneti c noise absorbing m aterials.
Frequency characteristics of a representative relative magnetic permeability (.mu..sub.r '(0)=1500) in ferrite magnetic substances, which were conventionally used as electromagnetic noise absorbing materials, are shown in FIG. 37 (Junnosuke Kamitoono: "Denji Kankyoti Kougaku Jyouhou", page 152, Jun. 30, 1992, Special Issue, Mimatsu Data Systems). Between the relative magnetic permeability .mu..sub.r '(0) of the ferrite magnetic substance and the upper limit frequency f.sub.c (f.sub.c is defined as the frequency at which .mu..sub.r " exhibits a peak), the following limit law holds: EQU .mu..sub.r '(0).times.f.sub.c =5.6 GHz (2);
in ferrite, this is due to the use of magnetic resonance loss as magnetic loss (Soushin Chikazumi: "Jiseitai no Butsuri (second half)", page 325, Shokabou, Mar. 20, 1984). The dotted line in FIG. 37 indicates the limit line of Formula (2). This indicates that in Formula (2), in the case in which the frequency characteristics of the ferrite magnetic substance are set so that .mu..sub.r " becomes larger within a specified frequency band, the values of .vertline..mu..sub.r .vertline. and .mu..sub.r " are uniquely determined. The frequency characteristics of the relative magnetic permeability in a Mn--Zn ferrite, comprising a representative ferrite magnetic substance, are shown in FIG. 38. The condition .mu..sub.r ">.mu..sub.r ' is met at a level of a few MHz or more; however, the absolute value of .mu..sub.r is only this small value. In this case, in order to increase the electromagnetic noise absorbing effect, there is no other method than to increase the volume, and accordingly, it is necessary to use large amounts of the electromagnetic noise absorbing material, and this creates a problem in that the product size becomes large.
Furthermore, as shown in FIGS. 37 and 38, the relative magnetic permeability of the ferrite magnetic substance has an extremely small value in the high frequency band, so that the effects as an electromagnetic noise absorbing material decrease drastically at a level of a few hundred MHz or more. That is to say, there are defects in that the electromagnetic noise suppression effect is small with conventional electromagnetic noise absorbing materials, and the electromagnetic noise suppression effect declines dramatically at levels of a few hundred MHz or more.
Examples of the conventional electromagnetic noise filter employing the electromagnetic noise absorbing material (ferrite magnetic substance) described above include the ferrite core 901 shown in FIG. 39, which was conventionally employed. The size thereof is such that, for example, d=10 mm, t=4 mm, and 1=30 mm. As shown in FIG. 40, this is installed on a cable 902. The electromagnetic noise filter must have a large impedance and resistance, and a level within a range of from a few tens to 100 .OMEGA. at 30-1000 SHz is necessary. The frequency characteristics of the impedance (Z=R+j.multidot.X) in the ferrite core are shown in FIG. 41. Here, Z indicates the impedance, R indicates the resistance, x indicates reactance, and j indicates (-1).sup.1/2. At 30-1000 MHz, Z and R have values within a range of from a few tens to 200 .OMEGA., and thus meet the above conditions; however, the ferrite core has a large volume and weight in comparison with other electrical parts, and when this is loaded, the flexibility of the cable is lost. Furthermore, the impedance is reduced at levels of a few hundred MHz or more, so that such an electromagnetic noise filter is not effective with respect to electromagnetic noise of a few hundred MHz or more.
Another example of an electromagnetic noise filter employing a conventional electromagnetic noise absorbing material (ferrite magnetic substance) is the ferrite bead shown in FIG. 42. For example, the size thereof is such that r=0.65 mm, tm=1.1 mm, and 1=5.0 mm, and .mu..sub.r '(0)=1500. The electrical circuits and the conductor of the cable are passed through the interior of this cylinder. The frequency characteristics of the impedance in this case are shown in FIG. 43 (Junnosuke Kamitoono: "Denji Kankyou Kougaku Jyouhou", page 152, Jun. 30, 1992, Special Issue, Mimatsu Data Systems).
A value of a few tens of .OMEGA. is exhibited at 30-1000 MHz; however, in the electrical circuitry, in comparison with other electrical parts, the sizes of the parts are quite large. In this way, the conventional electromagnetic noise filters (ferrite cores, ferrite beads) possess problems in that the part size was large, the flexibility of the cable was lost, and such electromagnetic noise filters were ineffective with respect to electromagnetic noise at a level of a few hundred MHz or more.
Furthermore, FIG. 44 shows a conventional cable (for example, having a diameter of 10 mm and 24 wires); for example, cables are passed through the interior of the cylinders of the ferrite cores. In the Figure, reference numeral 903 indicates a conductor, reference numeral 904 indicates an insulator, reference numeral 905 indicates a shield material, and reference numeral 906 indicates an insulator. Conventional cables do not possess an electromagnetic noise suppression function, and furthermore, as a result of the combination of a conventional cable and an electromagnetic noise filter (ferrite core), the volume and weight of the part become large, and the flexibility of the cable is lost.
FIG. 45 shows a thin film manufacturing apparatus which was conventionally used for manufacturing a metal magnetic tape for magnetic recording media. This apparatus comprises raw material source 907, feed bobbin 908, winding bobbin 909, guide axles 910, and cylindrical can 911. A non-magnetic insulator tape substrate 912 is sent from feed bobbin 908 to winding bobbin 909, along guide axles 910 and cylindrical can 911, and a magnetic film is deposited on the non-magnetic insulator tape substrate 912 in a vacuum. Magnetic recording media do not require that uni-axial magnetic anisotropy within the film surface of, in particular, the magnetic film, be present, so that during the deposition of the magnetic film, an external magnetic field was not applied in a direction within the film surface of the magnetic film. Furthermore, for this reason, the thin film manufacturing apparatus was not provided with a mechanism for applying an external magnetic field in a direction within the film surface of the magnetic film, during the deposition of the magnetic film.

