A water-saving structure of toilet bowl, includes a tube member, a pull knob, a stopper body, a pull cord, a handle and a valve body disposed at a bottom of a water tank of the toilet bowl. When pulling the pull knob, the stopper body is stopped by the tube member and the valve body is pulled open without totally buoying up, permitting a small amount of water to flow out of the water tank so as to save water. Alternatively, the handle can be pressed down to totally pull up the valve body, permitting the water in the water tank to entirely flow out.

The present invention relates to a water-saving structure of toilet bowl, which has a two-stage flushing structure for selectively flushing the toilet bowl by a small or a large amount of water.
FIG. 1 shows an existing flushing structure of the water tank of toilet bowl, which canonly flush the toilet bowl by fixed amount of water. Once the handle 11 is pressed down, the pull cord 12 is driven to pull open the valve body 13. The buoyancy exerted onto the valve body 13 is greater than the weight thereof so that the valve body 13 will buoy in the water, permitting the water to totally flow out. Therefore, the amount of the flushing water cannot be controlled according to the actual requirement and a lot of water is wasted.
Various types of water-saving toilet bowls (not shown) are commercially available. However, such water-saving toilet bowls have numerous parts which are difficult to assemble and replace. This leads to high price of such water-saving toilet bowls.

No.31, 24th Road, Taichung Industrial Park


A method of making a computer booting an operation system from a flash card which is plugged in a multi-card reader having the following steps: at first, a bootable card having a master bootable record or reserve sector written a bootable pattern thereon is prepared. Then if the BIOS of the host computer requests a bootable pattern from the USB storage apparatus, the firmware of the multi-card reader is then provided a logic unit number (LUN)=0 to the host computer if there is a bootable flash card seated at a socket. The socket is not need to be the first socket but arbitrary. Thus, the USB card reader will be convenient for any user.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of booting a computer by a flash card in multi-card reader/writer, and more particularly to a method of dynamical detecting a bootable card in multi-card reader/writer with an USB (Universal Serial Bus) interface from any one of flash card if it contains a bootable pattern.
2. Description of the Prior Art
With the progressive of the semiconductor technologies, nowadays, high capacity flash memories are much cheaper than ever before. Among products of storage media, the flash memory cards may be the most pocket, miniature and a big hit with public. Furthermore, as a probable storage media, vibration problems often occur in the hard disk whereas it does not found in the flash memory cards. Therefore, the flash memory cards are often selected as one of the best candidates for MP3 player, personal digital assistor, and digital still camera. The user can store the data retrieved at outdoor, and then he or she plugs the memory card into an USB card reader and transfers the data thereof into a hard disk. The flash memory card can then be reuse just by refreshing or formatting the memory or just deleting part of files.
However, owing to main manufacturer do not formulate a universal format for fresh cards, thus a variety of flash card types or formats are popular in the memory market currently. The card formats include compact flash card (CF) type I/II, memory stick (MS), multimedia card (MMC), secure digital card (SD), smart media card (SMC) in the markets. Subsequently, there are many kinds of card readers, such as 3 in 1, 4 in 1, or 6 in 1.
Since the popularity of the USB deice, almost all of personal computers or hand-held computers activated currently BIOS (basic input output system) thereof supporting the computers booting from those USB devices such as USB-ZIP, USB-HDD, USB-FDD or USB card reader or said card reader/writer. Whereas only the flash card located at the first socket is available to boot a computer for current BIOS if a multi-socket flash card reader is desired to boot by BIOS setting. Hence, even though the 6 in 1 or 4 in 1 of USB flash card reader is convenient for user to solve the problems due to non-universal type, however, only a flash card type compliant with the first socket is available for booting. The user thus can only make the flash card have a booting pattern in booting sector if he or she wants to the computer booting from the USB card reader. Therefore, it is not inconvenient for most of users since then he or she must note the flash card type while buying flash card reader and the type of his or her favorite electronic merchandise supported.
Consequently, an object of the present invention is to provide a method to solve the forgoing problem by means of dynamic detecting the sockets of the USB flash card reader. The firmware of the USB flash card reader can make up the deficiency of the BIOS of the host. While the BIOS inquires a bootable pattern from the USB flash card reader, the firmware of the USB flash card reader can respond to the host no matter which sockets a flash card is located. Because in accordance with the present invention, the firmware will automatically detect the bootable pattern from each of flash cards which are plugged in the sockets

Method of making computer booting from any one of card of multi-flash card reader


Embodiments of the present invention provide a method and apparatus for wireless communication, for use in a communication system at least using two beams. The method comprises: a network device determines transmission resources that can be used by M beam groups, wherein each beam group comprises at least one beam in the at least two beams, M≥1; the network device sends configuration information to a first terminal device, the configuration information being used for indicating the transmission source used by each beam group, so that the practicability and user experience of a multi-beam system can be improved.

At present, there is a multi-beam system that a network device provides multiple beams and thus may provide different coverage through different beams.
In the related art, transmission resources (for example, frequency-domain resources or time-domain resources) available for different beams are fixed. That is, a communication system may specify a transmission resource available for a certain beam and, moreover, during operation of the communication system, the beam may only use the transmission resource specified by the communication system.
With development of communication technologies, communication services also have made increasingly diversified requirements on transmission resources. The same service may have different requirements on transmission resources during different time periods. Since a transmission resource available for a beam cannot be changed, there may exist the condition that the existing multi-beam system cannot meet a service requirement of a terminal device, which seriously affects practicability and user experience of the multi-beam system.

Method and apparatus for wireless communication

GUANGDONG OPPO MOBILE TELECOMMUNICATIONS CORP., LTD.


A magnetic disc drive has a magnetoresistive element (26) for reading user data from concentric tracks of a rotatable magnetic recording disc (32). The magnetoresistive element has a resistance based on a magnetic field derived from user data and based on temperature of the magnetoresistive element. Heat generated by the bias current through the head is in part dissipated through the disc, the amount of heat dissipated being representative of disc/head spacing. The surface of the recording disc has contour elements (50, 52, 54) arranged in a pattern representing servo data, the contour elements having a height such that the spacing between the magnetoresistive element and the contour elements is different from the spacing between the magnetoresistive element and a nominal surface of the recording disc. As a result, a modulated signal (66) from the head contains a component representative of user data and a component representative of servo data.

This invention relates to servo systems for disc drives, and particularly to servo systems employing thermal signals.
Magnetoresistive (MR) heads operate on the principle that the resistance of a magnetoresistive element is at least in part based on the strength of the magnetic field from the data medium adjacent the head. A bias current through the MR element creates a voltage across the head, the magnitude of the voltage being based on the magnitude of the bias current and the resistance of the MR element. The varying voltage signal is representative of the data on the disc.
The resistance of the MR element is also dependent on a number of other factors, including temperature. Thus, the bias current also generates about 10 to 100 mW power in the form of heat within the element. The heat thermally dissipates into the head as well as across the interface into the recording disc. The amount of heat dissipated across the interface into the disc is a function of disc spacing between the disc and MR element. At small head/disc spacings (low flying heights), more heat is dissipated to the disc than when the spacing is large (high flying heights). Hence, the resistance of the MR element is a function of magnetic field strength, as well as thermal dissipation due to a function of disc/head spacing.
Typically, data are recorded on concentric tracks of magnetic discs, and the MR head is positioned over the selected track by an actuator. Servo data are used to control the actuator to accurately position the head over the selected track, and to maintain the head on the track. Usually, servo data are recorded either in the form of servo bursts in "spokes" on the same disc containing the user data (embedded servo systems) or on a separate disc maintained for the purpose of servo control (dedicated servo system). In both the dedicated and embedded servo systems, areas of the disc surface are dedicated to the recording of servo data, either on the same disc as user data or on the separate servo disc. The area dedicated to servo data may encompass a significant portion of the total area of the discs available for data of all classes. More particularly, in a dedicated servo system employing six discs (twelve disc surfaces) with one of the surfaces dedicated to the servo data, more than 8% of the total area of all disc surfaces is dedicated to servo data. In an embedded servo system, servo data may comprise 8 to 15% of the length of a track, and as much as 12% of the entire area of a disc. Because the servo data represents such a significant area of the disc, it is desirable to reduce that area without adversely affecting the operation of the disc drive.
Servo data are ordinarily recorded at significant lower frequencies than user data. For example, while user data may be in the MegaHertz range (e.g., 20 MHz and higher), servo data is ordinarily in the KiloHertz range (typically below about 20 KHz). While it would seemingly be possible to modulate the low frequency servo data with the high frequency user data on the magnetic disc, in fact it has not been practical. More particularly, data (both servo and user data) are recorded as transitions between magnetic states, the states generating magnetic fields of a single strength. The writing of magnetic states associated with the user data would overwrite the previously written magnetic states associated with the servo data, thereby rendering impossible recovery of servo data. Even if it were possible to preserve the transitions associated with the servo data, they would be indistinguishable from user data transitions, resulting in imprecise detection of the locations of transitions between magnetic states on the recording disc, thus leading to errors in user data recovery.

Disc drive servo system employing thermal signals


The refrigerator includes a thermally insulated box with a first board, a plasma device and a pipeline, all of which are embedded in the first board. The plasma device includes an atomizer with a water tank and a first fan, a plasma generator and a pipeline. The plasma generator is hermetically connected to the atomizer and has an electrode device. The electrode device includes a dielectric plate and a plurality of electrode rods embedded therein. The electrode rods are interlacedly electrically connected to an AC source. The pipeline is hermetically connected to the plasma generator and composed of an inlet section with an inlet, an outlet section with at least one outlet and a middle section communicating with the dielectric plate. The inlet is provided with a second fan.

