A single memory element, which may consist of general purpose SRAM chips, implements both tag and data cache memory functions, resulting in an efficient, low cost implementation of high speed external cache memory. In one embodiment, a bank of general purpose RAM used by a microprocessor as an external cache memory stores both cache tags and cache data in separate memory locations. During a read operation, the microprocessor retrieves a cache tag from the bank of general purpose RAM before retrieving corresponding cache data therefrom, and compares the cache tag to a memory address to assess whether requested data resides in the cache memory. The comparison may also be performed concurrently by a system controller device, which may abort the main memory access if a cache hit is detected.

A cache memory provides a high speed interface between the Central Processing Unit (CPU) of a computer system and its main memory. As shown in FIG. 1, a smaller and faster cache memory provides the CPU high speed access to a larger, but slower main memory. The cache operates by maintaining a copy of those portions of the main memory's data that are likely to be used by the CPU. If the cache has the requested data, the CPU receives the data without having to incur the delay associated with a read from the main memory. The CPU does not need to know explicitly about the existence of a cache.
The simplified representation of a cache memory in FIG. 1 illustrates the basic concept of a cache. In its basic form, the cache appears to the CPU as if it were the main memory itself. That is, there is a fundamental interface between the processor and the cache memory in which the processor supplies a memory address to the cache and the cache provides the requested data back to the processor. This is the same basic function and interface that would be expected of a directly connected main memory.
Caches are, however, fundamentally different from main memories in some ways. The primary difference is that while main memory consists of sufficient random access memory to represent the entire range of allowable memory accesses by the processor, a cache memory allows for the entire range of memory addresses, while in fact consisting of a much smaller array of actual random access memory. A cache memory therefore relies on a coexistence with the main memory of the computer system to maintain the entirety of the system's memory. Because a cache memory can only store a subset of the main memory's contents, a mechanism is provided for identifying the portion of the main memory it actually contains. In addition, mechanisms are provided for replacing the cache memory's contents and for maintaining consistency with the main memory.
In the diagram of FIG. 1 there is means for data transfer between the cache and the main memory as well as means for data transfer between the CPU and the cache. While the amount of data transferred between the cache and the CPU is dictated by the instructions executed by the CPU, data transfers between the cache and main memory are in fixed block sizes. Each of these memory blocks (also called lines) residing in the cache has an associated identifier (tag) which uniquely identifies the block in the cache with its corresponding block in main memory. The cache memory also includes a means for determining whether memory accesses made by the CPU are resident in the cache, or whether they must involve an access to the main memory for servicing.
FIG. 2 shows a diagram of the primary components of a cache memory implementation. Standard cache memory systems are implemented with two distinct memory components, a tag memory element and a data memory element. As noted above, the data element contains copies of blocks of data from the system main memory. The tag element contains an identifier for each block in the data element. The tag identifies the data block by the address used to access the data in the main memory. When the CPU seeks to access an instruction or data in memory it supplies the address associated with that access to the cache memory. The cache memory system is responsible for comparing the requested address with the addresses of valid lines of data held in the cache. FIG. 2 also shows a mechanism for forwarding the address provided by the processor to the main memory as required in the event the data is not resident in the cache.
The actual implementation of a data comparison is dictated by the structural organization of the cache. Two fundamental types of cache memory organizations exist: direct mapped and associative. In a direct mapped cache, each block of main memory has a pre-assigned location in the cache memory. The comparison function for a direct mapped cache need only compare the tag associated with the pre-assigned block in the cache with the address supplied by the CPU. In an associative mapped cache organization the CPU supplied address is compared with all of the cache tags.
Most cache implementations use a hybrid of these two methods known as a set associative organization. In a set-associative mapping, each block in main memory is assigned to a set of cache blocks. When a set-associative cache is employed, the address issued by the CPU is compared with only those cache tags corresponding to the set of blocks to which the specified memory block is mapped. With all of these implementations, the tag corresponding to a cache line consists of a sufficient number of memory address bits to uniquely identify the specific block of main memory represented by the cache block, a valid bit and usually other bits to identify the particular state of the cache line. A valid match of the CPU supplied address with a valid tag address indicates that the line is present in the cache.
As pipelined processor execution speeds have increased relative to main memory access times, modern computer systems have generally utilized a plurality of cache memories. Typically a very high speed first level cache is built as part of the microprocessor block. FIG. 3 shows a conceptual diagram of a microprocessor with an on chip first level cache connected to a second level cache which in turn interfaces to the main memory. As many levels of cache as is practical may be used. Many modern microprocessors have two on chip caches and may further be built into systems which employ an off chip third level cache.
The performance of a computer memory system relates to how quickly memory accesses from the CPU are processed on average. When cache memories are used, there is a distinction of access time between cases where the data being requested is resident in the cache (a cache hit) or not (a cache miss). Cache hit performance is enhanced by making the memory access faster and by improving the hit rate. Cache design also focuses on the cost of implementation.
Cache system design involves making tradeoffs in speed, hit rate and cost. It is well documented that for general applications, the larger the cache, the better will be the hit rate, and thus the performance. However, the larger RAM arrays needed for larger caches are typically slower than smaller arrays, negating some of the potential gain from increased cache sizes. The use of associative caches or set associative caches helps to provide typically better hit rates as compared to direct mapped caches though at an additional cost in the design.
There are also definite physical barriers to desired cache implementations. The size of a cache memory built on a microprocessor chip is limited by the costs and yield loss resulting from larger die sizes. Off chip caches may more easily accommodate large cache sizes, but are limited by the restrictions on number of microprocessor chip pins that can be practically used to transfer addresses and data between the processor and the memory system. Further, a multiplicity of chips may be required to implement the off-chip cache resulting in increased system cost.
The main memory of a computer system is built with random access memory devices (RAMs). The RAMs are accessed by an address supplied by the CPU. The contents of the RAMs are either instructions to the CPU or data to be manipulated by the CPU. The data and tag elements of a cache memory system are also implemented with some form of RAM. A portion of the same address used to access the main memory is also used to access the data and tag arrays of the cache memory. A sample implementation of an external cache in a microprocessor based system is shown in FIG. 4.
The level 2 cache as represented in the diagram of FIG. 3 is represented by three distinct components in FIG. 4, a system control chip, a cache data element, and a cache tag element. In a typical system, the system control chip provides the physical link between the microprocessor and the other components of the computer system. These components include the main memory (shown) and system I/O components (not shown). The cache data memory element typically consists of a plurality of standard SRAM (static random access memory) chips. The tag memory element typically consists of one or more specialty SRAM chips that store the level 2 tags. These specialized tag RAMs include comparison circuitry for identifying whether the memory address supplied by the microprocessor matches the data resident in the level 2 cache. The result of this comparison is supplied to the microprocessor and system controller. The microprocessor uses this tag match to determine whether the requested data can be obtained from the level 2 data element. Similarly, the system controller uses the tag match indication to determine whether to continue processing the main memory access request.
Tag RAMs tend to be highly specialized to the particular application for which they are designed and thus tend to be significantly more expensive for the size of the arrays than are the more general purpose RAMs used for the data arrays. The added cost is due largely to the addition of special tag comparison circuitry, as described above. The use of tag RAMs thus adds a non-trivial additional cost to the implementation of these off chip caches.
Because of the costs associated with the implementation of off chip caches, efforts have been taken to try to achieve the benefits of these caches at reduced system cost. One such approach has been to build larger caches on the same chip as the processor. This has included the frequent use of multiple on-chip caches. The PMC RM7000 family of processors and many other microprocessors are examples of this. The existence of larger on-chip caches in many cases allows for adequate system performance without the addition of an off chip cache. In some systems, however, an off chip cache is still desirable.
Another approach has been to incorporate the tag element of an external cache memory on the processor chip itself. This avoids the need to provide a specialized tag RAM for the system. With this approach, however, the microprocessor die size is increased by the area required for the tag RAM, resulting in significantly higher manufacturing costs. In addition, the cost of the embedded tag RAM is incurred regardless of whether an external cache is actually implemented within the particular computer system.
RAM manufacturers have also made efforts to reduce the costs of tag RAMs used for off-chip cache implementations. These efforts focus on aspects of the manufacturing of the cache data and cache tag RAM chips. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,905,996, granted on May 18, 1999, discloses a cache design in which the tag memory is included within the same integrated circuit chip as the data memory. This approach allows the memory supplier to provide the tag and data functionality without the expense of manufacturing two separate parts. This allows the manufacturer to target the most cost effective array sizes in a given technology. This dual function chip is still somewhat specialized in that it includes the appropriate tag functionality as specified by the system requirements. As a result, these dual-function RAM devices are likely to be significantly more expensive than general purpose RAMs traditionally used for cache data arrays.
Another known approach involves increasing the width of an internal RAM array so that each cache data entry can be stored together with its associated tag bits. The tag bits corresponding to the addressed data entry are read simultaneously with the data bits. See "Design of High-performance Microprocessor Circuits," IEEE Press copyright 2001, edited by Chandrakasan, Bowhill, and Fox, page 287. (The width of a RAM array represents the number of bits of memory that can be accessed simultaneously, while the depth of the array represents the number of distinct groups of these bits that are available.)
In a direct mapped cache implementation, the width of the RAM array required to implement the data array is determined by the width of the data transfer between the cache and the processor. In the case of a set associative cache, the width of the array required is multiplied by the degree of associativity. A four way associative cache requires four times the RAM array width of a comparable direct mapped cache implementation. U.S. Pat. No. 5,905,997 granted to AMD on May 18, 1999 relates to implementing the tag bits within a portion of the array width that would ordinarily be allocated to a data array in such an associative cache. In most applications, the additional array width required for the multiplicity of associativities is provided by implementing a separate array for each degree of associativity.
In the AMD patent, a portion of one of the N RAM arrays used to implement an N way associative cache is used to provide the tags associated with the other N-1 arrays. Because this first array is used for tags, and is only partially usable for data, this approach requires that N is two or more.
Another problem with the design of a cache memory system using separate data and tag arrays is that system designers typically cannot take advantage of advances in fabrication technology unless these advances have been incorporated into both types of memories. For example, tag RAM chips that implement new electrical interface standards may not become commercially available until well after such interface standards have been incorporated into general purpose SRAM chips.