Electromagnetic noise absorbing material and electromagnetic noise filter

Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation


An object of the invention is to provide a method for manufacturing an optical display panel. The method includes a feeding step including feeding an optical cell with a thickness of 0.2 mm to 1.0 mm by means of a feed roller unit arranged perpendicular to a direction in which the optical cell is fed; a bonding step including feeding a long carrier film from a continuous roll and bonding a sheet piece of the optical film to a lower surface of the optical cell with the pressure-sensitive adhesive interposed therebetween, wherein the lower surface is on a side in contact with the feed roller unit; and a rotation step including rotating the optical cell by 90° with respect to the direction in which the optical cell is fed which is bonded in the bonding step.

A known process for manufacturing an optical display panel includes unwinding a long carrier film from a continuous roll of a laminate including the long carrier film and a polarizing film placed thereon; peeling off the polarizing film from the carrier film; and bonding the polarizing film to each of first and second cell surfaces of an optical cell (see Patent Document 1). In such a manufacturing process, a large number of cylindrical feed rollers (feed rollers) are arranged so as to rotate along the optical cell feed direction and used to feed the optical cell and the optical cell with the polarizing film bonded thereto (the optical display panel). When such feed rollers are used to feed the optical cell, the contact area between the feed rollers and the optical cell surface can be kept small. On the other hand, when feeding means based on surface contact, such as a belt conveyor is used, dust or dirt deposited on the conveyor side can transfer to the bonded surface of an optical cell to cause a display failure. This is one reason why feed rollers should be used.
It is also proposed that a polarizing film should be bonded first to the surface of an optical cell on the side in contact with feed rollers so that the period in which the optical cell surface is directly in contact with the feed rollers can be shortened (see Patent Document 2).

Optical display panel production method and optical display panel production system


Described herein is a clip arrangement for use in processing apparatus which have at least one continuous leader belt running therethrough for driving photographic material to be processed through the apparatus, the clip arrangement connecting the material to the leader belt. The clip arrangement comprises an adhesive element which secures the material to the belt.

In large processing machines, one or more continuous leader belts are provided for transporting the photographic material to be processed, for example, photographic paper, along a processing path through the machine. These leader belts are located to one side of the processing path so as not to interfere with the movement of the photographic material along the processing path. The leading end of the paper or other photographic material to be processed is attached to the moving leader belt by means of a metal clip. The clip is attached to the belt, as it is moving, so that it is transported therewith, the paper or photographic material having been already threaded through the clip.
When the clip is attached to the leader belt, it grips the belt so that it is held in a bowed or buckled configuration. This means that the belt is always deformed in regions where it is gripped by clips. Moreover, it may be difficult to grasp the moving belt so that the clip can be attached.
Furthermore, with the recent trend to reduce the amount of processing solution used when processing photographic material, large processing machines, of the type described above, have been adapted to operate with lower volumes of processing solution. In order to obtain the lower volumes, the width of the processing tanks in such machines need to be substantially reduced so that the material passes through a narrow processing channel which defines the processing path. This means that there is less clearance for the clip carrying the material to pass along the processing path as it is taken through the machine by the leader belt. As a result, the clip can come off the belt and/or jam in the narrow processing channel. The material being processed may also tear as result of the clip detaching itself from the belt or jamming in the processing channel.
When these problems occur, the machine has to be stopped so that the clip and/or material can be recovered from the machine. This results in lost processing time, particularly if the machine is a multi-strand machine capable of processing several strands of material at one time. Moreover, components in the machine may need to be removed therefrom so that access to the clip and paper can be obtained, many of the components being heavy and difficult to lift.
Furthermore, clips as known in the art cause damage to the leader belt if they are not attached correctly or if they become dislodged from an optimum position on the belt.


A lens barrier module including a substrate in which an opening is defined, sectors opening the opening when picking up an image and closing the opening when not picking up the image, and a motor provided at the substrate and driving the sectors.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to lens barrier modules to be downsized, and more particularly, to a lens barrier module located at a front face of a lens body tube so as to protect an image pickup lens.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, there have been cameras with the lens barrier function to protect the lens from dust or the like entering from the outside. Generally, the lens barrier is integrally formed at a front face side of a lens body tube, and protects the lens in the lens body tube, for example, by closing sectors (blades) swingably provided. For instance, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 3-186828 discloses a shutter apparatus having a lens barrier, and proposes a technique of driving the sectors for the shutter or lens and driving the lens barrier by means of one actuator. The lens barrier of the shutter apparatus has a configuration in which the lens barrier is moved through a pinion, gear, cam, and actuating lever.
The shutter apparatus of Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 3-186828, however, the drive motor of the sectors for shutter or the lens is also used for driving the lens barrier. For this reason, the drive mechanism such as a motor or the like extends long in the lens body tube from the proximity of the location of the sectors for the shutter to the lens barrier mechanism at an end of the lens body tube. Also, the shutter apparatus is provided with a switch mechanism switching the drive motor of the sectors for shutter or the lens and the barrier drive. This causes the drawbacks in that the structure of the lens body tube including the lens barrier function is complicated, and the size thereof is increased. Also, the lens barrier mechanism is integrally incorporated into the chassis and cannot used for another lens body tube, lacking in versatility.
In addition, the lens barrier of the shutter apparatus is opened or closed through the cam and the operation lever, thereby making it difficult to hold the barrier (sectors) at a closed or open position stably. Accordingly, in order to prevent and unstable movement of the sectors, there may be separately provided a stopper mechanism that retains the operation lever or the sectors at a stop position. However, such separately provided stopper mechanism will further lead to drawbacks in that the lens barrier mechanism is complicated and the size thereof is increased.

Lens barrier module and image pickup apparatus having the same


A fault of an operating system (OS) is observed, and in addition to application program (AP) fault monitoring, check-point information is preserved without adding dedicated hardware. In a computer having a multi-OS environment, an AP fault monitor and a monitored AP operate on a first OS. A fault monitor operates on a second OS. Each of the first OS and the AP fault monitor transmits an alive message to the fault monitor by utilizing an inter-OS communication function of a multi-OS controller. The fault monitor monitors the alive message of each of the first OS and the AP fault monitor. The monitored AP also transmits an alive message to the AP fault monitor for monitoring. The monitored AP preserves check-point information in a region of a memory. In the region of the memory, information is preserved by a fault and restart of the first OS as well.