1. Technical Field
The invention relates to plasma generation, particularly to plasma generators built in refrigerators.
2. Related Art
Refrigerators are a necessary appliance in daily life. A refrigerator is a hodgepodge of all kinds of fresh foods, so it is always full of odor and bacteria. Thus, many refrigerators are equipped with a deodorizer and/or sterilizer, such as silver ion, ultraviolet (UV), ozone, enzyme or negative ion. All these deodorizers and sterilizers are under the reach of plasma in performance. On the other hand, vegetables and fruit will produce ethylene during storage in a refrigerator. Ethylene is a gaseous plant hormone, which can regulate or affect the physiological process of growth and development of plants. As a result, effectively reducing production of ethylene can defer fruit's maturation. Plasma possesses a great effect in decomposition and reduction of ethylene.
Plasma is a gas which is dissociated into positive and negative particles in an electromagnetic field. Plasma contains negative and positive ions, electrons, free radical and neutral particles. In an electric field, electrons are much larger than positive ions in mean free path, so electrons can be intensively accelerated to carry high energy (10 or more eV). Such high-energy electrons colliding with atoms or molecules can break chemical bonds in a molecule to form reactive free radical or to ionize the atoms and molecules. The ionized electrons will be further accelerated to make other collisions and to form more electrons, ions and free radicals (called "chain reaction"). Finally, plasma with high-energy electrons and highly-reactive free radicals is produced. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,212,974, 4,275,287 and 4,778,561 disclose methods for producing plasma.
In an electric field, electrons in plasma are much easier to absorb energy than ions. Thus temperature of the electrons in plasma can reach up to hundreds of thousands of centigrade and that of the other particles is about room temperature. Because high-temperatured electrons are high reactive and can easily break bonds, plasma can be obtained at room temperature.
It is the most effective and economical manner to produce plasma at 1 atm. In order to stably produce plasma, the system must operate at low pressure. Thus a vacuum chamber and vacuum pump are needed to keep a low pressure circumstance. This will increase costs of manufacturing and maintenance and decrease the amount of production in a unit time. For example, a vacuum pump is easy to be damaged by particles and corrosion. A vacuum pump is not needed if plasma is produced at normal atmospheric pressure. Atmospheric pressure plasma technology can simplify manufacturing costs and process. As a result, atmospheric pressure plasma technology can extensively extend application of plasma.
Electrons in low pressure plasma are much longer than other particles in mean free path, so it can obtain more energy enough to ionize other gases. When the pressure is 1 atm., however, gaseous molecules collide frequently and the mean free path is so short. It is hard that electrons obtain enough energy to ionize gaseous molecules. As a result, plasma cannot be produced.
At this time, there are two methods for producing plasma:
(1) increasing the voltage of the external power source to thousands of volts to add energy to electrons; and (2) providing a large amount of current to heat up the gaseous molecules to form high temperature plasma.
Additionally, in comparison with low pressure plasma, atmospheric pressure plasma may meet a problem of unstable discharge, i.e., plasma often appears at certain local areas. Thus, expensive cyanide gas or helium must be used to serve as an activator.
Because of the above problems, plasma being applied in refrigerators is still difficult in technology. Atmospheric pressure plasma with low cost and high efficiency is an issue to be solved by the industry.


Devices, methods, and systems for implementing semi non-DRx mode for a wireless communication device are described herein. According to some embodiments, if it is determined that semi non-DRx mode is supported by a network, a wireless communication device can enter semi non-DRx mode. The paging block on a multiframe corresponding to the wireless communication device's paging index is monitored. Other aspects, embodiments, and features are also claimed and described above.

Wireless communication systems have become an important means by which many people worldwide have come to communicate. A wireless communication system may provide communication for a number of subscriber stations (e.g., user equipment, mobile phones, smartphones, tablets, etc.), each of which may be serviced by a base station. A subscriber station may communicate with one or more base stations via transmissions on an uplink and a downlink. The uplink (or reverse link) refers to the communication link from the subscriber station to the base station, and the downlink (or forward link) refers to the communication link from the base station to the subscriber station.
Efficient use of power resources becomes more important as users continue to use their subscriber stations at ever increasing rates. Using power efficiently enables uninterrupted communication and better user experience. Some current systems enable subscriber station power conservation, yet at the same time cause network delay. These delays may occur when a subscriber station monitors only a specific paging channel. Delays in this current system are undesirable as they can negatively affect data transfer and user experience.

Semi non-DRx mode for wireless communication


Techniques for visual representation of chart scaling are described. In implementations, a chart is employed to display data associated with a resource. Examples of such a resource include a computer hardware resource, a network resource, a financial resource, a commodity (e.g., a manufactured commodity), and so on. In implementations, a chart is associated with a scale that corresponds to a set of data values represented in the chart. Further, a chart can be rescaled to display data values in a variety of different scales, e.g., that correspond to different sets of data values. In at least some embodiments, a scale mark is provided which provides a visual indication of a scale represented in a chart. When the chart is rescaled, the scale mark is repositioned to indicate a change in scale. Thus, a scale mark can be dynamically repositioned to visually indicate different chart scales.

Charts provide a useful tool for graphically representing data. For example, financial data associated with an enterprise can be represented via a line graph to provide a visual indication of financial aspects of the enterprise. Some techniques for implementing charts, however, have difficulty representing significant fluctuations in data values. For example, if data values fluctuate such that a current scale for a chart cannot represent the data values, the chart may simply rescale to an appropriate scale to represent the fluctuating data values. Such rescaling can be difficult to detect and may go unnoticed by a user. Other techniques may simply utilize a sufficiently large scale such that significant fluctuations in data values do not exceed the scale. Such large scales, however, have difficulty representing finer details that may occur with smaller fluctuations in data values.


According to an embodiment, an information processing apparatus includes one or more processor. The processor is configured to run a process and a process manager to manage the process. The process includes a first key generator, a first authentication code generator, and a first output unit. The first key generator is configured to generate a first message authentication key by using process unique data assigned by the process manager. The first authentication code generator is configured to generate a first message authentication code by using the first message authentication key and a first message. The first output unit is configured to transmit the first message and the first message authentication code to the process manager.

Commonly-used computer systems execute processing in such a manner that an operating system (OS) for managing hardware resources operates, and processes managed by the OS. When an unexpected behavior occurs due to a bug in the processes or an attack to the processes and the impact of the behavior reaches the OS, there is a possibility that the impact reaches the entirety of the computer system. Therefore, the OS denies the processes access to the resources managed by the OS. Thus, for data exchange between the OS and the processes, a communication function between the OS and the processes is required. Furthermore, in order to protect communications between the OS and the processes and construct a safe system, the communication function needs to be provided with security functions, such as communication data integrity, prevention of spoofing, and concealing of communication data.
In communications between apparatuses in a commonly-used network, communications security is maintained by a secure sockets layer (SSL) and a transport layer security (TLS). On the other hand, for communications between an OS and a process, techniques such as SSL and TLS are not suitable in terms of settings that use these techniques, and there has been no technique for implementing a security function.

Secure communication between operating system and processes


A clock recovery circuit includes a demodulator which generates in-phase and quadrature signals from a data signal and a phase adjuster which adjusts a phase of the quadrature signal independently from a phase of the in-phase clock signal. The phase adjustment causes a non-orthogonal relationship to exist between the phases of the quadrature and in-phase signals. The independent phase adjustment may be dynamically performed or may be performed in fixed increments to achieve a predetermined level of performance. In one application, the adjusted quadrature phase signal serves as a clock signal for controlling sampling of the data signal.

High-speed signaling systems often transmit data without a dedicated clock. Digital receivers must therefore have a reference clock or recover the clock from the data itself. This timing information is used to control a variety of functions in the receiver including the sampling process used to convert received data into digital signals.
A variety of recovery circuits have been proposed for extracting clock information from received data. A variety of supplied methods for the reference clock also exists. In general, due to issues with spectral purity, the reference clock will be provided at a lower rate and multiplied in frequency with an internal clock multiplication circuitry. These circuits often use an interpolator to set the phase of the recovered clock during sampling. From a performance standpoint, the location of the clock phase relative to an eye diagram generated for the data is a relevant consideration.
Eye diagrams are usually generated to determine the modulation characteristics of received data signals. The shape of an eye diagram changes depending on a number of receiver-related factors including noise margin, tolerances for timing and amplitude variations, and others generally, the width of the eye determines the timing margin and the widths of the eye transition points determine jitter. Also, a direct correlation exists between eye shape and the type of logic used to construct the receiver circuits. For example, current mode logic has a tendency to produce an irregularly shaped eye, whereas other logic types produce eyes with greater symmetry.
In order to recover clock phase information in a receiver, the incoming data is usually demodulated into in-phase and quadrature signals. The phase of the in-phase signal is then shifted to coincide with a crossing point in the eye diagram. Because the in-phase and quadrature signals are maintained in an orthogonal relationship, shifting the phase of the in-phase signal will necessarily re-position the quadrature signal phase 90E from the crossing point in the eye diagram. The position of the quadrature signal phase has a direct influence on the bit-error rate of the receiver. If this position is not optimum, bit-error rates will increase, which, in turn, will cause errors to be induced during the data sampling process.