Cache memory architecture with system controller device that compares cache tags to memory addresses received from microprocessor


A testing device control system capable of automatically detecting failures in the pallets for carrying products to be tested as well as failures in automatic testing devices along with the cables for connecting the pallets to the devices. A host computer is connected to a disc unit that contains for each testing device a plurality of testing item files, a detected testing device failure file, a detected pallet failure file and a testing device failure control file. For each testing device, a first defect item writing device writes to the disc unit the defect items of the product measured by a plurality of automatic testing devices. In addition, the number of the same defect items counted by the same automatic testing device is written to the disc unit. If the defect item count exceeds a predetermined value, failure information is written to the testing device failure control file and is displayed on a display unit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a testing device control system for controlling testing devices such as automatic product testing equipment installed in production lines of factories.
2. Description of the Related Art
Today, almost all production lines of factories utilize automatic testing devices for automatically testing products such as communication equipment produced by the production lines. However, few production lines employ measures to control possible failures of the testing devices themselves and their attachments such as pallets that carry products. In case a testing device develops a failure, the product that the device is testing can be regarded as defective even though the product itself is in fact acceptable. Where the product testing is carried out unattended during the night or during other non-business hours, decisions cannot be made on whether the apparent failure detected is a product defect or a device failure and no follow-up countermeasures can be taken because no competent personnel are present at site. As a result, testing becomes inefficient. Thus the need is recognized for a testing device control system capable of automatically controlling testing device failures.
FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a typical prior art testing line for testing products such as communication equipment. In FIG. 1, a conveyor 1 rotating in circular fashion, i.e., in the arrowed direction Y1 and Y2, carries pallets 2 on which products 3 are mounted. As shown in FIG. 2, a schematic side view of the pallet and its connecting device, the product 3 is first placed on the pallet 2. Then a connector, not shown, of the product 3 is connected to a connector, not shown, at the tip of a cable 5 coupled to a connector 4 of the pallet 2.
Along the conveyor 1 are a plurality of automatic testing devices 7a through 7e. These automatic testing devices are equipped respectively with automatic connecting devices 6a through 6c each automatically attaching to the connector 4 of the pallet 2. It is cables 8 that connect the automatic connecting devices 6a through 6c respectively to the automatic testing devices 7a through 7c. The automatic connecting devices 6a through 6c electrically attach and detach the products 3 to and from the automatic testing devices 7a through 7c by means of pallets 2, the products 3 being carried along by the conveyor 1. The attaching and detaching of products 3 is accomplished as shown in FIG. 2. That is, a pin 10 of a connector 9 for each of the automatic connecting devices 6a through 6c is moved bidirectionally in an arrowed direction Y3 so as to connect with the connector 4 of the pallet 2.
As depicted in FIG. 3, a block diagram of a typical prior art automatic testing device control system, the automatic testing devices 7a through 7c are each composed of a disc unit 21 that stores various testing items and a computer 20 that controls the disc unit 21. Each computer 20 is connected to a host computer 19. The results of the testing of diverse testing items done by the automatic testing devices 7a through 7c are gathered by the host computer 19 and stored into a main disc unit 22. The gathered information is output to a printer 23 as needed.
Each of the automatic testing devices 7a through 7c has its computer 20 read from the main disc unit 22 a testing item file containing the necessary items to be tested by each device so that these marked items will be tested separately by the devices assigned thereto. Under this automatic testing device control system, the automatic testing devices 7a through 7c test or measure each product conveyed by the conveyor 1 for various electric characteristics defined by the testing items. The results are collected by the host computer 19 for each product tested or measured. Control information on the tested results, product failure information, control information on the completed test results and other relevant information are output by the printer 23.
The above-described prior art automatic testing device control system has one major disadvantage. That is, the system can find a product 3 to be defective even though its electric characteristics are normal, in case of a poor or severed connection involving any of the connectors 4 or cables 5 of the pallets 2 or the connectors 9 or cables 8 of the automatic connecting devices 6a through 6c, or in case of a failure involving any of the automatic testing devices 7a through 7c themselves.
The judgment calling a given product 3 a failure as a result of a faulty testing device or a malfunctioning pallet can only be corrected by competent personnel poring over the failure information output by the printer 23 about that product. This means that judgments on product failure may not be always correct and that countermeasures to correct the failure may not be implemented timely. Where testing is performed unattended during the night or during other non-business hours, the failure in a testing device or in its attachments cannot be corrected on the spot.

Testing device control system for detecting testing device failure


In the manufacture of certain types of packets, rotary folding units (10) are used which have along their perimeter a plurality of hollow folding mandrels (14) projecting at one side. On these mandrels, blanks, namely inner blank (10) and pouch blank (11) are folded in succession. Holding bands (34, 59) serve to position the blanks exactly on the folding mandrels (14), said bands extending outside the movement region of the folding mandrels (14) and lying with a holding bight (35) against the side of the folding mandrels (14), or the blanks, lying radially on the outside, fixing same as they do so.

The invention relates to a packaging machine with a rotary folding unit which is driven in rotation and has distributed along its perimeter a plurality of receptacles for blanks and/or packet contents, said receptacles being preferably (hollow) folding mandrels for manufacturing (soft) pouch-type packets for cigarettes, blanks, such as inner blanks made of tin foil or paper, or pouch blanks made of paper, being folded around the folding mandrel and temporarily fixed on same.
On fast-running packaging machines particularly for manufacturing cigarette packets, there is a problem with fixing blanks consisting of paper, tin foil or thin cardboard to or in receptacles of a folding unit preferably rotating continuously, before the blanks are preferably rotating continuously, before the blanks are dimensionally stable on the basis of folds and/or gluing. Particularly with (soft) pouch-type packets for cigarettes, one difficulty consists in holding first of all the inner blank made of paper or tin foil, and then the pouch blank made of paper, in an exact position on folding mandrels arranged along the perimeter of the rotary folding unit.

Packaging machine with a rotary folding unit for manufacturing (soft) pouch-type packets for cigarettes


An apparatus including a planar semiconductor substrate including a plurality of devices and a first pattern of electrical contacts formed on the first surface of the semiconductor substrate; and a plurality of layers of conductive material alternating between dielectric material on the first surface of the semiconductor substrate, the plurality of layers of conductive material including a wiring layer including a second pattern of electrical contacts, wherein the second surface of the semiconductor substrate includes openings to the first pattern of electrical contacts. A method including forming a space transformer including a semiconductor substrate including, on a device side, a device region, a first pattern of electrical contacts, and at least one routing layer and a pad layer including a second pattern of electrical contacts; and forming openings through the space transformer to the first pattern of electrical contacts on the semiconductor substrate.

The proliferation of systems on chips (requiring higher I/O count), increasing process cost per silicon unit area and the need for small form factor chips enabling the computer continuum require finer pitches and smaller packages. At the same time the mobile and ubiquitous segments require low cost solutions. Finer bump pitch generally requires expensive packages due to FLS processing while providing electro-migration capability and reliability of interconnects and package traces. An alternative expensive packaging technology is using an interposer (e.g., silicon or glass interposer) for fine pitch fan out to coarser pitches and LS and using through silicon vias (TSVs) to the package or board interconnects. TSVs, however, tend to add significant cost, limit or degrade power handling and signal integrity and add thickness.


A lamp chamber is defined by a translucent cover and a lamp body supporting a light source bulb. A translucent panel is provided within the lamp chamber. A front surface of the translucent panel is half mirror-treated. An upstanding wall portion extends in a fore-aft direction in the lamp body to surround the translucent panel. A plurality of quasi-reflector elements are formed in an inner surface of the upstanding wall portion. The half mirror portion is inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to the upstanding wall portion. When the lamp is off, a reflection of the quasi-reflector elements of the upstanding wall portion is seen in the half mirror portion.