The present invention relates to a fault monitoring method for computer, and in particular to a fault monitoring method of an operating system (OS) and an application program (AP).
In general, an AP encounters a fault for several reasons and stops. Main causes are defects included in the AP itself and faults of an OS on which the AP is mounted. As for such an AP that its operation needs to be continued, the following method has been adopted. A fault is monitored. If a fault has been detected, then the operation of the AP is resumed from a state in which it was before the occurrence of the fault, and thereby recovery of the AP from the fault is attempted.
As one of fault monitoring methods for AP and OS, there is a method called watchdog. "Fault Tolerant Computer" written by Takashi NANYA, published by OHM-SHA says "The watchdog timer is a different process which is independent of a monitored process. The monitored process is so designed that a timer is reset at intervals of a fixed time (for example, in the range of several microseconds to several minutes) during the execution of the monitored process. If the timer is not reset until the time is up, some fault is considered to have occurred in the monitored process."
In the case where a fault of an AP is monitored, an AP fault monitor having a watchdog receives a periodical alive message from the AP. If the alive message stops for a predetermined time, the AP fault monitor judges an AP fault to have occurred and restarts the AP. In the case where a fault of an OS is monitored, an OS fault monitor having a watchdog receives a periodical alive message from the OS. If the alive message disappears for a predetermined time, the OS fault monitor judges an OS fault to have occurred and restarts the OS.
Furthermore, for recovery of an AP from a fault, a technique called check-point is used. In the check-point technique, execution information of the AP is acquired from the monitored AP periodically and reserved, When a fault has occurred, the reserved execution information is taken out, and processing of the AP is resumed from a check-point.
As for an AP fault monitor using software, the AP fault monitor operates on the same OS as the monitored AP. In some cases, therefore, the AP fault monitor using software cannot cope with such an AI′ fault caused by the OS. Furthermore, there is known such an OS fault monitoring method that a watchdog is formed of dedicated hardware and the watchdog monitors a periodical alive message supplied from an OS. However, there is a problem that dedicated hardware must be prepared.
On the other hand, as for the check-point, if check-point information is preserved in a low speed memory, then it takes a considerable time to preserve the check-point information, and consequently the check-point repetition period becomes long. As a result, recovery from a fault must be conducted from a state of a considerably long time before the time of the fault occurrence. Furthermore, it is possible to provide a high speed non-volatile memory, such as a static RAM, apart from a volatile memory, such as a dynamic RAM, managed by the OS, and preserve check-point information in the high speed non-volatile memory. However, there is a problem that dedicated hardware must be prepared.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Method for monitoring fault of operating system and application program


A highly acidic oxalate ion-containing preparation, which includes a neuroactive substance, for reducing tooth hypersensitivity, and a method for using same are disclosed.

Tooth hypersensitivity is a common problem which affects about 40 million adults in the United States, 10 million of which can be considered chronically affected (Kanapka, Dent. Clin. North Am., 34:54, 1990). It is estimated that some 17% of adults in the U.S. have at least one or more sensitive teeth. The teeth may be sensitive to cold, heat, air or sweet foods.
The incidence of tooth hypersensitivity increases with age. The increased incidence is believed to be related to the general increase in exposed root surfaces of the teeth resulting from periodontal disease, tooth brush abrasion or cyclic loading fatigue of the thin enamel near the dento-enamel junction.
One theory to explain tooth hypersensitivity is based on the belief that open dentinal tubules allow fluid flow through the tubules. The flow excites the nerve endings in the dental pulp. Clinical replicas of sensitive teeth viewed in the scanning electron microscope (SEM) reveal varying numbers of open or partially occluded dentinal tubules.
Tubules generally are not seen at the tooth root surface because the cementum covering the tooth root or a smear layer of dentinal debris 2-5 .mu.m in thickness that covers the tooth surface masks the tubules. When the smear layer of the tooth is present, the fluid flow that can occur through the dentin is only a few percent of that possible following acid removal of the smear layer, which treatment "opens" the tubules.
There is a growing body of evidence that occlusion of the dentinal tubules of a sensitive tooth, whether by resin infiltration, varnish coat or more recently by crystallite precipitation, results in reduction or elimination of hypersensitivity. The duration of relief, however, is highly variable. Hypersensitivity usually reappears because of tooth brush abrasion, the presence of acid challenges in the mouth or degradation of the coating material.
A two-step procedure for reducing hypersensitivity, involving application of a calcium nitrate solution and a potassium phosphate solution to the tooth, was believed to produce calcium phosphate crystals which were believed to occlude tubules (Kaminske et al., J. Dent. Res., 69:68, 1990).
Increasing concentrations of oxalic acid in the food bolus by including foods high in oxalic acid in the diet, up to 1.14 g/l of oxalic acid resulting in a pH of about 2, yielded precipitation of a deposit at the tooth surface. A maximal response was found at a level of 0.1% (w/v) oxalic acid equivalents. However, greater levels of oxalic acid did not yield greater protection of the teeth. It was postulated that the deposited material was calcium oxalate resulting from interaction of the oxalic acid with calcium in the saliva (Gortner et al., J. Nutr., 32:121, 1946), although the level of calcium in saliva is very low.
Alkali metal or ammonium oxalate also has been used to reduce tooth hypersensitivity. The low pH of about 2 of the solution is believed to mobilize calcium and phosphate from the hard tissues (U.S. Pat. No. 4,057,621).
In addition, a 3.0% (w/v) monohydrogen monopotassium oxalate solution, usually having a pH of about 2, was found to occlude dentinal tubules (Pashley et al., Arch. Oral. Biol., 23:1127, 1978). However, on closer examination, that treatment regimen deposited very few crystals on the dentin surface or within the tubules, and the deposited crystals are removed readily by water irrigation (Knight et al., J. Periodontol., 64:366-373, 1993). Minimal crystal precipitation and poor adherence of the crystals to dentin were confirmed independently.
Desensitizing dentifrices containing potassium oxalate have been found to provide temporary tubule occlusion (Pashley et al., J. Periodontol., 55:522, 1984). Potassium oxalate is thought to react with the smear layer to increase the resistance thereof to acid attack, as well as to reduce fluid permeability. It was thought that calcium oxalate crystals were produced when the dentin was treated with potassium oxalate (Pashley et al., Arch. Oral Biol., 30:731, 1985).
A two-component kit comprising a first 1-30% (w/v) neutral oxalate solution, such as dipotassium oxalate, and a second subsequent 0.5-3% (w/v) acidic oxalate solution, such as monopotassium-monohydrogen oxalate with a pH of 2 or as low as 1, has been described. It is alleged that the neutral oxalate forms large crystals over the dentinal surface and the acidic oxalate forms smaller crystals around and about the previously formed larger crystals, so as to form a combined layer of microscopic crystals (U.S. Pat. No. 4,538,990). However, examination of dentin surfaces subjected to treatment by the two-component kit described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,538,990 were found essentially to be free of deposited crystals and the tubules were non-occluded or open.
Studies on the occlusion of dentinal tubules by deposition of crystals from potassium oxalate-based media (30% (w/v) K.sub.2 C.sub.2 O.sub.4 and 3% (w/v) KHC.sub.2 O.sub.4) showed variable results, purportedly due to variations in the size and number of crystals generated by the two solutions. The rate of crystal formation was alleged to be influenced by the local Ca.sup.2+ ion concentration, and it was stated that the acidic 3% (w/v) solution of KHC.sub.2 O.sub.4 with a pH of about 2 generates an extremely high local calcium ion concentration by etching the tooth, allegedly resulting in accelerated formation of abundant crystals (Muzzin et al., J. Periodont., 60:151, 1989).
An effective two-step method of sealing dentinal tubules is the subject of copending application Ser. No. 08/282,960 filed Aug. 1, 1994. However, for reasons of clinical expediency, there is need for an effective and efficient one-step procedure for sealing dentin tubules.
A one-step method for occluding dentinal tubules, PROTECT.TM. (J. O. Butler, Chicago, Ill.), involves the application of a 3% (w/v) aqueous solution of KHC.sub.2 O.sub.4 having a pH of about 2 to the tooth surface. The solution does not contain calcium salts because it is believed that etching of the tooth structure by the reagent contributes a more than adequate supply of Ca.sup.2+ to enable sufficient precipitation and crystal formation, when the compound is applied to the tooth surface or in the tubule. However, it was observed that PROTECT.TM. has limited effectiveness because many tubules remain open.
A 6% (w/v) ferric oxalate in nitric acid solution having a pH of about 3 and a dentin bonding product known as TENURE.TM., which is a 3% (w/v) aluminum oxalate in nitric acid solution with a pH of about 1, were found to be insufficient in achieving adequate dentinal tubule occlusion and pain relief.