Programmable phase interpolator adjustment for ideal data eye sampling


A book-binding apparatus conveying a bind tape in front of a tape heater and an aligned sheet bundle is urged against the bind tape pre-heated by the tape heater to glue a plurality of sheets by melted adhesive on the bind tape. An aligning time for the sheet bundle is calculated on the basis of attributes of the sheets being aligned and a conveyance start timing for the bind tape is changed in accordance with the calculated aligning time.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a book-binding apparatus for automatically gluing a sheet bundle to book-bind it.
2. Related Background Art
There have been proposed on-line systems in which a series of operations from an image forming operation to a book-binding operation for book-binding a sheet bundle discharged from an image forming apparatus and comprised of sheets on which images were formed are performed continuously. In such on-line systems, a plurality of imaged sheets (sheet bundle) are book-bound by gluing the sheet bundle. In this gluing and book-binding operation, a strip-shaped bind tape on which hot melt adhesive is coated is used.
When a plurality of imaged sheets being moved through the on-line system are book-bound, first of all, the plurality of imaged sheets being moved are stacked on an alignment tray to align the sheets with each other as a sheet bundle. Then, the aligned sheet bundle is sent to a book-binding portion, where a bound edge of the sheet bundle is urged against a bind tape which was pre-heated by a tape heating means (heaters). As a result, adhesive coated on the bind tape flows into between the sheets, thereby gluing the sheet bundle.
Normally, the bind tape is wound around a tape reel, and, whenever a sheet bundle is book-bound, the bind tape is supplied from the tape reel and is then cut to a predetermined length by a cutter. The cut tape is sent to the book-binding portion. The strip-shaped bind tape cut to the predetermined length is set at the book-binding portion and is previously heated by the tape heating means before the aligned sheet bundle is conveyed to the book-binding portion. The pre-heating time for the bind tape is determined by the material of the adhesive, and the strip-shaped bind tape is conveyed to the book-binding portion in consideration of the pre-heating time. Meanwhile, the tape heating means is maintained in an ON condition to reach a temperature optimum to pre-heat the bind tape. (The reason for pre-heating the bind tape is that the adhesive is melted to an appropriate condition to perform high quality gluing.)
In case of the conventional on-line systems (book-binding apparatuses), a timing for conveying the strip-shaped bind tape to the book-binding portion (bind tape conveying timing) is determined to start at a time point when a predetermined time period is elapsed from the initiation of the book-binding operation. However, as is in the present days, when sheets having various different attributes are to be book-bound, in the above-mentioned conventional on-line systems, the productivity of the entire system may be decreased or the high quality gluing cannot often be performed.
That is to say, as is in the above-mentioned conventional on-line systems, when the strip-shaped bind tape is conveyed to the book-binding portion at the predetermined conveying timing, regarding a sheet bundle which can be aligned earlier, the conveying timing for conveying the sheet bundle to the book-binding portion must be delayed so that the sheet bundle is prevented from being conveyed to the book-binding portion before the pre-heating of the bind tape is finished. Consequently, the total book-binding time is lengthened, thereby decreasing the productivity of the entire system. On the other hand, regarding a sheet bundle which can be aligned later, since the sheet bundle cannot reach the book-binding portion immediately after the pre-heating of the bind tape is finished, the adhesive is melt excessively, thereby making the high quality gluing impossible.
Incidentally, in this specification, factors for determining the alignment time of the sheet bundle (for example, a size of the sheet, a conveying direction of the sheet, and post-treatment of the sheet) are referred to as "attributes" of the sheet.