The invention relates to a vehicular lamp and, more particularly, to a structure for improving the appearance of the vehicular lamp.
Generally, a vehicular lamp has a light source, a lamp body supporting the light source, and a translucent cover attached to the lamp body. In a conventional vehicular lamp, the structural appearance of the lamp does not significantly change when it is on or off. However, if a translucent cover (light cover) of a lamp has been half mirror-treated as disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open No. HEI 2-22505, the lamp interior is visible when the lamp is turned on. When the lamp is off, the lamp interior is invisible because of the external light reflection of the translucent cover. Thus, the appearance of the lamp changes when the lamp is switched on or off.
However, since the translucent cover of the vehicular lamp described in the aforementioned Japanese application is only half mirror-treated, the translucent cover of the lamp when turned off shows a whitish reflection of a scene ahead of the lamp. The reflection is similar to that of a widow pane attached with a half mirror film.
The present invention provides structures of a vehicular lamp that is half mirror-treated. That is, a vehicular lamp in accordance with the invention includes a light source and a translucent panel provided in front of the light source. An upstanding wall portion extends substantially in a fore-aft direction to surround at least a portion of the translucent panel. A plurality of quasi-reflector elements are formed in an inner surface of the upstanding wall portion. At least a portion of the translucent panel is formed as a half mirror that has been half mirror-treated. The half mirror portion is inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to the upstanding wall portion. Thus, a reflection of the upstanding wall portion in the half mirror portion is observed when the lamp is turned off.
As long as the translucent panel is provided in front of the light source, other members of the vehicular lamp are not limited in terms of specific configuration of the lamp body.
The light source may be, for example, an incandescent bulb or an LED (light-emitting diode). Furthermore, the number of the light sources may be more than one.
As long as the translucent panel is provided in front of the light source, It may be an outer panel (translucent cover) exposed at a front face of the lamp or may be an inner panel provided rearwardly. The translucent panel may be transparent and may have lens elements integrated therein.
The specific construction of the upstanding wall portion is not particularly limited as long as the upstanding wall portion extends substantially in a fore-aft direction to surround at least a portion of the translucent panel. The upstanding wall portion may be formed as an independent. member or may be formed as a portion of a lamp body or a vehicle body-side member.
The specific configuration of the quasi-reflector elements is not particularly limited as long as the elements are formed in the inner surface of the upstanding wall portion in a projections-and-depressions manner. For example, the quasi-reflector elements may be cylindrical elements, fish-eye elements, or pyramidal elements, which extend in a fore-aft direction or a circumferential direction.
The angle of inclination of the half mirror portion with respect to the upstanding wall portion and the position of formation thereof in the translucent panel are not particularly limited as long as the half mirror portion is formed so that when the half mirror portion is observed with the lamp turned off, a reflection of he upstanding wall portion is seen in the half mirror portion.
As described above, in the vehicular lamp in accordance with the invention, at least a region in the translucent panel provided in front of the light source is formed as a half mirror portion that has been half mirror-treated. Therefore, when the lamp is on, a lamp interior can be seen, and when the lamp is off, the lamp interior behind the half mirror portion cannot be seen because of the external light reflecting off the half mirror portion. Thus, the visual appearance of the lamp is changed when the lamp is turned on or off.
Furthermore, at least a portion surrounding the translucent panel is provided with the upstanding wall portion extending substantially in the fore-aft direction, and a plurality of quasi-reflector elements are formed in the inner surface of the upstanding wall portion, and the half mirror portion is inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to the upstanding wall portion so that a reflection of the upstanding wall portion is observed in the half mirror portion when the lamp is turned off. Therefore, an image of the plurality of quasi-reflector elements formed in the inner surface of the upstanding wall portion can be reflected in the half mirror portion.
Thus, according to the invention, the appearance of the lamp is improved in comparison with the conventional vehicular lamp, which when turned off shows a whitish reflection of a scene ahead of the translucent cover of the lamp.
Color may be provided to the inner surface of the upstanding wall portion.
The half mirror portion can be a curved plane so that the plurality of quasi-reflector elements formed in the inner surface of the upstanding wall portion can be shown distorted reflectively.
Furthermore, the vehicular lamp may include a lamp body that supports the light source, and a translucent cover that is attached to the lamp body and that defines a lamp chamber together with the lamp body. The translucent panel may be provided in the lamp chamber, and the upstanding wall portion may be formed as a portion of the translucent cover or the lamp body. Therefore, the configuration of the translucent panel can be relatively freely set. Furthermore, the positional precision of the upstanding wall portion can be enhanced. Thus, the half mirror portion can substantially reflect light as intended.
Furthermore, the lamp may include a reflector for forwardly reflecting light from the light source, and the reflector may have a plurality of reflector elements. Therefore, when the lamp is on, the reflector elements can be seen. Hence, it becomes possible to greatly change the appearance when the lamp is switched on or off.
The reflector may be formed independently, or may be integrated into the lamp body or the like.
Still further, if a region in the translucent panel in front of the light source is formed as an opening or is not half mirror-treated, the following operational advantages can be achieved.
Since the half mirror portion partly reflects light incident thereon, the half mirror portion causes a fraction of the light emitted forwardly from the light source to be lost. However, the region of the translucent panel contributes relatively little to the reflection of the upstanding wall portion. Thus, if the region is formed as an opening or formed as a surface that is not half mirror-treated, the lamp can achieve a sufficient light luminosity while still substantially reflecting the upstanding wall portion.
Furthermore, the appearance of the non-half mirror portion or the opening and the appearance of the other portion of the translucent panel are distinguished from each other when the lamp is off. Therefore, the appearance of the lamp can be further enhanced.
The translucent panel can be formed to extend in a substantially horizontal direction in a generally trapezoidal longitudinal sectional shape, and each of an upper portion and a lower portion of the translucent panel can be formed as the half mirror portion. A central portion of the translucent panel in an up-down direction can be formed as the non-half mirror portion, and the central portion in the up-down direction can have a plurality of lens elements. In this configuration, a lamp interior can be prevented from being clearly seen through the non-half mirror portion. Furthermore, the lamp light distribution can be easily controlled.
The plurality of lens elements may be formed either in an inner surface or an outer surface of the translucent panel.