One-step method and preparation for reducing dentinal hypersensitivity


A polishing composition containing at least one or more aminocarboxylic acids selected from the group consisting of serine, cysteine and dihydroxyethylglycine, ceria particles and an aqueous medium; a polishing process of a semiconductor substrate, including the step of polishing a semiconductor substrate with a polishing composition for a semiconductor substrate, containing at least one or more aminocarboxylic acids selected from the group consisting of serine, cysteine and dihydroxyethylglycine, ceria particles and an aqueous medium; a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device including the step of polishing a semiconductor substrate having a film formed on its surface, the film containing a silicon atom and having a shape with dents and projections, with a polishing pad pressed against a semiconductor substrate at a polishing load of from 5 to 100 kPa in the presence of a polishing composition for a semiconductor substrate, containing at least one or more aminocarboxylic acids selected from the group consisting of serine, cysteine and dihydroxyethylglycine, ceria particles and an aqueous medium.

In the field of semiconductors in recent years, higher integration and speeding up have become advanced, and the production of thinner wiring is required especially in high integration. As a result, in the manufacturing process for a semiconductor substrate, since the focal depth becomes shallower during the exposure of a photoresist, even more improvement in surface planarization is desired.
In the manufacturing process for a semiconductor substrate, for example, in the step of forming wiring or the step of shallow trench isolation, there are numerous fine projections and dents having various widths due to formation of channels for wiring or embedding on the substrate. Therefore, planarization of the projections and dents is desired.
When the dents and projections on the surface of this substrate are polished, there are some disadvantages that the projection portions are rapidly polished with a polishing liquid containing only an abrasive, and the dent portions are also polished at the same time, so that it is time-consuming, and it is also necessary to polish a considerable amount of a member of a surface to be polished, to achieve substantial planarization of both the dent and projection portions.
Therefore, a technique for obtaining a plane semiconductor substrate by using a polishing composition capable of selectively polishing projection portions is known from JP 2001-7059 A.
However, the action of the polishing composition is very sensitive to the concentration of an additive and planarization properties are lowered (lowering of the polishing rate of projection portions or generation of dishing) even with a slight change in the polishing conditions such as states of a polishing pad. Therefore, it has been difficult to control the manufacturing process.

Polishing process of a semiconductor substrate


This integrated circuit comprises a capacitor (23) formed above a substrate (1) inside a first cavity in a dielectric and comprising a first electrode, a second electrode, a thin dielectric layer placed between the two electrodes, and a structure (7) for connection to the capacitor.