Book-binding apparatus and image forming apparatus


A high throughput sputtering apparatus which provides a single or multi-layer coating to the surface of a plurality of substrates. The apparatus comprises a plurality of buffer and sputtering chambers which include an input end and an output end. The substrates are transported through the chambers at varying rates of speed such that the rate of speed of a pallet from the input end to the output end is a constant for each of the pallets. The high throughput sputtering apparatus also includes a transport system which transports the substrates through the sputtering chambers at variable velocities, a high capacity vacuum pump system which evacuates the ambient pressure within the sputtering chambers to a vacuum level within a pressure range sufficient to enable sputtering operation, a substrate heating system which heats the substrates to a temperature conducive to sputtering the coatings thereon and provides a substantially uniform temperature profile over the surface of the substrates; and an electronic control system which provides control signals to and for receiving feedback input from other components of the apparatus. The electronic control system is programmable to control the sputtering chambers, the transport system, the vacuum pump system, and the substrate heating system. The substrate heating system efficiently maintains a desired substrate temperature by minimizing radiative heat losses as the substrates proceed through the sputtering apparatus. The high throughput sputtering apparatus provides substrates to be sputtered in a rapid and uniform heating process to optimize film integrity during the sputtering steps, provides successive layers of thin films on the substrates, and removes the sputtered substrates without contaminating the environment.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an apparatus and method for depositing multilayer thin films in a magnetron sputtering process. More particularly, the invention relates to an apparatus and method for depositing thin magnetic films for magnetic recording media in a high volume, electronically controlled, magnetron sputtering process, and to production of an improved magnetic recording disk product thereby.
2. Description of the Related Art
Sputtering is a well-known technique for depositing uniform thin films on a particular substrate. Sputtering is performed in an evacuated chamber using an inert gas, typically argon, with one or more substrates remaining static during deposition, being rotated about the target (a "planetary" system) or being transported past the target (an "in-line" system).
Fundamentally, the technique involves bombarding the surface of a target material to be deposited as the film with electrostatically accelerated argon ions. Generally, electric fields are used to accelerate ions in the plasma gas, causing them to impinge on the target surface. As a result of momentum transfer, atoms and electrons are dislodged from the target surface in an area known as the erosion region. Target atoms deposit on the substrate, forming a film.
Typically, evacuation of the sputtering chamber is a two-stage process in order to avoid contaminant-circulating turbulence in the chamber. First, a throttled roughing stage slowly pumps down the chamber to a first pressure, such as about 50 microns. Then, high vacuum pumping occurs using turbo-, cryo- or diffusion pumps to evacuate the chamber to the highly evacuated base pressure (about 10.sup.-7 Torr) necessary to perform sputtering. Sputtering gas is subsequently provided in the evacuated chamber, backfilling to a pressure of about 2-10 microns.
The sputtering process is useful for depositing coatings from a plurality of target materials onto a variety of substrate materials, including glass, nickel-phosphorus plated aluminum disks, and ceramic materials. However, the relatively low sputtering rate achieved by the process solely relying on electrostatic forces (diode sputtering) may be impracticable for certain commercial applications where high volume processing is desired. Consequently, various magnet arrangements have been used to enhance the sputtering rate by trapping electrons close to the target surface, ionizing more argon, increasing the probability of impacting and dislodging target atoms and therefore the sputtering rate. In particular, an increased sputtering rate is achieved by manipulation of a magnetic field geometry in the region adjacent to the target surface.
Sputter deposition performed in this manner is generally referred to as magnetron sputtering.
The magnetic field geometry may be optimized by adjusting the polarity and position of individual magnets used to generate magnetic fields with the goal of using the magnetic field flux paths to enhance the sputtering rate. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,166,018, issued Aug. 28, 1989 to J. S. Chapin and assigned to Airco, Inc., describes a planar direct current (d.c.) magnetron sputtering apparatus which uses a magnet configuration to generate arcuate magnetic flux paths (or lines) that confine zhe electrons and ions in a plasma region immediately adjacent to the target erosion region. A variety of magnet arrangements are suitable for this purpose, as long as one or more closed loop paths of magnetic flux is parallel to the cathode surface, e.g., concentric ovals or circles.
The role of the magnetic field is to trap moving electrons near the target. The field generates a force on the electrons, inducing the electrons to take a spiral path about the magnetic field lines. Such a spiral path is longer than a path along the field lines, thereby increasing the chance of the electron ionizing a plasma gas atom, typically argon. In addition, field lines also reduce electron repulsion away from a negatively biased target. As a result, a greater ion flux is created in the plasma region adjacent to the target with a correspondingly enhanced erosion of target atoms from an area which conforms to a shape approximating the inverse shape of the field lines. Thus, if the field above the target is configured in arcuate lines, the erosion region adjacent to the field lines conforms to a shallow track, leaving much of the target unavailable for sputtering.
Even lower target utilization is problematic for magnetic targets because magnetic field lines tend to be concentrated within, and just above, a magnetic target. With increasing erosion of the magnetic target during sputtering, the field strength above the erosion region increases as more field lines `leak` out from the target, trapping more electrons and further intensifying the plasma close to the erosion region. Consequently, the erosion region is limited to a narrow valley.
In addition to achieving high film deposition rates, sputtering offers the ability to tailor film properties to a considerable extent by making minor adjustments to process parameters. Of particular interest are processes yielding films with specific crystalline microstructures and magnetic properties. Consequently, much research has been conducted on the effects of sputtering pressures, deposition temperature and maintenance of the evacuated environment to avoid contamination or degradation of the substrate surface before film deposition.
Alloys of cobalt, nickel and chromium deposited on a chromium underlayer (CoNiCr/Cr) are highly desirable as films for magnetic recording media such as disks utilized in Winchester-type hard disk drives. However, on disk substrates, in-line sputtering processes create magnetic anisotropies which are manifested as signal waveform modulations and anomalies in the deposited films.
Anisotropy in the direction of disk travel through such in-line processes is understood to be caused by crystalline growth perpendicular to the direction of disk travel as a result of the deposition of the obliquely incident flux of target atoms as the disk enters and exits a sputtering chamber. Since magnetic film properties depend on crystalline microstructure, such anisotropy in the chromium underlayer can disrupt the subsequent deposition of the magnetic CoNiCr layer in the preferred orientation. The preferred crystalline orientation for the chromium underlayer is with the closely packed, bcc {110} plane parallel to the film surface. This orientation for the chromium nucleating layer forces the `C` axis of the hcp structure of the magnetic cobalt-alloy layer, i.e., the easy axis of magnetization, to be aligned in the film plane. Similarly, the orientation of the magnetic field generated in the sputtering process may induce an additional anisotropy which causes similar signal waveform modulations. See, Uchinami, et al., "Magnetic Anisotropies in Sputtered Thin Film Disks", IEEE Trans. Magn., Vol. MAG-23, No. 5, 3408-10, September 1987, and Hill, et al., "Effects of Process Parameters on Low Frequency Modulation on Sputtered Disks for Longitudinal Recording", J. Vac Sci. Tech., Vol. A4, No. 3, 547-9, May 1986 (describing magnetic anisotropy phenomena).
Several approaches have been taken to eliminate the aforementioned waveform modulation problems while enhancing magnetic properties in the coating, especially coercivity. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 4,816,127, issued Mar. 28, 1989 to A. Eltoukhy and assigned to Xidex Corp., describes one means for shielding the substrate to intercept the obliquely incident target atoms. In addition, Teng, et al., "Anisotropy-Induced Signal Waveform Modulation of DC Magnetron Sputtered Thin Films", IEEE Trans. Magn., Vol. MAG-22, 579-581, 1986, and Simpson, et al., "Effect of Circumferential Texture on the Properties of Thin Film Rigid Recording Disks", IEEE Trans. Magn., Vol. MAG-23, No. 5, 3405-7, September 1987, suggest texturizing the disk substrate surface prior to film deposition. In particular, the authors propose circumferential surface grooves to promote circumferentially oriented grain growth and thereby increase film coercivity.
Other approaches to tailoring film properties have focused on manipulating the crystalline microstructure by introducing other elements into the alloy composition. For example, Shiroishi, et al., "Read and Write Characteristics of Co-Alloy/Cr Thin Films for Longitudinal Recording", IEEE Trans. Magn., Vol. MAG-24, 2730-2, 1988, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,652,499, issued Mar. 24, 1987 to J. K. Howard and assigned to IBM, relate to the substitution of elements such as platinum (Pt), tantalum (Ta), and zirconium (Zr) into cobalt-chromium (CoCr) films to produce higher coercivity and higher corrosion resistance in magnetic recording films.
CoCr alloys with tantalum (CoCrTa) are particularly attractive films for magnetic recording media. For example, it is known in the prior art to produce CoCrTa films by planetary magnetron sputtering processes using individual cobalt, chromium and tantalum targets or using cobalt-chromium and tantalum targets.
Fisher, et al., "Magnetic Properties and Longitudinal Recording Performance of Corrosion Resistant Alloy Films", IEEE Trans. Magn., Vol. MAG 22, no. 5, 352-4, September 1986, describe a study of the magnetic and corrosion resistance properties of sputtered CoCr alloy films. Substitution of 2 atomic percent (at. %) Ta for Cr in a Co-16 at. % Cr alloy (i.e., creating a Co-14 at. % Cr-2 at. % Ta alloy) was found to improve coercivity without increasing the saturation magnetization. In particular, a coercivity of 1400 Oe was induced in a 400 .ANG. film. In addition, linear bit densities from 8386 flux reversals/cm to 1063 flux reversals/cm (21300 fci to 28100 fci) were achieved at -3 dB, with a signal-to-noise (SNR) ratio of 30 dB. Moreover, corrosion resistance of CoCr and CoCrTa films was improved relative to CoNi films.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,940,548, issued on Aug. 21, 1990 to Furusawa, et al., and assigned to Hitachi, Ltd., discloses the use of Ta to increase the coercivity and corrosion resistance of CoCr (and CoNi) alloys. CoCr alloys with 10 at. % Ta (and chromium content between 5 and 25 at. %) were sputtered onto multiple layers of chromium to produce magnetic films with low modulation even without texturing the substrate surface and highly desirable crystalline microstructure and magnetic anisotropy.
Development of a high throughput in-line system to produce sputtered CoCrTa films with enhanced magnetic and corrosion-resistance properties for the magnetic recording media industry has obvious economic advantages.
Linear recording density of magnetic films on media used in Winchester-type hard disk drives is known to be enhanced by decreasing the flying height of the magnetic recording head above the recording medium. With reduced flying height, there is an increased need to protect the magnetic film layer from wear. Magnetic films are also susceptible to corrosion from vapors present even at trace concentrations within the magnetic recording system. A variety of films have been employed as protective overlayers for magnetic films, including rhodium, carbon and inorganic nonmetallic carbides, nitrides and oxides, like silica or alumina. However, problems such as poor adhesion to the magnetic layer and inadequate wear resistance have limited the applicability of these films. U.S. Pat. No. 4,503,125 issued on Mar. 3, 1985 to Nelson, et al. and assigned to Xebec, Inc. describes a protective carbon overcoating for magnetic films where adhesion is enhanced by chemically bonding a sputtered layer of titanium between the magnetic layer and the carbon overcoating.
In the particular case of sputtered carbon, desirable film properties have been achieved by carefully controlling deposition parameters. For example, during the sputtering process, the amount of gas incorporated in the growing film depends on sputtering parameters like target composition, sputtering gas pressure and chamber geometry. U.S. Pat. No. 4,839,244, issued on Jun. 13, 1989 to Y. Tsukamoto and assigned to NEC Corp., describes a process for co-sputtering a protective graphite fluoride overlayer with an inorganic nonmetallic compound in a gaseous atmosphere which includes fluorine gas. U.S. Pat. No. 4,891,114 issued on Jan. 1, 1990 to Hitzfeld, et al., and assigned to BASF Aktiengesellschaft of Germany, relates to a d. c. magnetron sputtering process for an amorphous carbon protective layer using a graphitic carbon target.
As the wear-resistant layer for magnetic recording media, it is desirable that the carbon overlayer have a microcrystalline structure corresponding to high hardness. In other words, it is desirable during sputtering to minimize graphitization of carbon which softens amorphous carbon films. One means employed to moderate graphitization of sputtered carbon films is by incorporating hydrogen into the film. Such incorporation may be accomplished by sputtering in an argon atmosphere mixed with hydrogen or a hydrogen-containing gas, such as methane or other hydrocarbons.
Magnetron sputtering processes have been developed which have been somewhat successful in achieving high throughput. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,735,840 and 4,894,133 issued to Hedgcoth on Apr. 5, 1988 and Apr. 16, 1990, respectively, describe a high volume planar d. c. magnetron in-line sputtering apparatus which forms multilayer magnetic recording films on disks for use in Winchester-type hard disk technology. The apparatus includes several consecutive regions for sputtering individual layers within a single sputtering chamber through which preheated disk substrates mounted on a pallet or other vertical carrier proceed at velocities up to about 10 mm/sec (1.97 ft/min), though averaging only about 3 mm/sec (0.6 ft/min). The first sputtering region deposits chromium (1,000 to 5,000 .ANG.) on a circumferentially textured disk substrate. The next region deposits a layer (200 to 1,500 .ANG.) of a magnetic alloy such as CoNi. Finally, a protective layer (200 to 800 .ANG.) of a wear- and corrosion-resistant material such as amorphous carbon is deposited.
The apparatus is evacuated by mechanical and cryo pumps to a base pressure about 2.times.10.sup.-7 Torr. Sputtering is performed at a relatively high argon pressure between 2 and 4.times.10.sup.2 Torr (20 to 40 microns) to eliminate anisotropy due to obliquely incident flux.
In optimizing a sputtering process to achieve high throughput, consideration should be given to other time-influenced aspects of the process apart from the sputtering rate. For example, substrate heating is typically accomplished with heaters requiring an extended dwell time to warm substrates to a desired equilibrium temperature. In addition, substrate transport speeds through the sputtering apparatus have been limited with respect to mechanisms using traditional bottom drive, gear/belt-driven transport systems. Such bottom drive systems generally have intermeshing gears and may be practically incapable of proceeding faster than a particular rate due to rough section-to-section transitions which may dislodge substrates from the carrier and/or create particulate matter from gear wear which contaminates the disks prior to or during the sputtering process. Thus, overall process throughput would be further enhanced by the employment of heating and transport elements which require minimal time to perform these functions.
Generally, prior art sputtering devices utilize relatively unsophisticated means for controlling the sputtering processes described therein. Such control systems may comprise standard optical or electrical metering monitored by a system operator, with direct electrical or electro-mechanical switching of components utilized in the system by the system operator. Such systems have been adequately successful for limited throughput of sputtered substrates. However, a more comprehensive system is required for higher throughput sputtering operations. Specifically, a control system is required which provides to the operator an extensive amount of information concerning the ongoing process through a relatively user-friendly environment. In addition, the control system must adequately automate functions both in series and in parallel where necessary to control every aspect of the sputtering system. Further, it is desirable to include within such a control system the capability to preset a whole series of operating parameters to facilitate rapid set-up of the system for processes employing myriad sputtering conditions.

Heating system for high throughput sputtering


An optical delay line for use with an optical source including input/output optics optically coupled to the optical source and a curved mirror with a reflective surface that is centered about an evolute curve of the delay line to retro-reflect light traveling along a delay line beam path tangent to the edge of the evolute curve. The input/output optics direct light from the optical source along the delay line beam path and direct delayed light from the delay line beam path out of the optical delay line along an output beam path. The input/output optics and/or the curved mirror rotate about the evolute curve at a selected angular speed. The reflective surface has a curvature based on a parametric curve that is calculated from the evolute curve such that the delay of the delay line varies according to a predetermined function as the input/output optics and/or the curved mirror rotate.