A stage device includes a reaction-force-discharging structure in which a stationary member of a driving mechanism configured with a linear motor and the like disposed in a wafer chamber is connected to an external frame while maintaining the wafer chamber in a hermetic state. When a wafer stage is driven by the linear motor, a reaction force generated by driving the stage is applied to the stationary member. The reaction force is discharged to, e.g., a floor by the reaction-force-discharging structure via an external frame. For example, when the wafer chamber is set to a predetermined atmosphere of gas (including air from which organic substances and the like have been removed), the reaction force caused by driving the wafer stage can be discharged to the outside while maintaining the predetermined atmosphere. In an exposure apparatus using the stage device, accurate exposure is possible by reducing effects of vibration to the greatest extent possible.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to stage devices and exposure apparatus and methods. In particular, the invention relates to stage devices that may be used in an exposure apparatus in which an energy beam having a wavelength of 200 nm or less is used for exposure, and to an exposure-apparatus and method using the stage device.
2. Description of Related Art
Hitherto, various types of exposure apparatus have been used in lithographic processes in the manufacture of semiconductor devices, liquid crystal display devices, and the like. Recently, reduction-projection exposure apparatus of a step-and-repeat type (steppers) and scanning projection exposure apparatus of a step-and-scan type (scanning stepper) are relatively widely used.
In these types of exposure apparatus, patterns of reticles (masks) are transferred onto a plurality of shot regions on a wafer (substrate). To that end, a wafer stage is driven in two-dimensions, in directions X and Y, by a driving mechanism including, for example, a linear motor. A reaction force generated by driving the wafer stage has been discharged by being mechanically transmitted to a floor (ground) by using a frame member disposed on a base (for example, a floor or a base plate as the foundation of the apparatus) vibrationally (dynamically) isolated from the stage, as described in, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,528,118.
In the case of the scanning stepper, a reticle stage in addition to the wafer stage must be driven in a given scanning direction. In order to deal with the reaction force generated by driving the reticle stage, a counter-mass structure that relies upon the law of conservation of momentum is generally used along a scanning direction (refer to, for example, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/260,544). The counter-mass structure moves in a direction opposite to the direction in which the stage moves in order to discharge (absorb) the reaction force. Movement of the counter-mass also maintains the center of gravity in the movement direction constant to avoid swaying of the apparatus. Another method for discharging a reaction force generated by moving a reticle stage is a method in which the reaction force is mechanically discharged to a base, such as a floor (ground), by using a frame member (see, for example, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/416,558).
In the known projection-exposure apparatus, a reaction force resulting from driving a stage is discharged to a base. Vibrations caused in the base by the reaction force have been damped by a vibration isolator, such as an anti-vibration table (vibration-elimination table) on which the projection optical system and stage are mounted, thereby suppressing vibration of the projection optical system and the stage caused by the reaction force.
Recently, vibration isolation has been improved by disposing multiple vibration-isolation tables in an exposure apparatus in situations where the effect of a reaction force, due to driving a stage, on the accuracy of exposure, although small, is non-negligible, even when the reaction force is discharged to a frame disposed directly on a base.
Semiconductor devices and the like have been more highly integrated over the years, thereby making circuit patterns smaller. Thus, projection-exposure apparatus have been required to have higher resolution. In order to improve resolution, it is known to increase the numerical aperture of the projection optical system (NA-increase) and to shorten the wavelength of the exposure beam. A most effective method for improving resolution is to shorten the wavelength of the exposure beam because the NA-increase decreases the depth of focus. Therefore, the wavelength of exposure beams has been decreasing over the years, and an exposure apparatus having, as a light source, an ArF-excimer laser having an output wavelength of 193 nm is at the stage of practical application. Moreover, exposure apparatus having light sources with even shorter wavelengths, such as an F2-laser (output wavelength of 157 nm) and an Ar2-laser (output wavelength of 126 nm), are being considered.
It is believed that the device rule (practical minimum line width) will be 0.1 xcexcm or less in the future. There is almost no doubt that an electron beam exposure apparatus (hereinafter referred to as xe2x80x9cEB-exposure apparatusxe2x80x9d) will be one of the dominant alternatives as an exposure apparatus for realizing exposure of such microscopic patterns.
Vacuum ultraviolet radiation beams from, for example, the F2-laser, are difficult to transmit through air. Therefore, the overall light path thereof must be enclosed in a chamber or the like, and the air in the chamber must be replaced by inert gas such as nitrogen or helium, so as to remove the air from the section through which the light path is to be formed. That is, in an exposure apparatus using a vacuum ultraviolet light source, the reticle stage and the wafer stage are enclosed in respective chambers.
Similarly, in an EB-exposure apparatus, the wafer stage and the like are enclosed in evacuated chambers.
In an exposure apparatus using a near-ultraviolet light source such as an ArF-excimer laser, at least one part of the light path is preferably enclosed in a chamber or the like. The chamber or the like is preferably purged by replacing the air therein with clean air from which organic substances and the like have been removed, or with an inert gas such as nitrogen or helium.
However, in these exposure apparatus provided with chambers for enclosing the light paths, it is difficult to use the technology as it is, which is disclosed in, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,528,118 described above, to discharge the reaction force caused by driving, for example, wafer stages.
Accordingly, it is a first object of the invention to provide a stage device in which a reaction force generated by driving a stage can be discharged to the outside while maintaining the stage in a predetermined gas atmosphere condition.
It is a second object of the invention to provide an exposure apparatus in which the accuracy of exposure can be improved.
According to a first aspect of the invention, a stage device includes a stage, an airtight chamber, a driver and a reaction-force-discharging structure. The stage supports an object such as, e.g., a mask or a substrate. The airtight chamber receives the stage in a hermetic state. The driver is disposed in the airtight chamber and includes a movable member connected to the stage and a stationary member that cooperates with the movable member to generate a driving force to drive the stage. The reaction-force-discharging structure discharges a reaction force that is applied to the stationary member when driving the stage to the outside of the airtight chamber via a transmitting member, at least part of the transmitting member being connected to the airtight chamber.
In the present specification, the phrase xe2x80x9ccooperatesxe2x80x9d as used, for example, in xe2x80x9ca stationary member that cooperates with the movable member to generate a driving forcexe2x80x9d means that a driving force is generated by an interaction such as an electromagnetic (or magnetic) interaction between the stationary member and the movable member.
In the stage device according to this aspect of the invention, when the stage is driven by the driver disposed in the airtight chamber, a reaction force is generated by that driving and is applied to the stationary member. The reaction force is discharged to the outside of the airtight chamber by the reaction-force-discharging structure via the transmitting member, at least a portion of which is connected to the airtight chamber. When the airtight chamber receiving the stage is set to a predetermined gas atmosphere (including air from which organic substances and the like have been removed), the reaction force caused by driving the stage can be discharged to the outside while maintaining the predetermined atmosphere.
In this case, the airtight chamber may receive the stage and the driver, and the airtight chamber may be formed by a chamber partition, part of which is provided with an aperture. One end of a hollow resilient sealing member can be connected to a periphery of the aperture of the chamber partition. The other end of the sealing member can be provided with a closing member for closing an opening on that other end. The reaction-force-discharging structure may include a connecting structure, at least one part of which is inserted into an inner space of the sealing member. The connecting structure includes a vibration-damper connected to the closing member, and that connects the stationary member and the transmitting member to each other.
The closing member may be disposed outside the chamber or it may be disposed inside the chamber. In the former case, the vibration-damper may connect the stationary member and the closing member disposed outside the chamber, and the closing member may be connected to the transmitting member. In the latter case, the connecting structure may further include a mounting member to be mounted on the transmitting member. The closing member may be disposed in the chamber, one side thereof being connected to the stationary member. The vibration-damper may connect the other side of the closing member and the mounting member. In the latter case, since the connecting member is disposed inside the chamber, the internal cubic dimensions and the distance between the chamber and the transmitting member can be reduced compared with the former case, whereby the footprint of the device can be reduced.
In the stage device according to the first aspect of the invention, when the reaction-force-discharging structure includes the vibration-damper and the connecting structure for connecting the stationary member and the transmitting member, the vibration-damper may be pivotal along a plane perpendicular to the axis thereof and along two axes perpendicular to each other. When a force caused by a reaction force is applied along the plane perpendicular to the axis of the vibration-damper, the force is absorbed by pivoting motion of the vibration-damper. When the force is applied along the axis of the vibration-damper, the force is efficiently damped by the damping function of the vibration-damper.