The present invention relates in general to integrated circuits. More particularly, the present invention relates to memory cells, especially of the dynamic random access (DRAM) type which are compatible with a process for fabricating a device incorporating such a memory and CMOS components.
Conventionally, a DRAM memory is in the form of rows and columns at the intersections of which are memory cells consisting of a memory element, typically a capacitor, and of a switch for controlling this memory element, in general an MOS transistor.
A DRAM-type memory cell (FIG. 1) consists of a control MOS transistor T and a storage capacitor C which are connected in series between an electrical earth M and a bit line BL. The gate of the control transistor T is connected to a word line WL. The transistor T controls the flow of electrical charges between the capacitor C and the bit line BL. The electrical charge on the capacitor C determines the logic level, 1 or 0, of the memory cell. When reading the memory location, the capacitor C discharges into the bit line BL. To read the value of the electrical charge on the storage capacitor C quickly and reliably, the capacitance of this capacitor must be high compared with the capacitance presented by the bit line BL during the reading phase.
A large number of DRAM cells formed in this way are grouped together in the form of a matrix so as to generate a memory plane which may comprise millions of elementary cells. For some applications, the memory plane lies within a complex integrated circuit. One therefore speaks of on-board memory.
The memory elements are structures based on capacitors having a first electrode consisting of a base in contact with a diffusion region of an MOS transistor and of an approximately horizontal plateau. Memory capacitors also have a very thin dielectric and a second electrode common to several capacitors and consisting of a continuous conducting layer, for example made of polycrystalline silicon, lying above the very thin dielectric. The second electrode is then covered with a thick dielectric layer.
It is necessary to produce an electrical contact between a second electrode of a capacitor and the upper surface of the said thick dielectric layer on which a level provided with conducting tracks, also called a metallization level or conducting level, may be placed.
Conventionally, this electrical contact may be made by providing a connection structure formed, for example, during production of the dielectric layer, extending either above the capacitor or offset with respect to the latter.
This technique has a major drawback in so far as, in particular, because of the conformation of the capacitor, the electrical contacts between the connection structure and the electrode of the capacitor are relatively poor in quality.
Moreover, since this connection structure is generally coupled to a via ensuring connection to the substrate, the difference in depth between the capacitor and the latter greatly complicates the production of the circuit, in particular as regards the etching phases. The term "via" is understood to mean, within the context of the present invention, a hole filled with an electrically conductive material capable of forming an electrical connection between two or more levels of an integrated circuit.
Finally, in order to reduce the fabrication costs, the problem of how to simultaneously produce all the electrical contacts arises.

Integrated circuit, its fabrication process and memory cell incorporating such a circuit

Abstract: The connection structure is formed at the same level as the capacitor in a second cavity narrower than the first cavity, the said second cavity being completely filled by an extension of at least one of the electrodes of the capacitor.


Disclosed are methods, systems, and articles of manufacture for characterizing an electronic design with a schematic driven extracted view. These techniques identify a schematic of an electronic design, wherein the schematic exists in one or more design fabrics. These techniques further determine an extracted model for characterizing a behavior of the electronic design based at least in part upon the schematic, determine a hierarchical level in a design fabric of the one or more design fabrics of the schematic, and characterize the electronic design with at least an extracted view.