The photonic and optoelectronic communities have long been interested in the development of tunable delay systems for optical pulses. Such systems are important in both experiments and devices. Optical delay lines are an essential part of most time-resolved optical experiments, including time-domain terahertz technology, ultrafast optics research, time resolved detection, interferometric spectroscopy, optical coherence tomography, most optical pump/probe experiments, and other applications. The development of an optical delay line with long delay range (>1 ns) and high repetition rate (>100 Hz), however, poses a significant challenge. Thus, real world applications, such as long distance time-of-flight sensing and tomographic imaging, have not been feasible.
A simple form of optical delay line consists of a linear actuator, which moves a retro-reflector forward and backward as disclosed by R. F. Fork and F. A. Beissoer in their article "Real-time intensity autocorrelation interferometer," Appl. Opt. 17, 3534-3535 (1978). A retro-reflector is an instrument used to cause reflected radiation to return along paths parallel to those of their corresponding incident rays. The scanning velocity of such an optical delay line is limited, however, by mechanical inertia of the retro-reflector and the translation stage. The typical scanning speed of these optical delay lines is tens of centimeters per second and the repetition rate is generally limited to tens of hertz. Mechanical inertia also affects the linearity of the delay. At both ends of the delay sweep of the delay line, the motion of the retro-reflector must be slowed and then reversed, preventing the optical delay line from having a true linear delay scan function through the entire range. Additionally, the motion of the linear translation stage may not be sufficiently smooth to provide the desired linearity in the delay scan, or may have undesired hysteresis, particularly at high scan rates.
Various techniques have been developed for high-speed scanning. Although the methods disclosed in a number articles offer high-speed scanning, the delay ranges of their high speed devices are limited. Such techniques include, for example, using a piezoelectric transducer to replace the linear motor, delay lines based on a grating lens, rotation glass blocks, mirror arrays, spiral reflectors piezoelectric fiber stretchers, grating-lens based delay lines, helicoids mirrors, and multi-pass cavities among others.
Using a piezoelectric transducer to replace the linear motor, the delay line may have a kilohertz repetition rate; however, the scanning range is of such a delay line is very limited. A delay line based on a grating-lens was disclosed was disclosed by G. J. Tearney, B. E. Bouma, S. A. Boppart, B. Golubovic, E. A. Swanson, and J. G. Fujimoto in their article "Rapid acquisition of in vivo biological images by use of optical coherence tomography," Opt. Lett. 17 1408-1410 (1996). This optical delay line was able to increase the scanning speed up to tens of kilohertz. Unfortunately, all of these delay line scanners suffer from both low duty cycles and nonlinearity in optical path-length change.
Piezoelectric fiber stretchers having a repetition rate of 1.2 KHz were demonstrated by K. F. Kwong, D. Yankelevich, K. G. Chu, J. P. Heritage, and A. Dienes in their article "400-Hz mechanical scanning optical delay line," Opt. Lett. 18, 558-560 (1993), but the scanning range of a delay line of this type is limited and suffers from the birefringence effect. Chi-Luen Wang, Sheng-An Wang, S. C. Wang, and Ci-Ling Pan demonstrated a helicoid mirror based delay line in their article "Rapid and programmable wavelength tuning of an external-cavity diode laser," Conference on Lasers and Electro-optics (CLEO '98), Vol. 11, paper CWN5 (May 3-8, 1998, San Francisco, Calif.). These delay lines, developed from pulse shaper technology, may achieve a 2 KHz repetition rate at a 3 mm scanning range. They exhibit a severe bandwidth limitation, however, and are very costly to produce. More recently, several other delay line scanning systems have been demonstrated having high duty-cycles at rates above 2 KHz, including: a rotation prism array by N. G. Chen and Q. Zhu in their article "Rotary mirror array for high-speed optical coherence tomography," Opt. Lett. 27, 607-609 (2002); a rotation mirror array by X. Liu, M. J. Cobb, and X. Li in their article "Rapid scanning all-reflective optical delay line for real-time optical coherence tomography," Opt. Lett. 29, 80-82 (2004); and a multi-pass cavity by P. L. Hsiung, X. Li, C. Chudoba, I. Hartl, T. H. Ko, and J. G. Fujimoto in their article "High-speed path-length scanning with a multiple-pass cavity delay line," Appl. Opt. 42, 640-648 (2003). None of the above technologies, however, can provide both tens of centimeter scanning range and a repetition rate in the hundreds of hertz range.
True time delay devices based on switched fiber delay lines or optical coherent transient regenerators able to provide a long delay range (up to micro second delay with bit rates up to GHz) have been demonstrated. Switched fiber delay lines are discussed by A. Goutzoulis, K. Davies, J. Zomp, P. Hrycak, and A. Johnson in their article "Development and field demonstration of a hardware-compressive fiber-optic true-time-delay steering system for phased-array antennas," Appl. Opt. 33, 8173-8185 (1994) and optical coherent transient regenerators are discussed by K. D. Merkel, and W. R. Babbitt in "Optical coherent-transient true-time-delay regenerator," Opt. Lett. 15, 1102-1104 (1996). The temporal resolution of these devices was relatively low, however, and the devices suffered significant optical loss.
To overcome the shortcomings of existing optical delay lines, a design of a simple, high-speed, high duty-cycle, long range, and linear optical delay line based on scanning the optical beam along an involute curved reflector is provided. One aspect of the present invention provides a compact optical delay line based on a circular involute optical delay stage. Another aspect includes a reflector with a circular involute profile in the optical delay stage. A further aspect provides a compact delay stage for compact and portable optical time-resolved systems, which may require relatively long time delay at high scanning speeds. Still another aspect of the present invention provides a compact, simple, easily aligned system with features such as high scanning speed, linearity, and zero backlash.

High repetition rate, linear, true time optical delay line


A filter device for use when smoking cigarettes, which safely carries a lit cigarette therein, allows the smoker to inhale smoke from the cigarette and then either to exhale the smoke into the air or back into the device, which captures the smoke and prevents it from escape into the air.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a filter device to reduce cigarette smoke, of the type which carries a lit cigarette therein, from which smoke may be inhaled, and then exhaled back into the device for containment.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There is considerable interest in reducing second hand cigarette smoke, i.e., the smoke exhaled by smokers into the air and to which others are exposed.
There is also interest by smokers in continuing to smoke, and to do so at any time and any location without impinging on the rights of others, and with improved protection from injury to the smoker and his surroundings from exposure to lit cigarettes.
Filters have been proposed which encapsulate a cigarette and purport to filter primary and second hand smoke, such as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,472,001, but such devices are bulky, complicated, expensive and impractible for mass production.
The filter device of the invention does not suffer from the problems of the prior art devices and provides positive advantages.