Although in the stage device according to the first aspect of the invention, the vibration-damper may be configured in any manner as long as the reaction force by driving the stage can be damped, the vibration-damper is preferably a shock absorber having the functions of a damper and a resilient member.
When the airtight chamber is formed by the chamber partition, the hollow sealing member, and the closing member, the stage device according to the first aspect of the invention may further include an external frame dynamically isolated from the chamber partition and mounted with the transmitting member. The reaction force caused by driving the stage and that is applied to the stationary member is transmitted to the external frame via the transmitting member, at least part of which is connected to the airtight chamber. Since the external frame is dynamically isolated from the chamber, vibration caused by the reaction force transmitted to the external frame is substantially suppressed to zero.
The transmitting member may be mounted on the external frame via a threaded part so as to be movable toward and away from the connecting structure, and the transmitting member and a particular member, which is disposed opposite to the stationary member, among the components of the connecting structure, may be fixed to each other via a fixing structure. The chamber partition mounted with the connecting structure is disposed at a predetermined position, is moved by the threaded part to another position in which the transmitting member comes into contact with the particular member constituting the connecting structure, and the particular member and the transmitting member are fixed to each other by the fixing structure, whereby the assembly is easily completed. As described above, the chamber partition and the connecting structure may be assembled in advance as a unit.
The fixing structure may be a bolt having a thread to mate with a threaded hole formed in at least one of the particular member and the transmitting member, for fastening the particular member and the transmitting member to each other. The fixing structure may be a structure for holding the particular member by a movement of the transmitting member toward the connecting member.
The stage device according to the first aspect of the invention may further include a conveying system for loading and unloading the material to and from the airtight chamber. In this case, loading of the material to the stage in the airtight chamber and unloading of the material from the stage can be performed.
According to a second aspect of the invention, a stage device includes a plurality of stages, each stage supporting an object; an airtight chamber that receives the plurality of stages in a hermetic state; a driver disposed in the airtight chamber and including a movable member connected to each of the plurality of stages and a stationary member associated with each movable member to generate a driving force to drive each of the plurality of stages in cooperation with the movable member; and a reaction-force-discharging structure to discharge a reaction force applied to the corresponding stationary member by driving of at least one of the plurality of stages to the outside of the airtight chamber via a transmitting member, at least a part of which is connected to the airtight chamber.
When one of the stages is driven by the driver disposed in the airtight chamber, a reaction force generated by driving of the stage is applied to the stationary member. The reaction force is discharged to the outside of the airtight chamber by the reaction-force-discharging structure via the transmitting member. When the airtight chamber receiving the plurality of stages is set to a predetermined gas atmosphere (including air from which organic substances and the like have been removed), the reaction force can be discharged to the outside while maintaining the predetermined atmosphere.
According to a third aspect of the invention, an exposure apparatus for exposing a substrate to energy beams, thereby forming a predetermined pattern on the substrate, includes a substrate stage to support the substrate. It also includes an airtight chamber that receives the substrate in a hermetic state. In addition, a driver is disposed in the airtight chamber and includes a movable member connected to the substrate stage and a stationary member that generates a driving force to drive the substrate stage in cooperation with the movable member. It also includes a reaction-force-discharging structure that discharges a reaction force that is applied to the stationary member when the driver drives the substrate stage to the outside of the airtight chamber via a transmitting member, at least a part of which is connected to the airtight chamber.
When the substrate stage is driven by the driver disposed in the airtight chamber, a reaction force is generated by driving the substrate stage and is applied to the stationary member. The reaction force can be discharged to the outside of the airtight chamber by the reaction-force-discharging structure via the transmitting member. When the airtight chamber is set to a predetermined gas atmosphere (including air from which organic substances and the like have been removed), the reaction force caused by driving the substrate stage can be discharged to the outside while maintaining the predetermined atmosphere. For example, by setting the airtight chamber to an atmosphere of an inert gas such as nitrogen and by exposing a substrate to vacuum ultraviolet radiation beams, accurate exposure is possible. In this case, since the reaction force caused by driving the substrate stage does not significantly affect the control of position of the stage, accurate control of the position of the stage is possible, whereby the exposure operation is improved such that variations in position of the transferred patterns do not occur.
Alternatively, for example, the airtight chamber may be evacuated, and electron beams as energy beams may be used for the exposure of the substrate, whereby an improved exposure is also made possible.
The exposure apparatus according to the invention may further include a laser interferometer that determines the position of the substrate stage by measuring the length of beams of which at least one part of the light path is disposed in the airtight chamber. In this case, when the airtight chamber is set to an atmosphere of an inert gas such as nitrogen (or is evacuated), the shimmering by air which causes variations in the measurement by the laser interferometer can be avoided, because the atmosphere in the airtight chamber can be maintained. Thus, an accurate determination of the position of the wafer stage is made possible.
The exposure apparatus according to the invention may further include a projection optical system for applying the energy beams to the substrate. In this case, for example, the airtight chamber is set to an atmosphere of an inert gas such as nitrogen, and the exposure of the substrate is performed by using vacuum ultraviolet radiation beams, whereby exposure with high resolution is possible.
The exposure apparatus according to the invention may further include a chamber in addition to the airtight chamber for receiving the projection optical system.
According to a fourth aspect of the invention, an exposure apparatus for applying energy beams to a mask, thereby transferring a pattern of the mask to the substrate, includes a mask stage for supporting the mask. It also includes a mask chamber that receives the mask stage in a hermetic state. In addition, a mask-driver is disposed in the mask chamber and includes a movable member connected to the mask stage and a stationary member that generates a driving force to drive the mask stage in cooperation with the movable member. The device also includes a reaction-force-discharging structure that discharges a reaction force applied to the stationary member when the driver drives the mask stage to the outside of the mask chamber via a transmitting member, at least a part of which is connected to the mask chamber.
When the mask stage is driven by the driver disposed in the airtight chamber, a reaction force generated by driving the mask stage is applied to the stationary member. The reaction force is discharged to the outside of the airtight chamber by the reaction-force-discharging structure via the transmitting member connected to the airtight chamber. When the airtight chamber receiving the mask stage is set to a predetermined gas atmosphere (including air from which organic substances and the like have been removed), the reaction force caused by driving the mask stage can be discharged to the outside while maintaining the predetermined atmosphere. Therefore, accurate exposure is made possible by setting the airtight chamber to an atmosphere of an inert gas such as nitrogen, and by transferring the pattern of the mask to the substrate by using vacuum ultraviolet radiation beams.
According to a fifth aspect of the invention, a method for manufacturing an exposure apparatus for exposing a substrate to energy beams, thereby forming a predetermined pattern on a substrate, includes the steps of providing a substrate stage for supporting the substrate; closing an airtight chamber in a hermetic state, the airtight chamber receiving a driver, together with the substrate stage, including a movable member connected to the substrate stage and a stationary member for generating a driving force for driving the substrate stage in cooperation with the movable member; and providing a reaction-force-discharging structure for discharging a reaction force applied to the stationary member when the driver drives the substrate stage to the outside of the airtight chamber via a transmitting member, at least a part of which is connected to the airtight chamber.
The substrate stage for supporting a substrate is provided, and the driver is received in the airtight chamber in a hermetic state together with the substrate stage. The driver includes the movable member connected to the substrate stage and the stationary member for generating a driving force to drive the substrate stage in cooperation with the movable member. The reaction-force-discharging structure is provided, for discharging the reaction force generated by driving the substrate stage to the outside of the airtight chamber via the transmitting member. Then, the driver, the substrate stage, the reaction-force-discharging structure, and various other components, such as an illumination optical system, are mechanically, optically, and electrically assembled and adjusted, whereby the exposure apparatus according to an aspect of the invention is manufactured.