Modern electronic design is typically performed with computer aided design (CAD) tools or electronic design automation (EDA) systems. To design an integrated circuit, a designer first creates high level behavior descriptions of the IC device using a high-level hardware design language (HDL). Common examples of HDLs include Verilog and VHDL. An EDA system typically receives the high-level behavioral descriptions of the IC device and translates this high-level design language into netlists of various levels of abstraction. Essentially, the process to implement an electronic device begins with functional design and verification (e.g., using RTL or register-transfer level), and then proceeds to physical design of a layout and verification.
Circuit designers and verification engineers use different methods to verify circuit designs. One common method of verification is the use of simulation. Simulation dynamically verifies a design by monitoring behaviors of the design with respect to test stimuli. For many types of designs, simulation can and should be performed during the design process to ensure that the ultimate goals are achievable and will be realized by the finished product.
SPICE (Simulation Program with Integrated Circuit Emphasis) is a common type of simulator that is used to simulate and verify the operation of an electronic design. With SPICE, the electronic design is converted into a system of equation(s), which is then solved for a given set of inputs to check the state of specific portions of the circuit at given points in time. For many circuit designs, this process can be a very computationally expensive and time-consuming effort, especially given the size and complexity of modern circuit designs.
Conventional approaches for simulations, especially for board level simulations (e.g., simulations performed on an electronic system including the printed circuit board or PCB, one or more integrated circuit (IC) chips, and IC packaging thereof) often extract a static simulation view from the finished layout by identifying a corresponding schematic symbol from the schematic symbol library for each of a plurality of layout circuit devices. As a result, these simulation views are often termed layout extracted views or simply extracted views. The electronic design may then undergo multiple rounds of changes to the schematic, the layout, or both the schematic and the layout after the initial simulation has been performed with a simulation view extracted from the initial layout.
When these changes occur at the schematic level, these conventional approaches require a designer to implement the changes in the schematic of the electronic design, push these schematic changes to create an updated layout with a layout editor, and then extract an updated simulation view with the updated layout. The simulator may then perform another round of simulation with the updated simulation view. This loop not only requires much more time and computational resources but also presents multiple other problems.
For example, modern electronic design may include devices having distributed pins, vector pins, etc. that may be represented as an input pin in the schematic symbol. During a simulation of, for example, an electronic design with a distributed Vcc having multiple Vcc pins for a distributed power network, this distributed Vcc may be schematically represented as a single Vcc pin in the corresponding schematic symbol. In this example, if the simulation result for the Vcc shows abnormal behavior the designer will need to guess which Vcc pin or Vcc pins are causing the abnormal behavior or perform some trial-and-error changes to identify the true cause of the abnormal behavior. Similar problems and hence challenges also arise for vector pins which may be even more difficult to troubleshoot and identify the root source of any abnormal behavior simulation result due to the multiplicity of the pins.
Another problem with these conventional approaches is that the extracted view from a layout is a static view. These simulation views are generated by traversing a layout to identify layout component designs and devices, identify a corresponding schematic symbol for each of the layout component designs, place the schematic symbol in the simulation view, and interconnect the schematic symbols by referencing the layout connectivity. Although these simulation views may in some cases appear to be identical or substantially similar to the original schematic from which the layout is generated, these simulation views or extracted views may not be editable as the original schematic. As a result, any changes at the schematic level must go through the aforementioned schematic edit, layout edit, and re-extraction.
Moreover, these simulation views are often generated for the simulation engines and thus do not appear as readable or understandable by designers. More importantly, these extracted views are generated as a flat view having a single hierarchy that includes all the schematic symbols or models understood by the simulation engine. As a result, an extracted view loses the hierarchical structures of the electronic designs; and the loss of the hierarchical structure further exacerbates the difficulties in understanding or manipulating such an extracted view, even if the extracted view were to be editable.
Another problem with conventional approaches is that the same schematic symbol may correspond to multiple schematic instances in the schematic design and hence multiple layout instances in the layout. During the generation of an extracted view from the layout in conventional approaches, these multiple layout instances may be extracted and represented as the same schematic symbol whereas these multiple layout instances may not necessarily be identically implemented in the layout. For example, two or more of these multiple layout instances may be routed differently although then all correspond to the same schematic symbol. As a result, conventional simulation views cannot correct capture the differences in, for example, parasitics and/or electrical characteristics between these layout instances.
To further exacerbate the aforementioned problems and challenges, users may often desire to simulate IC (integrated circuit) within the context of a system design that spans across multiple design fabrics such as the IC chip design fabric, the IC package design fabric, and PCB (printed circuit board) design fabric, etc. The schematics of these individual designs (e.g., the IC designs, the PCB design, and the IC package design) may not always exist or available at the time of simulation. Even if the schematics do exist, these schematics may be available in different formats for different schematic tools. Often, these schematics may not include the required or desired information (e.g., parasitic information) for the simulations. Even if these schematics are available and include the desired or required information for each design fabric, the system schematic for the whole system design may still be lacking for simulations to be performed on the whole system design.
In addition, these individual schematics may be incompatible with each other and thus may not be simulated together. Customers would nevertheless like to simulate this system design within the context of parasitics of the chip layout, the IC package layout, and the PCB layout. These parasitic-models may be extracted as combined geometry across fabrics. Some examples of such models may include on-chip spiral inductor extracted in conjunction with the package planes and traces. In some cases, complete PCB (or IC package) may be extracted as a single extracted model that needs to connect to the remainder of the system. Nonetheless, it is very difficult to include parasitics from different design fabrics (e.g., different design fabrics in various layouts) in the simulation schematic.
Conventional approaches require manual creation of parasitic aware simulation schematics where a new schematic is manually created where PCB and Package components are stitched around the IC schematic. On the other hand, if PCB/Package schematics available in their native schematic editors, user has to copy the same schematics in the IC schematic entry tool. In some cases, if PCB/Package schematics do not exist, user has to construct new schematic by going through respective layouts to obtain the connectivity information (e.g., the port names, the net names, etc.) for each device.
In addition, an extracted model (e.g., a Spice model, an s-parameter model, etc.) needs to be manually constructed by drawing a boundary, manually determining the locations and identifiers for the ports, terminals, or pins in the an extracted model, and manually associating, attaching, stitching, or annotating properties (e.g., s-parameter properties, etc.) to the an extracted model. The system design spanning across multiple design fabrics further exacerbates the problem because a designer needs to invoke respective schematic editors and layout editors for corresponding design fabrics to identify a lot of information for the manual creation of an extracted model. Even if the designer manages to manually create such an extracted model, there is no way for the designer to check the correctness of the newly constructed extracted model.
Moreover, modifications of an extracted model can only be done by going through the same manual process as the construction of a new extracted model while the correctness of such modifications still cannot be checked. Moreover, if extracted models are extracted from portion of geometry that crosses multiple fabrics, then a designer must manually maintain a record of model interfaces and manually create the connections within and outside the newly constructed extracted model to ensure that the extracted model is properly connected and stitched into system schematic that spreads across the IC, the PCB and the IC package design fabrics to keep the whole system design in single schematic entry tool for purposes of simulations.
In addition, customers may often characterize an IC (integrated circuit) and/or an IC package having one or more ICs within the context of a system design that spans across multiple design fabrics such as the IC chip design fabric, the IC package design fabric, and PCB (printed circuit board) design fabric, etc. The schematics of these individual designs (e.g., the IC designs, the PCB design, and the IC package design) may not always exist or available at the time of simulation. Even if the schematics do exist, these schematics may be available in different formats for different schematic tools. Often, these schematics may not include the required or desired information (e.g., parasitic information) for the simulations. Even if these schematics are available and include the desired or required information for each design fabric, the system schematic for the whole system design may still be lacking for simulations to be performed on the whole system design.
In addition, these individual schematics may be incompatible with each other and thus may not be simulated together. Customers would nevertheless like to simulate this system design within the context of parasitics of the chip layout, the IC package layout, and the PCB layout. These parasitic-models may be extracted as combined geometry across fabrics. Some examples of such models may include on-chip spiral inductor extracted in conjunction with the package planes and traces. In some cases, complete PCB (or IC package) may be extracted as a single extracted model that needs to connect to the remainder of the system. Nonetheless, it is very difficult to include parasitics from different design fabrics (e.g., different design fabrics in various layouts) in the simulation schematic.
Conventional approaches require manual creation of parasitic aware simulation schematics where a new schematic is manually created where PCB and Package components are stitched around the IC schematic. On the other hand, if PCB/Package schematics available in their native schematic editors, user has to copy the same schematics in the IC schematic entry tool. In some cases, if PCB/Package schematics do not exist, user has to construct new schematic by going through respective layouts to obtain the connectivity information (e.g., the port names, the net names, etc.) for each device.
In addition, an extracted model (e.g., a SPICE model, an S-parameter model, etc.) needs to be manually constructed by drawing a boundary, manually determining the locations and identifiers for the ports, terminals, or pins in the extracted model, and manually associating, attaching, stitching, or annotating properties (e.g., s-parameter properties, etc.) to the extracted model. The system design spanning across multiple design fabrics further exacerbates the problem because a designer needs to invoke respective schematic editors and layout editors for corresponding design fabrics to identify a lot of information for the manual creation of an extracted model. Even if the designer manages to manually create such an extracted model, there is no way for the designer to check the correctness of the newly constructed extracted model.
Moreover, in conventional approaches, modifications of an extracted model can only be done by going through the same manual process as the construction of a new extracted model while the correctness of such modifications still cannot be checked. Moreover, if extracted models are extracted from portion of geometry that crosses multiple fabrics, then a designer must manually maintain a record of model interfaces and manually create the connections within and outside the newly constructed extracted model to ensure that the extracted model is properly connected and stitched into system schematic that spreads across the IC, the PCB and the IC package design fabrics to keep the whole system design in single schematic entry tool for purposes of simulations.
Conventional solutions only support electronic designs in a single design fabric but do not support an electronic design that spans across multiple design fabrics (e.g., an IC design fabric, an IC package design fabric, a PCB design fabric, etc.) Some modern approaches attempt to address this shortcoming of conventional approaches by creating as many hierarchical cell views as the number of hierarchies in the electronic design and also by creating multiple copies of the original schematic designs to the extracted schematic even if one or more portions of the electronic design of interest are not extracted.
Furthermore, these modern approaches create extracted model instances (e.g., s-parameter model instance(s), IBIS model instance(s), SPICE model instance(s), etc.) at any hierarchical level of the electronic design of interest so if multiple model instances are to be stitched the stitched result may be created (e.g., instantiated) at different hierarchical levels in a hierarchical extracted view hierarchy. As a result, in these modern approaches, it is more than a challenge for a user (e.g., a designer, a verification engineer, etc.) to identify at which hierarchical level in the hierarchical extracted view a particular model instance is instantiated. This challenge leads to a further, greater challenge for the user to switch the remainder of the hierarchical extracted view to simulatable models. In addition to the aforementioned shortcomings, these modern approaches for creating hierarchical extracted views also do not support occurrence-based models. To further exacerbate the situation, these modern hierarchical approaches generate multiple copies of the entire design hierarchy for each of the PCB, IC package, and IC schematics and generate an extracted view with models (e.g., s-parameter model(s), IBIS model(s), SPICE model(s), etc.) across the entire hierarchical structure of the electronic design of interest.
Another school of modern approaches generate a flat extracted view for an electronic design of interest. These approaches support only one design fabric but do not support an electronic design spanning across multiple design fabrics. These approaches non-selectively flatten the entire electronic design in a single design fabric to generate a flat extracted view and thus elevate all model instances (e.g., s-parameter model instance(s), IBIS model instance(s), SPICE model instance(s), etc.) Similar to the aforementioned hierarchical approaches, it is also a challenge for a user to identify at which level in the original hierarchical electronic design a specific model instance is instantiated.
In addition, these flat approaches (that flatten all the hierarchies in a design fabric into a single extracted view) inevitably cause data explosion problems because these flat approaches flatten everything to the top hierarchy and instantiate only the simulator primitive level components (e.g., MOS devices, resistors, capacitors, etc.), whereas simulation models for intermediate level(s) (e.g., a design block) cannot be used because these simulation models at the intermediate level(s) are also non-selectively flattened to the top level (and the only level) in the extracted view.
To further exacerbate these nearly insurmountable difficulties, these flat approaches non-selectively flatten an entire electronic design in a single design fabric even when only one object (e.g., a net) spanning across multiple design hierarchies needs to be extracted, and if the deigns object spans across multiple design fabrics, the entire design at each of these multiple design fabrics needs to be flattened. These flat approaches also commingle technology information for deigns components with different technologies. This commingling of technology information of different technologies leads to another problem with assigning correct models to corresponding circuit blocks. Furthermore, an electronic design spanning across multiple design fabrics cannot be simply be merged into a single representation because different design fabrics may correspond to different technology PDKs (process design kits).
Thus, what are needed are methods, systems, and computer program products for characterizing a multi-fabric electronic design with an extracted view in a more efficient and effective manner and to address at least the aforementioned issues and shortcomings.