A wave-based detection system according to various aspects of the present invention analyzes signals in conjunction with a series of thresholds related to the anticipated input power of the incoming signals. The system implements a scheduled gain system to optimize the dynamic range according to the operating configuration of a transmitter and the characteristics of the receiver. The thresholds are correspondingly scaled using the scheduled gain. Because the thresholds are determined by an algorithm instead of a look up table, with the algorithm being based solely on the anticipated input power, the system uses significantly less memory and empirical data.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to radar systems, and more particularly, to methods and apparatuses for calibrating a radar receiver and processing radar signals reflected from a target.
2. Description of the Related Art
In World War II, radar systems using centimeter wavelengths were discovered to detect reflections from precipitation, such as rain and hail. Since this discovery, radar systems have developed into extremely useful tools for identifying and classifying weather systems, particularly in the 3 cm to 10 cm wavelength range. For example, a weather radar system is typically installed on an aircraft to identify the conditions within a weather system, such as a cloud, that the aircraft is approaching. Radar waves emitted from the aircraft's radar system reflect from precipitation in the cloud and return to the aircraft. The radar system detects and analyzes the reflected waves to identify the range and characteristics of the cloud. In particular, the power of the reflected signal is proportional to the cloud's reflectivity, which is in turn related to the amount of rainfall within the cloud. Consequently, by timing the delay between the pulse emission and detection and comparing the power of the reflected signal to a series of power thresholds, the range to and characteristics of the cloud may be established.
As the range to the target increases, however, the signal-to-noise ratio drops dramatically. Like any light waves, the intensity of a radar pulse fades in a manner proportional to the square of the distance propagated. Therefore, because reflected waves travel both to and from a target, the radar waves are attenuated in a manner proportional to the range of the target to the fourth power for a point target. For a target which completely fills the beam, the relationship is to the second power. For a target which partially fills the beams, the relationship lies between the second and fourth powers. The waves are further attenuated due to atmospheric loss and the like. As a result, the signal from distant targets is relatively weak, so that background noise and receiver generated noise, which occurs in every environment, tends to obscure the reflected signal. To extract useful information from distant target reflections, amplification and processing of the detected reflections are consequently necessary to compensate for the lower signal-to-noise ratio.
In a simple radar system configuration, detected signals are amplified according to a schedule. The radar receiver amplifies both the reflected signal and the noise, but because the reflected signal amplitude is greater than the amplitude of the noise, the amplification magnifies the difference between the signal and the noise, facilitating differentiation between the noise and the reflected signal. The gain is varied with time, according to a predetermined schedule, to take advantage of the known propagation rate of the radar pulse. After a radar pulse is emitted, the system begins to incrementally amplify the detected signals as a function of time. Because the radar pulse propagates at a substantially constant and known speed, and because the rate of attenuation is known, the level of amplification may be adjusted with time to counter the known attenuation of the reflected signals.
Typically, the gain is adjusted to maintain a threshold for the input power received from a target of a particular reflectivity at a constant level. For example, a cloud which is releasing 10 millimeters of rain per hour is known to have a particular reflectivity at a particular wavelength. The rate at which the signal attenuates with distance is also known, (based on an assumed beam-filling percentage) so the gain may be scheduled to counter the known rate of decay of the signal.
Signals received from the target are also filtered and analyzed for amplitude. The received signal is compared to a plurality of detection thresholds, each corresponding to a target of different reflectivity at the range of the target. If the amplitude of the reflected signal exceeds at least one of the detection thresholds, the relevant portion of the signal is treated as potentially relating to a relevant target.
The effectiveness of this system is limited, however, by the characteristics of radar detectors and the signals they detect. When the signal-to-noise ratio is high, the power output of the radar detector varies approximately linearly with respect to the power of the signal incident upon the antenna. As the signal-to-noise ratio decreases, however, the relationship becomes nonlinear, especially for signals received from low reflectivity targets or from very distant targets. Consequently, the constant detection thresholds and scheduled gain as described above become improperly calibrated for signals with low signal-to-noise ratios.
To provide the appropriate detection thresholds for signals with low signal-to-noise ratios, current systems adjust the detection thresholds to vary nonlinearly with respect to the power of the signal incident upon the antenna. Because the thresholds do not vary linearly, however, the thresholds are adjusted according to data tables based on empirical data. In other words, the radar system is tested in a particular configuration to assemble the relevant data as a function of time based on the hardware configuration, operating parameters, target reflectively, gain, and detection threshold. The data is then stored in a local memory for access by the radar receiver to update the gain and detection thresholds as a function of time. Thus, after a pulse is emitted, the radar detector regularly updates the system parameters by checking the appropriate table determined by the configuration of the radar system, the type of target, and the time elapsed since the pulse emission. Based on these variables, the table provides an empirically detected gain for amplifying incoming signals and a set of detection thresholds for classifying the intensity of incoming detected signals.
Although such conventional systems may be functional, creating the data table presents a time-consuming and demanding task. Empirical data for the threshold is developed for each and every time interval and adjustment of the gain. A different set of data is developed for each target of a certain reflectivity having a corresponding threshold. In addition, the data for the gain schedule and all of the thresholds correspond to only a single configuration of the radar system, such as a particular transmitter antenna and pulse power. Consequently, because the schedule for the adjustments to the gain and the threshold vary according to the hardware and configuration of the transmitter and antenna, data tables are compiled for each of the different anticipated configurations. For example, a radar system configurable with two different antennae has two different gain schedules and sets of detection threshold data tables, because the power of the pulse incident upon the target varies according to the antenna being used.
Furthermore, simply changing various operating parameters often requires new data tables. For example, changing the pulse width of the emitted pulse changes the power of the return signal from a target. As a result, the original detection threshold data no longer applies, and the system performance degrades.
As the number of possible configurations and detection thresholds increases, the number of tables that are developed and stored in the radar system also increases. This represents not only more experimental time generating the empirical data, but greater storage requirements for the data tables in the radar detector. Because such radar systems are typically used in conjunction with compact avionics systems, the addition of further memory to accommodate additional data tables not only increases the cost of the radar detector, but also presents the problem of finding sufficient space for the added memory components which must necessarily be added.

Method and aparatus for dynamically calibrating a radar receiver


An esophageal perfusion catheter, having an outer housing, a plurality of flexible, tubular channel members within said outer housing, and at least two spaced balloon members encompassing said catheter. Two of the channel members are in fluid communication with each of two balloons. One of the balloons is about 150 millimeters from the distal end of said catheter and about 75 millimeters from the other balloon. A third of the tubular channel members is an esophageal perfusion aspirating channel and is in communication with a port at the distal end of the catheter. A fourth of the tubular channel members serves as a gastric aspirating channel. A fifth of the tubular channel members serves as an aspirating channel. The sixth channel member, serves as an air vent. The esophageal perfusion aspirating channel has a ID of about 3 millimeters. The gastric aspirating channel has a ID of about 2 millimeters. The two channel members which communicate with the balloons have a ID of about 1 millimeter. The interior space between the outer housing and the channel members can be filled with silicone.

1. Field of the Invention
Catheter for esophageal perfusion and for the study of human esophageal secretion.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
An insight into the pathogenesis of esophageal diseases, such as reflux esophagitis, esophageal ulcer, Barrett's esophagus, esophageal stricture or esophageal cancer has been hampered by a lack of methodology for the study of esophageal secretory function of esophageal mucosa in health and disease. Therefore knowledge in the area of the esophageal mucosal protective mechanisms, especially in humans has been highly hypothetical.


A technique for reducing the bitline leakage current while maintaining a level of performance characteristics of low threshold voltage transistors in deep submicron CMOS technology incorporates a reference voltage generator circuit in combination with bias transistor MBIAS. The output of a static logic gate is connected to the input terminal of the pull-down devices. The reduction in leakage current through pull-down devices whenever a read operation is not performed contributes to a significant reduction in overall leakage current in the circuit.

The impact of the subthreshold leakage current on the circuit performance should be considered seriously as device dimension have scaled down to deep submicron level in CMOS technology. This is a significant problem in memory structures using precharging circuitry which frequently require discharging of the bitlines to allow bit sensing in memories.
FIG. 1 illustrates the schematic diagram for a conventional memory cell that operates as a single storage unit in a larger memory structure. One problem with such memory cells is the leakage current through multiple read transistors 30 coupled to a shared bitline 14 which can result in erroneous read operation. Increased leakage current severely affects the performance of the memory circuits (e.g., register files). Further, the problem is increased by noise on the read signal line due to coupling noise.
One way to reduce the leakage current is utilization of high threshold voltage (VT) devices. However, such devices exhibit reduced performance in terms of device speed and area. In addition, manufacturing costs are increased in high VT devices due to the additional silicon layers required in such devices.
To overcome this problem, FIG. 2 illustrates memory circuits according to U.S. Pat. No. 6,320,795. The patent discloses a register file cell 40 which is capable of reducing leakage current and is less likely to require a larger keeper transistor 26 to prevent erroneous reads. Memory cell 40 includes a pull-down transistor (MPD) 42, a static logic gate 44, and a storage cell 46. Pull-down transistor 42 is operative for discharging the bitline 14 to the ground 36 when a predetermined control indication is received at the input terminal thereof from the logic gate 44. In this embodiment, an N-channel IGFET device is used as the pull-down transistor 42 and therefore, the predetermined control indication is a logic high value applied to the gate terminal of pull-down transistor 42.
Logic gate 44 acts to buffer the input of the pull-down transistor 42 from the noise commonly associated with the read signal. Logic gate 44 includes two input terminals 48 and 50.
When the read signal is logic low and the data stored in the register file cell is logic high, logic gate 44 (NOR gate) outputs a logic high value to the gate terminal of pull-down transistor 42. As a result, pull-down transistor 42 discharges bitline 42 to ground 36. When stored data value in cell is logic low and when the read signal is logic low, the output of logic gate 44 is logic low which results in pull-down transistor 42 to be turned off and hence, bitline 14 is not discharged. The output of the logic gate 44 is logic low when the active low read signal is logic high, regardless of the data bit value stored in cell 46.
Thus the goal is to isolate pull-down transistor 42 from the read noise associated with the read signal. Although the application of a static logic gate helps to reduce such leakage current to a significant level in such circuits, this approach is effective for reducing the leakage currents generated only due to the noise voltages on the input terminal of pull-down transistor 42. The technique does not have significant impact on the leakage currents typically associated with low VT scaled devices.
FIG. 3 shows a schematic diagram illustrating a register file cell 60 with another embodiment. Memory cell 60 includes a pull-down transistor 62 (MPD), logic gate 64, a storage cell 66, a bias device 72 and a read transistor 74 (MREAD). Logic gate 64 of memory cell 60 provides isolation between a possibly noisy read signal and the input terminal of pull-down transistor 62, in the same way as in previous case. In addition, bias device 72 is operative for applying a bias voltage to pull-down transistor 62 during appropriate periods and thereby reduces the level of the current leakage through the device during those periods. Thus memory cell 60 can be implemented using low VT transistors to achieve high performance operation while still maintaining high robustness.
When the read signal is logic high, a read transistor 74 couples the second output terminal of pull-down transistor 62 to ground 36. Therefore a logic low voltage is present at the second input 70 of logic gate 64. During a read operation, the output of logic gate 64 is logic high when the data bit stored within cell 66 is logic low. Under this condition, pull-down transistor 62 is turned on and bitline 14 is discharged to the ground 36 through read transistor 74. When the data bit stored within cell 66 is logic high, the output of logic gate 64 is low and pull-down transistor 62 remains off.
When the read signal is logic high (i.e., a read operation is being performed for cell 60), bias device 72 (P-channel IGFET) is off and has substantially no effect on the circuit. When the read signal is logic low (i.e., a read operation is not being performed for cell 60), bias device 72 couples the supply terminal 18 to the second output terminal of pull-down transistor 62. This places a logic high voltage on the second input 70 of logic gate 64, which forces the output of the logic gate to a logic low value. Therefore a negative voltage exists from the input terminal of pull-down transistor 62 to the second output terminal of pull-down transistor 62. As transistor 62 is an N-channel IGFET device, the negative voltage from the input terminal (the gate) of pull-down transistor 62 to the second output terminal ( the source) of pull-down transistor 62 reduces the leakage current through pull-down transistor 62 to negligible levels. When the read signal again switches to a logic high value, the bias voltage is removed from pull-down transistor 62 and a read operation takes place.
As described in the prior art, such an embodiment is capable of reducing leakage current through pull-down transistor 62 due to the effect of read noise associated with read signal on the input of pull-down transistor 62. This helps to reduce the leakage level through pull-down transistor 62 due to generation of a negative voltage from the input terminal (i.e., the gate terminal) of pull-down transistor 62 to the second output terminal (i.e., the source terminal) of pull-down transistor 62.
The drawback of such an arrangement is its inability to check the leakage current through pull-down transistor 74. Also the presence of bias transistor X raises the potential of intermediate node 80 near to supply voltage whenever read signal is low (i.e., when a read operation is not being performed). This technique appears to be unable to reduce the leakage current to the same order at a very low potential of intermediate node. In such memory circuit arrangement, significant leakage current is produced because of low VT pull-down devices 107 and 117 used to maintain high performance. Hence, the goal of the bias device is to reduce leakage through pull-down transistor 62 during some or all of the non-read period associated with a register file cell.