Stage device and exposure apparatus and method


A multiplexing pattern generator generates a multiplexing pattern signal indicating the order of types of data to be multiplexed. A video remaining size calculator and an audio remaining size calculator calculate, as a remaining size, the size of multiplexable data of an elementary stream. A video packet generator and an audio packet generator generate a multiplex packet containing transmission data of a predetermined size, based on the multiplexing pattern signal and the remaining size. A multiplexer generates a multiplexed stream. The video remaining size calculator and the audio remaining size calculator calculate the remaining size, based on the data size per access unit and the transmission size of transmission data. The video packet generator and the audio packet generator generate a multiplex packet, if the data type indicated by the multiplexing pattern signal shows matching, and the remaining size is equal to or larger than the transmission size.

In recent years, digitization has been rapidly carried out in the technical field of broadcasting. For instance, a digital broadcast system has been put into practice. In the digital broadcast system, contents data such as video data and audio data, service information, and program information are multiplexed in a digital format for broadcast. Generally, contents data such as video data and audio data is subjected to compression encoding, based on the specifications such as an MPEG (Moving Picture Experts Group) system; fragments of encoded data i.e. compression-encoded contents data are packetized; and the packets are transmitted as a stream of signals.
A receiver, upon receiving the signal stream, is operable to restore the contents data by extracting the encoded data from the signal stream, and decoding the extracted encoded data. In the digital broadcast system, the digital broadcast is performed by using a technique of transmitting a stream of signals i.e. transmitting a signal stream called a transport stream.
In particular, for instance, in the MPEG system, in generating a transport stream obtained by multiplexing multiple encoded data such as video encoded data and audio encoded data, a system target decoder (hereinafter, called as "STD" according to needs) is used as a standard decoder model for performing a decoding operation. Specifically, in the MPEG system, a transport stream is generated based on the STD so that a multiplexing device does not cause breakdown of the STD, thereby enabling the decoder to properly perform a decoding operation. In view of this, for instance, in a multiplexing device for use in the digital broadcast system, a transport stream is generated by virtually and sequentially monitoring storage statuses of various buffers provided in the STD, and controlling the STD in such a manner as to avoid buffer breakdown such as a buffer overflow or a buffer underflow.
In the technical field of consumer video devices, for instance, a technique of increasing the capacity of a recording medium such as a hard disk or an optical disc for recording information in a digital format has rapidly progressed. With use of a recording and reproducing device called a DVD recorder, it is possible to record large-capacity data such as video data in general houses. Miniaturization of a recording medium has also rapidly progressed. For instance, it is possible to record or reproduce contents data such as video data and audio data by mounting a memory card such as an SD (Secure Digital) memory card or an electronic card in a mobile phone device, a digital camera device, or a like device.
In the case where contents data is recorded in a recording medium, basically, a method for recording contents data in conformity with individual formats of recording media in the aforementioned stream format has been generally put into practice. In view of this, a video camera device or a like device utilizing the above method is provided with an encoder for subjecting contents data to compression encoding; packetizing means for packetizing encoded video/audio data, and data for controlling the device; and multiplexing means for multiplexing the packets in order to generate a signal stream. If the encoder or the multiplexing device for use in the digital broadcast system is used in a consumer device such as a video camera device, the cost of the consumer device may be sharply increased. In view of this, there has been proposed a technique relating to a signal stream generating method to be applied to the consumer device.
As an example of the technique, for instance, there is known a multiplexing device for multiplexing multiple encoded data, without the need of virtual control of the STD. Specifically, in the technique of performing a multiplexing operation while virtually and sequentially monitoring storage statuses of the buffers in the STD, a complicated operation is required. Therefore, it is improper to apply the above technique to the consumer device. In view of this, there is proposed a multiplexing device for generating a multiplexed stream by alternately multiplexing packets according to a predetermined order so that the ratio between the number of packets containing encoded video data and the number of packets containing encoded audio data coincides with the ratio of bit rate between the encoded video data and the encoded audio data (see e.g. patent document 1).
FIG. 23 is a block diagram showing an arrangement of a conventional multiplexing device. The conventional multiplexing device 91 shown in FIG. 23 is a device for recording a multiplexed stream in a portable recording medium 92 by subjecting video data and audio data to compression encoding in accordance with the MPEG-1 specifications, respectively, and multiplexing a video stream composed of the encoded video data and an audio stream composed of the encoded audio data, respectively.
In the multiplexing device 91 shown in FIG. 23, a video encoder 911 subjects inputted video data to compression encoding at a fixed bit rate in accordance with a control signal from a CPU 916. Then, the video encoder 911 sequentially transmits a video stream composed of the video encoded data to a video input buffer 912. The video input buffer 912 temporarily stores the video stream, and transmits the temporarily stored video stream to an output buffer 915 in response to a request from the CPU 916.
Similarly to the above, an audio encoder 913 subjects inputted audio data to compression encoding at a fixed bit rate in accordance with a control signal from the CPU 916. Then, the audio encoder 913 sequentially transmits an audio stream composed of the audio encoded data to an audio input buffer 914. The audio input buffer 914 temporarily stores the audio stream, and transmits the temporarily stored audio stream to the output buffer 915 in response to a request from the CPU 916.
The output buffer 915 stores data outputted from the video input buffer 912 and the audio input buffer 914, header information generated in the CPU 916, and the like in a designated address under the control of the CPU 916. In storing the data, the CPU 916 is operable to extract packet data of an identical data length according to a predetermined order from the video stream and the audio stream of a fixed bit rate, which have been temporarily stored in the video input buffer 912 and the audio input buffer 914, respectively; generate header data of a fixed data length with respect to each of the packet data; and control the output buffer 915 to alternately store the header data therein.
As described above, the output buffer 915 is operable to store a multiplexed stream composed of header data, packet data containing partial data of a video stream, and packet data containing partial data of an audio stream alternately according to a predetermined order.
The multiplexing device 91 outputs the multiplexed stream to the portable recording medium 92. In this way, the multiplexing device 91 performs a multiplexing operation to record a multiplexed stream generated by a multiplexing operation into the portable recording medium 92.
As described above, in performing a multiplexing operation, it is necessary to generate a multiplexed stream in such a manner that a decoder buffer does not cause overflow and underflow. In view of this, the multiplexing device 91 performs a multiplexing operation in such a manner that the ratio between the number of packet data of a video stream and the number of packet data of an audio stream coincides with the ratio of bit rate between the video stream and the audio stream. This enables to make the transmission bit rates of a pack and header data constant, and make the data amounts of a video stream and an audio stream to be transmitted per unit time constant, thereby preventing overflow of an STD buffer at the time of decoding a multiplexed stream.
FIG. 24 is a conceptual diagram showing a method for allocating video packets and audio packets in a conventional multiplexing device. A method for allocating video packets and audio packets is described with use of a multiplexed stream 241 shown in FIG. 24, wherein the bit rate (hereinafter, called as a "video rate") of a video stream is 128 kbps, and the bit rate (hereinafter, called as an "audio rate") of an audio stream is 32 kbps, in other words, the ratio between the video rate and the audio rate is 4:1. Referring to FIG. 24, a block with the symbol "V" indicates a video packet i.e. a packet containing a segment of a video stream; and a block with the symbol "A" indicates an audio packet i.e. a packet containing a segment of an audio stream.
Specifically, the multiplexing device 91 is operable to generate a multiplexed stream in such a manner that each of the encoded video stream and the encoded audio stream is divided into a number of packet data of a predetermined amount; and packet groups each composed of four video packets and one audio packet are alternately multiplexed, as shown by the multiplexed stream 241, because the ratio between the number of packet data of the video stream and the number of packet data of the audio stream is set to 4:1, which is a ratio of fixed bit rate between the video stream and the audio stream.
A transfer bit rate Rmux of the entirety of the multiplexed stream is equal to the sum of bit rates of the encoded video stream and the encoded audio stream i.e. Rmux=128 kbps+32 kbps=160 kbps. Specifically, video data and audio data are always contained in a multiplexed stream of 160 kbps at a predetermined ratio so that the ratio of the video rate and the audio rate is set to 4:1. In this arrangement, there is no likelihood that data over a predetermined amount may be inputted to an STD buffer in a decoder per unit time, thereby preventing a buffer overflow.
The multiplexing device 91 is also configured to perform a multiplexing operation in such a manner that after a predetermined amount of inputted data is accumulated in the STD buffer, the decoder sequentially reads out the data to start a decoding operation. Specifically, the data amounts of a video stream and an audio stream per access unit are not constant in an actual operation. Accordingly, the amount of data to be inputted to the STD buffer may not be constant, thereby causing a buffer underflow. The access unit corresponds to a picture or a frame in encoding video data, and corresponds to an audio frame in encoding audio data.
In order to prevent a buffer underflow, a certain time for accumulating data before a decoding operation is started is defined in the multiplexing device 91. The time for accumulating data into a decoder buffer in advance is called a startup delay time. A multiplexed stream 242 shown in FIG. 24 has a startup delay time.
By defining the startup delay time, an operation of decoding a multiplexed stream is started after data is accumulated in the STD buffer by a period corresponding to the startup delay time. Further, a decoding start timing is delayed from a point of time when leading data of a multiplexed stream is transferred to the STD buffer, by the startup delay time.
As described above, the conventional multiplexing device 91 prevents an overflow of an STD buffer at a decoding time by performing a multiplexing operation so that the ratio between the number of video packets and the number of audio packets having an identical data length coincides with the ratio of fixed bit rate between the video packets and the audio packets in generating a multiplexed stream.
Further, in the conventional multiplexing device 91, underflow of the STD buffer at a decoding time is prevented by defining a startup delay time for accumulating video packets and audio packets in the STD buffer before a decoding start timing; and including the startup delay time in time stamp data indicating the decoding start timing or a like timing in performing a multiplexing operation.
The conventional multiplexing device 91 having the above configuration enables to multiplex multiple encoded data, without the need of virtual control of an STD.
As described above, the conventional multiplexing device is capable of avoiding breakdown of a decoder buffer in multiplexing multiple encoded data generated at a fixed bit rate. However, the conventional multiplexing device has a drawback that the buffer may cause breakdown in processing encoded data generated at a variable bit rate.
Specifically, for instance, in the MPEG system, the amount of encoded data generated by subjecting video data to compression encoding greatly differs depending on kinds of format e.g. I-picture format, P-picture format, and B-picture format, and also greatly differs depending on the contents of images. Accordingly, in the case where a sequence of flat or motionless images is processed, the amount of video encoded data per access unit is extremely lessened, with the result that a buffer underflow and a buffer overflow may be unavoidable solely by defining the startup delay time.
In the conventional multiplexing device, a multiplexing operation is performed while simulating the storage status of a decoder buffer to avoid breakdown of the decoder buffer. However, the decoder has multiple buffers, and the operations of the buffers are complicated. Accordingly, the processing amount and the processing time concerning the entirety of a multiplexing operation may be increased.
Patent document 1: JP2003-78873A

Apparatuses and method for multiplexing elementary streams based on a multiplexing pattern indicating an order of types of data to be multiplexed


A system for linking adjacent cuff sets for boiler tubes in parallel. A pair of contoured, plate-like adapter links is shaped to fit over the endmost cuff portions of two endwise mated cuff sets, and then secured to the endwise mated cuff sets to hold them in parallel. In a preferred form the adapter links are radially connected by a male throughpiece such as a bolt or bar extending through a keyway formed integrally in the end faces of the mated cuff sets. In a further preferred form, the end cuff portions of the mated cuff sets include welding tangs adapted to fit into welding slots formed in the adapter links so that the adapter links can be welded to the tangs, thereby locking the mated cuff sets together in a lengthwise direction.

Typical boiler tube arrays of the type used to transfer heat from a combustion chamber to a fluid driving a power-generating device in an industrial power plant may include as many as a hundred boiler tubes in a single, ideally parallel array. Because the long, relatively thin-walled tubes are subjected to significant heat stress, they tend to warp and shift out of parallel alignment, reducing the uniformity and efficiency of heat transfer to the fluid in the tubes.
The industry standard for keeping the tubes in proper alignment is a boiler tube cuff, comprising an elongated set of mating handcuff-like castings with semi-circular cuff portions designed to be radially mated over a set of boiler tubes. After being placed over a set of tubes in the array, the mating halves of a cuff set are secured to one another with known structure such as weldable posts or threaded bolts. The warping and misalignment of the tubes typically requires the tubes to be pre-clamped in parallel before the cuffs can be mated over them.
Most boiler tube cuffs come in lengths capable of holding five or six tubes at a time. However, each set of five or so cuffed tubes is prone to distortion and misalignment relative to adjacent sets of cuffed tubes, partially defeating the alignment purpose of the cuffs. Occasionally, a cuff set will be produced with as many as twelve or fifteen "holes", but this is considered an extreme length in the industry, and is impractical for most applications because it is too costly to make a longer mold.


The present invention includes a “Z shaped” configuration for a pair of internal windings of a fiber core of a medical electrical lead which can be configured as or windings to provide counter-rotation an implanted cardiac lead. When fully assembled and implanted within a patient, a screw-type active fixation electrode, such as a helical electrode, electrically couples to a coil conductor and mechanically couples to a loop formed at an end of the Z-shaped braided fiber. To remove the lead, an axial traction force is applied and as the Z-shaped braids begin to unwind rotational forces operate to unscrew the helical electrode. A lead constructed according to the present invention rotates counterclockwise and thus essentially unscrews the active fixation electrode.