Methods, systems, and computer program product for characterizing an electronic design with a schematic driven extracted view


A butterfly valve comprises a butterfly vane including a radial notch. A seal groove is situated in the vane and a seal including tabs is disposed within the seal groove wherein the tabs are adapted to fit within the notch. The tabs are designed to bear against the sides of the notch. The notch is located on the high pressure side of the butterfly vane and in a position such that the butterfly housing limits the radial motion of the tabs when the valve is in the open position.

The present invention relates to aircraft engine systems and, more particularly, to improved seal retention in high pressure butterfly valves.
Butterfly valves that use a piston ring type seal usually require some kind of positive retention of the seal in the seal groove. A commonly used device is a U-shaped wire which extends axially through the seal and the butterfly. The free ends are bent radially inward to keep the seal retainer in place. In the smaller butterfly valves, the wire retainer becomes fairly small in diameter, on the order of 0.030 inches, because of the narrow radial thickness of the seal. Consequently, shearing or wearing commonly causes early failure. If the retainer fails, or a retention is not used, high pressure drops can pull the seal out of the groove and jam the valve.
The current butterfly valve vane requires a two piece design with an "L" shaped seal ring to properly seal the valve. As the butterfly valve closes, there can be a high pressure differential created from the upstream side of the vane to the downstream side of the vane. This creates a force capable of pushing the seal out of the groove in the vane. Approaching the closed position, the seal begins to rub the converging wall of the housing bore, creating a friction load which can bend the seal over the edge of the seal groove and destroy the seal. A two piece butterfly vane is one way to capture the seal, providing full perimeter capture of the seal. Unfortunately, the "L" shaped seal design is expensive to manufacture, due to both the more complicated seal configuration and the need to machine two interfacing surfaces into a two piece vane.
It is therefore highly desirable and an object of the present invention to provide an improved butterfly valve seal retainer to retain the seal in the seal groove.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a seal retainer which is capable of sustaining increased wear and load without failing.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a more cost effective means for capturing a butterfly seal for high pressure valve applications.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a seal which has a longer seal and valve life.
These objects and other features and advantages will become more readily apparent in the following description when taken in conjunction with the appended drawings.