Memory device with reduced leakage current


A resid fuel additive is provided that includes a plant oil extract, β-carotene, and jojoba oil. The additive may be added to any resid fuel to reduce emissions of undesired components during combustion of the fuel. A method for preparing the additive is also provided.

Hydrocarbon fuels typically contain a complex mixture of hydrocarbons—molecules containing various configurations of hydrogen and carbon atoms. They may also contain various additives, including detergents, anti-icing agents, emulsifiers, corrosion inhibitors, dyes, deposit modifiers, and non-hydrocarbons such as oxygenates.
When such hydrocarbon fuels are combusted, a variety of pollutants are generated. These combustion products include ozone, particulates, carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, and lead. Both the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the California Air Resources Board (CARB) have adopted ambient air quality standards directed to these pollutants. Both agencies have also adopted specifications for lower-emission gasolines.
The Phase 2 California Reformulated Gasoline (CaRFG2) regulations became operative in Mar. 1, 1996. Governor Davis signed Executive Order D-5-99 on Mar. 25, 1999, which directs the phase-out of methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) in California's gasoline by Dec. 31, 2002. The Phase 3 California Reformulated Gasoline (CaRFG3) regulations were approved on Aug. 3, 2000, and became operative on Sep. 2, 2000. The CaRFG2 and CaRFG3 standards are presented in Table 1.
TABLE 1The California Reformulated Gasoline Phase 2 and Phase 3 SpecificationsFlat LimitsAveraging LimitsCap LimitsCaRFGCaRFGCaRFGCaRFGCaRFGCaRFGCaRFGCaRFGCaRFGPropertyPhase 1Phase 1Phase 1Phase 1Phase 2Phase 3Phase 1Phase 2Phase 3Reidn/a7.07.0 or 6.97.8n/an/an/a7.06.4–7.2VaporPressure(psi)Sulfurn/a40201513015n/a8060Content30(wt. ppm)Benzenen/a1.00.81.70.80.7n/a1.21.1Content(vol. %)Aromaticsn/a2525322222n/a3035Content(vol. %)Olefinsn/a6.06.09.64.04.0n/a10.010.0Content(vol. %)T50n/a210213212200203n/a220220(° F.)T90n/a300305329290295n/a330330(° F.)Oxygenn/a1.8–2.21.8–2.2n/an/an/an/a1.8–3.51.8–3.5Content  0–3.5  0–3.5(wt. %)MTBEn/an/aProhibitedn/an/an/an/an/aProhibitedand OtherOxygenates(other thanethanol)n/a = not applicable
Considerable effort has been expended by the major oil companies to formulate gasolines that comply with the EPA and CARB standards. The most common approach to formulating compliant gasolines involves adjusting refinery processes so as to produce a gasoline base fuel meeting the specifications set forth above. Such an approach suffers a number of drawbacks, including the high costs involved in reconfiguring a refinery process, possible negative effects on the quantity or quality of other refinery products, and the inflexibility associated with having to produce a compliant base gasoline.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Method and composition for using organic, plant-derived, oil-extracted materials in resid fuel additives for reduced emissions


Provided are novel electrolytes for use in rechargeable lithium ion cells containing high capacity active materials, such as silicon, germanium, tin, and/or aluminum. These novel electrolytes include one or more pyrocarbonates and, in certain embodiments, one or more fluorinated carbonates. For example, dimethyl pyrocarbonate (DMPC) may be combine with mono-fluoroethylene carbonate (FEC). Alternatively, DMPC or other pyrocarbonates may be used without any fluorinated carbonates. A weight ratio of pyrocarbonates may be between about 0% and 50%, for example, about 10%. Pyrocarbonates may be combined with other solvents, such as ethylene carbonate (EC), propylene carbonate (PC), dimethyl carbonate (DMC), diethyl carbonate (DEC), and/or ethyl-methyl carbonate (EMC). Alternatively, pyrocarbonates may be used without such solvents. Experimental results conducted using electrochemical cells with silicon based electrodes demonstrated substantial improvements in cycle life when pyrocarbonate containing electrolytes were used in comparison with pyrocarbonate free electrolytes.

The energy density of lithium ion batteries can be substantially improved by carbon-based electrode materials with high capacity active materials, such as silicon. Yet, high capacity materials present a new set of challenges not previously encountered with carbon-based materials. For example, the cycle life of cells built with high capacity active materials and conventional electrolytes tends to be much shorter than the cycle life of cells built with carbon based active materials and the same electrolytes. The selection of electrolytes may impact formation of solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) layers, ionic mobility, and various other factors that collectively impact the cycle life of a cell. Specific electrolyte formulation may be necessary to address these new challenges presented by introducing high capacity active materials into lithium ion batteries.


A hydraulically operated setting device with a hydraulic aggregate as well as a joining method for connecting at least two components with the help of the hydraulically operated setting device is described. The cycle times compared to conventional joining methods are reduced through the targeted use of volume flows of hydraulic fluid in the prestroke chamber and the return-stroke chamber of the piston in connection with the plunger and the hold-down device chamber in connection with the plunge piston and the hold-down device.

The present invention relates to a hydraulically operated setting device, to which the powering hydraulic fluid is supplied with the help of a hydraulic aggregate. The hydraulic fluid supplies a piston/cylinder arrangement of the setting device, which moves both a plunger for inserting a connection element, for example a punch rivet, as well as a hold-down device or nose. The setting device is connected with the hydraulic aggregate for this purpose. The hydraulic aggregate comprises a tank for storing hydraulic fluid, such as oil. Moreover, the hydraulic aggregate is equipped with a pump, which pumps the hydraulic fluid out of the tank to the setting device. Since the setting device is usually arranged on an industrial robot, long hydraulic hoses for conveying the hydraulic fluid connect the hydraulic aggregate with the setting device. Depending on the pressure and the volume flows of the hydraulic fluid, which can be generated with the help of the hydraulic aggregate, certain cycle times result, which are required for example for the setting of a punch rivet in at least two components. Furthermore, the cycle time for a setting procedure is impacted by the speed of the hydraulic cylinder during the process of the plunger and the hold-down device.
Since the cycle times of known setting devices with a hydraulic aggregate are not satisfactory, it is one object of the present invention to provide a setting device with a hydraulic aggregate as well as a joining method for connecting at least two components, which requires a shorter cycle time for establishing a connection between two components compared to the state of the art.

Hydraulically operated setting device with a hydraulic aggregate and a joining method for connecting at least two components


A method and materials are disclosed wherein a layer of a softer thermoplastic material comprising (i) a thermoplastic polyurethane or (ii) a thermoplastic elastomer alloy including a styrenic thermoplastic elastomer and a thermoplastic polyurethane can be attached to a substrate comprising a harder thermoplastic alloy including a polyester and a polycarbonate. In one form, the method and materials are used to form a modular chain link for use in constructing a modular conveyor chain. The modular chain link includes a main body comprising the thermoplastic alloy including a polyester and a polycarbonate, and a softer layer of the thermoplastic material comprising (i) a thermoplastic polyurethane or (ii) a thermoplastic elastomer alloy including a styrenic thermoplastic elastomer and a thermoplastic polyurethane disposed on at least a portion of the main body.

It is often desirable to manufacture a single component which has the hardness and frictional properties of a thermoplastic elastomeric material in one region and the hardness and frictional properties of another thermoplastic material in other regions. For example, the thermoplastic elastomeric material may provide functions such as a built in gasket, or soft grip for "non-slip" handling, or skid free standing plane, or a high friction top to a modular belt or conveyor chain. The harder thermoplastic material can provide structure or mechanical strength to the component. In one example application, a thermoplastic elastomer, such a styrenic block copolymer, is laminated to a hard resin. The laminate is advantageous since it has a good feel, shock absorption (cushionability) and damage-resistance because of the flexibility and elasticity of the layer of the thermoplastic elastomer and has shape-retaining and reinforcing ability because of the hard resin.
While composites of a thermoplastic elastomer and a hard resin often have advantageous properties, it may be difficult to create an acceptable bond between the thermoplastic elastomer and the hard resin. Often mechanical coupling methods must be employed in which the thermoplastic elastomer and the hard resin are formed to have engaging means capable of being coupled together. However, the formation of engaging means typically require molds with complicated structures for forming the engaging means. Alternatively, the thermoplastic elastomer and the hard resin are often bonded together with some other bonding means, such as adhesives. The use of adhesives is also undesirable because it requires complicated steps to prepare the two layers followed by bonding. As a result, poorly-bonded composites are often produced, and organic solvents in adhesives often are detrimental in the working environment.
What is needed therefore is a method and materials wherein a thermoplastic elastomeric material can be readily molded to another harder thermoplastic material such that an acceptable bond forms between the thermoplastic elastomer and the harder thermoplastic material.