Generally speaking, a pacing lead permits an implantable medical device (IMD) such as an implantable pulse generator (IPG) or other IMD to sense the activity of the heart and to provide electrical stimulation to the heart. Pacing leads can be either epicardial (e.g., attached to the exterior surface of the heart), or endocardial (e.g., attached to an interior location of the heart). Endocardial leads are normally placed into contact with the endocardial tissue by passage through the venous system, such as through the subclavian vein or other easily accessible veins located near the implant site of the IMD. Thus a transvenous, endocardial lead refers to a pacing lead that contacts cardiac endocardial tissue through a vein.
An endocardial lead is in electrical communication with the heart via an electrode at its distal end and thereby provides an electrical pathway between the IPG and endocardial tissue. Using this electrical pathway, the IPG is able to both pace the heart via electrical impulses and sense cardiac depolarizations.
In the past, various types of transvenous endocardial leads have been introduced into different chambers of the heart including the right ventricle, right atrial appendage and atrium as well as the coronary sinus. These leads usually are composed of an insulator sleeve that contains a coiled conductor having an electrode tip attached at the distal end. The electrode tip is held in place within the trabeculations of endocardial tissue. The distal ends of many available leads include passive fixation designs that may consist of flexible tines, wedges, or finger-like projections that extend radially outward and usually are molded from and integral with the insulator sleeve of the lead. These tines allow better containment by the trabeculations of endocardial tissue and help prevent dislodgement of the lead tip. Active fixation leads, on the other hand, are designed with lead tips that are lodged into the myocardium and may consist of helical coils, small sharp tips, and barbed tines among others.
Once an endocardial lead is implanted within a chamber of the heart, the body's reaction to its presence furthers its fixation within the heart. Specifically, shortly after implant, a blood clot forms about the lead tip due to enzymes released in response to the irritation of the endocardial tissue caused by the electrode tip which can be any one of a plurality of designs, tined, helical, flanged, among others. Over time, fibrous scar tissue eventually forms over the distal end. This scarring usually occurs within three to six months of implantation. In addition, fibrous scar tissue often forms, in part, over the lead's body or insulative sleeve within the vein through which the lead was passed.
Although the state of the art in pacemaker and lead technology has advanced considerably, endocardial leads nevertheless occasionally fail, due to a variety of reasons, including insulation breaks, breakage of the inner helical coil conductor thereof and an increase in electrode resistance. Also, in some instances, it may be desirable to stimulate different portions of the heart than those being stimulated with leads already in place. Due to these and other factors, therefore, a considerable number of patients may come to eventually have more than one, and sometimes as many as four or five, abandoned, unused leads in their venous system and heart.
Abandoned transvenous leads increase the risk that medical complications will develop. Possible complications associated with leaving unused leads in the heart and venous system include an increased likelihood that such a lead may become a site of infection. Development of an infection may, in turn, lead to septicemia, a possibly fatal complication. Unused leads may also cause endocarditis. Furthermore, unused leads may entangle over time, thereby increasing the likelihood of blood clot formation. Such clots may embolize to the lung and produce severe complications or even death. The presence of unused leads in the venous pathway and inside the heart can also cause considerable difficulty in the positioning and attachment of new endocardial leads in the heart. Moreover, multiple leads within a vein may impede blood flow or occlude the blood vessel, causing swelling of the arm.
As serious as the risks associated with leaving an unused lead in place may be, the risks associated with past methods and devices for lead removal were often greater. One technique used to remove a lead was the application of traction and rotation to the outer free end of the lead. This technique, however, could only be done before the lead tip became fixed in scar tissues within the trabeculations of cardiac tissue, such as at the apex of the right ventricle. Since it is very difficult to determine the formation of a clot, even shortly after lead implantation, there exists the risk a clot has already formed. Removal of a lead at that time may cause various sized emboli to pass to the lungs, thereby producing severe complications.
In cases where the lead tip has become attached by fibrous scar tissue to the heart wall, removal of the lead has presented further major problems and risks. Porous lead tips may have an ingrowth of fibrous scar tissue attaching them to the heart wall. Sufficient traction on such leads in a removal attempt could cause disruption of the wall prior to release of the affixed lead tip, causing fatality. Moreover, a sheath of fibrotic scar tissue may further prevent lead removal and endothelium surrounding the outer surface of the lead body and specifically the insulator sleeve, as mentioned above, at least partway along the venous pathway. Such "channel scar" tissue prevents withdrawal because of encasement of the lead. Continual strong pulling or twisting of the proximal free end of the lead could cause rupturing of the right atrial wall or right ventricular wall. Encasement by fibrous scar tissue in the venous pathway and in the trabeculations of cardiac tissue typically occurs within three to six months after the initial placement of the lead.
In the context of implantable leads, and particularly in the context of implantable cardiac leads, there is often a need to remove a lead after it has been implanted in a patient's body for some period of time. In conjunction with lead removal, it is often necessary to apply traction to the lead, in order to pull it free from tissue adhering thereto. It has therefore been recognized for some time that a reinforcement of some type, extending along the lead body would be beneficial, in order to prevent breakage or partial disassembly of the lead during removal. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,231,996 issued to Bardy et al., a variety of reinforcement mechanisms are disclosed, including cords, filaments, braids, and the like.
More recently, in the context of implantable cardiac leads, the use of cabled or stranded conductors in place of the previously more commonly employed coiled conductors has become more popular. These cabled or stranded conductors, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,584,873 issued to Shoberg et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,760,341 issued to Laske et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 5,246,014 issued to Williams et al. inherently provide an increased tensile strength lead, at least along the segment between the point at which the stranded or cabled conductor is coupled to an electrode and the point at which the conductor is coupled to an electrical connector at the proximal end of the lead. While this new conductor inherently provides a lead of enhanced tensile strength, in most endocardial cardiac pacing leads employing cabled or stranded conductors, the conductor that extends to the distal-most portion of the lead is still a coiled conductor in order to permit passage of a stylet. This distal-most portion of the lead is the portion of the lead that is most likely to be firmly embedded in fibrous tissue. It is therefore desirable that this portion of the lead in particular should be capable of withstanding high tensile forces without breakage.
As the designs of pacing leads have progressed over the years, there has been a general trend toward reduction in the diameter of the bodies of such leads, that is, those that are ≦4 French in diameter. However, as the diameter of the lead body is reduced, the production of a pacing lead that has an adequate tensile strength to allow relatively easy extraction via traction and rotation has become more difficult.
One approach to providing a small diameter lead with a high tensile strength is to fabricate the lead using an inextendible conductor, for example, a stranded conductor as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,246,014 issued to Williams et al., a cabled conductor as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,584,873 issued to Shoberg et al., or a tinsel-wire conductor as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,844,292 issued to Bolduc all incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. Another approach to increasing the tensile strength of a lead including a coiled, normally extensible conductor is to provide a reinforcing fiber or core within the lead, as disclosed in the previously mentioned U.S. Pat. No. 5,231,996 issued to Bardy et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 5,056,516, both also incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.
The previously referenced U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/559,161, entitled, "Medical Electrical Leads with Fiber Core," which discloses how to fabricate a high strength, small diameter pacing lead. This lead that can be as small as 2 to 4 French in diameter utilizes a fiber core fabricated from a single length of fiber that is d-oubled and twisted together, around which a multi-filar coil is wound. The composite conductor coil/core structure is coupled to a connector assembly at its proximal end and, preferably, to a helical electrode at its distal end. Having such a pacing lead available, there still remains the issue of how to extract such a lead in those patients who require such a procedure.


In an electronic apparatus having a photographing function and a method of controlling the same, a qualitative description and a quantitative setting link with each other flexibly so as to provide a mixed linkage guide so that the qualitative description and the quantitative setting may be reused, and a qualitative description and a quantitative setting which will be added later may link with each other freely.

1. Field
One or more embodiments relate to an electronic apparatus having a photographing function and a method of controlling the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Electronic apparatuses having a photographing function or digital photographing apparatuses, for example, digital cameras or cameras built in smartphones, each have a photographing guide function recently. There are two methods of the photographing guide function of a digital camera, i.e., a qualitative photographing guide method and a quantitative photographing guide method. An example of the qualitative photographing guide method includes a manual that describes a photographing method using the digital camera, and an example of the quantitative photographing guide method is called a mode and includes a method of setting an expert's preset setting value in a situation.