A system for enabling spatializing audio data is provided. The system analyzes audio data to identify when to generate spatialized audio data. The system can receive incoming audio data including a plurality of channel-based audio signals as well as object-based audio. The system performs an analysis of the audio data and/or metadata associated with the audio data to determine when to generate the spatialized audio data. The system can identify one or more categories associated with the audio data (e.g., stereo, mono, game effect, . . . ) and use the category to determine whether to spatialize the audio data or not spatialize the audio data.

Some software applications are configured to provide a rich sound experience and can process object-based audio to utilize one or more spatialization technologies. For instance, a video game can utilize a spatialization technology, such as DOLBY ATMOS or DTS:X, to generate a rich sound that enhances a user's experience.
Despite advancements that have occurred over the years, many existing systems are still quite limited when it comes to processing audio data. For instance, although some audio data may include spatial components, such as those components that can produce three-dimensional sound effects, the audio system may output audio data that may disregard the spatial components. In other cases, the audio system may output audio data meant to be non-spatialized as spatialized audio data. In one example scenario, if user is running a media player for playing music and running a video game that includes sound effects, the audio system may use a spatialization technology to output both the music and the sound from the game. In other cases, the audio system may spatialize both the music and the sound from the game. As such, the sound provided to the user from the audio system may be less than desirable.
It is with respect to these and other considerations that the disclosure made herein is presented.

Spatializing audio data based on analysis of incoming audio data


A reversible housing for a humidifier of the type for attachment to the ducts of a forced air heating system. The housing includes a sheet forming a back wall, a pair of side walls and a top wall integrally hinged to the back wall and pivotable through one-half turn with respect to the latter so as to take two operative positions both protruding forwardly of the back wall depending which one of the back wall faces is disposed flat against the duct. The back wall has a central air passage opening bordered with flanges protruding from each of the back wall faces to connect with a duct opening. One of the side walls has a second air passage with flanges protruding from each of its two faces to selectively connect with a by-pass duct to the left or to the right of the housing. An angular cover and a water tray completes the housing and fit the sheet in either one of its two operative positions. A screwdriver is only required to secure the sheet in either one of its operative positions. A deodorizer body is releasably mounted within the humidifier drum.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,361,523 dated Nov. 30, 1982 entitled "Humidifier" and U.S. Pat. No. 4,490,311 dated Dec. 25, 1984, entitled "Drum Humidifier" both to Charles G. Shepherd describe a reversible housing for a humidifier of the type to be attached to the ducts of a forced warm air heating system in such a manner that the humidifier can be assembled with the inlet duct positioned to the left or to the right of the humidifier housing, to conform with the particular requirements of an individual installation. In these patents, the housing forms a rigid box with similar side walls and with a top and bottom wall together with a back wall, the box being closed at the front by a cover. One of the side walls supports a drive unit for the humidifier drum while the other side wall has a flanged air passage across which is mounted a drum shaft support bar. To install the housing with the inlet air either to the left or to the right, the housing must accordingly be rotated half a turn about its horizontal axis. The position of the shaft support bar must be inverted.
The humidifier housing is of rigid and relatively bulky construction so that the housing takes space in the truck of a humidifier installer and the humidifier drum shaft supporting bar is a removable piece which might become loose with use, resulting in cylinder drum rattling.


A two-stroke internal combustion engine having a seal assembly disposed between a piston and a running surface. The seal both lubricates and prevents exhaust of combustion gases. A first element, which ensures gas tightness, is received in a countersunk portion of the running surface. A second element, which ensures oil tightness, is partially embedded into the first element. A biasing element presses the second element against the first element so that the second and third elements are at least partially held within the first element.

As is known in two-stroke internal combustion engines only two strokes are required for a work cycle and thus only a single crankshaft rotation is required. Such two-stroke methods are used, for example, in fast-running small gasoline engines, especially model engines, as well as for large engines, for example, in shipbuilding. Often the engine is fed a fuel-oil mixture, with the oil portion being used for lubrication. However, there are also two-stroke internal combustion engines, which are operated without a fuel-oil mixture.

Two-stroke internal combustion engine with oil ring


A device for mechanically cleaning a grooves used to hold a rotor or a stator winding of an electric machine includes an axially moveable device carrier and at least one cleaning tool connected to the device carrier and extending radially from the device carrier into the groove. In addition, a corresponding method includes the steps of radially moving at least one cleaning tool connected to a device carrier so as to mechanically remove impurities on a wall section of the groove, axial advancing of the device carrier in a manner adapted to the radial movement of the at least one cleaning tool, and setting the dimensional tolerance range for the groove by adjusting the cleaning tool. The device and the method are suitable for cleaning grooves into which a new winding is to be installed in an existing laminated body, for example, in the case of the retrofitting of generators.

When motors and generators having a high quality and a long service life are built, it is a known practice to use an electric insulation system that fulfills the usually wide variety of electric, mechanical and environmental requirements. In this context, in order to vacuum-impregnate and cure the completely wound stator or rotor, a specially modified epoxy resin is used that produces a void-free insulation with sealed surfaces. Particularly in the case of such windings, the stator or rotor spools that have been freed of the old windings first have to be cleaned before they can be fitted with new windings. Up until now, it has been necessary to first remove the epoxy resins that are injected between the stator bar and the laminated core during the impregnation and pressure-compacting process. This work is difficult to carry out, especially with narrow and deep winding grooves, since the resin has to be removed without damaging the laminated core.
Various cleaning devices and methods have already been tried in order to achieve this, but they all entail considerable drawbacks. Thus, for example, according to a known method, a dry-ice cleaning operation is carried out, that is to say, the dry ice causes the epoxy resins adhering to the groove walls to become brittle so that they can be removed manually. All in all, this technique is expensive and uneconomical in very hot or tropical countries.
Another known method proposes cleaning the grooves using a manual belt grinder. This approach entails the risk of damaging the laminated core, in addition to which, with narrow grooves, the problem arises that it is difficult to properly reach everywhere.
Finally, manually scraping or scouring the epoxy resins is also a possibility, but here too, there is a risk of damage to the laminated core, in addition to which the narrow and long grooves are difficult to access. Moreover, these cleaning methods are not conducive to automation and require costly manual processing.

Device and method for mechanical cleaning of grooves