Composite article having thermoplastic elastomer region on thermoplastic substrate


A damping material having a loss factor tan .delta..gtoreq.1 and a small strain amplitude dependence, which is formed by dispersing an organic series dielectric or ferroelectric material in a non-dielectric polymer to have an acicular form wherein the acicular ratio is 5 or more, and the diameter of the acicular dielectric or ferroelectric material is 20 .mu.m or less when it takes a circular acicular form, or a side in cross section of the acicular dielectric or ferroelectric material is 20 .mu.m or less when it takes a rectangular acicular form. The volume ratio of the dielectric or the ferroelectric material to the non-dielectric polymer is preferably 0.3 to 0.7.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a damping material for attenuating vibrations by converting a vibrational energy to an electric energy. In particular, it relates to a piezoelectric dispersion type organic damping composite utilized for damping an apparatus or a device, absorbing noises and so on.
2. Discussion of Background
A conventional damping material is of such a type that a scale-like inorganic material such as mica is dispersed in a polymer matrix so that a vibrational energy is absorbed by mutual friction of the dispersed material, which is caused by vibrations, or of such a type that a magnetic interaction is utilized, in addition to the mutual friction, with use of powder of a magnetic material such as ferrite or the like. In either case of the conventional damping techniques, the loss factor tan .delta. is at most about 0.5.
Further, there has been proposed a technique of converting a vibrational energy to an electric energy by using powder of an inorganic ceramic piezoelectric as a dispersing material. In the proposed technique, however, the elastic modulus of the ceramics is far different from that of a polymer material whereby the effect of transmitting a kinetic energy is low: the anti-polarization factor is large as 0.3 because the shape of powdery particles is spherical to thereby reduce a strain-electric-conversion effect, and the loss factor tan .delta. is 0.5 or less.
As another proposal, a polymer in a gel state as a dispersing material is dispersed in a polymer matrix in an attempt that a vibrational energy is absorbed due to the friction between the gel-like polymer and the polymer matrix. However, the loss factor does not exceed 1. In particular, the damping material by the proposed technique can not be used as a structural material because it does not have a sufficient strength. In the above-mentioned conventional damping materials, the strain amplitude dependence is large since the kinetic interaction between the polymer matrix and the dispersing material is mainly utilized. Accordingly, although these damping materials provided a certain effect when the amplitude of vibrations was large ranging 10.sup.-3 -10.sup.-4, there exhibited less performance in a range of strain amplitude of 10.sup.-7 for the purpose of sound absorption and insulation.

Piezoelectric dispersion type organic damping composite


An RFID tag in a receptacle is active and includes a microprocessor, a data storage device operable to store a selected code (e.g. an ID code to identify said object or said product), the object including a display for displaying the aforesaid selected code upon a signal from the microprocessor and an energy storage device (e.g. a lithium ion battery), operable to energize the microprocessor, the display, and the transmitter. The tag has an antenna having a dimension thereof that is substantially as large as to a maximum dimension of receptacle.

This invention relates to identification and tracking of products, receptacles (including containers, boxes, and pallets), and other objects as they are transported and stored in moving through the supply chain from manufacturer to end-user. More particularly, the invention relates to the use of RFID tags and antennas therefor in receptacles, products, methods, and systems to achieve full visibility bf products throughout the levels of their supply chain.
High-value products such as medical devices must often be tracked traced and details recorded as it moves through a supply chain. In many cases the medical device itself is temperature sensitive, and time sensitive, and may have a specific expiry date. Many of these medical devices may be worth thousands to even tens of thousands of dollars. Therefore, security tracking and optimized inventory may be not only critical to the business but also could provide audit trial information that may be required by governmental authorities, such as the FDA (the United States Food and Drug Administration).
Many have proposed or discussed the use of radio frequency tags or what is now known as RF ID to track these high-value assets through a supply chain (e.g. US5774S76, US5S04S1 0). In most cases these RF tags are placed either inside the box containing-the asset, or placed outside the box using an adhesive tape or other attachment means. These tags are read by a mobile reader or in some cases by a fixed reader to identify the product. Moreover, smart radio tags can use features such as a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) to indicate status of the asset; temperature sensors to provide data logs and alarms if certain temperature parameters are not met; light emitting diodes or LEDs as indicators to make picking and putting the asset optimal; and buttons and that may be used to detect whether the tag is attached too a package or enabling human input to the tag. These tags may typically be the size of the credit card or slightly larger. However several serious problems arise when tracking high-value assets that require full pedigree audits and reliable proof that the medical device (e.g. stent) or other product has not been tampered with, as well as to provide many other options.

RF-enablement of products and receptacles therefor


A system and process for detecting a traffic lane boundary before it is potentially violated by a moving vehicle traveling in the lane. Passive RF tags or labels are embedded in a paint stripe running along pavement. A sensor in the vehicle emits an RF signal at a frequency to which the tags or labels are responsive. When the emitted signal is incident on a tag or label with strength indicative of straying of the vehicle from the lane toward incipient violation of the lane boundary defined by the stripe, the tag or label issues a return signal that is received by the sensor for on-board signaling of the potential violation to alter the driver so that corrective action can be taken.

Various types of traffic lane marking systems are shown in different U.S. Patents. Some use active markers, meaning markers that emit a signal of some sort, while others use passive ones.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,347,456 describes a system of passive markers that are placed along a centerline of a traffic lane and contain coded information that can be read by a vehicle traveling over them.
Other types use on-board cameras and imaging techniques to acquire roadway information, process the acquired information, and then relate the vehicle to the processed roadway information. Those types of systems would seem to be quite complex and very expensive for widespread use in mass-produced motor vehicles, especially if the information must be acquired and processed in real time. U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,614,469 and 6,411,901 are examples of such systems.
Still another patented system uses GPS to relate a traveling vehicle to stored data defining lane boundaries.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,502,031 proposes the use of magnetic markers in a roadway for detection by suitable on-board equipment.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,414,606 proposes the addition of metallic shot or particles of other materials having a high dielectric constant to a thermoplastic paint used to paint lane stripes on pavement. A vehicle containing suitable detection equipment can detect the additive material in the painted stripes.

Passive traffic lane marking for on-board detection of lane boundary


An LED lighting fixture including a housing including a first and second border structures. An LED assembly is secured with respect to the housing to permit air/water-flow over the LED assembly. The LED assembly includes at least one LED-array module mounted at an elongate LED heat sink that extends along the housing and between two heat-sink ends. The heat sink has an LED-module-engaging surface and a heat-transfer surface. One heat-sink end is at the first border structure and the other heat-sink end is at the second border structure. The housing and the heat sink define an air gap permitting air/water-flow to and from the heat sink.

In recent years, the use of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) for various common lighting purposes has increased, and this trend has accelerated as advances have been made in LEDs and in LED arrays, often referred to as "LED modules." Indeed, lighting applications which previously had been served by fixtures using what are known as high-intensity discharge (HID) lamps are now beginning to be served by fixtures using LED-array-bearing modules. Such lighting applications include, among a good many others, roadway lighting, factory lighting, parking lot lighting, and commercial building lighting.
Floodlights using LED modules as light source for various applications present particularly challenging problems in fixture development, particularly when floodlight mounting locations and structures will vary. Among other things, placement of the electronic LED power units (LED drivers) for lighting fixtures using LED arrays can be particularly problematic. In some cases, keeping such electronic LED drivers in a air/water-tight location may not be difficult, but if mounting locations and structures vary, then location and protection of such components becomes difficult and adds development costs and potential problems. Lighting-fixture adaptability is an important goal for LED floodlights that are often presented and mounted in different ways.
Heat dissipation is another problem for LED floodlights. And, the goals of dealing with heat dissipation and protection of electronic LED drivers can often be conflicting, contrary goals.
In short, there is a significant need in the lighting industry for improved lighting fixtures using modular LED units—fixtures that are adaptable for a wide variety of mountings and situations, and that satisfy the problems associated with heat dissipation and appropriate protection of electronic LED driver components. Finally, there is a need for an improved LED-module-based lighting fixture which is easy and inexpensive to manufacture.


A liquid crystal display includes a thin film transistor on a substrate, a pixel electrode connected to a first terminal of the thin film transistor, a roof layer above the pixel electrode, a microcavity between the pixel electrode and the roof layer, the microcavity including a liquid crystal injection hole, a partition wall in the microcavity, the partition wall partitioning the microcavity into a first area and a second area, and a liquid crystal layer with liquid crystal molecules in the microcavity, the liquid crystal molecules in the first area being a different type than the liquid crystal molecules in the second area.

1 . Field
Embodiments relate to a liquid crystal display and a manufacturing method thereof.
2 . Description of the Related Art
A liquid crystal display is one of the widely used flat panel displays, and includes two display panels with electric field generating electrodes, e.g., a pixel electrode and a common electrode, and a liquid crystal layer between the two display panels. An image is displayed by applying voltage to the electric field generating electrodes to generate an electric field in the liquid crystal layer, determining orientation of liquid crystal molecules of the liquid crystal layer through the generated electric field, and controlling polarization of incident light.
A liquid crystal display may include a NCD (Nano Crystal Display). A method of manufacturing the NCD includes forming a sacrificial layer with an organic material, forming a support member on an upper part, removing the sacrificial layer to define a microcavity, and filling the microcavity defined by the removal of the sacrificial layer with a liquid crystal.

Liquid crystal display and manufacturing method thereof