Electronic apparatus having a photographing function and method of controlling the same


A bidirectional signal transfer shift register with a simple circuit construction is disclosed together with suitable applications of the same. The bidirectional signal transfer shift register comprises a plurality of flipflops each having an input terminal and an output terminal in pair. The input and output terminals of the flipflops are connected successively in such a manner as to construct a multi-stage structure. A forward route gate element is interposed in a connection route between the output terminal of the front stage side one of each two adjacent front and rear ones of the flipflops and the input terminal of the rear stage side flipflop, and a reverse route gate element is interposed in another connection route between the output terminal of the rear stage side flipflop and the input terminal of the front stage side flipflop. Forward direction signal transmission processing and reverse direction signal transmission processing can be switchably selected by alternatively controlling the forward and reverse route gate elements to open or close.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a bidirectional signal transmission network and more particularly to a bidirectional signal transfer shift register which is suitably incorporated, for example, in a drive circuit of an active matrix liquid crystal display device and used for reversal display of an image.
2. Description of the Related Art
An active matrix liquid crystal display device is conventionally known and has such a a general construction as shown in FIG. 6. Referring to FIG. 6, the active matrix liquid crystal display device (LCD) 100 shown includes a liquid crystal layer 101 which exhibits a predetermined electro-optical effect and is held between a pair of transparent glass substrates 102 and 103. A plurality of picture element electrodes 104 are formed on an inner surface of the substrate 102 and disposed in a matrix. A thin film transistor 105 made of polycrystalline silicon or a like material is connected to each of the individual picture element electrodes 104. The drain electrodes of the thin film transistors 105 are connected to the corresponding picture element electrodes 104; the source electrodes are connected to corresponding data lines 106; and the gate electrodes are connected to corresponding gate lines 107. A plurality of opposing electrodes 108 are formed on an entire inner surface of the other substrate 103. An image data signal is written by way of the individual thin film transistors 105 into the corresponding picture element electrodes 104. Electro-optical variations of the liquid crystal layer 101 caused by the image data signal are detected as transmission light amount variations by means of, for example, a pair of polarization plates (not shown) to effect display of a desired image.
An active matrix liquid crystal display device having the construction described above can be utilized, for example, as a light valve for a liquid crystal projector. A liquid crystal projector includes three liquid crystal display devices to which the three primary colors are allocated, and a common enlarging projection lens system. The liquid crystal display devices function as light valves for the different color systems of red, green and blue. The liquid crystal display devices resolve a primary image into red, green and blue components and display them. Red, green and blue illumination light beams are introduced simultaneously into the liquid crystal display devices. Single color transmission light images of the individual liquid crystal display devices are composed by means of a dichroic prism or a dichroic mirror, and a thus composed full color image is projected in an enlarged scale onto a screen by the projection lens system. In the optical system of the liquid crystal projector, a primary image is composed after reflection reversal is repeated several times. Depending upon the arrangement structure of the optical system, the number of times of reflection reversal is different among the different color systems. Accordingly, in order to obtain an aligned full color image, a primary image component of a predetermined color must be displayed reversely in advance. Or, depending upon installation environments of the liquid crystal projector, it may possibly be mounted in an inverted posture on a ceiling to effect projection. Also in this instance, a primary image to be displayed on the liquid crystal display device must be reversed in advance.
In this manner, a structure which can suitably select reversal display depending upon an object of use or an application of the liquid crystal display device is conventionally demanded. To this end, various image reversing systems have been proposed conventionally. For example, such a system as shown in FIG. 7 which makes use of image signal processing is known. Referring to FIG. 7, an original image data signal SIG is inputted once to an analog to digital (A/D) conversion and reversal processing circuit 110, in which it is converted into a digital signal and then processed by reversal processing. For example, the data signal is successively written into a frame memory and then read out in the reverse direction. The data signal processed by the reversal processing is supplied to a liquid crystal display device 100 by way of a buffer 111.
FIG. 8 shows another system for image reversal. Referring to FIG. 8, a downward scanning circuit 120 is connected to gate lines 107 of a liquid crystal display device 100. An ordinary unidirectional shift register not shown is incorporated in the downward scanning circuit 120 and sends out a gate signal to the gate lines 107 successively beginning with the upper end and ending with the lower end of the screen. Also an upward scanning circuit 121 is connected to other gate lines 107. A unidirectional shift register not shown is incorporated also in the upward scanning circuit 121 and sends out a gate signal to the gate lines 107 successively beginning with the lower end to the upper end of the screen. The downward scanning circuit 120 and the upward scanning circuit 121 in pair can be selected suitably. When the downward scanning circuit 120 is selected, a normal or non-reversed image is displayed, but when the upward scanning circuit 121 is selected, a vertically reversed image is displayed. Similarly, a rightward scanning circuit 122 and a leftward scanning circuit 123 in pair are connected to data lines 106. When the rightward scanning circuit 122 is selected, normal image display is performed, but when the leftward scanning circuit 123 is selected, a leftwardly and rightwardly reversed image is displayed. It is to be noted that, while the four scanning circuits are shown disposed outside the liquid crystal display device 100 in FIG. 8, it is possible to actually form them in an integrated condition in the inside of the liquid crystal display device 100.
In the reversing system shown in FIG. 7 which makes use of image signal processing, since the A/D reversal processing circuit and so forth have a large scale, there is a problem to be solved in that the power dissipation is high and reduction in size is obstructed, resulting in disadvantage in terms of the cost. Meanwhile, with the reversing circuit structure shown in FIG. 8, there is another subject to be solved in that, since four scanning circuits are required, where they are formed in the inside of a liquid crystal display device, the device requires a large area and the yield is deteriorated as much.

Bidirectional signal transmission network and bidirectional signal transfer shift register


A method is provided for enabling a user to select and manipulate resource objects of a given type by selecting a program of a type compatible with the type of the resource objects via the graphical user interface of a computer system. This is achieved by first controlling a cursor control device of the computer system to drag a program icon onto a resource object icon. Then, a type of the program is compared to a type of the resource object to determine whether the program can manipulate the resource object. If the program can manipulate the resource object, a visual display of the resource object icon is modified to indicate to the user that the program can manipulate the resource object. In response to the visual display, the user has the option of either electing to manipulate the object using the program by dropping the program icon onto the resource object icon, or of terminating the operation by dragging the program icon away from the resource object icon. If the user elects to manipulate the resource object via the program, the program is executed by the computer system. A method is further provided for automatically comparing the type of the program to the type of a second resource object to determine whether the program can manipulate the second resource object, if the type of the program is not compatible with the type of the first resource object. A method is further provided for performing system management on a computer system. Finally, a method is provided for performing system management on a distributed system.

1. Field of the invention
The present invention relates generally to a computer system and, in particular, to a method of selecting, type matching and manipulating resource objects by a computer program using the Graphical User Interface (GUI) portion of a computer system.
2. Description of Related Art
FIG. 1 illustrates the GUI portion of a typical computer system. Computer 100 includes a monitor 110, a keyboard 120 and a mouse 130. One or more windows 140 may be displayed on screen 150 of monitor 110 to allow the user to perform different tasks concurrently. A cursor icon 160, generally, but not necessarily, resembling an arrow is also displayed on screen 150 and is controlled by mouse 130. Generally, when more than one window 140 is displayed on screen 150, the input from keyboard 120 is directed to the foreground window.
Several application programs are executed by the computer system. A user of the computer system can communicate with the application programs executed by the computer system via the GUI portion of the system. As modern computer systems encompass a variety of components, both at the hardware and at the software level, GUIs allow users to control the components of the computer system via an abstract representation of the computer system displayed by the GUI. For example, the user can print a document on a printer attached to the computer by dragging a document icon (i.e. moving the mouse icon over the document icon and then holding down the mouse button while moving the mouse) displayed by the GUI onto a printer icon and dropping (i.e. releasing the mouse button) the document icon onto the printer icon, as shown in FIG. 2. However, if the user attempts to perform an operation via the GUI which is not supported by the computer system (i.e. the user attempts to drop the document icon on an icon representing the computer to which the printer represented by the printer icon is connected), little or no feedback is provided to the user (i.e. nothing happens). As the goal of GUIs is to simplify users interaction with the computer system, there is a need for a method of navigating the GUI which allows users to perform the operations supported by the computer system without requiring familiarity with the details of the interaction of system components.

Selection, type matching and manipulation of resource objects by a computer program


A structure of a plug-in device with a foldable plug for connecting a power supply to a power-receiving device is provided. The plug-in device includes an upper housing, a blade element, and a lower housing.

A plug-in device, such as an electrical charger, generally includes an insulating housing, a plug and a circuit mounted within the housing. The plug is used to accept power supplied by an external power source and deliver the power to the circuit. The plug of a typical plug-in device has two conducting blades extending from the housing. The actual configuration of the blades depends on the country for which the plug-in device is designed.
One prior art charger with a foldable plug is the charger provided by PALM COMPUTING®. Their charger has a cylindrical housing base, with a circuit board arranged in the housing base. There is a plastic positioner placed on top of the circuit elements. The paired blades are placed on top of the plastic positioner. The paired blades rest on a holder in the plastic positioner. A housing cover, made of the same material as the housing, is then placed over the blades, and the plastic positioner is bonded to the housing cover. The housing cover is then permanently coupled to the housing base. A force is applied to the blades by a bending tab on the plastic positioner, when a user opens or closes the blades, which snaps the blades into the open and closed positions. The blades exert pressure on the plastic holder continuously, whether they are open or closed.
However, this device has a number of drawbacks. First, it has an extra element that needs to be assembled, bonded to the housing cover, in addition to the two housing pieces. This means that manufacturing and assembly tolerances between the separate pieces may cause issues. Second, use introduces significant stress on the bending tab of the plastic positioner, reducing the feel of the opening and closing click. Third, over time the constant force on the bending tab in the open and closed positions will permanently deform the bending tab and further reduce the feel of the opening and closing force.

Plug-in device having a plug with blades and a pivot with a locking cam and a bending cam